Free Photography Shot List Templates to Plan Every Shoot

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Today, 21% of marketers say they use visual content to boost dwell time as a top SEO strategy. Images are what draw people in and keep them around. But good content needs care and planning. 

That’s where a photography shot list template helps. It gives you a focused plan so you can capture all the shots you need in an organized way. With it, you can confirm the scene number, shot number, shot type, any special equipment, and the shoot time.

In this article, we’ll walk through the top photography shot list template options so you can build your own shot list with confidence.

🔎 Did You Know? The “rule of thirds” comes from 18th-century painting, not photography? The phrase first appeared in 1797, when English painter John Thomas Smith wrote about dividing compositions into thirds to balance light and dark in paintings, long before the invention of cameras.

Photography later adopted this idea as a quick composition guide, and it’s now one of the most common “grid” overlays you see in camera apps.

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Photography Shot List Templates at a Glance 

Here’s a summary table for all the ClickUp and other photography shot list templates in this blog: 

Template NameDownload TemplateIdeal forBest FeaturesVisual Format
ClickUp Photographers Strategic Plan TemplateGet free templateStudios planning shoots and business goals togetherGoals tied to tasks, Progress tracking, Gantt timelines, and Workload balancingClickUp List, ClickUp Gantt, ClickUp Timeline, ClickUp Workload, ClickUp Goals
ClickUp Creative Brief Whiteboard TemplateGet free templateCreative teams collecting references before the shot listVisual brief, comments, linked tasks, timeline contextClickUp Whiteboard, ClickUp Timeline, ClickUp List, ClickUp Doc
ClickUp Project Checklist TemplateGet free templatePhotographers and producers who want step-by-step controlChecklists, dependencies, dashboards, remindersClickUp List, ClickUp Gantt, ClickUp Workload, ClickUp Calendar, ClickUp Dashboards
ClickUp Event Planning TemplateGet free templateEvent planners and photo leads coordinating logistics and shotsPrebuilt lists, vendor tracking, run of show, DocsClickUp List, ClickUp Board, ClickUp Calendar, ClickUp Timeline, ClickUp Docs
ClickUp List TemplateGet free templateTeams turning notes into a trackable shot listAssign owners, due dates, repeatable list viewsClickUp List, ClickUp Calendar, ClickUp Gantt, ClickUp Board, ClickUp Chat
ClickUp Calendar Planner TemplateGet free templateProducers mapping daily, weekly, monthly schedulesSummary overview, Timeline, Monthly Planner, progress boardClickUp Calendar, ClickUp Timeline, ClickUp Board, ClickUp Summary
ClickUp Kanban TemplateGet free templateVisual movers who manage work by stageDrag and drop cards, clear status flowClickUp Board (Kanban)
Word Wedding Shot List Template by TemplateLABDownload this templateWedding photographers and coordinatorsPrintable family groups and ceremony-to-reception checklistsMicrosoft Word (printable)
Spreadsheet and Word Shot List Template by VimeoDownload this templateFilmmakers needing sheet-based planningFilters, dropdowns, auto math, printable optionsGoogle Sheets, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, PDF
Photography Shot List Template by Template.netDownload this templateTeams wanting a customizable documentFully editable fields, duplicate per client, exportEditable Doc, Printable PDF
Photoshoot Shot List Template by MilanoteDownload this templateVisual planners who work on a boardDrag images and notes, share, comment, exportMilanote Board
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What Are Photography Shot List Templates?

Photography shot list templates are pre-made checklists that outline specific photos a photographer plans to capture during a shoot. They provide a structured layout of shot categories, required angles, poses, compositions, and client-requested images. 

This ensures every detail is documented and no shot or angle is missed during a session. It keeps your team on the same page from setup to wrap, which is vital on a busy shoot day.

