Booking Information and Tips
PLEASE NOTE:
Due to the on-going global COVID-19 pandemic, the below listed information and tips have been amended to include any required changes in order to abide by government-mandated restrictions to accommodate the health and safety of my client(s). Anything marked with an asterisk ( * ) has an amendment which can be found at the bottom of this page; please ensure to review thoroughly!
As with any project, putting together a successful photoshoot requires initial consultation(s), discussion and collaboration, planning out details, and bringing together all the minds of the project to achieve the envisioned results, regardless of photography genre, or how many individuals / trades are involved.
To that end, I have put together some general guidelines / tips to help new and existing clients know what they need to consider before approaching EW Photography, and during a project, to ensure the outcome is to everyone’s satisfaction.
Key Topics
Consultation, Planning and Pre-conceptualization*
The consultation is probably one of the single most important aspects of beginning any project, as this is where EW Photography will sit down with the client(s) to gain a sense of what it is they are looking to achieve, and provide guidance on how to reach the desired outcome.
The consultation will consist of an initial meeting where the client(s) will outline the pre-conceptualized vision being sought, with feedback on any pertinent details they have considered. EW Photography will then offer reciprocal feedback on the information provided, advice on how to achieve the client(s) goal(s), guide the client(s) on improving upon their vision, and begin devising a workable plan on achieving the results desired by the client(s).
As projects vary in size and complexity from a single-person, natural-light photoshoot involving just the client and photographer, up to more complex productions involving many moving parts, the consultation phase can encompass a single meeting, or multiple meetings, in order to discuss all the possible elements. Whilst this sounds like a long and arduous process, it actually happens quite quickly and organically!
Location*
The location is the next most important consideration, as it will determine all the dynamics of the project, including requirements for lighting, clothing, hair and makeup, weather, date and time, length of the photoshoot, environmental considerations to achieve the needed “look and feel” for the shoot, and so on.
During the Consultation and Planning stage, EW Photography will take notes on what the client is seeking, and if an outdoor setting is desired, will then scout possible sites for the shoot, or evaluate suggestions from the client of possible locations if provided, to determine feasibility of achieving the desired results.
This is critical in planning out the rest of the project. It is highly advisable for all parties to meet at the suggested location(s) (once established) well ahead of the shoot date to evaluate the site together, and to offer mutual feedback on which site(s) will work best, as this will contribute to an outcome as inline with the client(s) expectations as possible.
Talent / Model Selection
If the project is to involve a model / talent other than the client(s), then this becomes a critical consideration. Choosing a model that resonates with the target audience is necessary to achieve the final outcome of any photography project.
EW Photography can assist with choosing the appropriate talent for the project, taking into account factors such as:
- Genre of photoshoot
- Main focus of the shoot (travel, clothing, location, product, etc.)
- Target audience, including gender, age, ethnicity, demographic location
Clothing
Whilst any type and style of clothing can be photographed and made to look great, there are some general guidelines we follow as photographers and advise the client(s) of, to have even better results (depending on the genre of photography the client is looking to have taken) including (but not limited to):
- Garments (including shirts, dresses, pants, etc.) photograph best if they are composed of solid colours / pastels
- Garments with loud, contrasty patterns and/or logo’s should be avoided as those tend to clash with background and/or foreground elements in the photograph
- Avoid dressing or accessorizing outside of your comfort zone as It may come off as forced or false
Hair, Makeup and Styling*
For more advanced projects that will require the client / talent to have makeup, hair and additional styling applied, it is best for any photographer to be in discussions with the relevant artist during the early stages of the project, in order to establish the type of makeup, hair and styling will be best suited to the location, lighting, and dynamics of the photoshoot.
For example, if makeup is made too “wet” or shiny for the lighting being used, it will lead to frustration on the part of the photographer, talent and/or client to achieve the desired results, thus leading to feelings of doubt and frustration, which is something that should be avoided! Anytime the talent being photographed begins to experience frustration or doubt, it will always show in the photo!
Image Post Processing
Post processing is an integral part of delivering polished, professional imaging results! To that end, EW Photography will work with the client(s) / talent to determine types of post-processing and touch-up work is requested / required to achieve the finished look!
Asset Management
On more complex projects, various elements come into play, including additional talent, hair and makeup artists, multiple locations, several clothing styles, set decorations, lighting variations, etc. As the consultations progress, EW Photography will work with the client(s) to help coordinate in cooperation all the resources, or provide full project management.
Image Copyright and Licensing
The world of copyright and usage rights is bewildering and complex, but thankfully there are clear laws now in place in Canada to facilitate image copyright, image ownership, and image usage licensing.
Copyrights and usage rights will be brought up during consultations, and EW Photography will walk the client thru this to determine exactly what usage rights will be applicable to your completed images, and if any additional licensing fees may apply.
Project Proposal, Contract and Approval
Once all the consultations, planning sessions, location approvals and asset management tasks are completed, EW Photography will draft a project proposal, which will detail and include, but not be limited to:
- A summarization of all items discussed and agreed upon during the consultations and planning sessions,
- Provide inspirational sample images derived from openly available stock images or internal portfolio assets to assist with visualizing the project outcome for more complex projects,
- Disclose all fees for the project, including, but not limited to, photographer fees, talent fees, hair and makeup artist fees, assistant fees, etc.,
- Disclose image copyright terms and licensing fee(s) (if applicable) as determined during consultations,
- Payment terms, including deposit amounts, due dates, payment methods,
- Full terms and conditions of the project, including cancellation policy,
- Acceptance of the proposal
If the project proposal is approved by all parties, and with any agreed upon changes and/or amendments, a formal contract will be sent to the client(s) for signing, and the project can then officially proceed on the agreed upon date(s).
