How to prepare for a brand photography shoot
Most brand shoots go well or badly before the photographer arrives. The preparation you do in the week before the session shapes almost everything: which spaces look good, whether the people in the photos feel comfortable, whether there's enough variety in the images to build a proper library. This guide covers the things that actually matter.
Start with the spaces, not the shots
Walk through the spaces you want to photograph before the shoot day. Look at them at the same time of day the shoot will happen. Notice where the light comes from, which corners are cluttered, which surfaces are distracting. You don't need to redecorate, but clearing a desk or moving a bin out of frame takes two minutes and makes a real difference.
If you're not sure which spaces to use, take some phone photos and share them beforehand. A quick look at the environment helps plan the order of the day and avoids spending the first hour of a shoot figuring out logistics.
Brief the people who'll be in the photos
Tell your team what the shoot is for and roughly what to expect. People who know they're going to be photographed and understand why tend to look a lot more relaxed than people who've been surprised by a camera. It doesn't need to be a long conversation; a short message the day before is usually enough.
On clothing: ask people to wear something they'd actually wear to work, not something they've bought specially. Avoid very fine stripes or busy patterns, which can cause visual interference on screen. Solid colours and simple layers tend to work well.
Think about props and process shots
Some of the most useful images from a brand shoot are the ones that show work actually happening: hands on a keyboard, a product being made, a conversation in a meeting room. Think about which parts of your process are worth showing and make sure they're set up and ready to photograph.
Props should be things you actually use, not things that look like you use them. A shelf of relevant books, a piece of equipment, a material sample. Anything that tells the truth about what you do is worth including.
What to expect on the day
A half-day brand shoot typically runs three to four hours. The first 20 minutes are usually spent walking the space and adjusting the plan based on what the light is actually doing. After that, the session moves through the agreed areas and subjects.
You'll receive a proof gallery within three working days. From there, you select the images you want fully edited, and the final files follow within two working days of your selection. The whole process from shoot to delivery is usually under two weeks.
If you're still not sure whether a half-day or full-day session is right for you, the questions people actually ask page covers the most common decision points, or just send an email.