Never let it be said that I find excuses to shop. Ok, let it be said. However, once stores reopened in June, I made a beeline for additions to my prop supplies, in light of 18 shoot days between then and the end of July.
Whilst each shoot is carefully planned, from location to story to product and props, there are undoubtedly days when a little extra something comes in handy. Some days this something can be quite unexpected, the dog or cat of the venue strolling into shot at the perfect moment. But other days it’s simply good to have your bases covered – just in case.
These 5 items are absolute must-haves for any shoot day. Whether it’s adding the finishing touch, making sure your shot looks fresh or simple tools that are lifesavers in the moment.
1. A Long-spouted Watering Can
I work with a lot of fresh flowers and foliage, which I absolutely love. They bring colour and life to a shot, adding realism and interest where simple textiles and materials cannot. But they need care to make sure they don’t wilt and droop, especially when the studio or location is warm or the photographer is using artificial lights. Make sure vases are topped up, to keep greenery looking happy with a long-spouted watering can means you can easily give plants and flowers a quick drink without disturbing the set up. This is particularly handy if you’re leaving shots over lunch or overnight. And it means less repo time for the photographer if a vase or pot is moved even a cm or two during watering.
2. Artificial Flowers
Whilst it’s hard to beat fresh foliage and flowers (eucalyptus garlands anyone) sometimes the brief may not call for them. Or sometimes the ones you want are out of season. A few simple stems, well-made, are a great tool. Keep them to one colour palette to avoid having to buy (and transport) huge amounts of props unnecessarily.
3. Fishing and Florist Wire
The difference between working “on screen” than in real life styling is that angles matter so much more. What looks good to the eye can look confusing or messy on camera. Being able to separate or lift greenery, throws or lights avoids lines interrupting each other. Which works wonder when you have multiple items in a shot that all need equal bidding.
Christmas is a perfect example of this. Real christmas trees aren’t perfectly symmetrical and trying to style decorations evenly (or deliberately randomly) is easier when you can tie lower branches to higher ones or help support heavier decorations that are weighing branches down. As fishing wire is see through you can use it easily without causing too much trouble for the photographer.
4. Coffee Table Books
Unless this is something your client sells themselves, coffee table books are a godsend for styling. Products and props grouped together may lack height and therefore interest with no particular focus to draw the eye.
Adding 2 or 3 stacked books (usually with their spine hidden) will add a welcome change or pace to the set up or fill a void where shoehorning more product into the shot would work against the story you’re trying to tell. Just keep the cover colour palette neutral to avoid making them the star of the show.
5. Prop Basket
Make sure your prop basket has handles so it’s easy to carry on the day but easily recognisable as yours so it doesn’t get lost in the chaos of products and props and location belongings. It should also be strong as your props grow quickly and without a lid (or have a removeable one) as photoshoots can be fast paced and the last thing you want to be doing is routing around for tools and props you need quickly. I love my woven prop basket, it makes me happy to fill it with my favourites and it doubles as an extra prop if needed too.
The Take Away
When I first started working on photoshoots, it was my job to plan which products we were going to shoot, what location we would use and the supporting props based on the story I wanted to tell. Then I would hire a stylist to add the final magic.
Two stylists I hired turned up with either zero or very little props. Whilst I knew I had planned the shoot thoroughly to avoid wasting time or money, I was still disappointed that the stylists had very few suggestions of their own. Just a few props, even if not needed, would have made me feel confident that the stylist had back up ideas to deal with the unexpected.
Now as a stylist I’m aware that the client/photographer may not have always been to the location before, and therefore layouts may not be what they expect. They may have signed off on ideas/props at the storyboard stage but things don’t always go to plan. Having a few additional props which fit with their brand on the day and be ready to think creatively around a problem, could really save the day.