The pandemic made us all think differently about how we run our businesses. As a company that is based in a studio and works collaboratively to create a final product, we knew that no matter our pivot, we didn’t want to lose that collaboration or sacrifice the quality of our work.
Enter the virtual photo shoot: one that takes place here in our studio that you can participate in even if you are far away. And today, even though many creative professionals have begun to head back into offices and studios, continuing our virtual studio offering has allowed us to work with brands and agencies near and far.
In this blog, we’re going to tell you how virtual photo shoots work at Food Photo Studio and how they can benefit you as a client, even now that social distancing is becoming a thing of the past.
What Are Virtual Photoshoots, and How Do They Work?
When we say virtual photo shoots, we’re talking about the opportunity for you to be an active participant in the experience without being in the same physical location. For us, this means using Zoom to live-stream the photoshoot so you can view it in real time.
Oh, and we offer virtual shoots for both still photography and motion/video!
The 3 Types of Motion Visuals (with Examples) — and Why You Need Motion in Your Content Library
Our goals with all virtual shoots are to:
• Remain flexible to our clients’ needs
• Create a visual story with you even when we’re not in the same room
• Foster the important collaborative magic that exists naturally on set
You may be wondering: If I book a virtual photoshoot, will I have to be on call all day in order to review the photos? The answer is no. Just as with an in-person photoshoot, we have call times.
For example, if we’re planning to set up for the first shot by 10 a.m., we’ll ask our client to hop onto Zoom 10 minutes prior to that time. Then, we’ll review together how the shot looks and proceed with making any adjustments. Once you’re satisfied with the results, we’ll say goodbye, and set the next call time of the day. This is much more efficient and avoids the need for clients to sit on Zoom for an entire 8-hour period.
What’s Your Brand’s Photography Style? (5 Popular Looks to Choose From, with Examples)
Curtis Newborn sets up a shot for live-streaming to clients who will view and approve the scene via Zoom video.
3 Ways Virtual Photo Shoots Can Benefit You as a Client
Virtual photo shoots simplify the prop selection process.
We have adapted some shoot preparation elements in order to make virtual shoots a little easier for our clients. For example, with virtual shoots we send multiple prop ideas prior to the shoot, so our clients know what our prop room’s resources are. We were already accustomed to this workflow from working with agencies, which have long required preapproval of props, background, and surfaces.
Selecting props choices — and copious backup options — prior to our virtual shoot day saves time as we work though the shot list. In other words, we try to remove all the guesswork and potential roadblocks for our clients.
4 Things We Consider When Choosing Props for Your Food Photography Shoot
Virtual shoots save time (and sometimes money).
For a virtual shoot, all the prep work on the client’s end is done beforehand, so they often don’t have to do anything other than just showing up on Zoom the day of. We don’t even require that clients have their video on in Zoom. “It’s art directing in your PJs,” we like to say.
Participating virtually saves time and travel costs, especially if a client is from out of town and would otherwise have to fly to our studio.
What Happens Before a Professional Photo Shoot? (Week-By-Week Checklist)
Virtual shoots let us be flexible for our clients.
We’ve had shoots cancelled in the past when a client was sick, quarantined, or had a child care issue and couldn’t make it. With virtual shoots, we can now easily send that client a Zoom link, and it works perfectly. We’re still able to get the photos done and over to the client on their timeline, while allowing them flexibility to take care of themselves and their families.
Life happens — we totally get that — and virtual shoots are a great way to make creative work work for you.
