Vibe Checks, Strategy Sessions & Shot Lists: Accounts Team Photoshoot Week Prep at The Edit

In agency life, things move quick quick quick. One week you’re deep in trend reports, the next you’re on set making sure the vibe matches the vision board.

This week? It’s all about preparing for a client photoshoot… aka, the most chaotic, creative, and caffeine-fueled part of the job.

This isn’t just any photoshoot, it’s an iPhone shoot. And before you ask: yes, iPhone shoots matter just as much as the big-budget, professional ones. In fact, sometimes they matter more. The content feels organic, scroll-stopping, and way more in line with what actually performs on feeds (the algorithm loves it too). These shoots aren’t just about photos, either. We pre-plan and capture every social video concept at the same time, so we leave with everything we need for Instagram feed posts, Instagram stories, and TikToks.

Here’s a peek into what a photoshoot week in the life looks like at The Edit:

---

Step 1: The Vibe Sync

We kick things off with the client: think mood boards, collection reveals, and early vibe checks. It’s where we align on direction, nail down the feel of the collections, and make sure the vision is clear before the chaos begins.

Step 2: Unhinged Genius Hour

We gather the team, toss around ideas, and start shaping the bigger vision. This is where we start to map out the social strategy, decide which pieces of the collection to spotlight, and think through how to give each collection its own personality on feed. No two drops should ever feel the same. This step is all about crafting unique storylines that cut through the noise. This is where we spark creative angles and pull inspo references, but it’s just the warm-up. The real heavy lifting is yet to come.

Step 3: Fueled by the Internet

Here’s where most of the week goes. Our inspiration comes straight from the internet (feeds, memes, trending audios, you name it) and those real-life unhinged moments you just can’t make up.

We meticulously map out the Instagram feed, story arcs, and TikTok concepts for every single day we’ll be promoting the collections. It’s part trend-spotting, part puzzle-solving: figuring out how each piece of content ladders up to the bigger campaign while still feeling fresh, organic, and scroll-worthy.

This step is long, messy, and slightly unhinged, but it’s also the most rewarding. Strategy is where the collection really comes to life.

We turn to any and every platform for inspiration. Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, X… you name it.

Step 4: The Big Regroup

Before shoot day, we regroup. First with the client, to review and lock approvals. Then with the internal team to walk through run-of-show, concepts, and client expectations. This is where the details get triple-checked: props, shot lists, timing, angles, even backup audio in case the trending sound flops before we post.

Step 5: Lights, Camera, iPhone

This is the best part of our week. The vibes are high, the energy is right, and all that meticulous planning finally pays off. Seeing our most unhinged ideas come to life in real time? Nothing better. We walk onto set feeling prepped, confident, and ready to capture content that will actually resonate.

---

So yes, it’s a lot. But it’s the kind of lot that makes agency life addictive. Every scroll, brainstorm, regroup, and reframe builds toward that moment where the ideas in your head become real, on-screen, and live in the feed. And when it hits? That’s the magic.