Social media
Plan a social content shoot with a shot list
Plan the evidence and framing each post needs before the camera comes out, while leaving room for genuine moments on the day.
A folder containing hundreds of attractive photographs can still miss the one image needed to explain a process. A shot list connects the planned content with the material required to make it. It is not a demand to stage every moment; it is a way to avoid discovering important omissions after the location and people are no longer available.
Work backwards from the posts
For each intended piece, name its central point and the visual information needed. A hypothetical workshop sequence might require the whole working area, hands carrying out one action, the relevant tool and the finished object. These views have different jobs. Five versions of the same wide shot will not replace the missing close detail.
Include orientation and likely crop needs without assuming that one frame will fit every use. Leave space where text may be added, but do not sacrifice the subject merely to create a blank area. If a person or object needs to appear at a particular scale, record that requirement in plain language rather than using vague notes such as ‘dynamic content’.
Separate essential and optional material
Mark the shots without which the explanation fails. Capture those before spending time on decorative variations. Group shots by location, setup or participant so the session does not repeatedly rebuild the same arrangement. Allow time to check focus, unwanted reflections and background details while a correction is still possible.
Confirm the intended use with the people responsible for the location and the material being photographed. Avoid exposing private screens, customer records or information on a whiteboard. Where people are featured, establish the agreed scope before filming rather than treating attendance as permission for every future use.
Collect context with the images
Note names, relevant dates, object versions and any detail needed for an accurate caption. An image library becomes harder to use when the only person who knows what is shown leaves the project. Keep these notes associated with the selected files, not buried in an unrelated message thread.
At the end of the session, compare the actual material with the essential list. Look for missing transitions or results that could make the eventual post misleading. Then select deliberately: a concise set of distinct, well-described images is easier to work with than an unfiltered dump. The shot list has done its job when it produces the evidence the content needs, not merely when every box is ticked.
