☀️ The Calm Before the Clicks

Behind the Scenes of a Shoot Day: A Photographer’s Step-by-Step Process

Shoot days are some of my favorite days — a mix of excitement, creativity, and (let’s be honest) a touch of chaos. Whether it’s a wedding, a family session, or something more creative like my recent Siren-themed branding photoshoot in Salt Lake, the prep always starts the same way: with intention.

Before the camera ever comes out of its bag, there’s a whole process that happens behind the scenes to make sure the day runs smoothly.

🔋 Step One: Charge Everything

The night before a shoot, I turn my workspace into a mini charging station. Camera batteries, flash batteries, drone batteries (if needed), even my phone and backup chargers — they all get topped off. There’s nothing worse than showing up to a session with a blinking red light on your battery indicator.

I also double-check my memory cards to make sure they’re backed up and ready to be formatted fresh for the next day.

🌦️ Step Two: Check the Weather & Lighting

Whether it’s a moody overcast morning or golden-hour perfection, I always check the weather — not just for rain, but for light direction, cloud coverage, and timing. Knowing what the light is likely to do helps me plan poses, color tones, and overall mood.

For this Salt Lake shoot, we were going for an ethereal, siren-inspired vibe — so the weather mattered a lot. Soft, hazy sunlight was our dream scenario, and it shaped how I packed and planned the setup.

🎒 Step Three: Pack the Gear

Every shoot has its own vibe, which means every bag looks a little different.

For this one, I packed my Canon R6, 85mm macro lens, 17–40mm, and a few creative tools like light wands and diffusers for light play. I also bring:

• Extra batteries and cards (always more than I think I’ll need)

• A backup camera body (because you never know)

• Snacks and water (shoot days are long!)

• A microfiber cloth (for lenses and, let’s be real, sweat)

• My trusty mood board for creative notes and shot lists

• Equipment that is relevant for the weather (hand warmers, rain poncho, waterproof blanket, etc.)

  
  

Everything gets packed the night before, so the morning feels calm and focused.

🚗 Step Four: Travel & Arrive Early

I always aim to arrive early — not just to beat traffic, but to get a feel for the space.

I like walking around the location before everyone arrives, taking a few test shots, and seeing how the light interacts with the surroundings. For branding and editorial shoots especially, this helps me plan transitions between setups and make sure the creative flow feels natural.

✨ Step Five: The Shoot

This is the fun part — where all that prep finally pays off.

During a session, I’m constantly balancing the creative vision with the real-time energy of the day. There’s direction, laughter, collaboration, and plenty of small adjustments — checking poses, fixing stray hairs, swapping lenses, and chasing light.

For the Siren-themed shoot, it meant working with movement, emotion, and flow — lots of fluid poses and intentional light. I’ll save all the creative details for the full blog later, but let’s just say… the results made all the prep worth it.

💻 Step Six: Import & Backup

Once I get home, before I even think about rest, I import and back up everything. Photos go to two hard drives and my cloud storage. I also import any video or BTS footage from the day — these behind-the-scenes moments often tell just as much of the story as the final gallery.

After that, I format my cards (only after verifying backups!) and reset everything for the next adventure.

☕ Step Seven: Reflect & Reset

After a long shoot day, I like to take a few notes — what worked, what I’d tweak next time, and any ideas that popped up mid-shoot. It’s a small ritual that helps me grow with every session.

Then it’s time to rest, recharge, and get ready for editing — the final step where all that hard work turns into art.

🤍 The Magic Behind the Lens

A polished final gallery might look effortless, but there’s a whole world of care and intention behind every frame. From the prep to the packing to the post-shoot process, each step helps me show up creatively and confidently — ready to tell stories that feel alive.

And honestly? That’s what makes it all worth it.