Here are some things to look out for: 

  • Helps schedule shoot time and setup time so crew members know where to be and when
  • Supports multiple cameras and multiple angles without losing track of any individual shot
  • Becomes a living shot log you can review in post-production to confirm all the shots are complete
  • Encourages clarity on lighting, location, and special equipment, reducing last-minute changes and missed moments
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What Makes a Good Photography Shot List Template?

A good photography shot list template turns that intention into clear choices you can act on. It should be simple to use, easy to scan, and built to keep everyone on the same page from first idea to final delivery.

  • ✅ Aligns each individual shot with the client’s goal, message, and audience so the plan serves a story, not just a checklist
  • ✅ Includes visual references and style cues like mood, color, and composition notes so the team can match look and feel at a glance
  • ✅ Captures practical guardrails such as usage rights, model releases, access and permit needs, backup locations, and contingency notes for weather or delays
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Top 11 Photography Shot List Templates

You don’t take a photograph, you make it.

Ansel AdamsAmerican Photographer and Environmentalist

Ansel Adams captured the spirit of photography quite well through his quote. But when you plan a shoot, the work rarely lives in one place. Shot list templates in a spreadsheet, a call sheet in a PDF, references on a mood board, feedback in chat, and maybe a separate AI tool for notes or captions. 

This fragmentation is classic work sprawl, where tasks, files, and updates are scattered across disconnected apps and costing you time and energy.

ClickUp exists to cut through that. It’s the first converged AI workspace where all your tasks, photos, schedules, and documents stay within a single space. 

You can even rely on ClickUp’s AI, ClickUp Brain, to summarize notes or refine a shot list in context, with full knowledge of your projects and files 🧠.

Here are 11 photography shot list templates that integrate with the converged AI workspace. You can start with a structure that fits your style and then layer on ClickUp features to keep your photography shoots running smoothly.

1. ClickUp Photographers Strategic Plan Template

Coordinating a multi-day brand shoot with multiple angles and equipment using the ClickUp Photographers Strategic Plan Template

The ClickUp Photographers Strategic Plan Template gives you one hub for your studio’s goals, campaigns, and shoot calendar. That makes it easier to build a realistic photography shot list template for every campaign, because timelines and deliverables already live in the same workspace.

You can customize tasks and Custom Fields to include scene number, shot number, shot type, camera angles, shot size, shoot time, and any special equipment. Views like List, Gantt, Timeline, Workload, and Goals show how shot sequences stack across locations and crew.

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Connect studio goals, shoot campaigns, and detailed shot lists in one ClickUp Space
  • Group shoots by client, location, or date to see which projects compete for the same crew or gear
  • Use Gantt and Timeline views to map setup time, shoot time, and delivery dates for all planned shots
  • Track workload so photographers, assistants, and editors have balanced schedules around key shoot days

Ideal for: Studios that want to plan business goals and detailed shot lists in the same ClickUp workspace.

💡 Pro Tip: Turn your scattered ideas into a clean shot list with ClickUp Brain.
Drop your rough notes, client emails, or moodboard comments into a ClickUp Docs or ClickUp Tasks, then ask ClickUp Brain to “turn this into a structured photography shot list with scene number, shot number, shot type, and location fields.” 

ClickUp Brain- Photography Shot List Template
Turn long, complex notes into easy-to-understand checklists and summaries with ClickUp Brain

ClickUp Brain can also summarize long threads and suggest next steps so you always end up with a usable list that’s easy to follow. Because it works across your tasks, Docs, and Whiteboards, you can keep refining the same shot list as feedback comes in instead of starting over. 

🔎 Did You Know? Golden hour isn’t just a romantic term. It is literally about how far light travels. When the sun is low, light travels through a greater portion of the atmosphere, which diffuses it and warms the colors, creating softer shadows and gentle highlights that are ideal for portrait and landscape photography. That’s why many photographers plan their shot lists specifically around early morning and late afternoon slots.

