How to use When to use For whom Planning pitfalls Reaching deadlines

FREE Photo Shoot Planning Template

Master photo shoot project plan timelines with our intuitive photo shoot planning template project plan Gantt chart template.

Start with template
Gantt chart template

Why use our Photo Shoot Planning Template instead of Excel or Google Sheets?

Get started with our Photo Shoot Planning Template in seconds while skipping the hassle involved with Excel or Google Sheets.

Build Gantt charts in minutes, not hours.

Build Gantt charts in minutes, not hours.

No project management experience? No problem. Tom's Planner offers a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface that's intuitive and easy to learn. Creating Gantt charts is a breeze, saving you time and effort. Compare that to the time-consuming, frustrating, manual formatting-intensive process of building a Gantt chart in Excel or Google Sheets.

Create a Gantt chart in minutes, not hours

Move at the pace of modern business with no learning curve or Googling formulas.

Good luck figuring out how to make a Gantt chart work in Excel or Google Sheets. Excel’s user manual weighs in at a hefty 500+ pages. It takes just five minutes with Tom’s Planner to start planning your first real project plan.

Create a Gantt chart in minutes, not hours

Headache-free collaboration and sharing.

Tom's Planner offers powerful options for sharing and collaborating on Gantt charts, including public links, PDF exports, and team access with customizable permission levels. It’s never been easier to communicate or ensure everyone’s on the same page. Compare that to Excel, where sharing and collaboration mean jumping through hoop after hoop and dealing with confusion and chaos.

How to use Tom’s Planner’s photo shoot planning template to build and share your photo shoot project.

Getting your project off the ground is as easy as 1-2-3.

Step #1

Click the 'start with template’ button to open the Photo Shoot Planning Template.

Step #2

Register for a free account and watch a short video on using Tom’s Planner. The account is free forever, with no strings attached.

Step #3

You’re all set to use the Gantt chart template. Need additional help? Our AI assistant can create a custom Gantt chart Photo Shoot Planning Template based on your project description.

Start with template

What is a photoshoot planning template?

Superficially, a photoshoot is a pretty simple affair. Dig a little deeper, however, and it quickly becomes apparent that they’re actually very complex and require multiple people in the right positions at the right time. Just planning a photoshoot can be immensely stressful.

A photoshoot planning template can make all the difference. Your photo shoot schedule template is a living document that evolves with your planning process, ensuring accuracy, flexibility, and the ability to produce a professional photoshoot. Ultimately, a photoshoot planning template allows you to plan a wide range of phases and tasks, from casting to creative development and retouching.

Plan better with a photoshoot Gantt chart

It’s natural to assume that all you need is a photoshoot planning sheet PDF. You can just tick off items as you go, right? While that might help with some aspects, the truth is that you need a customizable photoshoot itinerary template. A photoshoot Gantt chart like Tom’s Planner allows you to plan accurately and easily no matter the scale, scope, or type of photoshoot you’re contemplating.

When to use a photoshoot planning template

Producing a professional photoshoot doesn’t happen by chance. It requires early and ongoing planning. Here are some of the most important times to use a photoshoot planning Gantt chart.

Ideation:

No photoshoot materializes out of thin air. Each one is the product of deep thought and lots of planning – sometimes months’ worth. You’ll begin using your photoshoot planning template during the ideation stage to visualize your ideas, set the mood, and communicate those elements to other stakeholders.

Planning:

Your photoshoot planning template should include a great deal of background information about the shoot, your vision, the goals you’re striving for, and more. Use your template during the planning stages to communicate this information and assign tasks.

Casting:

Casting is one of the most critical parts of the photoshoot. The right model(s) can communicate volumes, tie into themes, and support your mission.

The key to a successful photoshoot is solid planning. Tom’s Planner gives you all the customization and flexibility you need to deliver an amazing shoot.

Who should use a photoshoot planning template?

Your photoshoot planning template will be a vital tool for completing your project on time. However, to do that, many people will need access to it. Some of these people include:

Photographer:

The photographer will certainly need access to the photoshoot planning Gantt chart. They will assign tasks, track progress, and communicate with other stakeholders. This is particularly true if the photographer is also acting as the project manager.

Model:

Those who’ll be in the photoshoot certainly need access to the document to know when they’re required to be there.

Prop Master and Set Builders:

Setting the scene, building the set, and adding props requires that these professionals have access to the photoshoot planning template to synchronize their schedules and get everything ready.

