How to Prepare for a Successful Photo-shoot Lights, Camera, Action!

We were recently hired for a photo shoot at a newly renovated dental practice. It looked well designed, and structured, however there was still some work to do because it was not photo ready, nor patient ready!

The site still had construction debris that was not cleaned up, dust on counter tops and light bulbs missing for ambience in some spots.  There were also some construction tools left out, and there were no flowers or staging decorations in place to make it feel welcoming.

The site was still work in progress and needed a few final finishing touches, however when so much work goes into designing a beautiful dental practice, sometimes the small details and final touches makes the difference in creating a welcoming and ambient environment.

In addition to hiring a professional photographer, there is some preparation work that you should do to get the most out of the photo shoot and your investment.

Here are some basic tips:

1. Clean Your Rooms

Ensure that floors, windows, and glass doors are clean and free from smudges.  Vacuum, sweep or mop the floors, and keep them clutter free.  High resolution photographs or high definition videos can capture a lot of detail. Photographers can capture views from floor to ceiling, and can edit some items out, but their time is better focused on other editing processes such as exposure, composition and color.

2. Remove any Clutter

Keep the rooms and areas that patients visit, and those that you want to photograph, clutter free. Consider removing items like personal photos and letters, posters, paperwork, confidential information, items with dates and years on them, magazines, cleaning supplies, files and boxes, bathroom items, and the likes hidden out of sight.


3. Check your lighting

Check all light bulbs and make sure that they all work. Replace any burnt out light-bulbs.  In darker areas, consider using lamps and even colored bulbs for ambience. 


4. Stage it

A staged clinic, practice or facility photographs better and is more welcoming. Having an ambient environment makes it easier to capture from a photographer’s perspective.  Consider items like fresh flowers, welcoming pictures, seating location, etc.  Put yourself in your patient’s shoes and imagine that you are looking at the space for the first time…would it be inviting enough to attract you to it?  Consider where your TV’s and computer screens are located, and what they display.  TV’s could display a corporate logo, while screens inside ops could display treatment images of an educational nature.  Make it look professional and carry the image you are trying to portray to your patients.

5. Prepare your team.

If you are preparing a photo shoot that includes headshots and team pictures, communicate with the team about the date, the expectations and the importance of this process.  This helps your team to prepare themselves, cut and style their hair, and do their make-up, dress appropriately, and present the practice in the best light.  Note that Google Street View specific 3D Tours and shots should not be displayed with people within the shots as this is against their terms.

6. Selecting the right photographer.

Using the internet and search engines, it’s easy to find photographers in most areas.  ArcPro Media works with a select team of the best professional and experienced Google certified photographers who are licenced to provide Google Street View 3D tours and photos that assure high quality results.

When we’re on site, we’ll do a walk through to ensure that things are in good shape before filming.  After the shoot, the photographer will provide the ordered videos and stills in a format your web team can utilize. 

If you need help with designing your website, SEO, Social Media, Review Marketing and Management, or Patient Education and Case Acceptance Solutions, feel free to contact us to see how we can help.

We look forward to meeting you soon at the shoot location!