PLANNING GUIDE / PHOTOGRAPHY + VIDEO

Give every view
a job to do.

A strong property story establishes the setting, brings the important features closer and gives the viewer a clear next step. Start with the audience and finished use, then plan the photography and movement around them.

Dusk aerial photograph of a lit cable-stayed bridge over water

Evening light, structure and setting from the Fly Maxwell collection.

THE FIRST QUESTION

Where will people see the work?

A property listing, website, presentation and vertical social edit need different selections and framing. Tell us the intended destination and the action you want the viewer to take.

For a property, the setting may be as important as the building. For a business or destination, the imagery may need to introduce the place before focusing on the features that make it distinctive.

Discuss photography and video

BUILD THE VISUAL SEQUENCE

Establish. Reveal.
Bring the details forward.

A useful shot list gives the images a connected purpose.

Establish the setting

Wide views introduce the location, property layout and surroundings. Decide what context the audience needs before moving closer.

Show the features

Name the building, grounds, access, landscape or amenities that matter. Prioritize the views that explain those features rather than collecting similar angles.

Plan purposeful movement

For video, discuss an approach, reveal or overview that serves the story. The safe and suitable flight path depends on the location and operating conditions.

YOUR PRINTABLE CHECKLIST

Prepare a purposeful shot plan.

A short, clear brief can guide both the capture and the edit.

Audience and intended useListing, website, brand presentation, destination media or social content; who needs to see it?
Property or subjectCity, state, site type and the main features you want represented.
The story in one sentenceExplain what makes the setting useful or distinctive and what the viewer should understand.
Must-have viewsList the essential overview, feature and detail images. Add references from the gallery when helpful.
Photography, video or bothDiscuss an edited photo selection, footage, a finished video or a combined assignment.
Publishing formatsShare the proposed orientation, video duration, website placement and any platform requirements.
Light and timingDescribe the preferred window and deadline. The light and operating conditions shape the available views.
Site access and peopleIdentify the contact, permitted areas, site activity and features or people that should not appear.
Editing and usageAgree the selection, editing, intended use and delivery timing in the proposal. Only use supplied logos, music and other media when you have appropriate rights.

Use your browser’s Print command to print this guide or save it as a PDF. Checklist selections stay on this page and are not submitted to Fly Maxwell.

PLAN THE FINISHED FILES

A shoot with a destination.

An edited photograph selection

Discuss a balanced set of wide, feature and closer views that can work together across your planned presentation.

A focused video

Agree the purpose, edit, duration and orientation. A shorter social cut and a website presentation may need different decisions.

A combined media set

Plan stills and movement together so the selected photographs and finished video tell a consistent story.

Bring brand guidance or reference examples when you have them. References help explain composition, pace and intended use; they do not guarantee an identical shot, light or setting.

Decide the publishing destination before delivery. That helps the final selection fit the way you will use it instead of leaving you with a folder of footage and an unfinished plan.

Airspace, site access, people, weather and light affect the capture plan. Editing, deliverables, usage and timing are agreed for each project.

PUT THE PLAN INTO MOTION

Turn the idea into a shot plan.

Tell us about the place, the audience and where the finished work will appear.

Build a photo and video brief

Explore photography and video · Find visual references in our work

The project brief prepares an email for you to review and send. Scope, availability, deliverables and pricing are confirmed directly.

Give every viewa job to do.