Coordinating Photoshoots: How to Operate like a Pro
Planning a photoshoot can go from fun to stressful very quickly. There are a lot of small factors that go into play when organizing a shoot. Having run shoots for over 10 years, I have had my fair shares of great moments and...not so great moments. So with this guide I am going to help you operate like a pro at your next photoshoot!
I'll be splitting this write up into two parts in case you need one and not the other. The first part will cover "How to Plan a Photoshoot" which will go over the logistics of setting one up and how to get the word out there. The second part will cover "Running a Photoshoot" which will go over the day of the event and some tips to help you have a smooth photoshoot.
- How to Plan a Photoshoot -
So first things first...
What is the Photoshoot
Photography by Legend of Micah
Do you want to host a photoshoot for a genre? Or are you wanting to do a specific series? Normally people plan photoshoots around costumes that they plan on wearing. For example, back in 2012 I had a costume from the anime series Naruto. Wanting to have photos taken of said costume and meet other Naruto fans, I set up a photoshoot for Sunday of con and to my surprise had around 20 people show.
Once you've figured out what type of shoot you want to do, the next step is...
Time and Location
The BEST advice I can give with time and location is: do a time that works for you. It's truly that simple. Now no matter what time and place you stick your photoshoot, you are always going to get people who say "I can't make it" or "I already have other plans at that time". All you can really do at that point is say cool and move on. You as the coordinator must be present at the shoot. So it is highly important that the time and place works for you.
Now from experience, if your photoshoot is going to be outside, try to avoid doing the shoot between the times of 11:30am to 4:00pm. Basically avoid noon. This time frame tends to be the hottest time during the day and you and your fellow cosplayers will fry. Now if the shoot is indoors or the outdoor location is shaded, you will be fine. But do keep weather in mind when booking an outdoor location. You might also want to have a back up location in the event of rain. (Or cancel all together in that case.)
Now that you have a theme, time, and location, now it's time to...
Make and Advertise the event
Social media has made it easier than ever to get word out about your photoshoot. Before doing so, it's always in good practice to make sure someone hasn't already set up a shoot similar to yours. For example, if I'm planning a SpiderMan photoshoot, it is best to check the conventions Facebook page and sub pages and groups to double check that no one else has one planned. If you're in the clear then you're ready to plan!
I have found the best way to organize shoots is through Facebook. Many people have a Facebook and those who don't usually get news through friends. I like to create Public Facebook Events to help gauge interest and spread the word around.
Now you may be wondering "What info should I include on the event I just made?". Let me share an example of a past shoot I had ran with success.
Let's start with the name and group banner.
As you can see with this example, the name of the event states exactly what the photoshoot is. I like to include the name of the convention as well as year so people don't get anything mixed up. So for example, let's say we're doing Assassin's Creed at MegaCon. I would probably call the event "Assassin's Creed Photoshoot at MegaCon 2021". I do include the word "Photoshoot" in the name as their could be other Assassin's Creed events happening. Again include any info so their is no confusion.
For the banner you have 3 options:
If this is the first year this photoshoot is happening, you can use images from the series the photoshoot is based off of.
If this is NOT the first year the photoshoot is happening, you can use photos from past events to help advertise the event.
Or if you have some photoshop/photo editing skills, you can do like my co-host and I did and make a custom banner with the info in it.
Now let's move on to the rest of the event info.
I have learned from over the years that people LOVE info. The more info you give the potential attendees, the less questions you'll have to answer later. So usually for the info/details part of the event, here is the formula I like to use:
Name of Event
Date
Location
Time
Coordinators
Photographers
Following that information I like to include a brief synopsis of what the event is followed by some frequently asked questions I get. Below is a full example of what my event info/details look like:
[ Overwatch at DragonCon 2018 Photoshoot ]
Date: Sunday, September 2nd Location: Hilton Steps A & B Time: 11:30am-1:30pm Type of Event: Photoshoot Age Restriction: None/Family Friendly
Coordinators: Sarah Howell and Cindy Tran (Spuds) Main Photographers: Brandon de la Cruz - https://www.facebook.com/BrandonJDot/
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Overwatch at DragonCon is happy to announce the 2018 official photoshoot for all things Overwatch! Come join us as we celebrate our 3rd year since descending upon Atlanta back in 2016.
Location: Hilton Steps A and B Same location as 2017 just an earlier time slot. Enter the Hilton through the front doors and head straight towards the back. There will be a hallway that is made of windows. That is where the Hilton Back Steps are located. Steps A and B are located to the left all the way at the end.
