Planning your photo session is essential. It allows you to brainstorm and visualize the achieved results long before your first click. And since photography is a visual art, it does make sense to visualize, doesn’t it? Furthermore, as I explained in the previous article, the amount of planning is relative to the number of parties involved in the shoot. More people? More planning.
When you think of photography as an art, it may seem counter-intuitive to be so analytical. But it is a common misconception to think that art is only chaotic and not bound by rules… Yes, musicians jam, and some painting movements focus on spontaneity. Think of these as happy accidents or movements rebelling against the established, unspoken rule: preparation.
This week, I am focusing on model photography, so I will write in that tone. However, most if not all ideas presented apply to other subjects.
Mood boards
Mood boards are great tools to plan visually, and creating one is lots of fun in itself! Normally, a mood board is a tangible object that you can carry around, but nowadays digital solutions exist too — Pinterest and Springpad, for example.
Think of the mood you want to convey, and collect visual cues that lead you to this emotion. If you want to remain as spontaneous as possible, you can define your color palette, think of some textures, and perhaps a few patterns. Another way to proceed is to collect some images that closely relate to what you want to achieve, but keep in mind that these should serve as loose inspiration, not copyright infringement. Dare to think different!
How far should you go with this? As little as possible or as long as you have fun! Sometimes I just block some colors in Illustrator or Kuler and check my result with what the color wheel indicates. Other times, I prepare for the long-term and go into more details, model poses, notes and quotes… as in the example below.
Sketches
Quick sketches in a notebook can greatly facilitate a shoot:
- Sketching forces you to think of your composition in two dimensions, just like photography.
- Sketching makes you think of your lighting earlier than on location. This is particularly helpful when shooting in the studio, as you want to get ready and start shooting as quickly as possible. As a matter of fact, having a sketch prior to the shoot was mandatory during my photography courses.
- Have more than one sketch? See how you can link them together to make a storyboard. Visual art gains depth when it tells a story.
- Lastly, a sketch notebook allows you to easily show a model a pose you had in mind. A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes.
How far should you go with this? As far as your skills can take you in a short time interval, often called speed drawing. In art academies, the range is between 5 and 15 minutes. I like 10 minutes per sketch, in half an hour or an hour timeframe.
Mood boards and sketches can be done on your own. Monday, we will continue with planning involving others. Stay tuned, and why not use the week-end to start a mood board or grab a pencil? Have lots of fun, and see you next week!