Photo Shot List Gen

The Photo Shot List Gen is a free planning tool for photographers that runs in your browser. You fill in a short form for each shot: a description or subject, which is required, an angle or framing chosen from wide, medium, close-up, extreme close-up, over the shoulder or drone and aerial, plus optional location, lighting or time, and props or notes. Click Add Shot and it joins a numbered list with a running total. When the list is complete, export it as a CSV file.

Work through the day in order and add one shot at a time. For example, enter Bride walking down aisle as a wide shot with the ceremony location and the time, then add the ring exchange as a close-up, the family groupings with names in the notes field, and the first dance with the reception lighting. The tool does not suggest shots or use event templates, so the list contains exactly what you and the couple agreed. Shots are numbered in the order you add them, so adding them chronologically gives you a timeline to follow.

You still decide every shot, but the tool gives each one the same structure, so no entry is missing key details. Every shot carries a description, an angle, a location, lighting and notes, and blank fields are filled with N/A or None so the columns stay aligned. Shots are numbered automatically, the total updates as you work, and the CSV export opens cleanly in any spreadsheet app. The result is a consistent document you can share with clients, second shooters and assistants instead of a loose note on your phone.

The best time is pre-production, right after your first consultation with the client. Once you know the event, the locations and the must-have moments, enter them as shots and export the CSV. That leaves time to send the file to the client for approval or additions and to share it with second shooters or assistants. Build the list in one sitting, because it lives only in the open page: reloading or closing the tab clears it, so export before you leave. To revise it later, edit the CSV in a spreadsheet.

The tool does not generate shots from templates, so every entry on the list is one you add yourself. That makes cultural and religious traditions your call: ask the couple or client about them during planning, then add each moment as its own shot with a clear description, the right framing, and any timing or people to include in the notes field. New shots are added at the end of the list, so if order matters, add shots in the sequence of the day, or reorder the rows in a spreadsheet after exporting.

A mood board and a shot list do different but complementary jobs. A mood board is a visual collage of reference images, color palettes and lighting examples that sets the look and feel of a shoot. A shot list is a text checklist of the specific subjects, groupings and moments you must capture. The mood board says how the photos should look, while the shot list says exactly what needs to be photographed. Most photographers use the mood board for creative direction and the shot list for running the day.

Yes, through CSV. Once at least one shot is on the list, an Export as CSV button appears and downloads photo_shot_list.csv, with columns for shot number, description, angle or framing, location, lighting or time, and notes. Open it in any spreadsheet app to print a copy for your clipboard, adjust the layout or share it with your team, or import it into a notes app on your phone. The tool has no PDF or plain text export, and it does not save lists, so export before closing the page.

It does not come with ready-made lists for any genre, but the form works for any kind of shoot because you describe each shot yourself. For real estate, add exterior elevations as wide shots, each key room, and architectural details as close-ups, with the room as the location and the time of day under lighting. For product work, add each product and angle as its own shot and use the notes field for props, backgrounds and lifestyle context. The drone and aerial framing option suits property and venue exteriors.

The list only holds the shots you added, so a long list usually means the plan is more ambitious than the time allows. For a one-hour session, go through the list and click Remove on redundant angles and lower-priority combinations until what is left fits your schedule. The shot count above the list updates as you go, which helps you judge how much is realistic. Adding the must-have shots first keeps them at the top, so it is easy to see what to protect when time runs short.

It suits both. For beginners, filling in the angle, location and lighting for each shot builds the habit of planning coverage instead of improvising, and a numbered list on set helps avoid freezing up and forgetting basic shots. For seasoned professionals, it is a quick way to produce a tidy, consistent document for each client without formatting a spreadsheet by hand. Experienced photographers already know what to shoot, so the value is in speed and in a clear file they can share with clients, second shooters and assistants.