On my last post, I mentioned that I would be creating a mini series and e-book titled “photo shoot breakdown” which I am now making the executive decision to rename as “producing a photo shoot”. Is that allowed? :) I thought a lot about it and since the e-book is being born of this idea, it just seems more appropriate to go big and create a more comprehensive guide on how to produce a shoot, which will include steps for “breaking down”  (translating into a plan) all the shoot requirements.

WHAT IS PRODUCING, ANYWAY?

The first thing people ask me when I tell them that I shoot and produce my projects is: What is producing exactly? What is it that you do specifically? Well, producing is the act of planning, orchestrating and overseeing every single aspect of a project. So, yes! Producing a shoot can certainly be overwhelming and hard to quantify. That is why on big projects, I highly recommend that as the photographer, you hire a producer to have your back. But still, even if you have someone producing for you, it is still important for you to know the process to better understand budgetary constraints and to be able to verify that you’re gearing up for a successful shoot.

PUTTING TOGETHER AN ESTIMATE

Producing a shoot starts with a creating an estimate. The estimate is always the first thing you’ll need to come up with when you’re considering or being considered for a job. If you hire a producer to work with you on a bid, the producer will help you put this together. Otherwise, you’re on your own… And I don’t need to tell you how important it is to know how to price your work, right? A good estimate shows your client that you have a well-thought-out approach and it will most definitely set you apart from the competition. The goal of an estimate is not to prove that you can do “more for less”, but that you can do the “best” within any given budget. In my upcoming e-book, I will go into a lot of detail in terms of what are all the steps that you need to take in consideration when creating an estimate, as well as what steps and costs are appropriate to share with a client. The e-book will also include templates and budget examples. The most important thing to note is that learning how to create an estimate is just the first step of producing a successful shoot. In order to gain your client’s confidence and convince that you are the right talent for the job, you’ll need to back up your numbers with pertinent information and you’ll need to demonstrate that you can deliver what you’re proposing.

YOUR PRODUCTION STEP BY STEP:

In order to come up with a good estimate, you will need to gather data that will inform the complexity of your production and its costs. That is where a shoot breakdown comes in. Here are some of the things you’ll need to take into consideration: concept, location, crew, lighting, talent, styling & props, transportation/ travel, amenities, shoot schedule, post production, image usage and deadlines. You’ll need to go through each of these phases and break them down in detail in order to know what you need and how much it will cost. I’m mostly focusing on portfolio or commercial fashion shoots in this post series, but in my e-book, I will also cover the steps for creating an estimate for still life, food, travel and lifestyle shoots.

A “CHICKEN BEFORE THE EGG” SITUATION:

But really… What comes first: the estimate or the concept?

Sometimes the client will approach you with a concept and request an estimate from you. Other times, the client will ask you to come up with a concept that fits a certain budget. It is also possible that a client will come to you without a concept or budget and ask you to provide both. Either way, even if the client gives you an overall number to work with, you’ll still need to become familiar with the production process to provide an estimate of your own. A complete estimate for a production should delineate how the money will be distributed among all the production steps (mentioned above), including your creative and usage fees, as well as all the other projected costs.

YOUR WORK FLOW:

What is most common for you? Do your clients usually present you with a concept and ask for an estimate or do they tell you how much they are willing to spend first, so you can come up with a concept within that budget? Please share your experience with us. It will be helpful to know as we move forward towards breaking down the concept.

coming up (mini series part 2) …

CONCEPT:

On my next post I will discuss how to translate the “concept” into a “plan”, so costs can be estimated accordingly.

Stay tuned ~

And if you like where this is going, please sign up for my newsletter, so you can be the first to know when the e-book is available for pre-order.

xo