Day of Photoshoot*
On-set of the photoshoot, EW Photography will become the official DP (Director of Photography), either exclusively, or in partnership with the client(s), and/or an Art Director (if required for more complex projects), depending upon agreed terms during consultation for asset management.
On set, I prefer to keep the minimum amount of additional staff, assistants, or spectators present, as they often serve as a distraction for the client and/or talent. Dependent upon the experience of the talent, having more people than needed on-set serves as a stressful distraction, therefore I try to keep the set spartan in this regard.
Proof Selection
Once the photoshoot is completed, EW Photography will begin the process of “culling” the superfluous images, and prepare an online gallery, accessible only by the client(s), where they will have the opportunity to select their top picks of images, that EW Photography will later perform full post processing on, as mutually agreed to.
Post Production
This is the stage where EW Photography will perform all the agreed upon image adjustments and/or modifications, in preparation for final proofing and delivery.
Final Project Delivery
Once the final image(s) are rendered and ready for the client(s), they will be uploaded to our site for secure final review and download by the client(s) once outstanding balances are received for the project; download ability will be unlocked once client(s) conduct final review of finished images and submit payment electronically via secure checkout.
*COVID-19 Amendments
Due to the unprecedented global events taking place due to the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, and restrictions put in place by the Provincial Health Office of the Government of British Columbia and the Federal Government of Canada, EW Photography must make the following amendments to our normal protocols and processes.
Please review ALL current protocols before contacting EW Photography; these protocols will all be abided by AT ALL TIMES, and any violation of the protocols by the client, placing either agents of EW Photography, the client(s), or third-parties at risk, will result in termination of the project, with no deposit refunds being issued; one warning will be provided to take corrective steps.
Consultation
All consultations will now take place via Zoom video conference. To assist with visualization of the project, the client(s) is encouraged to prepare samples of what they are seeking. This can be done by using stock imagery, or sample sites / images. These can easily be “screen shared” to EW Photography during the video conference, to give a better sense of what the client is seeking.
EW Photography will make use of similar samples to the client(s) to illustrate various ideas for a successful project; these samples may be provided during a follow-up to the initial consultation, as we’ll need to time to review notes taken during the first meeting to come up with an initial example.
Location
Once a final set of potential locations is agreed upon, EW Photography can meet with the client(s) at the location to perform an in-person evaluation, provided it meets with PHO guidelines including, but not limited to:
- All participants MUST wear a face masks of no less than the recommended types at all times,
- Physical distancing of no less than 6ft / 2m can be maintained between all parties at all times,
- If at an enclosed location, such as a commercial space, room capacity limits are not exceeded at any time,
- The location(s) are permitted to operate in a commercial fashion, and are allowed to host photoshoots as per any PHO restriction(s),
- Any restriction(s) specific to the location are abided by at all times
Hair, Makeup and Styling
Any hair, makeup, or other form of stylist brought in to work on the client(s) / talent, must be fully compliant with PHO guidelines related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to:
- Wearing a face mask of at least Surgical Level 3 or better rating (N95/KN95 recommend) whilst working on the client(s) / talent at ALL times,
- Be wearing a face shield to help mitigate against aerosolized droplets making their way to the client(s) / talent
If the photoshoot location(s) have capacity restrictions, anyone not involved in the hair and makeup process must leave the area temporarily to keep within any capacity limits. If this anticipated, tasks such as lighting and set preparation will need to be performed before hair, makeup and styling are performed; additional fees may be charged by both EW Photography, and the facility if a rental fee is associated to the location, in order to accommodate the additional setup time needed.
Day of Photoshoot
As per the PHO, all COVID-19 protocols applicable to client interactions will be enforced at all times, including, but not limited to:
- The photographer, and any support staff, will wear a minimum of a Surgical Level 3-certified face mask(s) or better (such as N95/KN95),
- Maintain physical distance from the talent of no less than 6ft / 2m at all times,
- Ensure any indoor room capacities are adhered to at all times, and that all participants / spectators of the shoot are wearing (at minimum) a Surgical Level 1-certified face mask and maintaining minimum physical distancing of 6ft / 2m,
- Captured image previews / reviews will only be provided on a larger display setup ahead of the shoot during breaks / intermissions (where physically possible); quick on-camera image reviews during the shoot will not be allowed due to physical distancing requirements,
- If physical styling interventions will be required during the shoot, such as hair and makeup adjustments, a single individual associated with the client(s) / talent “social bubble” will be allowed to make these adjustments, or the official hair/makeup stylist hired for the event, provided they are wearing aforementioned face mask and shield; the photographer and/or their assistant will not provide any adjustments of this type,
- If adjustments to the set are required, the client(s) / talent will be asked to vacate the space and provide enough physical space to allow the photographer and/or their assistant to perform the needed modifications whilst maintaining physical distancing