How to brief a photographer: what to send before the shoot

A photographer can only deliver what they know you need. A good photography brief is short, usually one or two pages, and answers the questions a photographer would otherwise ask on the day: what the pictures are for, who must appear, which files you need and what you are allowed to do with them.

This guide covers the photo brief itself. If you are planning a wider campaign or a film, start with a creative brief that sets the objective, audience and message, and attach the photo brief to it. For conferences and summits, a dedicated event shot list works better than a general brief.

Tell the photographer exactly where the pictures will appear: report cover, website banner, social media, donor report, press pack or exhibition prints. Each changes the shot. A website banner needs a wide horizontal frame with space for text, social media often favours vertical or square crops, and a report cover needs room for a title and logo. List the uses in order of importance.

Then share a few reference images that show the mood you want, and one or two that show what you want to avoid. Describe the tone in plain words: natural light, people at work rather than posed, close enough to see faces and hands. Attach your brand guidelines if colours, clothing or logos matter.

This is the part briefs most often miss. Paying for a shoot does not automatically mean you own the photographs. UK government guidance explains that for commissioned work, the first owner of copyright is usually the person who created it, not the commissioner, unless the parties agree otherwise in writing.¹ Without a clear contract, the commissioner may only get a limited non-exclusive licence.¹ Copyright law varies between countries, so check the position where you work, but the lesson travels: put it in writing.

Ownership can be transferred, or the parties can agree licensing arrangements that allow the work to be used without changing who owns it.¹ In the brief, state the uses you need now and those you can foresee, such as partner reports, press, advertising or sharing with donors, and for how long. Ask how the photographer wants to be credited.

A shot list turns your needs into a plan. Group it by type and mark each item as must-have or nice-to-have, so the photographer knows what to protect if time runs short. Keep it realistic: a list of fifty must-haves for a half-day shoot tells the photographer nothing about your priorities. A typical list for a programme visit covers six kinds of image:

Add the names, roles and phone numbers of anyone the photographer must find, with a photo if they are hard to recognise, and a running order for the day with times and locations. If a senior guest or a partner representative must appear, say so clearly and note when they will be available, because those moments are often the shortest of the day.

• Hero images: two or three strong pictures that could carry a cover or a banner.
• People at work: staff, partners and participants doing the activity, not standing beside it.
• Portraits: named individuals, with their role and confirmation that they have agreed.
• Details: hands, tools, products and documents that explain the work up close.
• Context: wide shots of the place, the community or the site.
• Visibility: signage or branded items that partners require you to show.

Say how many edited images you expect, by when and in what form: high-resolution files for print, smaller files for the web, and whether you want unedited raw files at all. Specify orientations and any crops you already know you will need, and agree how the files will be shared.

Ask for captions and metadata to be embedded in every file. The IPTC photo metadata standard has fields for the caption, creator, credit line, copyright notice, date created and location.² It also has a Model Release Status field that records whether releases are available for the people shown and whether they limit usage.² When these fields are filled in at delivery, anyone who uses the image later can see who took it, what it shows and how it may be used.

Decide in the brief who is responsible for consent. Bond's ethical content guidelines advise determining at the planning stage who will facilitate the informed consent process with contributors.³ Contributors should be told how and where the content will be communicated, how long it will be kept, and that they can withdraw consent for further use at any time.³ The guidelines apply to everyone behind the camera, including freelancers.³

If children may be photographed, say so in the brief. UNICEF asks for permission from the child and their guardian, in writing where possible, and for a check that showing a child's home, community or general whereabouts will not endanger them.⁴ Bond adds that no one in the production team should be left alone with a child.³ Name the staff member who will accompany the photographer.

Give the photographer the practical details: addresses and travel times, the site contact, dress code, security rules and any places where photography is not allowed. If you are shooting in public places in Rwanda, check whether a permit is needed. Rwanda's Irembo platform describes a photography and video shooting permit, provided by the Ministry of Youth, that allows production companies and individuals to shoot in public for documentaries and fiction films, and notes that it does not exempt crews from formalities requested by local authorities on site.⁵

Finally, hold a short call to walk through the brief before the shoot. In our own practice, a few minutes of questions the day before saves far more time on location, and it is the moment to agree who will select and approve the final images.

• Main uses listed in order of importance
• Reference images for mood, and examples to avoid
• Usage rights, duration and credit agreed in writing
• Shot list marked must-have or nice-to-have
• Names, roles and contacts for key people
• File formats, quantities and deadline set
• Captions and IPTC metadata requested
• Consent lead, safeguarding contact and permits confirmed