In case you’ve been following along, you may know I have a thing for batching. Whether it’s batching blog posts, social media posts, photos, podcast episodes, emails… you name it, your life will be easier if you learn to batch. And that’s exactly why I want to let you in on how to prepare for a successful photo batching day.
Back it up, what is batching you may ask?
It’s the secret weapon of all the most successful entrepreneurs. We all know we need to be creating consistent content. And if you still think you don’t, that’s a whole different story. Check out my recent podcast episode about Why Content is King.
But who actually has time to stage and take beautiful photos every single day? Why not be smarter with your time by taking a stockpile of images in one day…
That’s exactly what batching is.
You can choose a selection of outfits, props, accessories and visit a bunch of different locations and take lots of photos. Plus you get to make the most of a good hair and makeup day by getting all your photos done in one day.
And today I’m going to share all my top tips on how to prepare for a successful photo batching day.
That way when it comes time to posting, you’ll be good to go with lots of images to choose from.
So when it comes to a successful batching day, what should you do?
1. Know Your Locations
Firstly I think it’s really important to plan out your locations. Think about locations that are suitable to your brand and the message you want to convey. There’s no point going to a bunch of pink places if you never use that colour in your branding.
There’s no point getting a bunch of cute outdoorsy photos, if you’re trying to gain professional clients. So have a purpose in mind and choose locations that work for your brand and overall goal.
2. Plan A Route
Once you know your locations, plan out a route that makes sense. Do you need to be at a certain place first because of lighting? If you’re going to a cafe or public place is it better to go earlier in the morning when there’s not as many people around?
Which places are close to one another so you can fit them all in together and make sure you’re not going back and forward on yourself all day.
3. Plan Your Outfits
Your outfits are one of the most important aspects of your shoot so it’s important to put some thought into these.
Think about the locations you’re shooting at and what outfits suit. If you’re planning an outdoorsy shoot, is that party dress going to suit? Maybe it does because that’s the message you want to convey. Maybe, like me, you’re wanting to encourage people to embrace their personalities and dress bold and bright. In which case it makes sense to wear clothes that aren’t traditionally considered suitable for that location, just so you can make a bigger statement.
Also consider the colours of your brand and try to filter these through your outfits. As I spoke about in last week’s podcast episode, colour psychology is a very important element of branding. And the more you show up in a particular colour, the more people will come to associate you with that so you’ll stay front of mind.
4. What Content Do You Need?
Think about what content you need. Are you just needing lifestyle imagery to fill up your feed?
Are you planning an important product launch, do you need new website images, marketing collateral etc. Knowing exactly why you need these images will help you go into the day with a clear idea of exactly what you’re trying to create.
Go as far as creating a Pinterest inspiration board so you have some ideas to refer to throughout the day.
5. Props
Do you need props to help tell your story? For me, I generally like to use books, my laptop, phone, mugs etc. because these show me in my working environment. Which is what attracts the right clients to me.
If you’re a makeup artist it would make sense to have makeup brushes, palettes, magazines etc.
A fitness coach could have exercise equipment, healthy recipe books, smoothies, juices etc.
What’s your story? What helps to showcase your personality even more?
6. Water & Snacks
If you’re planning to be out for hours and are going to be in remote locations, or just going to be too busy to stop anywhere for too long. Then I highly recommend packing water and snacks to keep you hydrated and energised throughout the day.
7. Accessories & Makeup
When it comes to outfits, accessories can really help them to pop and tell a deeper story. If you’re someone that wears accessories then make sure you consider what is going to work with each outfit. I find it helps to hang necklaces on hangers with the corresponding outfit. Or you could bring a container with all your accessories and note down which outfit each item goes with.
When you’re on the go and trying to squeeze in as much as possible, it’s easy to forget these details or skip over them, but having the right accessories can really round out a shot.
Same goes with makeup. Consider wearing more natural colours so it suits all your outfits. Or start simple and then work your way up to the bolder, more dramatic makeup. For example, you wouldn’t want to put red lipstick on at the start of the day if you’re planning to go do some beach shots. It’s easier to add colours, than it is to remove them so plan ahead.
And there you have it, my top tips on how to prepare for a successful photo batching day.
Prefer videos? Here’s one I made on this topic too.
Want more on this topic? Check out another blog post I wrote that explains batching in more depth.
As usual, thanks for reading. And if you enjoyed this post please feel free to like, comment and/or share. Your support means the world to me.
Jade xo
