Free spreadsheet and print template
Product photography shot list template
Plan one row for each SKU, variant, and required view, with the styling, reference, retouch, output, and delivery-name details the studio needs before work begins.
Copy it into a spreadsheet, print it, or adapt the columns to your own process. No account or email is required.
A shot list records the current requirements. It does not replace the client agreement, job brief, photography style guide, or current channel specifications.
One row for one required output.
A product photography shot list is the execution-level record of what the studio needs to create for each product. It connects a stable product identifier with one required view, the relevant visual instructions, and the final output details.
If one SKU needs a front view, a back view, a label detail, and a packaging image, use four rows. This keeps each reference, exception, output specification, and delivery filename unambiguous.
Use a separate row whenever a variant has a different SKU, view, treatment, reference, output, or delivery name. When several variants are intentionally grouped, list every included identifier.
Use the right document for the right level.
A studio may use all three records on the same job.
- Job brief
- The current job-level context: client goal, products, schedule, overall direction, review process, delivery method, and the people responsible for decisions.
- Photography style guide
- Reusable account-level visual rules: background, lighting, crop, fill, shadow, props, retouch limits, and approved reference images.
- Shot list
- Product and output-level rows: SKU, variant, required view, styling or setup note, reference, retouch note, output specification, and final delivery name.
The brief explains the job. The style guide explains the recurring visual standard. The shot list explains the files required for this job.
Shot-list details
- Job:
- Client:
- Shot-list version:
- Prepared by:
- Client decision maker:
- Final-file decision maker:
- Date:
- Current brief or style-guide reference:
The two decision roles may be held by the same person. Record the current source of truth rather than relying on memory.
Blank shot-list template
Use one row per SKU, variant, and required view. Add or remove columns only when the meaning stays clear.
Scroll horizontally to view all columns.
| SKU | Product / variant | View / asset | Background and styling | Reference | Retouch or production notes | Output specification | Delivery filename |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Need more fields? Common additions include priority, sample status, product condition, owner, due date, quantity, review status, and notes.
What belongs in each column
- SKU
- Use the client's SKU or another stable product identifier. When the client does not use SKUs, agree on a short product code that will remain recognizable through review and delivery.
- Product / variant
- Write the human-readable product name and the specific color, size, finish, pack, or other variant that matters for the file.
- View / asset
- Name one required output: front, back, side, 45-degree, top, label detail, texture detail, packaging, flat lay, scale view, or another client-defined asset.Do not place several independently delivered views in one row.
- Background and styling
- Record the physical setup or visible treatment: surface, background, orientation, prop position, lid on or off, garment preparation, model or no model, and any exception that applies to this row.
- Reference
- Link or name the image, file, frame, moodboard section, or style-guide rule to follow. Add a short note explaining what the reference demonstrates, such as crop, lighting, prop position, or label orientation.
- Retouch or production notes
- Record observable instructions that do not fit in the setup field: remove fingerprints, preserve material texture, keep label geometry, match an approved color reference, retain a natural shadow, or flag a known product condition.Studios with complex work can split this into separate production and retouch columns.
- Output specification
- Record the current required dimensions, aspect ratio, format, color profile, transparency, compression, channel label, or other delivery rule. Use the client's current requirement or the current official channel specification.
- Delivery filename
- Write the final client-facing name expected for this output. The source capture filename does not need to match it when the studio keeps a reliable mapping.
Filled examples by category
These fictional examples demonstrate row granularity and field detail. They are not universal creative, retouching, output, or channel requirements.
Apparel
Fictional example based on the Thread & Tide demo data.
Scroll horizontally to view all columns.
| SKU | Product / variant | View / asset | Background and styling | Reference | Retouch or production notes | Output specification | Delivery filename |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TT-SC-LINEN-SHIRT-01 | Linen shirt / seafoam | Front | Approved white seamless; garment steamed; sleeves relaxed | apparel-style-guide, front crop | Remove lint; preserve linen texture; match approved seafoam reference | 4:5; 2000 x 2500; JPG; sRGB | tt-sc-linen-shirt-seafoam-front.jpg |
| TT-SC-LINEN-SHIRT-01 | Linen shirt / seafoam | Back | Same background; back centered; collar flat | apparel-style-guide, back crop | Remove lint; preserve seam and fabric texture | 4:5; 2000 x 2500; JPG; sRGB | tt-sc-linen-shirt-seafoam-back.jpg |
| TT-SC-LINEN-SHIRT-01 | Linen shirt / seafoam | Cuff detail | White surface; close crop of cuff and button | cuff-detail-reference-02.jpg | Preserve stitching; remove loose thread only | 1:1; 2000 x 2000; JPG; sRGB | tt-sc-linen-shirt-seafoam-cuff-detail.jpg |
| TT-SC-WIDELEG-PANT-02 | Wide-leg pant / sand | Front | Approved white seamless; waistband level | apparel-style-guide, pant front | Remove lint; preserve fabric drape | 4:5; 2000 x 2500; JPG; sRGB | tt-sc-wideleg-pant-sand-front.jpg |
The dimensions and formats above are illustrative. Replace them with the current job requirements.