Please arrive on time or even a few minutes earlier if you plan on being in the group photo. Allow time to get through the Sunday crowd or to recover from Saturday night partying. There is space at the Hilton Steps that if you arrive early can wait for others to arrive without interfering with the current shoot going on.
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[Frequently Asked Questions]
Q: “What costumes are allowed?” A: Anything and all things Overwatch. This includes Overwatch shorts, comics, concept art, in game events, and anything officially released by Blizzard. Mashups and original concepts/characters are welcomed as long as they read Overwatch in some way.
Q: “Can I attend the event if I am not in Overwatch cosplay?” A: Yes you can! Our events are not restricted to “just” Overwatch cosplayers. All fans of Overwatch are welcome to our events or even if you are just curious. We only ask that you stay out of the way of our photographers
Q: “I only made an Overwatch costume that goes along with a specific event (ex: Bunnyhutch, Fantasy/Magical, Pool Party, ect…). Can i bring that costume to this meetup?” A: As long as the costume you plan to wear reads Overwatch in some way, then it is allowed. Any costumes made for any of the other Overwatch themed events are allowed at the big photoshoots. (ex: Bunny Mei, Pool Soldier, Magical Girl Reaper, ect…)
Q: “Is there an age restriction?” A: Nope! This event is family friendly!
Q: “Can I come and photograph/shoot video of the event?” A: Yes you can! The only thing we ask is that fellow photographers and videographers stay out of the way of the main photographers. For 2018, we will be tapping off an area for the photographers to help with moving the cosplayers and bringing them to you. For videographers: if you would like to have the cosplayers do specific things while the photoshoot goes on (ex: everyone shouting and going crazy while in the big group pose), contact coordinator Sarah Howell to let her know before hand to so she can mark it down on the photo list.
Q: “Will there be water?” A: Due to the size of the event, water will not be provided. Please hydrate prior to the shoot or bring a bottle with you. For those seeking water during or after the event, the Starbucks located inside next to the Hilton steps provides free water when ordered.
Q: “Do I need a DragonCon badge for this event?” A: To reach the photoshoot locations, you will need a DragonCon badge good for Sunday in order to get into the hotel. Those who have purchased a full weekend membership include the Sunday pass and will not need to purchase one. Those who purchase according to day will need to purchase a Sunday badge at DragonCon registration for $45.
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Want to check out our other Overwatch themed events? Be sure to stay connected by joining the Overwatch @ DragonCon group. Share your cosplay progress and stay in touch with cosplayers you've meet. https://www.facebook.com/groups/275160632833099/
(Cover Photo by Jacob Stone “Euphoria Cosplay Studio”, edit by Cindy Tran)
*** Do note that this example has a LOT of info! That is because this photoshoot I used as an example always attracts 250+ cosplayers every year. Because of this I include this much info as to not confuse anyone and to be up front with the details. Your event does NOT have to have this much detail.
Once you have made the event, it's time to share and gauge interest! With this step comes along the search for...
Photographers and Co-Hosts
If you have never run a shoot before, then you most likely don't have a photographer or co-host already. It is important to have both at a shoot for many reasons. Firstly, why go to a photoshoot and get no photos in return? Having a photographer is important and first priority.
Now the co-host is optional but over the years I have found that having one has always lead to the more successful shoots. That is because the day of the photoshoot, you never know what may happen that will have your hands tied. One year 10 minutes into a shoot I had a cosplayer faint. While I was getting them medical attention, my co-host continued to run the shoot. So having a second person there to help run the shoot and wrangle cosplayers into place really takes a lot of stress off of your shoulders.
So how do you find a photographer and/or a co-host?
Let's start with the photographer. Now that you've created and posted the event, it is best to share your event in groups and pages that correspond with the convention or series. So for example, if the photoshoot is for the convention KatsuCon, I would post to the KatsuCon Facebook Group your event along with any other KatsuCon sub groups there might be such as a KatsuCon Cosplayer group or anything similar. You can also post your event into any large cosplayer groups or forums you may be in as it never hurts to spread the word of your event.
So typically through sharing my event, I'll note when posting that "I am in search of photographers and a co-host" and to "reach out to me via comment or DM if interested". Normally this is actually how I find both my photographer and co-host. Leading up to con I will just continually post to groups and forums that I am looking and usually at some point I'll find one.
I will say having 2 to 3 photographers for your shoot is a good plan. The reason being is life happens and things pop up. I've had photographers bail due to family emergencies or having to cancel their con all together. It's good to have back up photographers.
Now that you have a photographer and co-host, it's time to rest and wait for the day of the shoot. But before that, may I recommend to you a...
