13 Things I do the night before a photoshoot

Have you ever had a belly full of butterflies on the way to a shoot?

Or maybe thought you were going to throw up with all the nerves? 

We've all been there, but the good news is that it gets better. 

I don't get nervous before a shoot these days and I think it's largely because I have a plan of what I'm going to do. I also know that no matter what happens, I'm going to try my best and if things go pear shaped we can work it out.

Of course there are things I do during a shoot to make sure I don't leave too much to chance, like check the back of my camera periodically to make sure the images are looking great.

Here's a quick list of what I do before I even leave for my session to make sure I'm set up for success. Actually, to be honest, I do these the night before so I know I have time up my sleeve in case I need it. 

Now while it may appear to be a very basic list, trust me, you only need one of these items to go pear shaped during a session to know how much stress they can cause. 

1. Freshly charge my batteries as well as my spares. There's nothing more stressful than trying to 'shoot fast' to make sure you don't run out of charge. I like to charge well in advance because I have had an issue with one of my chargers in the past where it wasn't actually charging my batteries. It made for a very stressful last hour while i waited patiently to for it to gain enough charge via my back up charger.

2. Clean my camera, specifically and most importantly my lens. The last thing you want it a big ugly smudge through your images. I always keep a cloth handy during my session too, to make sure I can spot clean when needed. 

3. Clear my memory cards (as long as those images have been backed up, edited and delivered to the client) and format them. During a very busy season, I've done sessions where they've been spread out over the ends of  3-4 cards. Don't do this. It's annoying to change so often and there's a huge risk involved in loosing your images. Stay on top of your work and clear them regularly. If you're struggling, buy extra memory cards to eliminate the stress

4. Uniform/outfit. Most of the time I wear my uniform to a shoot but there are occasions where I'll break my own rules. No matter what I decide to do, I always prepare this in advance. You don't want to be running out the door while trying to wipe a stain off your shirt.

5. Pack your bag. My camera bag is old but functional. I always make sure that it's packed  with everything I need from water to bandaids to camera. I always carry a spare camera and extra memory cards too. It doesn't have to be over the top and heavy, just a few little essentials. During the change from autumn to winter, there are occasions where I have a little asthmatic cough. All year I'll keep a puffer in my bag to make sure it's there when I need it.

6. Props. If it's a newborn shoot or a shoot for little kids I'll have my props cleaned and ready to go. I'll also check to make sure they're still safe

7. Sleep! This one is so important to me. If I have a really late night I can be really flat and groggy the next day. I need to be full of energy to make sure I bring my best self to each shoot. It also helps me remember names. lol

8. Speaking of names, do your homework! The night before I'll read the client's contact form and to refresh my memory on who I'll be photographing the next day. 

9. Even thought I've already contacted the client leading up to the shoot, I'll send a sneaky little one online message then night before saying how excited I am to see them the next day. Gives them a personal little reminder too. 

10. Mentally prepare a shot list, of make a note of anything creative you'd like to do at the shoot. 

11. If I'm shooting outside I'll keep an eye on the weather so I can be prepared.

12. Check location is still good to go. (trust me, this can change!)

13. If travelling a long distance, make sure my car is ready to go.

If there's anything from the above list that I can't complete the night before I'll pop it on a note next to my bag to remind me the next morning.

It might look like a long list, but it's all pretty practical and some things, like clearing your cards of past sessions, I'd almost always have done during the end of my editing routine. You can always roughly check your camera settings too. For example, if I know I was shooting with a really high iso at my last session, I'll quickly just bring it back down to a normal setting while I'm checking my batteries and memory cards. Only takes a quick second.

Above all, when you hop in your car and leave for your session, make sure you leave all your personal and private problems behind. Drama and stress has the potential to ruin the mood of your session and take the focus away from the client. Remember, this is their time and it's about creating memories for them. 

A lot of the time we worry about the fear of the unknown. Take the time beforehand to try and eliminate as many variables as possible to really streamline your session. After a while, this will be second nature.

 If you're looking to streamline your sessions in 2023, I'll be running a bootcamp starting in a few weeks where we'll run through the nuts and bolts of fast and fun family mini sessions. We'll cover all combinations from 1 child through to an extended family. 

Happy snapping!
Tracey x