Preparing for the Location Shoot

Scheduling - Who Should Do It?

This is completely a judgement call on your part, and several factors figure in:
- Your confidence in your photographer’s communication skills
- You relationship with either the building occupant or owner
- Whether you’re going to be in attendance at the shoot (if you’re not going to be there, why try to coordinate the other two parties?

Scouting - Should You?

There are three types of scouting:

• You and the photographer are both present on site. This is the most ideal situation to ensure the exact views and details of an image are exactly what you’re envisioning, but can also be the most expensive. 
• You have the only photographer (or one of his/her assistants) go to the site. They take rough scouting images based on a floor plan/site plan with a shot list and angles for images identified. Those images are sent to your office for review, feedback, and approval for the final photography shot list. The margin for error in you achieving exactly the shot you want increases with this option, since you’re not there on site with the photographer. 
• You provide rough images. These have been taken previously by yourself or someone on your staff and generally accompany a floor plan/site plan given to a photographer identifying angles and specific details provided. The chances of not receiving exactly what you anticipated is increased further, as the photographer will have never visited the site before the day of final photography and can’t plan for potential issues that may impact the shoot that would otherwise be identified during a scouting visit. 

Which type of scouting is also a judgement call based on several factors:

• How confident are you in the photographer understanding what images you want or details to highlight from just a conversation or a floor plan diagram? 
• How critical are the images to your portfolio? If these are going to be “flag ship” images, then the more critical it is that you be there to ensure your vision is captured in the images 
• Is it a cost effective decision for you to also be at the shoot if it is not local to your firm’s main office? 

NOTE: Reshoots are expensive and can be irritating to all parties involved, so, if at all possible should be avoided, and the best way to avoid them is a scouting session.

Props/Models - Do You Need Them?

This is question that has a lot of variables for you, and can often be determined by a scouting trip with the photographer:

• How important are the photographs to your portfolio? If these are just documentary images, the extra cost of pro acquisition/rental can be minimized. 
• If this is an exterior shot, and the new landscaping is either not grown in, or hasn’t been installed yet, would renting plants for the shoot make the image match your vision? 
• What kind of use is the interior space? Obviously, if it is a restaurant, you would want table settings. If it is a computer lab, have the workstations already been installed? 
• Would the use of people in your image create a sense of use and scale? Using people in your images can potentially dramatically increase the costs associating with creating the image, especially if talent needs to be hired for the shoot. 

Individual Site Considerations

• Availability - when will be site be completed or accessible by the photographer? 
• Security - is the any special security/access requirements to the site or the facility? If the site requires security clearances or coordination with facility management for access, this needs to be incorporated into your schedule as well as that of the photographer. 
• Time of Day/Week for Building Occupant - Is there a best time to access a site for the convenience of the facility owner/occupant as well as to achieve the images you had in mind. If you’re photographing a medical facility, is there a slower time of day or day of the week for the photographer to be present and minimize the impact on the patients? If a weekend shoot works best for the building occupant, what would be the additional cost of a building representative to be on site during photography? 
• Time of Day for Images - What time of day would be best for optimal natural lighting both interior and exterior? Are you looking at a dusk shot, but some interior shots would be best when taken in early morning sun?

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com

866-722-9506