FIELD GUIDE

THE FLOURISH
SHOT LIST GUIDE

A prepares shot list is what seperates a great church photoshoot from a regrettable one. Everything the team needs for a Sunday: the language of shot sizes, the plan for the morning, how many frames to take in each space, and how exposure works.

SHOT SIZE

LANGUAGE

There are four shot sizes with specific names you'll hear used throughout: close, medium, cowboy, and full. How much of a person you include changes what the photo is about — so name the shot before you take it. Avoid cutting at a joint, and leave a person more room on the side they're facing.

CLOSE

Head and shoulders. All expression, no context.

MEDIUM

Waist up. The working shot for conversation and worship.

COWBOY

Cut at mid-thigh. Keeps posture and gesture, drops the floor.

FULL

Head to feet. Shows the whole person and the room they're in.

VARIATIONS

Every shot size can be varied by where you stand and where you hold the camera. Shoot each one, vertical and horizontal.

CENTER FLAT

Straight on, camera at the subject's eye height.

CENTER UP

Straight on, camera low and angled up.

SIDE FLAT

From the side, camera at subject height.

SIDE UP

From the side, camera low and angled up.

MAKING THE PLAN

SIX SPACES, IN ORDER

1. Worship Practice

Start your morning here and capture shots during practice that would otherwise be disruptive during service.

2. Registration

As people begin arriving at conference, stay close to the greeters and capture organic interactions.

3. Lobby

Move to the lobby as people mingle before sessions begin. The ladies are the focus, get some good shots here.

4. Sanctuary

As sessions start, head in the sanctuary to capture worship and the beginning of the speaker’s message.

5. Campus

After you've grabbed a few shots of speaker, head out to the other areas on-site (food, outdoors, etc.).

6. Detail

Finally, capture detail shots around the campus (merch, signage, textures, etc.).

EXTRA Shots

1. Several photos of women serving/setting up for conference on Thursday and Friday

2. Pastor Elisa and the Flourish Lead Team 

3. Ps Elisa and the Flourish Serve Team 

4. Ps Elisa and Guest Speakers 

5. Ps Shawn and Ps Elisa 

6. Ps Shawn, Ps Elisa, Guest Speakers and Husbands 

7. Ps Shawn, Ps Elisa and Worship Team

8. Ps Elisa and Female Staff 

9. Ps Elisa, Female Staff, and Daughters 

10. Ps Elisa, Female Staff and Female Staff Spouses

11. All Staff 

12. Ps Shawn and Guest Speaker Husbands 

RULE 01

THE 5X RULE

For every five photos you take, the objective is that one is usable. Expect to take underwhelming photos.

RULE 02

VERTICAL + HORIZONTAL

There's nothing more frustrating than needing the other orientation on a photo but not having it. Always shoot both.

THE SHOT LIST

340-440 FRAMES

  • Center Flat

  • Center Flat

  • Center/Side · Flat/Up

  • Center/Side · Flat/Up

  • Center/Side · Flat/Up

  • Center/Side · Flat/Up

1. WORSHIP | 100 SHOTS

All shots below should be done for each person on stage, with both vertical and horizontal options.

FULL · CENTER FLAT

  • 10

  • 10

  • 10

  • 10

  • 5

  • 5

2. GREETERS | 50 SHOTS

SMILES ARE KEY

  • 10

  • 10

  • 10

  • 10

  • 5

  • 5

3. LOBBY | 50 SHOTS

JOY IN THE HOUSE

  • 10

  • 10

  • 10

  • 10

  • 5

  • 5

4. SANCTUARY | 50 SHOTS

EVERY PRAISE LIFTED

  • 10

  • 10

  • 10

  • 10

  • 5

  • 5

5. CAMPUS | 50 SHOTS

COMING AND GOING

  • 10

  • 10

  • 10

  • 10

  • 5

  • 5

6. DETAIL | 40 SHOTS

Kid's toys, signage, textures. These are the frames that fill out a design later.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

THE EXPOSURE TRIANGLE

Three controls set how bright a photo is, and they only work together. Each side of the triangle runs from darker to brighter — move one side toward brighter and you either bring another side back, or the photo gets brighter. Every step you take costs something on that side.

CHEAT SHEET

APERTURE

Brighter means a shallower depth of field. f/11 keeps a room sharp; f/1.4 isolates one face.

SHUTTER SPEED

Brighter means more motion blur. Stay at 1/250 or faster for a band; slower only if nothing moves.

ISO

Brighter means more noise. Raise it last, and accept some grain over a blurred frame.

TIP

In a dark room, spend in this order: open the aperture first, then raise ISO, and only drop shutter speed below 1/125 if nothing is moving.

A prepared shot list is what separates a great church photoshoot from a regrettable one.

Bookmark the guide, pin it in the browser, and work the list in order. Shoot both orientations every time.