What Is the Recommended Time for a Photo Shoot in Order to Be Effective and Productive?
When I started out doing my first couple of photo shoots, time was not an issue. The longer the photo shoots the more I enjoyed it, since I had more time to experiment and practice. But looking back, I came to realize that most of the time, the longer the session, the less productive it turned out to be. So I asked myself, what would be the ideal time for a photo shoot?
Short Photo Shoots
If a photo shoot is done within an hour the chances are that you will finish up with only a couple of useable photos. There are two particular reasons for this.
The first being that more often than not, in the first few minutes of the session the model will be warming up and getting focused on the actual shoot. As a guideline, particularly if the model is still a novice, it takes a couple of minutes before the model is relaxed and starts feeling at ease.
Secondly, in an hour or so, the amounts of different outfits that can be worn by the model are very limited. It is practically impossible to wear more than two outfits. One must keep in mind that the hair style, make up re-touches, nails, and accessories must complement the new outfit.
Long Photo Shoots
The advantages of longer shoots are that more outfits can be worn and more posing styles can be included. Since the model is not rushed in, in an intensive and hasty session, the chances are that the photo shoot is carried out more meticulously.
On the other hand, sessions that take longer than 3 hours tend to be tiring both for the photographer and the model. The margin of errors and mistakes tends to increase as time goes by and exhaustion sets in.
The Ideal Length of a Photo Shoot
From experience I can advocate that the ideal time for a photo shoot would be something in the region of 2 to 2.5 hours. If the shoot is carried out within this time frame, you will strike a balance between being creative and productive while still being focused and energetic. I am sure that after such a session, you will be satisfied with both the amount and the quality of the photos that you will manage to achieve.
In order to be efficient and make the most of the time available for the photo shoot, it is imperative that you know how to direct and pose a model.
Short Photo Shoots
If a photo shoot is done within an hour the chances are that you will finish up with only a couple of useable photos. There are two particular reasons for this.
The first being that more often than not, in the first few minutes of the session the model will be warming up and getting focused on the actual shoot. As a guideline, particularly if the model is still a novice, it takes a couple of minutes before the model is relaxed and starts feeling at ease.
Secondly, in an hour or so, the amounts of different outfits that can be worn by the model are very limited. It is practically impossible to wear more than two outfits. One must keep in mind that the hair style, make up re-touches, nails, and accessories must complement the new outfit.
Long Photo Shoots
The advantages of longer shoots are that more outfits can be worn and more posing styles can be included. Since the model is not rushed in, in an intensive and hasty session, the chances are that the photo shoot is carried out more meticulously.
On the other hand, sessions that take longer than 3 hours tend to be tiring both for the photographer and the model. The margin of errors and mistakes tends to increase as time goes by and exhaustion sets in.
The Ideal Length of a Photo Shoot
From experience I can advocate that the ideal time for a photo shoot would be something in the region of 2 to 2.5 hours. If the shoot is carried out within this time frame, you will strike a balance between being creative and productive while still being focused and energetic. I am sure that after such a session, you will be satisfied with both the amount and the quality of the photos that you will manage to achieve.
In order to be efficient and make the most of the time available for the photo shoot, it is imperative that you know how to direct and pose a model.