The Importance of Fulfilling a Brief in Photography

When you're shooting for a client with specific needs, it's important that you're able to deliver what they require. This great video explores how a photographer planned, then adapted to get the shot.

Coming to you from Gary Gough, this video follows him as he prepares to shoot a nighttime image for a clients, only to be foiled by unexpected weather conditions that force him to improvise a bit. I think there are two important lessons here. First, Gough was highly prepared for the shot, but his preparation didn't lull him into a sense of apathy. He stayed aware of the environment around him and was able to recognize that a major hindrance that required his attention was settling in. Second, he was willing to improvise and didn't stick to a plan that was clearly no longer working, despite having invested a lot of time and effort in it. By remaining aware and staying flexible, he was still able to get a great shot that fulfilled the client's needs after conditions precluded him from getting his original composition. Check out the video above for his full process.

If you'd like to donate to the charity mentioned in the video, you can do so here

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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Since no one else has: 7. briefs, Chiefly British, The instructions that are given to explain a task or assignment.