Field Notes · 008 · Photography
How should my crew prepare for a photo day?
Short answer
You don't have to. Do the work you'd do on any other day, because the best photos come from real work, not a show for the camera.
I get this question before almost every shoot, and the honest answer surprises people.
What to do
- Schedule real work. Pick a day when something is happening, because a busy day beats a clean one.
- Tell your crew I'm coming. So nobody's caught off guard, and so they know I'll stay out of the way.
- Wear what you'd wear. Company shirts are great if that's what you wear anyway.
- Clean up the obvious. Trash in the background, not the dirt on the job.
What not to do
- Don't stop the work for me.
- Don't line everybody up unless you want a team photo. We'll get one at the end.
- Don't stage anything. People can tell.
I show up, stay out of the way and let the story unfold. By lunch most crews forget I'm there, and that's when the good stuff happens.