The Bee'z Knees of Setting up a Photoshoot

Now i know what your thinking setting up a photo shoot can sometime be a little bit difficult at times, sometimes arduous. But from my experience and the many times i spent on the phone planning locations, setting up schedules and coordinating a group of people together can be frustrating. So heres a couple of helpful tips that might just put that missing piece of the puzzle in to perspective.

1. Location .. Location .. Location , in every great photo shoot , the finished product is always a tell-tell sign of whether or not you took the time to find a great place to shoot. Now if your having trouble finding a location, any place with a clear background i.e ( no obstructions, like trash, traffic, or a homeless person). Some of the easiest places to shoot is Parking structures, behind buildings, and so on .

2. Planning, planning can sometime be time consuming. Getting everyone to show up on time , and at the same location for the photo shoot is a major plus. Especially if the talent or inanimate object is the one that's lost because of bad directions.

3. Know what your working with, If your taking a photo of a car , know your shots going in to the shoot so you don't take up valuable sunlight time or the client's time. i.e 3/4 , front, rear , right and left quarter panels, low angle shots and detailed shots.

4. Don't be scared to do it , With numerous photo shoots that i've been on, there have been times where i had to bend the rules a little bit. Something i like to call "Guerilla Photo shoots" where you plan, shoot, and get the hell out. But the ideal place to shoot a car or a person , or a thing , is in a controlled environment where you are able to let those creative juices flow freely without any disruptions or Police Officers. To be able to stand out from the rest, most of the time you have to do whatever it takes to get that one Glamour Shot whether its in pre production or post production (Photoshop), be careful and approach everything with caution, and obey traffic laws.

If you follow these 4 easy steps your photo shoot should be a breeze and everyone will enjoy the time they spent with you on the shoot, remember the finished product is always sweeter then the fruit .