After more than six years as a photographer and content creator, and collaborations with over 50 brands, I have seen what separates a truly great shoot from one that never quite reaches its potential. The difference almost always comes down to preparation.
Here are five things I wish every brand knew before booking a photographer.
1. Have a clear brief — what do you want to communicate?
The single most valuable thing you can do for your photographer is to know what you actually want to say with the images. A good creative brief does not need to be long, but it should answer a few core questions: Who is your target audience? What feeling should the photos evoke? Where will they be used?
I have worked on projects where the client says "we just want nice photos," and that is a perfectly fine starting point. But the truly standout projects always begin with a clear direction. When we know the images are meant to sell a product to young women on Instagram, for example, we make entirely different choices than if they are headed for a print ad in a magazine.
2. A moodboard beats a long text description every time
A picture is worth a thousand words — and that applies to planning a shoot too. Instead of writing three paragraphs describing the mood you are going for, put together a moodboard. It can be as simple as a Pinterest board or a few screenshots saved from Instagram.
When I receive a visual reference, I can immediately understand what you have in mind. It saves time, reduces misunderstandings, and makes the entire process more efficient. I always send moodboards back to my clients as well, so we are completely aligned before the camera starts clicking.
3. Plan your location and lighting well in advance
Light is everything in photography. The most beautiful studio in the world cannot save bad lighting, and even the simplest location can look stunning with the right light. That is why planning ahead matters so much.
Want to shoot outdoors? Then we need to think about timing — golden hour creates a completely different feeling than harsh midday sun. Shooting indoors? We need to know whether the space has natural light or if we should bring extra gear. I always do a quick location scout, either in person or through photos, so I know exactly what to expect.
4. Give your photographer creative freedom
This might be the most important tip of all. You are booking a photographer precisely because you want their eye, their style, their creativity. If every detail is locked down in advance, you miss out on what makes professional photography truly valuable.
The best projects I have worked on are the ones where the client trusts me. Where there is room to try something unexpected, capture a spontaneous moment, or take a creative risk. Always within the framework of the brief, of course, but with space for magic to happen.
5. Think about how the images will be used
Images for Instagram Stories have a completely different format than images for a website. Print requires higher resolution than web. And images for an ad campaign need space for text overlays.
When I know in advance which platforms the images are intended for, I can plan the composition accordingly. I like to shoot in multiple formats during a session — portrait, landscape, with breathing room around the subject — so you have flexibility afterwards. But this is much easier to plan for than to fix in post-production.
Ready to create something together?
Preparation is not about making things complicated. It is about laying the groundwork so the creative work can flow freely. With a solid brief, a clear moodboard, and mutual trust, we can create images that truly make a difference for your brand.
