How to Maximise Your Photoshoot Output and Create Exciting New Content

Content, content, content. It’s the currency of social media

So, it’s crunchtime. Shoot day is upon you, your product is prepped, and your Insta feed is hungry for a freshen up… but what if the shot list is just the beginning? 

Content diversity is essential for any channel, keeping your fans on their toes and eager for more. While the creative juices are flowing, you’re provided with a fantastic opportunity to elevate the photoshoot by maximising your content output.

But Mosh, what are some of the ways that you like to step up your shoots?

We’re glad you asked. Before we get into that though, make sure that efficiency is front of mind and your priorities are planned out in advance. Your primary goal is to make sure that you nail your main shot list, the rest is secondary.

These two steps before shoot day will set you up for success:

First thing’s first, it’s all about prep. Create a moodboard to discuss and look over with the team involved, well before the shoot (we’re big fans of Adobe Spark). This is when you can put your craziest or most creative ideas on paper – dream big.

Build and print a shot list with creative requirements, aspect ratios, reference images, props involved, and any other notes. This will help to guide everybody on the day and sets you up for understanding where the additional content fits in best.

Prep sorted? It’s time to move to the studio. Once everyone’s on the same page, here’s the secondary forms of content which can be the sprinkles on top of your big day:

Behind the scenes images: If you’ve got a second photographically-inclined pair of hands on deck (Hello Jack, our resident BTS man), you’re in luck. Importantly, this second person doesn’t have to be Henri Cartier-Bresson. They’ll simply need to pop in now and then when there’s exciting action going on, ideally using a backup camera to create images that are a bit more easy on the eyes than a phone shot. The amount of content from this can vary, though there should be an opportunity to create one BTS image for the majority of items on your shot list. It’s also important to note that the product isn’t necessarily your main subject of these images. The goal is to create hints and teasers, while showcasing an unpolished peek behind the curtain.

Instagram Stories: This is undoubtedly the most simple option and creates activity which feels very organic, while sparking excitement about upcoming products or content. Grab whoever’s phone is the most recent “innovation” from Tim Cook and his mates (other phone manufacturers are available) and start snapping away. If you’re uncertain, capture the content on your phone and save it before uploading the stories later. Playing around with a range of images and videos from all sorts of angles will eventually produce some gems. The more snaps, the better your odds.

Bonus Round: Video, Instagram Reels or TikToks: Collecting some video content on a camera can be useful to have on hand at a later date for mashups or teaser videos. The more approachable version of this however could be an Instagram Reel or TikTok, simply to trial something new if nothing else. We know the trepidation that this form of content can inspire, but it’s undeniably a creative outlet that millions of people enjoy on a daily basis. Having more tools under your belt can only be a good thing.

Heading down one or more of these avenues is a perfect way to push both your time and money further. It ensures that you’re keeping your channels relevant and varied, which will lead to engaged fans who dig what you’re doing. What’s not to love?