A commercial photography shoot can get overwhelming quickly when you have dozens of products, multiple setups, models, and a long list of images you need for your website and marketing.

That’s where a shot list comes in.

Before a commercial photography session, I recommend creating a clear list of the images you actually need. It gives everyone direction, helps us stay organized, and makes it much less likely that you’ll get home from your shoot and realize you forgot an important photo.

For a brand like Emory + Hope, a fall launch might include several products and different types of images. A good shot list helps turn all of those ideas into an organized plan.

Start With How You’ll Use the Photos

Before you write down specific shots, think about where the images will actually be used.

Do you need photos for:

• Your website?
• Product listings?
• Email marketing?
• Instagram?
• Pinterest?
• Paid ads?
• A new product launch?
• Your homepage or other website banners?

This matters because different platforms need different types of images.

A product page might need a clean product photo, while an email banner might need a wider lifestyle image with space for text.

Make a List of Every Product

Start with the basics.

Write down every product, color, pattern, or variation that needs to be photographed.

For a product launch, this is especially important. You don’t want to photograph five new products and realize later that one colorway never made it in front of the camera.

A simple checklist can keep you on track.

For example:

Product A

• Front
• Back
• Detail
• Lifestyle
• In-use

Product B

• Front
• Back
• Detail
• Lifestyle
• In-use

You can customize the list based on what your business actually needs.

Separate Product Photos From Lifestyle Photos

These are two different types of images, and most brands benefit from having both.

Product photos clearly show what you’re selling. They might be clean, simple images that focus on the product itself.

Lifestyle photos show the product in context. They help customers picture what it looks like in real life.

Your shot list should include both so you don’t accidentally spend the entire session taking one type of image.

Include Detail Shots

Think about the details your customers might want to see before purchasing.

That could be:

• Fabric texture
• Stitching
• Buttons or hardware
• Labels
• Packaging
• Patterns
• Closures
• Product features
• Materials

Detail photos are particularly useful for online businesses because customers can’t physically pick up the product and inspect it themselves.

Your photos need to help fill in that gap.

Plan for Different Orientations

Don’t forget to think about how you’ll use the images online.

You may want:

• Vertical photos for Instagram and Pinterest
• Horizontal photos for website banners
• Square or adaptable images for product pages
• Images with negative space for text overlays

You don’t necessarily need a completely different setup for every orientation.

Sometimes we can simply photograph a scene with enough room around the subject to create multiple crops later.

But it’s something you want to think about before the shoot.

Add the “Must-Have” Images First

Your shot list doesn’t need to be 50 pages long.

Start with the images you absolutely cannot leave without.

Those are your must-have shots.

Once those are complete, you can move into creative ideas, alternate angles, additional lifestyle photos, and images that would simply be nice to have.

This is especially helpful if you’re working with a limited amount of time.

You know the most important images are already done before you start experimenting.

Think in Setups, Not Just Individual Photos

When I’m planning a commercial shoot, I don’t just think about one photo at a time.

I think about what we can accomplish within each setup.

If we’re already working in a certain location with a particular product, model, or prop, what other images can we create before we move everything?

Grouping similar shots together saves time and helps the session flow much more smoothly.

Your photographer can help with this part of the planning.

Leave Room for Creative Ideas

A shot list is there to keep you organized, not to make the entire session rigid.

Some of the best commercial images can happen when you have time to try something unexpected.

Maybe the light looks better than anticipated. Maybe a particular pose works beautifully. Maybe you see a product in a completely different way once you’re actually photographing it.

Get your must-have images first, then leave some room to play.

A Good Shot List Makes Your Photoshoot More Valuable

The goal of a commercial photography session isn’t just to come away with a folder full of pretty images.

You want images that solve problems for your business.

You want photos for the product page, the launch email, the Instagram post, the website banner, the ad, and the next campaign.

A thoughtful shot list helps you plan for all of those needs before the camera comes out.

If you’re planning a product launch or seasonal campaign, I’d love to help you build a commercial photography shot list and create the images you need to actually market it. Reach out to me and let’s plan your next shoot.

Abi Kennard

Abi is a Davis County photographer, wife, and mom of two who has always been a creative at heart. She loves capturing the love, light, emotion, and relationships that make each family unique, while making her clients feel beautiful and cared for.

She specializes in family, newborn, kids and baby photography, and headshots throughout Davis County and Northern Utah. Abi would also love to travel for your session.

kyleeannphotography.com/abi