Shoot day: the prep checklist

Shoot-day prep: batteries charged, cards formatted, backups paired, shot list agreed, location confirmed, and a first-frame test before the client arrives.

Never lose the first hour to admin

The night before:

1. Batteries - every body, every flash, spares charged.
2. Cards - formatted and paired with a backup card per body.
3. Shot list - agreed with the client, written down, in your pocket.
4. Location confirm - address, access, parking, contact number.
5. First-frame test - one frame through the whole pipeline before the client arrives: camera to card to backup.

The first hour of the shoot decides the day. Admin loses it for you.