It can be easy to pull our cameras out of our bags and start shooting, leaving the fate of the shoot to our post-processing skills and imagination after the fact. However, to really ensure we always get quality images that match our vision, it’s important to be prepared. Making a habit of these 14 things will ensure that you consistently get those shots.

In this great video from Ed Gregory at Photos in Color, you’ll learn how to be truly prepared for any kind of shoot by designing the shoot to match your vision instead of vice versa. Two points I particularly appreciated were focusing on the shadows and having poses and angles in mind beforehand. Shadows give an image definition, and it’s important to give them equal attention as that which is paid to the highlights. Gregory also makes a great point about the subtle line between leaving room for experimentation and being unprepared. We always want to be able to play a bit and find shots we didn’t anticipate in our planning, but that doesn’t mean we should throw the entire shoot to chance. Do you have any tips that help you get the shot? Share them in the comments!