Whether you’re looking to venture into the world of professional photography, or just getting some practice – being able to hold an effective photoshoot can be a handy skill to have.


Much of the photoshoot starts ahead of time, before you even arrive at the location. While prep work may feel like a waste of time, in the end it can save you from a world of hassle, and help you to arrive prepared, and with the gear and know-how that you need to capture some stunning shots.

Before you head out – here are some things that you can do to help set up your photoshoot for success.

photo by Mark Probst

Equipment: What to Bring

The equipment that you’ll want to bring will depend largely on the specific type of shoot that you’re doing – and the desired effect.

But regardless of the type of photos you’re going to be taking, there is some gear that’s always good to have on hand. A silver reflector can be an excellent piece of equipment for portraits. A reflector helps to bounce the light back onto the subject’s face, resulting in nice, even lighting with minimal shadows. You may also want to bring along a fill flash. During bright sun, a fill flash can help to fill in any unsightly shadows.

If you’re going to be doing environmental portraits, and including some of the surrounding landscape, a wide-angle lens is a great choice. However, for up-close portraits, wide-angles aren’t the best option, as they tend to distort facial features from up close. It’s much better to opt for a standard lens, a zoom lens – or a prime lens, if you have one. Common portrait focal lengths are 50mm and 85mm prime lenses, or a 70-200mm zoom lens for a full-frame camera.

Regardless of which lenses you bring, make sure the lenses and the camera body are cleaned beforehand. Also, bring along extra batteries, and make sure your memory cards have been emptied and that you have a spare for backup.

Camera Settings

Be sure to reset your camera settings before heading out. This will save you from accidentally taking photos in the wrong setting.

You should use whichever camera mode you feel comfortable with, but many photographers find that aperture priority mode is ideal for portraits. Aperture priority gives you direct control over the depth of field, allowing you to easily adjust how much of the image is in focus – especially good for portraits. Opt for a wide aperture, or use a fast prime lens – like a 50mm f/1.4, for beautifully blurred backgrounds. If the lighting is right, you’ll even get some bokeh.

Preparations for the Shoot

Here’s a few general tips you should always remember before going out the door to a photoshoot.

1. Check the Weather

   Checking the weather can help you to plan for lighting conditions and give you a better idea about what equipment to bring. It can also warn you about rain!

2. Arrive Early

   Arrive on-location early so you have time to scout out the area and find some ideal shooting spots. Who knows? You may even find some hidden gems tucked out of the way.

3. Visualize

   Before you start your photoshoot, try to envision at least a few shots that you hope to get. This will give you some focus and direction while shooting, and can also help if you get stuck.

4. Look Up Some Poses

   More than likely, your subjects won’t know how to pose – it’s your job to help them! Look up some poses online ahead of time, and find a few that you want to have them try so that you can guide them in the right direction.

5. Amp Yourself Up

   Finally, on your way to the photoshoot – get yourself mentally ready. Drink some coffee or listen to music that’s appropriate for the occasion – and get excited about the shoot! You may also want to bring some water and snacks along to help everyone keep their energy up.

Tips for Portraits

If you’re going to be photographing portraits especially, there’s a few things to keep in mind.

1. Focus on the Eyes

   For most portraits, the eyes are the main focal point – so make sure they’re in-focus. When using a wide aperture, it’s especially important to ensure that the eyes are clear since the narrow depth of field will throw much of the image out of focus.

2. Include Some Context

   Including some of the surrounding area in your portraits can help to set the context, and add life and interest to your photos. Look for things to include as props in the images – an old fence, some artwork on a building, or an interesting bench can all add an extra dimension to your photos.

3. Watch the Light

   With outdoor portraits, it’s important to pay attention to the direction of light. This will help you to know which way to shoot to minimize shadows and make the most of available lighting. Try shooting with the sun to your side during morning and evening and with the sun to your back during midday to help reduce shadows.

4. Shoot in RAW

   Shooting in RAW will give you the most flexibility post processing. This will allow you to adjust the white balance to compensate for any exposures that may be off. You can also deliberately over-expose some photos to add a lighter and ‘softer’ look to an image.

5. Use Burst Mode

   When photographing children or taking a group photo, burst mode can come in handy. This will help you to capture fleeting expressions – and maybe even get a photo where everyone has their eyes open!

6. Start Slow

   It always takes some time to warm up with photoshoots, so save the best shots for last. Don’t worry if the first photos turn out a bit staged – once everyone warms up and starts having fun, the photos will have a more natural, relaxed look.

7. Have Fun

   Finally, and most importantly: have fun! Help everyone to have a good time. One tip is to think up a fun scenario, and have the subjects act it out for you. This helps to break the ice and can result in some fun and dramatic photos. They best photos are often candid, taken when people are relaxed and enjoying themselves, so look for ways to lighten the mood and save the close-up shots and the tricky poses for later in the session.

Sometimes it can be helpful to lay everything out the night before, so you can see what you have – and then pack the bag the day of the shoot. This can save you from the hassle of having to shuffle things around in the bag last minute because you can’t remember if you packed something.

If you do arrive on-location and realize that you forgot something – don’t panic! It happens – even to professionals. Being able to improvise is a key part of photography, in the event that something is forgotten or doesn’t go according to plan.

Still, by taking the time to prepare ahead of time, you will help the shoot to go as smoothly as possible – and you’ll be less stressed, and better able to focus on capturing some truly amazing winners.

How do you prepare for a shoot? What’s your go-to strategy for amazing portraits? We’d love to hear your thoughts!