Most people assume brand photography planning starts with a mood board.

In reality, the most important part of the work happens WAY before that.

When I work with wine and whiskey brands, my camera is never the first thing I reach for. I start by understanding what the brand actually needs the imagery to do – not just how it needs to look.

That alone shapes everything that comes next.

 

Before Aesthetics, There’s Context

Every brand is operating inside a real marketing ecosystem.

In simple terms, that means there’s campaigns to support, platforms to show up on, timelines to hit, and internal teams trying to make everything work together. The visuals don’t exist in a vacuum, and treating them that way usually leads to content that feels disconnected or short-lived.

Before we even start talking visuals, I want to understand from my clients:

• where the content will live
• how long it needs to last
• what the brand is prioritizing right now
• what’s missing from the current content library
• what their goal is for their asset library going forward

Once that context is clear, my creative decisions become much easier – and collaboration goes so much smoother.

 

Translating a Brand Photography Into Visual Language

Every wine and whiskey brand has a point of view, even if it isn’t always spelled out.

My role isn’t to reinvent that identity or impose a signature style. It’s to translate what already exists into imagery that feels aligned, natural, and recognizable over time. Visual storytelling, to put it in simple terms.

That means I pay close attention to things like:

• how polished or understated the brand feels
• whether the focus is heritage, modernity, or a mix of both
• how the visuals should support, not compete with, existing branding

My goal for you is consistency. It’s imagery that fits seamlessly into your brand rather than standing apart from it.

 

Planning for Real Usage, Not Just a Single Moment

One of the biggest differences between one-off shoots and shooting on retainer is how far ahead the planning goes.

Before a shoot, I think through how the images will actually be used:

• website vs social
• paid vs organic
• vertical vs horizontal
• short-term launches vs longer seasonal needs (evergreen content)

This kind of planning allows a single shoot to support months of content, instead of solving one immediate need and creating another gap down the line.

 

I Use Shot Lists as a Practical Tool

Shot lists tend to get framed as creative documents, but for marketing teams, they’re really about practicality.

I build shot lists around content categories – hero imagery, lifestyle scenes, detail shots, ad creative. This is so there’s flexibility once the images are in use. It makes it easier to pull assets for different platforms without feeling like you’re reusing the same image over and over, which is great for your customers, too.

No visual fatigue here!

It also means fewer surprises after the shoot, when it comes to actually using the content in your marketing strategy.

 

Balancing Creative Ambition With (UGH!) Reality

Every project comes with real constraints (even if we wish that weren’t the case!). Budgets, timelines, approvals, logistics, permits – all of these affect the scope of the project, and sometimes we can’t always fit everything into one shoot.

Addressing those things early keeps the process grounded. It helps avoid last-minute pivots when possible (sometimes they still happen!) and ensures the creative work stays focused on what will actually be useful for your brand, which is the whole point, yes?

Getting strategic with planning doesn’t limit creativity; it gives it somewhere solid to land and makes shoot day SO much easier.

 

Why This Matters

When your visuals are guided by clear and specific goals, it becomes easier to use, to manage, and to look forward to creating.

Your content lasts longer. It has more use cases. It creates less friction internally. And over time, it builds a visual rhythm that your customers start to recognize.

That’s what I’m always working towards – visuals that support your brand’s touchpoints consistently, long after the shoot day is over.