Beauty and skincare
Scroll horizontally to view all columns.
| SKU | Product / variant | View / asset | Background and styling | Reference | Retouch or production notes | Output specification | Delivery filename |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SKN-HYDRA-SERUM-30 | Hydra serum / 30 ml | Front label | White seamless; bottle centered; cap on | serum-front-approved.jpg, label alignment | Remove dust and fingerprints; preserve glass edge; keep label geometry | 4:5; 2000 x 2500; JPG; sRGB | skn-hydra-serum-30-front.jpg |
| SKN-HYDRA-SERUM-30 | Hydra serum / 30 ml | 45-degree | White seamless; bottle rotated to show side copy | serum-angle-reference.jpg | Preserve readable side copy; keep natural edge reflection | 4:5; 2000 x 2500; JPG; sRGB | skn-hydra-serum-30-angle.jpg |
| SKN-HYDRA-SERUM-30 | Hydra serum / 30 ml | Dropper detail | Clear surface; cap and dropper beside bottle | dropper-detail-reference.jpg | Preserve liquid color; remove surface dust; do not alter fill line | 1:1; 2000 x 2000; JPG; sRGB | skn-hydra-serum-30-dropper-detail.jpg |
Use an approved product-color reference when color accuracy matters. Do not treat a typed color value as a substitute for the agreed visual reference unless the job requires it.
Home goods
Scroll horizontally to view all columns.
| SKU | Product / variant | View / asset | Background and styling | Reference | Retouch or production notes | Output specification | Delivery filename |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOM-SOY-CANDLE-IVORY-08 | Soy candle / ivory / 8 oz | Front, lid on | Warm linen surface; label square to camera | candle-front-reference.jpg | Remove dust; preserve wax and vessel texture | 1:1; 2000 x 2000; JPG; sRGB | hom-soy-candle-ivory-08-front.jpg |
| HOM-SOY-CANDLE-IVORY-08 | Soy candle / ivory / 8 oz | Top, lid off | Same surface; centered top view; lid placed to the right | candle-top-reference.jpg | Preserve wick position and wax texture | 1:1; 2000 x 2000; JPG; sRGB | hom-soy-candle-ivory-08-top.jpg |
| HOM-SOY-CANDLE-IVORY-08 | Soy candle / ivory / 8 oz | Label detail | Same surface; tight crop; label fills the frame | candle-label-detail-reference.jpg | Keep print and vessel edges natural; remove surface dust | 4:5; 1600 x 2000; JPG; sRGB | hom-soy-candle-ivory-08-label-detail.jpg |
A styling reference should explain what to match. A file name alone may not tell the photographer whether the reference is about lighting, crop, props, or product position.
Build the list in a repeatable order.
Start with stable product identifiers.
List every SKU or product code included in the current job. Add the human-readable variant beside it.
Create one row for every required view.
Separate front, back, detail, packaging, lifestyle, scale, and other independently delivered assets. Do not hide several outputs inside one angle cell.
Attach the right reference.
Link the relevant image or style-guide rule and state what should be matched. A general moodboard may not explain a specific crop or product orientation.
Record setup and exceptions.
Write the background, surface, product position, prop, model, garment preparation, lid state, or other visible treatment that applies to the row.
Separate treatment from output.
Use the notes field for production or retouch instructions. Use the output field for the final technical requirement.
Choose the client-facing delivery name.
Record the final filename expected for each row. Source and working files can keep a different internal name when the mapping is reliable.
Review unknowns and exceptions.
Do not convert an unanswered question into an assumption. Record the open decision, owner, and next step.
Confirm the current version.
Ask the person authorized to confirm the current scope to record the decision in writing. The client agreement defines the legal effect of that confirmation.
Version any material change.
Update the version or date, state what changed, and record who confirmed it. Preserve the previous decision when the history matters.
Use filenames to identify the output, not to replace the job record.
A useful delivery name helps a recipient identify the product and view. It does not create permanent storage, approval history, or a reorder system.
Recommended elements
- Stable SKU or product code
- Variant when it is not already clear from the SKU
- View or asset code
- Channel, ratio, or size only when needed to distinguish outputs
- Sequence when several files share the same role
- Extension
Simple pattern
[sku]_[view]_[sequence].[ext]
Pattern with variant
[sku]_[variant]_[view]_[sequence].[ext]
Pattern with output distinction
[sku]_[view]_[channel-or-ratio]_[sequence].[ext]
Examples
- tt-sc-linen-shirt-01_front_01.jpg
- tt-sc-linen-shirt-01_cuff-detail_01.jpg
- skn-hydra-serum-30_front_01.jpg
- hom-soy-candle-ivory-08_top_01.jpg
Review-version example
tt-sc-linen-shirt-01_front_v03.jpg
Final-delivery example
tt-sc-linen-shirt-01_front.jpg
- Choose one separator and use it consistently.
