Preparing the Night Before a Photo Shoot

In the world of photography, preparation goes a long way. From creating mood boards weeks in advance, communicating with everyone who will be on set, to making sure your gear is in proper working order, there is a lot to do before you even shoot. Whether you are shooting in the studio, working on a large scale shoot, or just going for a photo walk with some friends, here is a simple list of steps to make sure you are ready the night before a shoot.

1) Communication

One of the most important aspects of a good shoot is making sure that everyone is on the same page. This means you need to communicate. The night before a shoot, I like to get in touch with everyone I will be working with. This means emailing, calling, or texting all of the models, assistants, and second shooters. If I am shooting at a location and need to be in touch with the owner or manager of a building or venue, I make sure I get in touch with them one last time just to confirm that we will be shooting the next day. I think some photographers think the world revolves around them, but this is not the case; people are busy with their own lives. It can go a long way just to check in and make sure everything is a go for shoot day. While surprises on shoots days are basically inevitable, do your best to make sure everyone is in touch with each other. Having a call sheet with everyone's name and number on it can be helpful, that way all parties involved can communicate easily if there are any issues. 

2) Gear

Organizing my gear the night before a shoot is actually one of my favorite parts of the entire preparation process. The night before any big shoot, I always completely empty my gear bag; I like to go through every piece of equipment and make sure that it is thoroughly clean and has charged batteries. I take time to make sure that all the cards I have in my cameras have been formatted and are empty and ready for the upcoming shoot. I take time to clean all of my lenses and make sure there are no smudges or dust on the glass. After all my gear has been inspected, charged, and cleaned, I find an aesthetically pleasing area on the floor or on a table and lay out all the gear that I will be bringing with me. I do this for several reasons. First, because I love gear, but also because I want to see everything together and make sure that nothing is missing. Also, organizing the gear neatly provides an opportunity to take a photo for Instagram and begin the hype of the shoot. 

3) Review

There can be a lot of information to review the night before a shoot and depending on what you are shooting, it can vary a lot. If you are photographing a wedding, I highly recommend you take time to review the names of the entire wedding party. While it can be hard to get everyone's names correct, make sure you at least have the names of the bride and groom and both of their parents on lock, as well as the maid of honor and the best man. If you have time, or an assistant to help, you can make a list of all of the members of the group and match them with pictures from Facebook. Customer service goes a long way; every situation is different, but knowing everyone's name shows your clients that you are attentive, professional and care about them. The same goes for other types of shoots as well. If you are doing a commercial shoot, make sure you know the names of everyone you will be working with. From art directors and producers to talent and assistants, no one likes it when you forget their name. 

4) Location

As I mentioned previously, making sure to communicate with owners of venues you will be working at is important, but also make sure you and everyone else knows how to get there. I find this especially important with weddings, where the ceremony is somewhere different than the reception. When the time comes to leave the ceremony and head to the next location, you do not want to be lost or have any unexpected issues. I always take the time to review routes to and from each location on Google Maps the night before a shoot.

Aside from knowing how to get there, if you need permits for your shoot, make sure you have any necessary paper work in your bag or a location where you will not forget it. The night before a shoot, you should have all aspects of the location understood. This is time to review, not find things out for the first time. If you are shooting outside, you should already know the position of the sun and how it will affect the lighting. 

5) Extras

Aside from the technical aspects of the shoot, there are a few other important steps I like to take to make sure I am on my "A" game. If food will not be provided at the shoot, I like to make sure I have enough food to sustain myself and any assistants I have. This usually includes several bottles of water, some Clif bars and fruit. I tend to stay away from anything messy. Keep it simple; this is not the time to feast. The night before a big shoot, I always like to try to get a decent night of sleep; I always set several alarms and try to wake up well ahead of the time I need to leave. I usually have coffee ready to go for the morning and a healthy sustaining breakfast easily accessible - nothing too large or heavy - just something to keep me energetic and light on my feet. Usually a couple of eggs and some toast does the trick. Last, but not least, as much as I love a cold beer at the end of the day, my motto on nights prior to shoots is: "you booze, you lose." The last thing I want on the day of a shoot is to wake up in a fog or hungover.

 

You can go all night double-checking every aspect of your shoot and while I firmly believe you need to be as prepared as possible, at some point you need to trust yourself. Preparation on all levels is important to having a successful day of shooting and most of this preparation should not be saved for the night before a shoot. Like I said before, this time should be saved for a final check, not for finding things out for the first time. Problems arise; this is inevitable. It is hard to completely plan everything out and have everything go according to plan. Remember, lots of times, it is the aspects that don’t go according to plan that can make a shoot memorable or unique; just make sure that you are prepared so that you can take advantage of anything that doesn’t go according to plan and not let it ruin your shoot. If you have any additional tips about preparation, feel free to share them in the comments section below.