Shot Lists & Serendipity: Finding the Balance on Brand Shoots

You won’t catch me without a shot list on a shoot.

Even when I’m shooting documentary style and can’t plan exact images, I still know the types of shots I need. A solid shot list helps guide the day. It keeps me focused and ensures I tick off any essential shots the client has requested. 

When you're chasing light or working within a tight window, especially on leaner shoots where you're wearing every hat from creative director to stylist to photographer and videographer, a clear plan keeps things on track. And for my small business clients who are often budget-conscious, that level of preparation can be a real time-saver.

When I’m planning a shoot, I’ll often sketch out little thumbnails too. Maybe it’s the old graphic designer in me, but sketching helps me visualize possibilities and work through ideas for composition. It’s a simple tool, but it can spark solutions or ideas I might not have seen otherwise. So I’m often working with a combination of broken-down lists in my Notes app and some scribbles on paper tucked in my pocket. I memorize these as much as I can before the shoot so that I don’t have to pull them out often.

Now, for all the good a shot list can do, there’s one thing it can’t, which is to be spontaneous. That’s where this delicate balance comes in, making sure I’m getting everything I need but staying present in the moment, not in my head. Because any photographer will tell you, what our craft really comes down to is noticing.

Some of my favourite shots have come from when a model moves in an unplanned way or steps into a new composition possibility. I find myself saying, “Wait—don’t move!” Those in-between moments, the unintentionally posed, honest and unexpected, can tell the most powerful stories.

It’s always a good reminder, once you're on set: loosen your grip. To give yourself space to follow instinct, to play, to respond to what’s happening in front of you.

Here are a few examples of undirected, in-the-moment shots from a recent shoot for Hollow Tree: