The Importance of Pre-production
This milkshake shoot is a perfect example of why pre-production matters.
As part of updating my portfolio, I needed to photograph creamy drinks. Simple in theory, difficult in practice. Cream melts, collapses, reflects light unpredictably, and leaves very little margin for error, especially when you’re working with white-on-white.
Before I even shot the final image, I spent three full days testing. I refined the cream texture, tried different piping tips, and dialled in lighting that would create depth through highlights and shadow. The goal was to let the folds and swirls of the cream do the talking.
Because of that testing, the final shoot took minutes and had delicious results.
That’s the power of strong pre-production. It removes guesswork, shortens shoot time, and allows space to focus on timing and detail, like capturing the perfect chocolate drip before it disappears.
The most effortless images are usually the most considered. Pre-production is where that work really happens. One of the reasons why I do regular test shoots.