Megaphone
I've made the mistake and so have others. If you're going to be running a shoot, you're probably going to want to invest in a megaphone. Now I have been able to successfully run shoots that have had around 25 people with no issues. But the second you hit 30+ you're going to want one. They just make life easier.
Any megaphone will do but I do highly recommend this specific one from Amazon that I used for about 5 years. Many cosplayers commented that they could hear this one very clearly. It does cost a pretty penny so I would only recommend getting this if you plan to run shoots for awhile. But something we all tend to forget is that conventions are loud and when trying to instruct people, information can get lost without the aid of a megaphone. (Also your vocal cords will thank you later.)
So the question of whether or not you'll need a megaphone brings to mind another factor to be mindful of which is...
Predicting Numbers
It's honestly hard to predict numbers of how many will show. What I've found over the year's to best guess is to use the information provided by the Facebook Event you created. Typically if I see 100 people say they are interested or going to my event, I usually will only get half that many people at the event.
The reason this information is important is because we need to be able to guess numbers and make sure the location we've picked will fit everyone. Trust me, you're going to want to do this math before hand. Back in 2016 I had booked a location that held around 50 people for an Overwatch shoot at DragonCon only expecting maybe 30-40 people to show. Instead I had 120 people show and the space could not hold us all. I learned that day to always check the numbers on Facebook and to base my guess off of that. Because had I checked I could've booked a new location for the shoot and not have had this issue.
Also keep in mind word of mouth. There are cosplayers who don't use social media and may find out day of that your shoot is happening and they would like to join. Typically this only brings in about 5-20 people depending on the popularity of the series.
Alright! Phew that was a lot and that was just the pre planning! Who said this stuff was easy?
Now let's go over some day of basics and tips to help you run a smooth event.
Photography by Brandon de la Cruz
- Running a Photoshoot -
Fast forward in time and today is the day! It's photoshoot day and you're heading over to the photoshoot location. First things first....
Arrive Early
There are many reasons as to why you'll want to arrive first. The first thing I do when I arrive is scout out the area and take note of any issues such as large puddles or groups hanging about. I can't tell you how many times I've had to ask people kindly move from the photoshoot location. 9 out of 10 people are cool and will move. That 1 person though called convention security on me and things got ugly. (For real though. Being an event coordinator is a tough job.)
The other reason is some cosplayers may arrive early and it's extremely helpful to both you and them if you're already there. The early bird cosplayers always come in handy because by confirming with them that yes indeed they are in the right spot for your photoshoot, they'll inform others as they make their way so you don't have to constantly be on the look out for cosplayers.
I tend to arrive to photoshoots 30 minutes early and usually I'll ask the photographers and co-host to do the same. That way we can go into the photoshoot with...
A Plan
The first photoshoot I ever ran I didn't have a plan in mind. I hadn't thought before hand what order the photoshoot should go in and what types of groups and pairings there should be. Things went slow and I looked like an idiot. SO! I highly recommend you have a shot list in mind for your shoot and to go over it with your photographers. They can provide insight too if they've done photoshoots before.
I usually like to begin with a group photo. Then I break it down into sub groups then individual character photos. In the end I'll take requests and one last group photo for the late arrivers.
Depending on the series I do take into account large and bulky costumes and sometimes move the shoot order around to give them time to move and get out of their costumes so they don't over heat.
Once we have a plan and the cosplayers arrive, I go over the shot plan with everyone present and we get the ball rolling!
Photography by Bill Watters
Here are some tips that I've found to be helpful while running a shoot:
Tell Photographers Where to Stand
I did it once before and it was my bad but other photographers other than the ones you asked to come will show. Be sure to let them know who your main photographers are and to kindly stand out of their way. But do inform them that they are welcome to stay and take photos. Just don't stand in front of the main photographers.
10 Second Count Downs
Once cosplayers are in place and posing, give a 10 second countdown. Once the 10 seconds are up it's the next group or character. It has never failed and helps to keep the photoshoot going and on time. Cosplayers can only pose for so long and will thank you for the count down.
Get Photographer(s) Info
If you have other photographers show who aren't the ones you asked to be there, be sure to grab their info or give them yours. This way after the con is over and everyone goes their separate ways, you have a way to contact them regarding the photos they took. This method is actually how I found my photographer who I use every year now. He showed up one day to one of my photoshoots and blew my mind with what he shared with me.
And that is it! Wish I could use this knowledge at my day job but it has nothing to do with event coordinating. So why not share that information with whoever finds this and takes it all in.
I hope you found this guide useful and that you can learn from my mistakes and avoid issues at your photoshoots.