SCOUT IT OUT—TIMING, STYLING AND PLANNING ARE THE SECRET SAUCE TO MAKING GORGEOUS IMAGES

Perhaps the most important factor contributing to the success of a photo shoot is the scouting trip. Taking test shots and discussing the designer’s intention is crucial to the outcome. I’m able to determine the best angles ahead of time and plan the flow of the day to take advantage of natural light without wasting precious time. Following the scout, I deliver a PDF of test shots to the design team. Having a game plan not only helps me but it allows a designer to assess styling needs in a tangible way—having a “rough draft” of each frame makes it so much easier to plan florals, furniture swaps and accessory needs.

As you can see in this before and after from a shoot with NB Design Group, scouting allowed the designers to plan and execute perfectly styled shelves in both the foreground and background and keep with the color story planned for this space.

In the case of the bathroom seen below, just a few subtle changes were all that was needed to make the space sing but understanding the proportions of the frame ahead of time allowed Wilk Design Workshop to plan for and place florals of just the right scale.

Sometimes styling requires a complete overhaul of a space, as seen below in this example from a shoot with Quartz and Bone. The before image on the left is the functional reality of real life but showing up on the day of the photo shoot without that knowledge ahead of time would have been a disaster. We were able to consider pieces that could be utilized in the shot (note the striped cutting board) and what else could be brought in to create the aesthetic that would best convey the designer’s intentions.

Another benefit to scouting is that it allows me to strategically plan the shot list around natural light throughout the day. Every site is different and the path of the sun changes throughout the year. I prefer to visit a location 1-3 weeks ahead of the shoot date in order to give me the best sense of the space and determine if supplemental light is needed.

Landscapes benefit from scouting as well. In the example below from a shoot with Broadhurst and Associates, the scouting trip allowed us to determine the exact time of day to shoot this sunset scene—critical because the perfect lights lasts for only a few minutes.