2. ClickUp Creative Brief Whiteboard Template

Easily prep a photo and video shoot where sound cues, frame rate, and shot type live beside images with the ClickUp Creative Brief Whiteboard Template

The ClickUp Creative Brief Whiteboard Template helps you collect your goals and references before your photography begins. Drop in mood images, color references, typography, and example frames so everyone agrees on the look before you create a photography shot list template.

Once the concept is locked, you can convert sticky notes or shapes into tasks and add fields for scene number, shot number, shot type, shot size, camera movement, and camera angles. 

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Gather visual references and written notes for each individual shot on a shared Whiteboard
  • Turn board items into tasks with clear owners, due dates, and detailed shot fields in a couple of clicks
  • Use List and Timeline views to group specific shots by scene, location, or time of day
  • Keep client feedback, approvals, and revised frames tied directly to the shots they affect

✨ Ideal for: Creative directors, brand teams, photographers, and producers who want a shared brief that flows cleanly.

3. ClickUp Project Checklist Template

Capture all the shots with confidence with the help of ClickUp’s Project Checklist Template

Shoots fall apart when the basics slip: batteries aren’t charged, or no one remembers who is handling backup drives. A simple checklist can prevent that, but only if it lives where your team already works. The ClickUp Project Checklist Template turns your shoot prep into a simple checklist you can refer to. 

Instead of scattered to-dos in notes and email, you get ordered tasks for pre-production, shoot day, and post-production with clear owners and dates. List, Gantt, Calendar, and Workload views help you see when multiple crews, locations, or deliverables overlap, allowing you to rearrange them before shoot day. 

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Break your next project into pre-production, shoot day, and post-production steps you can check them off
  • Attach briefs, location maps, and call sheets directly to tasks so no one hunts for files
  • Group checklist items by location, lighting setup, or crew to reduce resets between different angles
  • Use Gantt and Calendar views to confirm there is enough time for every planned shot block

✨ Ideal for: Photographers and producers who want a step-by-step checklist that doubles as a trackable shot list.

🎥 Struggling to get all your tasks done? Check out this quick video explainer from ClickUp:

4. ClickUp Event Planning Template

Move through zones with clear shoot time blocks and reference notes with the ClickUp Event Planning Template

Live events move quickly and rarely follow your ideal script, which makes it easy to miss key moments if logistics and shot lists are in different places. The ClickUp Event Planning Template ties vendors, timelines, and locations to the photography work, so your shot list is located within the same plan that runs the event.

You can create tasks for each segment of the event and add Custom Fields or subtasks for individual shot sequences, including scene number, shot number, shot type, and camera positions. Plus, List, Board, Calendar, and Timeline views help you see when crew members move between spaces and how much setup time sits between major cues. 

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Map out ceremonies, speeches, performances, and transitions with clear timing and owners
  • Attach floor plans, seating charts, and lighting plots so shot planning reflects the actual space
  • Coordinate multiple angles and multiple cameras across rooms without double-booking crew
  • Use Calendar and Timeline views to visualize when key shots happen and where teams should be

✨ Ideal for: Event planners, photo leads, and brand teams who want logistics and shot lists running from a common source.

📮ClickUp Insight: Knowledge workers send an average of 25 messages daily, searching for information and context. This indicates a fair amount of time wasted scrolling, searching, and deciphering fragmented conversations across emails and chats. 😱 

If only you had a smart platform that connects tasks, projects, chat, and emails (plus AI!) in one place. But you do with ClickUp!

5. ClickUp List Template

Coordinate sound, frame rate, and editing handoffs using the ClickUp List Template

Most shoots start as a stream of ideas: locations you like and client must-haves you scribble in different files. The ClickUp List Template helps you turn those ideas into a clear photography shot list template where every individual shot becomes a trackable task.

You can switch between List, Board, Gantt, and Calendar views to see the same information as a schedule, a Kanban board, or a simple checklist. You can then add comments for on-set notes and mark tasks complete as you capture each frame, leaving a tidy shot log you can reference in post-production. 

