Christmas in July: A Timeline for Planning Holiday Photos & Videos

Before diving into details, it’s important to note that every single product brand functions differently behind the scenes. After eight years of working with brands across numerous industries, I’ve yet to see two brands plan their creative strategy with the same timeline or process. Not to mention, you obviously need the product in order to take photo of it (!!), so the shoot timeline needs to be flexible around product production.

While timelines vary, since we’re just four months out from Black Friday, I wanted to share what an ideal timeline looks like if your product brand hasn’t locked in a holiday shoot just yet.

Use this as a rough guide, which can be customized to your production schedule and holiday marketing plans.

July: book your shoot date

If you haven’t already, now is the time to build out your own timeline for photography and video for priority holiday products… get a shoot date on the calendar and start planning!

August: creative direction & pre-production

August is perfect for creative direction and production time! This is when creative concepts get dialed in, the shot list is finalized and the team is booked. Everyone on the team is diving into their own preparation. Casting talent, scouting locations, sourcing props, prepping wardrobe, you name it.

September: shoot

If you started planning in July, September is the ideal time to shoot! 

October: post-production

Maybe your holiday products *just* arrived and you need to make a shoot happen just in time, we can swing it. But ideally, much this month is dedicated to editing your photos and videos, to ensure everything is polished and ready to go before Halloween.

November: holiday creative is live!

Your photos and videos ready to go, at least a few weeks prior to Black Friday. Your content calendar is built out with creative, promotions are scheduled and you know  which photos will go where on the website… take a day to unplug for mashed potatoes and pie!

Ready to Start planninG Your Holiday Photos and Videos?

Reach out with any questions about the process, and book a 15-minute call with me if you’d like to chat about booking your own shoot.