Commercial Session Preparation Guide

We are so excited to capture all of the amazing things your business has to offer! Below is a list of helpful tips to make the most of your session with us.

Helpful tips

  • Cleanliness is key! It’s so important to us that we capture your product or business at its very best so we’ll always take the time to move and pick up any distractions during your session but this can definitely take a little time away from capturing photos during the session. If you’re able to pick these up before we get there, it is so helpful and allows us to take more photos! Check the spaces where you would like your photos to be taken before our session and try to remove:

    • Clutter

    • Trash Cans

    • Branded Items That Are Not Your Own or Are Not Related to Your Product

    • Napkins and Napkin Holders

    • Vehicles in Key Outside Locations

  • Have Windex and/or a simple spray cleaner on hand. Our pictures are highly detailed so little things like dust will show up in photos. Having these on hand is super helpful for us!

  • Are there areas that you don’t love? Just let us know! Please know open communication is always key and please don’t ever hesitate to let us know if there is any type of backdrop or items you’re not particularly fond of.

  • Set Out Products Ahead of Time. Have a specific set of products you would like to have captured? Go ahead and gather these ahead of time so we can have easy access to them.

  • Deconstruct Your Product Visually. If you have products that feature a specific herb, fruit, etc., having these deconstructed items can help formulate the story of your product just by a glance. Photos like these are incredibly powerful for social media platforms like Instagram.

  • Lighting. Please know that we bring our own lighting with us as so many of the photos that we take commercially are in darker spaces, but if you’d like photos with a lot of variety, especially some that have that bright and airy feel, it doesn’t hurt to set up a table outside in the shade, especially if you have products that you would like pictures taken of.

  • Think About Your Goals. What inspires you? What is your overall goal as a company? These are tough questions, but our goal is to always try our best to encompass your message and passion in the photos that we take. During your sessions with us, be sure to let us know about the products and passion projects that you have so we can do our best to incorporate those in subtle ways throughout our session.

  • Restaurants. If we’re showcasing plates of food during your session, this is your time to bring on the color and versatility of your dining! Look for dishes that encompass a lot of color and wait to place delicate garnishes until the very last minute. For plates, sort through your inventory ahead of time and look for dishes free of cracks and blemishes. We typically recommend setting aside at least two plates per dish just in case. For fine dining, pairing a bottle of wine or selecting a drink pairing that coincides with the flavor palate of the dish is a great way to help translate your flavor profile into photos.

  • Staging Guests. Translate guest experiences into photos by staging a tour or dinner during our session. In advertising, viewers are captivated most by the expressions of others more than product photos, so if your business revolves around guest experiences, photos with people in them will have the most impact. Plan to have a few staff on site and/or invite a couple of ‘guests’ to take part. With advertising, you’ll need a model release to use these photos, so please be sure to let us know ahead of time to ensure we have model releases available for participants to sign.

  • Is this your first session with us? We are so excited for your first session! In this first session, we get an amazing opportunity to visit your space, learn more about you, your products, and your clients, and gain a better understanding of what you’re looking for in photos. Please expect this session to be a little longer, especially for monthly or weekly sessions, than those that follow and for this first session to be a little less targeted than your future ones. In future sessions, since we’ll have a better understanding of your space, products, and goals, we are always growing in creating photos that are not only more targeted but are more in tune with your overall goals.