Give your team the planning capabilities they need with a photoshoot planning Gantt chart like Tom’s Planner.

Start with template

The top three pitfalls to avoid when planning a photoshoot

You need to produce a high-quality photoshoot that delivers on your vision and goals. Avoiding these pitfalls will help.

  1. Not Nailing Down Your Location Early:

    The right location can make or break your photoshoot. Waiting too long to scout locations and book a venue could mean having to go with something less viable.

    Solution:

    Location scouting and venue booking should be part of your early photoshoot planning.

  2. Not Defining the Shoot’s Goals:

    What do you want to achieve with the photography? If you fail to define your goals, it’s all too easy to miss the mark.

    Solution:

    Setting your goals should be one of the first steps in your photoshoot planning process.

  3. Not Knowing What Story You’re Telling:

    All photoshoots should tell a story. While the specifics will vary from shoot to shoot, this should be one of the guiding elements in your project.

    Solution:

    Identify the story you want to tell early on and then decide how to do that using models, lighting, props, and other elements.

What does a photoshoot planning template include?

Creating a custom photoshoot planning template is important, but most documents include some of the same stages. These often include:

  1. Project Planning:

    A successful photoshoot starts with in-depth planning of the project itself. What’s the concept? What’s the budget and is it allocated correctly? How long will it take? Have the appropriate stakeholders been consulted? Add this information to your photography project planning sheet.

  2. Location Scouting:

    The location for your shoot can make all the difference in the results. This phase usually includes researching locations, shortlisting promising options, visiting sites, evaluating and comparing potential locations, booking your preferred choice, and more.

  3. Team Assembly:

    There’s a misconception that photoshoots involve a model or two and the photographer. The truth is that you’ll need to fill a wide range of roles, from lighting to set design. Start by identifying the required roles, then posting job ads. Move on to interviews, skill assessments, and then job offers.

  4. Equipment Preparation:

    From lights to filters, and lenses to backdrops, you’ll need a broad range of equipment at your photoshoot. Plan for this in your photoshoot planner. Stages in this phase include identifying current inventory and needed equipment, sourcing and ordering equipment, testing it when it arrives, and then checking it again before the shoot.

  5. Scene Setup:

    A lot of work goes into preparing for a scene. You’ll need to plan the initial layout design, gather props, set up lighting, position lights and screens, set up the camera, preview the scene, and then adjust anything that’s out of whack.

  6. Test Shoots:

    Before the real deal, you’ll need to conduct test shoots. These help ensure that the setup is right, the equipment is dialed in, and everything’s ready for the real thing.

  7. Main Photo Shoot:

    This is where things get real. You’ll need to plan effectively for it. That includes final adjustments to lighting, final scene checks, the first round of shooting followed by reviews and feedback, additional shooting, and then the wrap-up and equipment disassembly when you’re done.

There is no way to overstate the importance of planning when preparing for a photoshoot. A photoshoot Gantt chart like Tom’s Planner lets you go beyond checklists and create an accurate plan to guide your project forward.

Four tips on how to make sure you reach your deadlines

1. Rough Out the Entire Plan Early

Don’t leave things to chance. Rough out your entire plan early so that you have a game plan from day one. A tool like Tom’s Planner makes this easy and also lets you easily make changes to the plan over time.

2. Lock in Your Equipment

One of the most common holdups when it comes to photoshoots is not having the right equipment. You can avoid this by planning what you’ll need and then locking in vendors and suppliers early.

3. Consider Multiple Venues

You’ve got your heart set on a particular venue. But what happens if it’s taken before you can book it? Make sure you have at least one secondary option, so your project isn’t delayed.

4. Keep Everyone on the Same Page

Finally, communicate effectively with everyone involved in the project. A photoshoot planning Gantt chart makes it easy to keep everyone on the same page.

Gantt charts in Tom's Planner vs in Excel

Excel Tom's Planner
Cost License required Free version available
Learning curve Hours Minutes
Create your first Gantt chart Hours Minutes
Making an update in your chart Several minutes Seconds (drag & drop)
Sharing charts with others At some point you will save and email a file titled: version_4_def_usethisversion_reallyfinal.xlsx Online, one source of truth, always up to date, with no confusion
Look & Feel Messy Clean, polished and professional
Dependencies
Filtering
Zoom in/out
Automatic Legend
AI-assist Let our AI assist do the work for you
Export to image or pdf Requires workarounds to export One mouse click

Join 117,658 customers and have your first Gantt chart live today!