What You Need to Know Before Going “Live! From Sara Harris Photography!”

You’re in good company.

Most all of us get nervous about live video events or photo shoots no matter how well prepared we are.

If you’re worried about your upcoming live broadcast or still photography studio shoot, we’ve got a few tips to make things run a little smoother.

Our biggest tip — relax!

We’ve got this.

But remember:

• Get some sleep. What sounds so simple makes a huge difference. When we’re well rested, we look better and feel better. The little things don’t turn into big things. We’re just ready to roll.
• Most of us do a lot of running in life — not the cardio kind, necessarily. We stack appointments too close together and race around. Leave your house in plenty of time to arrive at the studio early so you don’t feel rushed.
• Make sure the clothes you’re planning to wear are clean and wrinkle-free. Wrinkles show on camera. So do spots on clothing. If you can’t escape the dog hair at home, feel free to get dressed at the studio. We have a full dressing room for that!
• Consider getting your hair and makeup done professionally. These are services we can help with. Both are an investment, but how often do you do get in front of the camera? You want to look your best for the shoot. Have a look at our tips on how to best prepare for your professional headshot as they apply here, too.
• If you have multiple people in the shoot, you’ll want to coordinate outfits. That’s not the same as matching, but you want to talk about what everyone will wear so no one outfit is distracting. Be sure to discuss whether everyone will be casual, formal, beachy — whatever works best with your message.
• Have a clear idea of the message you want to get across to your audience or the image you want to convey. Consider who your audience will be. For video, are you aiming for one live take or a pre-recording?
• Make sure you have the necessary props on hand. If you’re doing a wine tasting, make sure to have the glasses, a corkscrew and the wine at the ready!
• For a video shoot, will you be taking calls or responding to online feedback? Work out how that will be handled in advance.

Live video and still photo shoots can be a lot of fun. We look forward to working with you to make your event special!