20 simple questions to help you write a better food photography brief
Successful photoshoots always start with a clear and detailed brief, one that provides the photographer with a good understanding of the product and details the key messages that need to be communicated in the imagery. It ensures you receive a realistic quote with no hidden fees and speeds up the process of finding and booking a photographer.
But there are so many elements to consider when getting a brief together that it’s easy to miss one or two things off the list. So here are 20 simple questions that will get you thinking about the type of imagery you need.
If you’re ready to write a brief for your photographer and looking for a simple step by step guide on how to get it perfect every time, you can download my free PDF here.
Your products
How many products do you have?
Do they all need to be photographed?
How many images of each product do you need?
Image specifics
Where are these images going to be used?
Instagram (feed, stories, reels)
Other social media such as TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest
Website
Product listing shots for ecommerce
Paid ads
Editorial
Other print materials
Out of home / large scale advertising
Other not specified
How long will the images be used for?
Are they going to be shared in the UK only, in specific territories, or worldwide?
NB. These 3 questions above will determine the kind of image licensing you need so it’s important to include them in order for your photographer to provide a realistic quote. If you’re not sure what licensing is and why it’s important, just ask your photographer.
Do you need a specific orientation or image size for any of these media channels?
Lots of media channels have specific requirements for imagery. For example, landscape shots at a 16:9 ratio are often best for websites, while a portrait 9:16 orientation is needed for IG reels. Some ecommerce sites also have styling requirements, such as using a white background only.
Editorial jobs will also have specific image dimensions and file types that you’ll need to make note of.
Do you need any empty space in the images for text overlay, either on web or in print?
Do the images need to be saved as a specific file type, ie. JPG, PNG, TIFF, PSD?
Style and composition
Do you need packaging and product photography?
Do you need lifestyle photography, ie. with different serving suggestions or styled recipes?
Do you want options with and without the packaging in the lifestyle imagery?
Are there any brand guidelines you need to follow with regards to how the product is displayed?
Do you want to feature any hands or people in the imagery?
What kind of style best reflects your brand values?
What kind of style best appeals to your customers?
What kind of emotions are you looking to evoke in your audience?
Do you need any additional assets, like GIFS, stop motion videos, recipe videos, process shots, or recipe development?
Final details
Is there a specific budget you’re working to?
Is there a deadline?
So there you have it, 20 questions to get you thinking about everything you want to achieve in your next food photoshoot.
If you’re ready to write your brief and want a simple step by step guide on how to do so, you can download my free PDF here. It’ll guide you through the process so you can get a realistic quote from your photographer (with no hidden costs!) even if you’ve never written a food photography brief before.