Craft
The three-photo rule: how to shoot for a reel you haven't made yet
September 15, 2026 · 3 min read
The hardest part of any ad isn't the editing. It's standing there with a phone, wondering what to shoot. Here's the rule we use: every subject gets three photos, shot in the same order, every time.
1. The wide
The establishing shot. The whole dish on the table, the full storefront, the finished room. This is the photo that says what we're looking at. It goes first in the reel.
2. The detail
Move closer. The steam coming off the bowl, the stitching on the jacket, the corner where the paint meets the trim. This is the photo that makes people believe you. It carries the middle of the reel.
3. The close-up
Closer still — a texture, a color, a face. Abstract enough to feel designed, honest enough to be yours. This is the photo the end card lands on, with your logo and the words "come in" or "shop now" or whatever your call to action is.
That's it
Wide, detail, close-up. If you take those three each time, you can start editing without wondering whether you have enough material.