How We Work
How A McFade Shoot Actually Works
From the first email to the finished images — what actually happens, in plain English.
The Process
No Five-Step Transformational Journey
Tell me what you need. We work out the right scope, plan enough to avoid the obvious problems, run the shoot properly, and deliver a set of images you can actually use afterwards.
That’s genuinely the whole process. Everything below is just that, in more detail — what actually happens between you getting in touch and the photos landing in your inbox.
“The single most useful thing on a shoot day isn’t a camera. It’s someone who can say yes or no, there and then.”
Step By Step
From First Enquiry To Finished Images
01
Get In Touch
However suits you — email, the form on the site, a message on LinkedIn. Tell me what it’s for, roughly when, and what you’re picturing. A real reply from a real person, not an autoresponder.
02
We Agree The Scope
A short back-and-forth to work out what’s actually needed — how many people, what locations, whether drone’s relevant, what the images are for afterwards. Once that’s clear, you get a straightforward quote and we lock in the date.
03
We Get You Ready
In the run-up to the shoot, you’ll get practical guidance — what to wear, what spaces work best, who needs to be there, what to sort out beforehand. Nothing left to guess on the day.
04
Shoot Day
I arrive fully equipped and get on with it. Lighting, direction, and a calm pace — strong frames shown as we go, so nothing’s a surprise later. See the note below — it’s the one bit of this page worth reading properly.
05
Edit And Deliver
The best frames get pulled out, edited, and retouched where it’s needed. Delivered via a cloud link, ready to use straightaway. Turnaround depends on the size of the job — I’ll give you a date when we book it, and I’ll stick to it; video especially, since that depends on length and edit complexity.
06
Aftercare
A short window to flag anything that’s not quite right — sometimes a retouch needs pulling back, sometimes an image just needs a different crop. After that, the photos are yours to use, and the door’s open if anything new comes up later.
The Most Important Thing On The Day
Have Someone There Who Can Say Yes
This is the one thing that makes the biggest difference to how a shoot goes, and it costs nothing extra.
If a decision-maker is on site on the day — someone with the authority to say “move that,” “that’s not quite it,” or “yes, that’s the one” — we can sort it there and then. There’s a bag full of lenses and lighting to adjust if something’s not working.
What’s much harder to fix afterwards is a shoot where everyone enjoyed the day and nobody in the room actually had the authority to approve what got captured. There’s nothing wrong with photos that just aren’t what you wanted — the fix is having the right person there while there’s still time to change something, not a difficult conversation a week later.
Why It Works This Way
Three Things You Should Know Upfront
01
Nothing’s A Surprise
You’ll know what to expect before the day starts — what to wear, what we’re covering, roughly how long it’ll take.
02
Low Admin On Your End
One point of contact throughout, practical guidance instead of homework, and a process that fits around your business day, not the other way round.
03
A Proper Set Of Images, Not A Token Few
The aim is a useful library you’ll actually use — for the website, LinkedIn, bids, recruitment, whatever it’s for — not three good photos and a lot of near-duplicates.
Common Questions
Before You Get In Touch
How does payment work?
You’ll get a straightforward quote before the shoot, and an invoice after delivery. No deposit required as standard — different terms can be agreed for larger jobs if that’s useful.
How long until we get the photos?
Turnaround depends on the size of the job. I’ll give you a date when we book it, and I’ll stick to it. Video turnaround is agreed at booking, since it depends on length and edit complexity.
What can we actually use the photos for?
Pretty much everywhere your business needs them — website, social media, PR, recruitment, internal use, tenders. Specifics are confirmed at booking.
What if we’re not happy with something?
If something’s not quite right — a retouch pulled back, a different crop, that sort of thing — just flag it and I’ll sort it. Most of the time it’s a quick fix, not a reshoot.
Do we need a decision-maker on site?
Strongly recommended, not compulsory. It’s the single biggest factor in how smoothly a shoot goes — see the note above for the full explanation.
Got A Shoot In Mind?
Tell me what you need, and we’ll work out the right scope together.