How do we work?
1. We start with a conversation to generally establish your needs and expectations, the specifics of the business, the volume of work, the deadlines and budget for the photoshoot.
2. We prepare together or you provide us with a creative brief (assignment) that defines the requirements for the photos. It is our starting point and is an extremely important step to ensure that we meet your requirements exactly. The assignment must include at least the following information: number of photos per product or dish, orientation of photos, purpose of photos and/or desired resolution, requirements for colors used, props, information on target audience and image style, compositions with or without empty space to add texts etc. It is very helpful if you provide us with photos from your previous campaigns or other photos that you like for visual reference.
3. We prepare for you an individual offer based on the creative assignment and agree on the schedule and deadlines for implementation. Timescales depend on the number of images desired, the studio's and client's workload, and the need to secure specific props for the shoot. Upon acceptance of the offer, we sign a contract for photographic services based on the creative assignment and prepare a list of the images to be captured.
4. We begin shooting after receiving a 20% advance payment on the total order value, for which you will receive an invoice.
4.1. When shooting the products in the studio of Symmetry Photography, you hand over or ship the products to us according to the agreed schedule, and we take care of procuring the necessary props for the photos. Products that are not perishable or unwrapped during the photoshoot are returned to you after they have been photographed.
4.2. When shooting meals and drinks or other products at the client's premises, we come to you according to the agreed schedule, and you are required to provide us with a suitable space to work.
5. After photographing your products or dishes and drinks according to the prepared shot list, we process the images according to the creative brief and provide you with an online album containing preview images with reduced size and/or a watermark for approval.
6. After your approval and upon receiving payment in full, we provide you with the final processed images in full size without watermark according to the requirements in the creative assignment via a link to access the album in Google Photos. We only provide processed images according to the creative assignment. We do not provide raw files. We reserve the right to publish individual images as part of our portfolio, unless otherwise expressly stated in the contract (for example, if you take test photos before a product is officially launched on the market).
What is required from your side?
Your role in the shooting process is extremely important to the final result. First of all, you know your products and customers best, you know what they like and what they don't. You also know what message you want to send with the photos.
Therefore, we want to emphasize again how important it is that you give us clear and specific creative brief - for us it is like the blueprint according to which we have to build the house. It tells us exactly how you want the photos to look.
The other most important element are the products or food themselves, that we need to capture. There is no way one can take a picture of a withered flower and make it look like a fresh, just-bloomed flower. Therefore, it is very important that the products we will use for the photos have an impeccable appearance - no crumpled or scratched packaging, detached or crooked labels, etc.
Therefore, we ask you, when preparing the products that you will send us for photography, to select the products and pack them in such a way that we receive them in the best possible appearance. Even if some minimal defects can be corrected during photo processing, not everything can be changed, and this also takes additional time and makes the service more expensive.
When photographing dishes and cocktails, the time in which they look fresh and appetizing is very short. Most often we only have a few minutes, after which they begin to wilt, melt, the foam and fizz disappear. That's why it's important to prepare everything right when we're ready to shoot it. It is also very often necessary to use non-edible elements in the arrangement of some dishes, for example burgers, sandwiches or soups, in order to show all their layers or contents. This means that the dishes we will shoot will not be able to be served to customers of the restaurant afterwards, but will be prepared solely for the purpose of the photoshoot. Therefore, it is necessary for you to choose the most convenient time and space for the photos, when the chef or bartender who will prepare the dishes and drinks will be available and the shooting process will not interfere with the work of the establishment.
When photographing service-type businesses, it is necessary that the premises to be photographed are in good condition - clean, tidy, decorated with fresh flowers and plants, if appropriate, etc. For the shots that will capture the process of providing the service, it is more appropriate to use professional or non-professional models, but it is also possible to include real clients, in which case it is important that they agree to their photos being used for advertising purposes (and sign a document to this effect). The specialist or team providing the services should be in appropriate clothing - formal or work, with at least minimal makeup suitable for photos. If the clothing is work, it is advisable for the individual members to wear the same uniform or those corresponding to their position and rank. If the clothing is not work or uniform, then at least a common vision for all employees should be specified in advance - for example, everyone should wear formal suits (of course, according to the field in which they work).