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Photo brief

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Header Restaurant name Shoot date Shooter (photographer name or 'in-house phone') Time of day (window-light hour)

Shot list — eight families From L9. Most operators need three of each family. Skip the family if it doesn't apply (e.g., no outdoor seating → skip patio family).

#	Family	Specific dish / subject	Plating note	Angle (overhead / 45° / eye)	Shot?
1	Hero dish (signature)
2	Range — 2nd dish (different section)
3	Range — 3rd dish (different section)
4	Drink (signature cocktail / coffee)
5	Process (kitchen / pour / plating)
6	Room (interior — empty + populated)
7	Exterior (street view, sign visible)
8	People (staff portrait — owner or chef)

Lighting + props Light source (window / softbox / overhead) Backdrop (linen, wood, marble, off-white) Props (cutlery, napkin, garnish — agree before)

Delivery Raw files delivered (within 1 week) Edited JPEGs delivered (within 2 weeks) Web-sized versions in operator's hands (1500px wide max) Where the final files live (drive link)

Keyboard: ⌘P print · ⌘S download CSV · ⌘↵ save to Workshop

When to use it

Pull this sheet out when —

Before booking a photographer — the brief is what you send with the booking email.
Before any in-house phone shoot — print, work down the list, don't improvise.
After a menu pivot that changed which dishes are the showcase.

Common mistakes

What operators get wrong

Booking a photographer without a shot list. You'll get pretty photos of the wrong dishes.
Shooting in window light at the wrong time of day. Note the time on the brief.
Forgetting to shoot the dining room interior. Diners want to see where they'll sit.

Pairs with

The tools, terms, and articles this sheet sits next to.

Tools

Photo Brief Builder

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