Like most of our best practices, the photo shoot process starts with a collaborative effort between editors and designers. An editor sends a story draft to a designer, who creates guidelines to help focus the photography. These art direction notes include the subject’s personal preferences and other details that could affect the shoot—she wears glasses, this group wants to be shot together, he prefers we incorporate this element from his business, for instance. Often our subjects—whether a small-business owner, a member of the military or a celebrity—are pressed for time, so our photographers will have to be laser-focused and super-organized to get the right balance and variety of shots.

Our photo direction notes also include conceptual ideas, though we’re careful not to impede a photographer’s creativity or style with too many hard and fast rules. We might propose that a photographer try bright color backdrops to reflect the creative industry of a certain subject, or we may suggest shooting outside on an abandoned street to convey the challenge and desolation faced by another subject. We urge photographers to shoot several different setups, from the basic portrait shot to a candid, relaxed pose to an unexpected, energetic shot.

By giving our photographers freedom to be artistic and creative—encouraging them to play with perspective, lighting, depth of field, background and location—and providing them with focused and informed guidelines, we build an amazing partnership that yields beautiful products.

Watch the video sidebar on YouTube and you'll see what we mean.

(Thanks to Clayton Nicholas of the Giving Tree and photographer Sheri O'Neal for their assistance with the video sidebar.)