How to properly prepare a brief for a photographer?

A brief for a photographer is an outline of the general goals you want to achieve with the photos you order, your ideas about their nature, style and type. To facilitate the photographer's conceptual work, the brief should also include information about your company and its target audience. Such a brief is a great way for a potential contractor to understand what you want to achieve with the shoot and what product features the photos should showcase.

The brief for the photographer must contain all the information that allows him to create a concept for the shots and get an idea of what resources will be needed to complete them. Below is a list of information that a brief for a photographer should contain.

Define the profile of your company, try to state concisely and clearly the manner and directions of its activities. Answer the questions:

An important part of the brief is to identify the person responsible for the project and agree on the method of communication (e-mail, phone).

Include the answer to this question in the brief. Are you taking your first steps in business and need visuals for your brand? Or maybe you are running an online store and need materials to launch a new product series? In a word - write the reason why you want to order photos.

Be sure to describe to the photographer what kind of photos you need and where they will be used. Will they be intended for a website, or perhaps to be published on social media? Be specific, as this will affect how the photos are taken and framed in post-production. 

Specify exactly the style of images you care about. Do you need portraits, action shots, lifestyle photos, or maybe a little bit of all?

If you own an online store, familiarize yourself with the different types of product photography available. Decide whether you care about:

Try to describe how the photos should act on the viewer and evoke feelings. At the same time, don't forget that the photographs will be related not only to a specific product. They will also become, so to speak, the business card of your company. When describing your comments to the photographer about the style and mood of the photos, use appropriate adjectives and comparisons so that he can best read your expectations. If you have seen photos on the Internet that most closely match your ideas in mood and style, point them out to the photographer.

Do you want the session to take place outdoors or indoors? Or are you planning to rent a special venue for this purpose? If you are focusing on the look of the products themselves, a photographer's studio will suffice for the session. For lifestyle photos, which will show how the product looks and what use it has at home or outdoors, you need to consider the involvement of models, models and possibly a stylist.

Determining the target audience you want to interest in your product is extremely important for both you and the photographer who develops the concept for the shots. Photos addressed to young people fascinated by the latest electronic gadgets will look different, while those aimed at adults who have reached their social position will look different. Each of these groups should be reached by selecting the appropriate subject matter and style of photos.

The photographer will want to make you an offer based on the brief provided to him. Therefore, he must have an idea of what financial limits he should fit it within. Without this knowledge, his action will be rather impossible.

If there is a deadline in your plans for the start of the marketing campaign, provide it in the brief, so that the photographer has a chance to properly prepare for the work - plan the session, arrange collaborators, have enough time for post-production and making any changes.

Specjalista ds. marketingowo-handlowych