Although Matthew Mills is now working in New York City as a fashion photographer, his skills have been honed across several fields. Having embarked on his passion for photography back in the days when film photography ruled, he did a B.A. in Fashion Photography from Columbia College, Chicago before falling in love with digital photography and learning how to shoot with purpose.
He also learned the role of Digital Tech in the rapid-paced world of eCommerce, and it was during this stage of his career that he learned the value of building a shot list. He now shares that vital knowledge with you so that your photographic shoots can be as successful and organized as possible.
Shot Lists – What Are They?
In simple terms, shot lists are just checklists of each shot you want or need to take. It assists photographers to be efficient not only in terms of money but also with their time. With a pre-prepared shot list, costly reshoots can be prevented. Also, a shot list acts as a plan allowing you to coordinate with clients to check that all the essential shots are being captured.
You can make up your shot list with both rough sketches and descriptions of the photos you need or want to take. Of course, the checklist should only be a guideline – going off the book is also possible – but it’s the best way to make certain a key photo isn’t left out of the shoot. It’ll also reduce chaos and stress on the day of the shoot itself since you’ll know at a glance what needs to be captured next.
The Basics Of A Shot List
Shot lists can take any form that works for you. However, different clients can demand different formats, so keeping your shot list easily modifiable is a good idea. You can include extensive notes about settings and angles, or break your list up into categories such as “extras, “details” and “must-haves”.
In your must-have list, you can include all the top priority shots that absolutely must be captured during the shoot. Detail shots relate to the overall shoot, ensuring the story of the shoot can be fleshed out but which wouldn’t spoil the entire day’s shooting if one gets missed out. Extras are, of course, shots that you would prefer to get as long as you’ve got enough time.
Shots To Bear In Mind
There are many different types of shots that you might wish to include in your slot list depending on the event or subject you’re shooting. For example, detail shots may be required to capture small elements alongside the main event or subject that you’re using. Posed shots may also be necessary, especially in the case of events like weddings or portrait shoots. If you write down a list of poses within your shot list you’ll know where your subjects need to be positioned to get the correct shots.
Candid shots may also be included in your shot list. These are the best way of capturing lifelike photographs since the subject remains unaware the photo has been captured. This results in a natural feel. If you’re shooting an event like a party, for example, you should make some notes about the types of candid shots you’d like to capture, even though they may not necessarily be exactly as you planned them.
Using Your Shot List To Its Best Advantage
As Matthew Mills will concede, photoshoots are usually pretty hectic. Setting the equipment up, working with clients and models, and even dealing with inclement weather conditions can all lead to hassle and stress on the day. Even the most seasoned and experienced photographers can easily forget a key shot that they needed under such conditions. This is why having a shot list is so important. It’ll save you the time and effort of having to do a reshoot and will also make sure that the day itself runs as smoothly as possible.
Not only that, but you’ll also find your shot list is a great guideline to ensure you and your client are working from the same page so that no critical shots are overlooked or left out. While some photographers worry that a shot list will reduce the freedom they enjoy in their shoot after they put one in place they often come to realize that in fact, it is giving them more freedom by freeing up their time and energy to focus on getting the best possible shots.
You can learn more about Matthew and his work via his profiles below:
