As mentioned in Part 1 there’s much more to tell beyond the visual result of a shoot. This one started after reading a creative brief that sparked inspiration and pushed me to organise the shoot. Location, talents, props and creative direction are like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that needs to be put together. But after producing similar editorial shoots for some years I felt confident to give it a go.
Location
I initially searched for a private outdoor space. I wanted a deck to give a relaxed summer vibe, some vegetation and eventually a body of water. After a long and unsuccessful scout, I resorted to a public space. Indeed a park in my neighbourhood actually ticked all the boxes. In the end, it felt like the right choice. First, it was more budget-friendly. Second, there was much more space than I could ask for, with several spots for different options. Third, after sorting out the authorisation from the council, it was convenient to freely access the site to prepare for the shoot.
Location: The river and one of the decks that served as backdrop for the shoot
Talents
As I searched for the perfect location, I sent out a casting call to find talented individuals who could embody the vision and story I had in mind. A crucial aspect was finding individuals with the right attitude who could bring energy to the set, take direction well, and appear natural in front of the camera. These qualities are particularly important for a lifestyle photoshoot, as they have a significant impact on the end result.
Great talents on set. From left to right: Claire, Julia, Dan and Florian
Props and gear
Once I had chosen the location and cast the actors, I searched for props to enhance the story. I sourced a sturdy rope (for a tug of war game), some large cushions for seating comfortably on the deck, a rugby ball and game cards as part of the entertainment on set. Of course, food props such as chips and drinks were also supplied. The styling was kept minimal to ensure an authentic feel rather than an overly-produced look.
The gear was kept minimal. It was all shot with natural light and a large reflector to bounce the light where needed. A couple of battery packs were hired to sustain the laptop and shoot tethered all day.
Behind the scenes and outtakes
Creative direction
The story had to convey the good time shared between friends on a warm summer day. These two aspects were the backbone of a relatable and inspiring story.
Though it was the end of autumn here, in Sydney, we were lucky the day was sunny and exceptionally warm. It helped talents to be comfortable in summer clothing and play with sunlight to enhance that estival vibe.
In order to capture fun and relaxed moments between friends having a good time outdoors, a strategy was put in place. To bring all the talent at ease I initiated the shoot with a game: tug of war. Talents were split into two teams and asked to pull as hard as they could. It brought genuine laughter and a friendly competitive spirit. This simple exercise helped break the ice, allow complicity to emerge between talents and in the end capture a genuine story.
The production of a lifestyle product photoshoot is a collective effort. As the saying goes, it takes a village. Even though the team was lean, I could not have done it without the help of Peter, my assistant for the day, sorting out any technical issues, moving things around, holding the reflector and diffuser, getting the catering on site and helping all around. And Nichole, the hair and makeup artist who prepared the talents, encouraged me to do the shoot and lend a hand on the day.
The production of a lifestyle product photoshoot requires a lot of pre-production effort: planning, casting, scouting, sourcing; production work: photographing, directing and post-production: editing. The reward comes as a brand story with products set in a real-life situation that inspires the viewer through the impact of storytelling.
Check part 1 for some of the visual results from this photoshoot.