- Keep the product identifier recognizable.
- Use short, documented view codes.
- Avoid "final-final" naming.
- Include a version for review files when the workflow needs it.
- Do not force source capture files to use the client delivery name.
- Keep a reliable mapping from source to review proof to final delivery.
- Use the current client or channel convention when one already exists.
In Lenso, assigning an uploaded creative to a shot slot can control the delivery filename without renaming the original storage object.
Common ways a shot list becomes unclear
Several views in one row
A row that says "front, back, and detail" beside one filename does not show which note or output belongs to each view.
Grouped variants with hidden exceptions
A line such as "all colors" is unclear when one variant has different styling, packaging, output, or delivery naming.
Labels without observable detail
Words such as "standard angles," "clean shadow," "premium," or "lifestyle" need a definition or reference for the current job.
One reference for several unrelated instructions
State whether the reference demonstrates lighting, crop, product position, prop treatment, retouching, or another specific rule.
Output requirements added at the end
Record the current output rule before final export. Do not rely on a remembered platform default.
Source names treated as delivery names
Camera and capture-system names can remain internal when the studio can trace each file to the correct SKU, view, version, and delivery name.
The list changes without a version
A revised requirement needs a new date or version and a recorded decision. Do not overwrite a prior decision when the history matters.
The wrong person confirms the list
Identify who can confirm the current scope and who can approve final files. Do not assume the person who sent the first email has both roles.
What this template does not decide
The shot list records requirements. It does not define the business or legal terms of the job.
- What belongs in the client agreement
- How many changes or review rounds are included
- Who pays for work outside the current scope
- Usage rights or licensing
- Product shipping, handling, or returns
- Taxes or invoice obligations
- Current Amazon, Shopify, retailer, or marketplace requirements
- How long the studio or service provider retains files
- Whether silence counts as acceptance
- Whether a written message satisfies a legal requirement
- Whether a requirement change affects price or schedule
- Whether a reshoot is required
- Whether a color value is an adequate approval reference
Use the actual client agreement, current official channel documentation, and qualified legal or accounting advice where those questions matter.
Using the template does not guarantee fewer revisions, fewer reshoots, faster approval, lower cost, or a successful delivery.
About the shot-list template
- Should I use one row per SKU or one row per view?
- Use one row per SKU, variant, and independently required view or asset. A product with front, back, and detail outputs normally needs three rows.
- Does every color or size need a separate row?
- Use a separate row whenever the variant has a distinct SKU, treatment, reference, output, or delivery name. If several variants are intentionally grouped, list every included identifier so the scope remains clear.
- How detailed should styling notes be?
- Detailed enough that someone who was not in the client meeting can understand the visible setup. Add a reference and state what the reference demonstrates.
- Is a shot list the same as a brief?
- No. The brief describes the current job. A style guide describes recurring account-level visual rules. The shot list describes the individual product views and files required for this job.
- Who should confirm the shot list?
- The person authorized to confirm the current scope should record the decision in writing. The person who approves final files may be the same person or someone else. The client agreement defines the effect of the decision.
- Do source files need the final delivery filename?
- No. Camera or capture-system names can remain internal. Keep a reliable mapping from the source file to the correct SKU, view, review version, and final delivery name.
- Can I import this exact table into Lenso?
- Lenso supports structured CSV and XLSX shot-list import, but the current in-product import template is the authority for accepted columns and formats. Use this public template for planning, then use the latest Lenso import template when uploading.
- Does the template include current Amazon or Shopify requirements?
- No. Channel requirements can change and may vary by category or use. Enter the current requirement from the client or the current official channel documentation.
- Does a signed shot list prevent revisions or reshoots?
- No. A current written list gives the studio and client a clearer reference. Requirements can still change, and production, product, technical, or client issues can still require more work.
- Can I use this without Lenso?
- Yes. Copy the columns into a spreadsheet, print the page, or adapt the structure to the tools your studio already uses.
Practical next steps
Connect the rows to the rest of the job.
Use these resources when the shot list exposes an unclear handoff.
Product photography production checklist
Record the owner, evidence, and completion condition for request and scope, production, client review, final-file QA, and delivery.
Studio workflow diagnostic
Review whether request, client-decision, final-file, and ownership handoffs are recorded consistently.
ROI calculator
Use measured coordination time and a time-change assumption you can explain to build a transparent 12-month scenario.
From spreadsheet rows to a connected client job
Lenso keeps product-level requirements attached to the work.
You can use this template with any toolset. In Lenso, a studio can bring a website request or referral into a job, import structured SKU and shot rows, review the current brief with the client, attach proofs to the right product context, record changes or approval, and deliver final files from the same job.
The current Lenso importer accepts structured CSV or XLSX data. Shot-slot assignment can control final delivery names without renaming original storage files.
The studio reviews every request. Client access is project-specific and Lenso-hosted. Secure links can expire or be revoked, and clients do not need a paid seat.
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