What Are Run & Gun Photoshoots?
SUMMARY
Definition.
Use cases.
Run & Gun Like A Pro.
What corners not to cut.
Definition
When you jump out of cars to shoot in public locations without a permit, that's run and gun.
When the models have to change in public restrooms, you are leaching free Wi-Fi from a nearby cafe; that's run and gun.
When a park ranger approaches looking for your paperwork, and your client is nowhere in sight, that's run and gun.
All run-and-gun photoshoots have one thing in common——a scarcity of resources. The scarcity of money, time, support personnel, etc., are all legitimate reasons for a scrappy shoot.
Run & gun photoshoots have their place. The most obvious are non-commercial test shoots and artwork.
But the lifestyle side has a legitimate need too.
Three Best Use Cases (IMO)
1-Small businesses with a limited budget need some lifestyle work around their local community.
Great. I'll grab my camera.
2-Urgent demand. A more prominent, more established brand is on too tight of a deadline to pull permits and coordinate a large production of scale to launch a new product.
Makes sense.
3-Companion Shoot. The run & gun is a portion of a more significant production with the permits and resources. A lot of time, it's 2nd a photography team or an additional half-day shooting added to the original photo shoot. —a rare exception but manageable.
I'm in.
Pro Tip - Honesty
When an experienced producer emails me about a project and includes the line " it’s a run and gun shoot, " they are really saying that we have to cut some corners to make the budget work. And that's okay.
Identifying this characteristic of a photoshoot goes a long way to maintaining quality within limitations. The worst thing you can do is pretend a photo shoot is something it's not. An experienced collaborator understands you can't have your cake and eat it too. Limited budgets require an honest assessment of expectations to avoid disaster.
How to run & gun like a pro.
1- Limit Production Scope
Allow for 20min per location once you are up and shooting. That's one or two looks per location.
When you factor in hair and makeup, travel time, and lunch, you can expect ten looks per day maximum.
Without permits, you can not linger in one location for long without drawing unwanted attention. Compounding this problem is little control over the background and surrounding environment.
An on-location photoshoot with tech-scout trips, permits, and support infrastructure will always capture better shots and more of them.
High-quality professional photography, I mean the photography that leaves an impact, requires very few ingredients. I know this to be true because it all falls apart when I see just one of those ingredients removed.
In my experience, the scout trips are the last thing to be cut. Planning your shots, tracking the path of the sun, block and stage your shots prior to the shoot day is essential and basically free.
Scrappy shoots can result in great shots if you take your time and don’t overload the shotlist. If you do, you will mainly create several hundred gigs of okay shots that do little to move the needle for your business.
2- Manage Creative Expectations
I shot a Christmas print ad for a well-known global brand. The ad placement was for a national outdoor magazine. The creative brief called for one hero shot, a fun lifestyle moment of friends hoisting a newly harvested Christmas tree on top of a vintage utility vehicle.
The client emailed me on November 1st about the shoot, and we were shooting on the 5th. The location was a gorgeous ridge on the Sierra foothills; however, it was in the state park. Permits applications had to be in 30 days prior. The lack of permits means you can't attract attention resulting in a small crew, a small footprint, and no professional lighting and you have to rush. The result? The brand didn't run the images we captured and had to do it all over again. This time they aligned their creative goals with appropriate production support—an expensive lesson to learn.
The best thing a photographer can do for their client is simply say…
" Our production goals are not aligning with our creative goals. I can't ensure quality without x and y. "
If they listen, that's a great client who prioritizes success and appreciates your honesty. If not, you acted in good faith and covered your bases.
3- Graduate
Run-and-gun photoshoots work well in the short term but have diminishing returns in the long run.
I hear this all the time,
" We are looking for more natural shots; we don't want anything planned."
Take this to heart, dear client; there is a fine line between looking authentic and looking cheap. Listen to your collaborators during pre-pro meetings. They know what corners to cut and which ones not to.
I am a scrappy photographer; any professional has to be. But scrappiness is there to fall back on, not to anchor an entire photo shoot around.
What corners not to cut.
Every photographer and client needs to set standards for their photoshoots. For me, safety is critical. If anyone on the whole shoot feels unsafe, or I think they might, I speak up and plant a flag.
2nd to that is the safety of our gear and vehicles. I will not risk break-ins, towed cars, or stolen equipment.
After safety is the work itself, I will not take the job if I feel the budget will ensure that I will create work that falls below my quality standards.
Lastly is the price; my rate stays the same, big shoot or small shoot. My time is just as valuable regardless of the client not wanting to set up a shoot for success. It may even be more as scrappiness means wearing more hats than usual.
Caveat: I have spoken up in the opposite direction, asking for a leaner team when I felt it was best. For me, all I need is a trusted digital tech and two assistants who know my gear and how to execute a lighting plan. A team that size will double your production value. Add an experienced producer behind the scenes and there is no stopping you.
Stay Hungry My Friends.