Sometimes trusting a photographer to deliver on your needs can be stressful and overwhelming. With years in the industry we have noticed one of the biggest disconnects between production staff and clients is production “lingo”. Being able to talk the talk will help ensure that you receive what you set out to capture, and will also put your photographer at ease with a clear understanding of what you are trying to accomplish. For that reason we have compiled a list of terms that will help both you and your photographer speak the same language.
VERTICAL vs HORIZONTAL Framing - This is incredibly important information for your photographer as it pertains to the final output. Depending on where the images are going or what they are being used for, one framing will work better than other.
Where are these images going to live, ie. website, transit shelters, billboards etc.?
Do you need them banner style, poster style etc.?
It’s very important to know the answer(s) to these questions prior to the shoot date.
Images - This one may seem silly, but some clients can become overwhelmed thinking photographs and images mean two separate things. Here is your confirmation that they mean the same thing!
Retouching - This is quite a broad term, but at its core it means manipulating a digital image to “improve” it. Although retouching extends well beyond this, it is essentially synonymous with “digitally improving”. Further - it can also pertain to doing things like composite work, which involves doing multiple exposures of a given scene to achieve the required look and effectively building the final image within Photoshop or Lightroom etc.
File size for out put - How big do the images need to be to meet the required output needs.
Deliverables - what the photographer is responsible for producing for the client. Think of this as the “final” product.
Environmental portrait - A portrait that is taken within an environment other than with a studio backdrop.
Tech scout - This refers to a planned visit to the predetermined location prior to the shoot date. This is meant to determine the shot blocking, lighting requirements, etc. to allow for less obstacles and surprises on the day of the shoot.
Composite image - This refers to combining multiple images into one final image. Again this could be using multiple exposures, along with adding photos that were shot specifically to be added to the overall image.
Suppliers - These are the folks we hire on an ongoing basis as assets to the shoot. Their specific skill sets help us create a well rounded, high quality and polished products. For example suppliers we may bring in on a project include, but are not limited to: Animators, Audio techs, Casting, Wardrobe Stylists, Food stylists, DOP, DMT, etc etc.
Proofs - These are what we send our clients after we have completed the photo shoot and edited all of the images down to what we feel are usable images. From the “proofs” the client then selects the images they want from and sends us back the selected file numbers for us to complete the retouching. Essentially, proofs are the first images the client sees before we narrow down and edit the final shots.
Brand Messaging - Brand Messaging means ensuring what we produce visually falls in line with the existing brand and sends the intended message. This is important when working with larger companies that have established brands. We need to understand the parameters of the company’s brand that we are working for to make sure we can deliver on their ask. We want to stay true to their brand and stay on message. This is why if we are working directly with a company, we will often ask for a copy of their brand guidelines. This will help inform how we capture the required shots.
Shot list - This is simply a list of the number of images that need to be captured. Examples would be - exterior shots without people, group shots, individual portraits, studio portraits, product shots, environmental portraits etc. Think of it as a sort of “to do” list when it comes to the shots needed.
Low light - This term refers to the condition of the light during a shoot. We often refer to ‘low light’ in terms of how a particular camera operates in low light conditions. We have cameras that are better at capturing images, (stills / video) under low lighting situations, so we will use those cameras when the conditions are such.
