Directing Your Own Headshots Session
You Might Find Yourself Thinking
- I do really need headshots
- I want some new headshots
- I've got my own headshots ideas. They're so creative!
But Then You Say To Yourself
- Yeah but I could do with losing a bit of weight off my thighs/ass/face/bingo wings first
- I don't have the money right now
- I need to do this other thing as a top priority first (your website update/your new service creation/a new logo/a different brand)
That's Ok!
- The best headshots I've created in my career actually take MONTHS in the making
- I want you to be ready in the right way before we shoot together
- I still want to help you NOW
If You Don't Know Me Yet
Hi, I’m Laura!
I’ve shot Brand Photography for over 400 different Entrepreneurs and Influencers all over the world.
I fully appreciate that anyone working with brand photography for the first time has their own feelings, hang-ups and concerns about this.
Whenever I feel this way, I like to try and find a way to feel more in control. That is exactly what this planner is for.
HI! I'M LAURA PEARMAN
Creative Director | Brand Strategist | Brand Photographer
The Tale Behind This Planner
I made this Planner After This Late Night Phonecall Happened.
I was so frustrated by Marc's story. I wanted to make sure as many people as possible could avoid making the mistake he had.
I'm Not A Show Up N Shoot Phototographer
I once had a chap ring me at 8:30 pm. I know... the cheek! I don't know why I took the call, but something just made me do it.
He worked at a factory about 20miles away from where I live. His boss had told him that he needed to stop production lines and get everyone outside the factory to have a "team shot".
... and it had to happen TOMORROW MORNING
Marc's Priorities
I could sense how stressed out he was, so I had a chat with him to understand why it had to be tomorrow. I really wanted to help him. After a few questions and investigation I learned that Marc's priorities were:
- Daily Production Goals. His Christmas bonus was on the line.
- Managing Shifts. Who would get their lunch break, and when?
- The website designer had actually been on at them to do this for THREE MONTHS and the website was supposed to be going live at the end of the week.
Marc's Assumptions
What Marc (and his boss) had failed to take into account was the work I do in the run-up to any booking. Marc asked me what it really took, he thought I was having him on when I explained that I don't just show up. His knowledge of photography was this.
He'd done no research. He had assumed that:
- The Photographer Gets phoned and booked after a bit of a price haggle. "Like calling an electrician up."
- The photographer shows up in a few hours after that - "a bit like when you phone 999 or buy a take out."
- Clicks are done on the camera. "Dead Easy"
- Digital files out of the camera are given to the website guy.
We ended the phone call after I had put him right. I then put him in touch with the college where I trained to see if he could get a student to come out at the last minute for free. I was then subjected to a cold dinner along with chewing on this story for the last couple of years.
The Moral Of The Story
Marc learned the hard way that:
- There is more to professional photography than he had assumed.
- Leaving things to the last minute is an expensive option.
- If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
And this was a lesson for me as well. I learned:
- It's my responsibility to educate the world on why professional photography takes more planning time than they assume.
- I needed to find an easy way to do this. I wanted to show them how I plan any shooting project.
Frequently Asked Photography Planning Questions
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