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Capture all the shots you want in one list with consistent fields and statuses
  • Filter by location, subject, or time of day to focus on the next block of work
  • Group multi-angle shots under a single scene, so you do not lose track when the setup changes
  • Share the List with clients or crew so everyone stays on the same page about what is covered

Ideal for: Photographers, studio coordinators, and creative teams who want a straightforward shot list template they can customize for any project.

💡 Pro Tip: Use ClickUp Brain MAX to capture shots with your voice. On set, you rarely have time to type every detail while the scene is changing. 

With ClickUp Brain MAX’s Talk To Text, you can tap the microphone in your ClickUp desktop app, describe the shot out loud (“Scene 4, shot 7, close-up of product on black background, 85mm, f/2, hero angle”), and let ClickUp Brain MAX convert that into tasks or checklist items with the right fields. 

ClickUp Brain Max- Photography Shot List Template

Its high-accuracy speech recognition is designed to handle natural speech and filler words, so you spend less time on manual and repetitive tasks.

🔎 Did You Know? The first surviving photograph took hours to expose. Joseph Nicéphore Niépce’s View from the Window at Le Gras (c. 1826–1827) is widely considered the oldest surviving photograph, made by exposing a bitumen-coated plate for many hours in a camera obscura at his estate in France. 

6. ClickUp Calendar Planner Template

Create a shot list template per project and place key items on the calendar using ClickUp’s Calendar Planner Template

If you plan your shoots one at a time, it is easy to overbook yourself without noticing how editing and new inquiries stack up on the calendar. The ClickUp Calendar Planner Template lets you see shoots and related shot lists laid out over weeks and months, so you can commit to schedules you can actually keep.

You can create tasks for each shoot and attach the detailed shot list, then use fields for shoot time, call time, and setup time to plan realistic blocks. Summary, Timeline, and Monthly Planner views make it easy to spot overbooked days, long gaps, or back-to-back sessions that need a buffer. 

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Plot shoots, editing sessions, and deliveries on a shared calendar your whole team can see
  • Add time-based details like call time, setup time, and shoot time so days do not run together
  • Attach shot lists, call sheets, and location notes directly to calendar events
  • Use Timeline and Summary views to balance work across weeks instead of cramming everything into one weekend

Ideal for: Producers, photo leads, and studio managers who want their schedules and shot lists to stay in sync.

7. ClickUp Kanban Template

Keep tasks moving so the crew can focus on the picture via the ClickUp Kanban Template

The ClickUp Kanban Template helps you track a shoot as cards moving through stages like pre-production, on set, editing, and delivery. 

Each card can represent a scene, location, or deliverable with its own mini shot list inside the task description or checklist. This gives you a visual way to manage your shot list template, especially when you run several projects at once.

You can add Custom Fields for scene number, shot range, location, and crew, then drag cards across columns as specific shots are captured and approved.

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Organize work into simple columns like Planning, Shooting, Editing, and Delivered
  • Attach detailed shot lists, reference images, and call sheets to each card
  • Group cards by client, production, or day so you can see progress at a glance
  • Limit work-in-progress to stop the team from spreading across too many scenes at once

Ideal for: Visual planners who prefer a board view for managing shoots and related shot lists.

🎥 AI isn’t just for techies—it’s your new personal assistant. In this video, I’ll show you exactly how I use AI to take care of repetitive tasks, brainstorm new ideas, and keep projects on track. You’ll see real-world examples of using AI for scheduling, research, project management, and content repurposing.

By the end, you’ll know:

✅ 5 tasks you can hand over to AI immediately

✅ The best AI personal assistant tools for busy professionals

✅ How to set up a simple workflow so AI works in the background

📖 Also Read: Free Moodboard Templates

8. Word Wedding Shot List Template by TemplateLAB

Wedding days are full of emotion and tiny, magical moments. But the pace leaves very little room to think about what you might be forgetting. 

The Word Wedding Shot List Template by TemplateLAB gives you a printable, structured layout so you can walk through the day with a clear list of every shot you promised to capture. Because it lives in Word, it is easy to customize the columns, add family names, and print copies for each shooter.

