Preparing for a Studio Product Shoot

When working with me to photograph your products, preparation is key. A well-thought-out plan ensures your images turn out exactly as you envision, makes the shoot run smoothly, and gives us flexibility to create multiple compositions for a variety of uses.

Gather Inspiration

Before our first planning meeting, it’s incredibly helpful to have a collection of inspiration images or a mood board ready. This helps me understand the style, colors, lighting, and overall vibe you’re aiming for. Whether it’s clean and minimal, bold and playful, or moody and editorial, seeing what excites you visually gives me a strong starting point.

Know Your Goal & Make a Shot List

Next, we clarify the goal of the shoot. What do you want to communicate about your product or brand? Who is your audience, and where will the images be used? From there, we create a shot list outlining every image you need — from hero shots to detail shots, flat lays, and lifestyle contexts. This becomes the foundation of your final shoot plan.

Plan Your Products

Organizing your products in advance saves time and gives us more creative flexibility. Consider:

• Selecting which products will be photographed.

• Coordinating sizes, colors, and quantities.

• Cleaning and prepping products so they’re camera-ready.

• Providing multiples when possible — this allows us to experiment with patterns, groupings, and styling without limitations.

The Shoot Plan

Once we have all the inspiration, goals, and product details, I create a detailed shoot plan. This includes the shot list, mock-ups, mood boards, and any notes about styling, lighting, or props. You’ll have the chance to review and provide feedback at this stage. Once the plan is signed off, we move into production. Making changes after the shoot is difficult, so this step ensures everyone is aligned before any images are captured.

Wrapping Up

With a clear shoot plan in place — including your goals, shot list, and mood board — we have a solid foundation to create images that showcase your products exactly as you envision. Careful preparation ensures the shoot runs smoothly and gives you the flexibility to get the results you need.