A simple shot list for your next project

Start with the finished work

Write a short list before visiting a project. Begin with one wide photograph showing the finished space. Then choose two or three details that explain the work: a finish, a useful feature or a material the business can name accurately.

Ask the business which parts of the project may be photographed and published. Check whether a client’s permission is also needed. Keep people, house numbers and private paperwork out of the frame unless their use has been agreed.

Record the process when it is safe

A few short, steady clips can make the sequence easier to explain. Capture preparation, a tool in use or the difference between two stages. Never interrupt work or ask someone to repeat an unsafe action for the camera.

• One wide shot
• Two useful details
• A before-and-after pair, if approved images exist
• One short process clip
• The final reveal

Make the files easy to use

Name the folder for the project and date. Keep the original files, the business’s approved facts and its permission record together. Note which images should stay private.

A shot list is a guide, not a demand for every possible image. If the visit is short, collect the clearest approved material and make a small, coherent set. Before editing, confirm the intended output and who will approve the finished posts or clip.