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Plan the full wedding day in a simple table that you can edit and print
  • Document technical details like shot size, camera angles, and camera movement for each individual shot
  • Group shots by scene or location so teams can move efficiently between spaces
  • Keep a written record you can scan quickly during post-production to check coverage

✨ Ideal for: Wedding photographers and coordinators who want a classic printable shot list template that works even when Wi-Fi is unreliable.

📖 Also Read: Best Notetaking Apps

9. Spreadsheet and Word Shot List Template by Vimeo

Spreadsheet and Word Shot List Template by Vimeo- Photography Shot List Template
via Vimeo

Remember the hallway fight in Oldboy that unfolds in a single breath, with no cuts to hide behind? The Spreadsheet and Word Shot List Template from Vimeo gives you that kind of structure for planning your film or photo shoots in more detail. 

The spreadsheet version includes columns for elements such as scene number, shot number, description, location, shot type, and more, so each row represents a complete individual shot. If you prefer paper on set, you can export or print the same layout as a simple Word or PDF checklist.

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Use ready-made columns for scene number, shot type, camera movement, and gear instead of building a sheet from scratch
  • Reorder shots by location, time of day, or actor to create an efficient schedule
  • Switch between spreadsheet and printable formats depending on how your crew prefers to work
  • Keep detailed notes for sound, frame rate, or special equipment next to each shot

✨ Ideal for: Filmmakers, commercial teams, and photographers who need a flexible shot list template that works on both laptops and paper.

10. Photography Shot List Template by Template.net

If you have ever rebuilt the same shot list from scratch for similar clients, you know how much time that repetition can burn. The Photography Shot List Template by Template.net starts you with an editable structure so you can plug in your scenes and notes without reinventing the layout every time.

You can adjust headings, add rows, and rename fields so the layout matches your style of work, no matter the kind of shoot. Because it is customizable, you can add columns for scene number, shot number, shot size, shot type, location, subject, and any additional notes you need.

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Start from a ready-made photography shot list template that you can adapt in a few clicks
  • Add or remove columns to match the way you think about scenes, locations, and subjects
  • Duplicate the file for each client so their specific details and requests stay in one place
  • Export or print versions for on-set use while keeping a digital record for later

Ideal for: Photographers and studios who want a customizable, client-ready shot list document without designing one themselves.

11. Photoshoot Shot List Template by Milanote

The Photoshoot Shot List Template by Milanote gives you a visual board where references and tasks live side by side. You can drag images, sketches, and color swatches onto the board, then add text cards for locations and specific shots. 

It feels like planning on a studio wall, but everything is digital and easy to share with your team or client. You can use columns or groups on the board to organize the photography shot list template by location, outfit, or time of day, and add checkboxes so each individual shot can be ticked as you capture it. 

Comments and sharing links make it simple for crew members to add details like lighting cues or backup ideas.

🌻 Here’s why you’ll like this template:

  • Combine visual inspiration and written shot details on one flexible board
  • Group shots by scene, room, or outfit so you see the flow of the day at a glance
  • Add checklists to each card to keep track of multiple angles or variations on a shot
  • Share the board with clients or collaborators for quick approvals before shoot day

✨ Ideal for: Visual planners who want a collaborative board-style shot list that doubles as a moodboard and checklist.

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Plan the Perfect Shoot with ClickUp

If you’ve read this far, you already know the quiet power of a successful plan that contains shot list examples, a final shot list, a detailed pre-production process, and your camera setup details.

When you have all the details with you, you can set up your particular shots, no matter the complexity.

Here’s why ClickUp wins. 💯

Everything lives in one place, so your shot list template sits right beside the calendar, whiteboards, briefs, and tasks.

You can map a storyboard, drop in reference images, assign owners, and track a shot log.If this sounds like the kind of calm you want on your next project, sign up for ClickUp now!

Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
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