Technical Specs for the Photographer: What Should Be Included?

Greetings from product photographer Marina Griebl.

Dear partners, this post is for you — but my fellow colleagues who are just starting out will also find some useful tips here.

So: How to create clear technical guidelines for a shoot, so that the photographer captures your product in a way that makes potential customers want to buy it.

Often, brand managers are not yet sure what type of shoot is needed and rely on phrases like “it should look appetizing” or “it should sell.” However, for each person, “appetizing” or “sales-effective” means something different. Such metaphors unfortunately don’t explain the concrete requirements for the upcoming shoot.

❓ Which guidelines you should provide to make clear what photographs you want:

• A little about the brand, its ideas and goals (“We stand for sustainability, ” “We make women feel beautiful”,  “We produce according to unique recipes”);

• About the target audience (who is your product for, what price segment);

• Where the images will be used (Instagram posts and marketplace photos can differ significantly, but sometimes they don’t);

• Show examples: style / concept / idea (it doesn’t have to be your product, any example can work);

• Color concept (vibrant, soft, desired color spectrum);

• Should the product be shown on a person / in an interior (here the photographer can advise based on the previous points);

• Show or describe the packaging;

• Technical details (image format: landscape/portrait, proportions, free space for banners or infographics).

🎨 Visual examples are especially helpful:

Since we create visual content, much is best explained through images. Don’t hesitate to include examples of photos you like and explain exactly what you like about them — for example, the evening light, an incredibly beautiful blue tone in the background, the arrangement of products, or simply the mood of the photo because it reminds you of family gatherings. It’s equally helpful to mention what you don’t like at all and what you absolutely don’t want to see in your product photos. Such notes help create images that truly tell the story of your brand, not just simple product shots.

❗ And the most important thing: if the shoot budget turns out higher than planned — make sure to mention it. This allows your photographer to propose alternative ideas, complexity, or approaches, or even implement parts of the shoot in exchange for products or in a joint shoot with another brand. 

What NOT to say for a constructive dialogue:

• “Just make it look appetizing”

• “Do it like it’s usually done”

• “You photograph, we’ll review later”

• “We need something in your style”

I have developed a form to help you with this. Fill it out, save it on your computer, and send it to me by email at contact@marinagriebl.com, and then we’ll discuss the details.