The day of the shoot
Part 4 of 7 of the free brand photoshoots guide from The Gallery on Montana. A sample 4 hour brand shoot schedule: hero shots first, product sets next, a second look outside and quick video clips between stills to fill your reels.
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A half day brand shoot runs on one rule: the most important shots go first. Energy, makeup and light are at their best in the first hour, so start with hero portraits and headshots.
Sample half day brand shoot (4 hour booking)
- 0:00: Load in, unpack products, hair and makeup start.
- 0:45: Look 1 in the salon: hero portraits and headshots.
- 1:45: Product and detail shots on the bookshelves and the round table.
- 2:30: Look 2 on the porch and by the murals outside.
- 3:15: Behind the scenes clips and vertical video.
- 3:45: Pack out.
The first fifteen minutes
Arrive with everything steamed and charged, and unpack products before hair and makeup start so the first set is ready the moment you are. A calm first fifteen minutes sets the pace for the whole booking.
- Walk the rooms with the photographer and confirm the first set.
- Tape the printed shot list where everyone can see it.
- Set up a product station on one table, away from foot traffic.
- Hang outfits in order of use.
- Put phones on silent, except the one running the clock.
Light through the day
Indoor window light is softest mid morning and late afternoon. In San Antonio the midday sun is hard and high most of the year, so midday is a good time for interior sets with lights and a bad time for outdoor portraits.
Check sunset for your date before you build the schedule. In San Antonio it ranges from around 5:35 pm in early December to about 8:40 pm in late June, which changes when golden hour starts by three hours.
| Time | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 10 am | Outdoor portraits, porch, arrivals | Long shadows moving quickly |
| 10 am to 3 pm | Interiors, product, flat lays | Harsh sun outside, mixed light by windows |
| Last hour before sunset | Warm outdoor portraits | Light fades fast, have a plan |
Keep the day on track
- Keep the shot list on your phone and check items off as you go.
- Give one person the job of watching the clock and the list.
- Check in with your photographer at the halfway mark and cut what is not essential.
- Grab vertical versions of the best frames before you change sets.
The clock keeper is not a minor role. On most shoots the owner is in front of the camera and cannot watch time, and the photographer is focused on light. A friend, assistant or team member who says ten minutes left on this set keeps the whole day honest.
Directing yourself on camera
Most business owners feel stiff for the first ten minutes. That is normal, and a good photographer will shoot through it. Give yourself something to do: pour coffee, arrange a product, flip a book, talk about a client you loved. Action beats posing, and real conversation gives you real smiles.
Bring a playlist you like and ask the photographer to play it quietly between sets.
Tip: Ask to see the back of the camera. A quick look at a few frames after the first set catches problems early: a stray hair, a crooked collar, a logo hidden by your hand.
Film between stills
Between stills, film short 10 second clips: pouring, packing an order, walking through a doorway, flipping through a book. Those clips become reels, story fillers and website background video without a separate shoot.
- Hold every clip for 10 seconds, even if you will use 3.
- Shoot vertical 4K at 30 frames per second on a phone, or ask the photographer to.
- Move slowly; fast pans look shaky.
- Record a few seconds of room sound for each set.
Wrapping up
With fifteen minutes left, walk the shot list one last time and grab anything missed, then shoot a few empty sets with no people. Leave the space as you found it, return anything that moved, and take a photo of the room before you go.
Before anyone leaves, confirm the delivery date and how you will receive files, usually an online gallery from services like Pixieset or ShootProof. Ask whether video clips arrive separately, and confirm the number of edits you agreed on.
After the shoot
Ask for a proof gallery first if your package includes selection, and pick fast; delays push delivery back. When the images arrive, sort them into folders by use: homepage, social, ads, press and spare. Post no more than one photo from the same set per week.
Keep a short note of what worked and what you wished you had. It becomes the start of your next shoot, which most brands plan every six to twelve months. Making video too? See the podcast and video guide.
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