Tips for the perfect content shoot

• #Experts
• #How To

We have put together exclusively for you, together with our photographer and videographer Bobby, the tips for a successful content shoot.

Bob-Young Phillip Linsel aka Bobby joined our lookfamed family in early 2020. He has been self-employed in the film and photography industry for about eight years. Bobby develops creative ideas and then professionally implements the shoots. Post-production of the results is also part of his job.

What all needs to be done in the run-up to a shoot?

“Every shoot is unique and therefore stands out from the rest. The preparation determines the output, so it is important to take enough time for detailed planning in advance, document the individual steps and prepare them for the shoot. Expressive mood boards are particularly suitable here. Mood boards are a kind of collage with elements such as pictures, colors, etc. that visually convey an impression of the concrete ideas for the shoot. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

After the creative part is done, it is important to structure everything. A detailed shooting plan should be drawn up for this purpose. Location scouting is also usually part of any shoot preparation, so you know what to expect and to be able to adjust to the circumstances.”

How much time should you plan for shoots?

“Here, of course, it depends entirely on what is being shot for. There are also always situations that can overturn the entire plan that you have worked out beforehand. Therefore, you should plan about 1/3 of the originally calculated time in addition. For example, a shoot for Tates, our exclusive blogger Katy Devlin’s (@kates.diary) own brand for fair street fashion, takes the whole day. For this, you have to take into account time for arrival and departure, location preparation as well as light setting and a certain amount of time for coordination between model and photographer.”

How long does the post-production take and what needs to be taken into account here?

“When it comes to post-production, it all depends on what is desired. An image must first be developed. In the process, colors are corrected, for example, and a white balance is made. Then the image gets its look. For fashion and fashion portraits, for example, a beauty retouch is useful, in which small corrections are made. This type of processing can take up to an hour. As a rule, there is no rule of thumb for how long an edit should take.”

What do you use to edit the photos after the shoot?

“For developing and color corrections I like to use Lightroom, for special details like beauty retouching I use Photoshop.”

What are absolute no-go’s for you in photo shoots?

“This is clearly bad mood. It is important that there is a harmonious atmosphere among each other in order to achieve good results. Otherwise, this is also reflected in the pictures. Therefore, it is important that everyone approaches the project in a positive mood and that the goal is always in focus. It always lends itself to having one main person in charge who takes the reins and keeps track of the entire shoot.”

What do you have to consider, especially when it comes to content for social media channels? Is there a difference to “classic photos”?

“Social media has firmly established itself as a marketing platform. Anyone who wants to advertise there should make sure that the photos are of very high quality, because poor image quality can also draw conclusions about the poor quality of one’s own products and thus result in a loss of image.

The competition never sleeps and, like you, always tries to be one step ahead. I recommend taking a look at the social media presence of companies like HelloBody, BMW, Adidas and Milka. There you can get a good idea of the quality of their content.”

What is your personal tip that you would like to share with our readers?

“The first rule is definitely to have fun. Keep your common goal in mind and if everyone gives their best for their area, the shoot will be a complete success. That’s what I want to share with you after all these years of experience!”