Improve your photography by planning ahead

I worked as an assistant for a talented photographer who taught me a great deal about the craft. He generally had a vision of each shoot beforehand, and showed me that a little planning and imagination go a long way in capturing better photographs.

Novice photographers often arrive with good intentions but no plan of action. If you know the basics of photography and give some thought about potential photos ahead of time, you’ll see a difference in the quality of your work.

I took one of my favorite photos, right, while working at L.L. Bean. Our employee newsletter featured a profile of the manager of retail marketing, a woman who juggled many, many tasks. I wanted the photo to metaphorically show how much she did, and came up with the idea of having her juggle Bean Boots in front of the company’s flagship store.

Before shooting, I drew a sketch of my vision and then photographed a coworker juggling Bean Boots to see if the concept would work. Finally, I built a frame to hang some of the boots.

We made one adjustment during the shoot — she’s really tossing one with her right hand — to add a more authentic look.

It’s funny, people think this image is done through Photoshop, but it’s not.