The on-site headshot day checklist

A headshot day is a production. When it goes well, nobody notices. When something's forgotten, a line of busy people notices immediately. This is the checklist we run through for every on-site headshot day. Copy it, adapt it, print it.

One week before

• Confirm date, address, room, parking, load-in route and a contact on the day
• Confirm headcount, minimum fee and the schedule (start, breaks, end)
• Send the client the booking link and the employee prep email
• Check the room: size, ceiling height, windows, power sockets, Wi-Fi
• Agree background color and any branding
• Agree delivery: what sitters get, when, and what the client receives

The day before

• Charge everything: camera batteries, flash batteries, laptop, iPad, phone
• Format cards, check free space on the laptop and backup drive
• Update and test tether software with your camera (our tether picks)
• Pack two tether cables and cable locks (full gear list)
• Export the sitter list and send booking reminders
• Prepare a test event in your selection and delivery tool

On arrival (60–90 minutes before the first sitter)

• Find power and run cables safely, taped where people walk
• Build the backdrop, lights and stool, and tape floor marks
• Connect the tether, set the capture folder and file naming
• Fire test frames: check exposure, focus, white balance and the sitter screen
• Test the full delivery path with a test sitter: capture, pick, email received
• Set up the mirror and touch-up kit for the queue
• Brief your assistant or host on check-in

During the shoot

• Greet, put them at ease, take a test frame and show them the screen
• Check focus on the first frames of every person, especially with glasses
• Let them choose their favorite before they leave
• Keep an eye on time per person and the queue
• Back up the capture folder at every break
• Note any special requests (retouch notes, a second outfit, a different crop)

Wrap-up

• Photograph late arrivals and anyone who missed a slot
• Final backup to the external drive
• Check everyone on the list is accounted for: photographed, picked, delivered
• Pack down, check the room, return keys and badges
• Send the client a quick thank-you with a count of people photographed

After the shoot

• Retouch picks that need it, deliver the rest
• Send the client their picks report or gallery
• Ask for a review and a testimonial
• Invoice

FAQ

How early should I arrive for an on-site headshot shoot?

Plan on 60 to 90 minutes before the first sitter to build, light, connect the tether and test the whole chain, including delivery.

What equipment do I need for on-site headshots?

A camera and 85–135 mm lens, two lights or one light and a reflector, a backdrop and stand, a stool, a laptop with tether software and cables, a screen or iPad for the sitter, and backups for cables, batteries and storage.