8 Steps to Planning a CINEMATIC Photoshoot!

Planning an outdoor photoshoot can be daunting. Planning a cinematic photoshoot even more so! How do you get from your idea to the finished product? Luckily this is one of my favorite topics to talk about. Here are the 8 steps I follow to plan every cinematic photoshoot or workshop I manage.

1. The Idea

The planning for every cinematic photoshoot starts with an idea. Sometimes that idea will pop into my head fully formed, but mostly it will need to be coaxed out and molded into a usable concept. Let’s take, for example, the Mexica Battle series I recently put out. I’ve wanted to shoot a fight scene for years but that was all I had, the desire to shoot a fight scene. No details, nothing. That’s where the research comes in.

2. The Research

I like to start my research by creating a mood board on Pinterest. Because mood boards are a great way to expand on a raw idea. So I took the Mexica Battle idea and went to see what other people had done. I looked at everything that was tangentially linked: boxing, wrestling, historical battles, superhero fights… Anything really that might inspire me.

3. Sketching

Next comes the sketching stage. This is a big step, as you take this ephemeral idea and make it real. My final photos tend to be quite faithful recreations of my sketches. Which is why I spend a lot of time with this stage, I’ll decide how the models will be positioned, the perspective i’ll take. I’ll often decide on where I want my lights and what lens I’ll use at this stage.

But don’t let me lead you into thinking these sketches are any good, they’re not.

4. Location Planning

The research part should tell you what you need from a location. For our cinematic photoshoot we needed somewhere flat with expansive views of the sky because I was shooting low and wanted dark brooding clouds hanging over the whole scene.

One thing I want to say about location planning though, is that not everyone is surrounded by jungle and beaches, and that doesn’t matter. What is important for your location is that it doesn’t distract the viewer from your concept. If you are recreating, like I have in the past, a religious ceremony. In this case shooting in a temple would be perfect. But just finding an area that doesn’t shout “I’m not a temple” is just as good. You’re in charge of the composition and you can focus on what you want. Let your viewer imagination fill in the gaps.

5. Test Shots

This is where it all starts to come together and also where it can start to unravel.  But that is because you notice where every problem is in your plan. That’s the point, it’s why you test, refine and improve.

That’s also why I never got from location planning to the actual shoot. Because all I would be doing is turning the actual shoot into a test shot. Which is a pretty dumb idea!

Going back to the battle photoshoot, me and Dan went out a few times to work on lighting, smoke, choreography. All those elements that took a lot of fine tuning.

6. Equipment

Because we shoot on location most of the time, I need to make sure I have backups options. So for example, let’s say i’m planning a 2 light shoot. I’ll bring 4 lights. and spare triggers. And spare batteries. And a spare camera. Honestly, I even bring spare fuses for the battery pack. Basically i won’t let equipment failure be an excuse.

7. Pre-Shoot Comms

Before every shoot I’ll contact everyone involved (models, assistants, videographer, makeup, whoever is on the team) with a schedule, the mood board link and the sketches. Everyone need to know what they will be doing and when because it helps them see the vision and more eimprtantly, be part of the vision!

8. The Cinematic Photoshoot!

Because of all this prep – the shoot shouldn’t be stressful at all.

Yeah, but of course it often still is.

My main aim on shoot day is to get everyone super excited about what we are doing. I dont want them to know if I am stressed. Positive creative energy counts for so much.

Also, the fact that I walk into a shoot with an idea of what I want in no way means I’m not open to new ideas, it just means that I know I have a great backup plan.

Let’s do one last call back to the fight shoot – me and Dan had the whole shoot choreographed to the last move, but our Mexica models were so excited they came up with their own ideas – and frankly they were awesome, so we ended up shooting some of them.

And guess what, those new ideas worked out and some made it into the series.. But if they hadn’t, it wouldn’t have mattered – because I had that great fall back plan. so there was no chance I was coming out of that shoot without awesome photos.

And that, in a nutshell, should be your goal. Confidence that, no matter what happens on the day, you’ll be able to take some great photos.

I hope this helps you in planning a cinematic photoshoot!