Product Overview

Summary: This Photography and Videography Standard Operating Procedure provides a clear, step-by-step framework for planning, capturing and managing visual content in a professional, compliant and brand-consistent way. It helps Australian organisations control quality, protect privacy and intellectual property, and streamline production across internal teams and external contractors.

Photography and videography are now core business tools across almost every Australian industry, from construction and manufacturing to education, health, local government and professional services. Without a clear procedure, organisations can quickly encounter inconsistent quality, missed approvals, privacy breaches, unsafe practices on site and confusion over who owns the final content. This SOP sets out a structured, repeatable approach for planning shoots, obtaining permissions, coordinating with site supervisors, managing equipment and delivering final assets that are on-brand, legally compliant and safe.

The document is designed for organisations that use photography and video for marketing, training, induction, stakeholder engagement or project documentation. It addresses the full lifecycle of visual content: briefing and pre‑production, risk and permission checks, on‑site conduct, file handling, editing, approvals, storage and archiving. It also integrates core Australian WHS expectations for working around live workplaces, construction sites, public spaces and vulnerable groups, ensuring creative teams do not introduce uncontrolled risks. By implementing this SOP, businesses can reduce rework, protect their reputation, and ensure that every shoot—whether handled in‑house or by contractors—follows the same professional, defensible standard.

Key Benefits

• Standardise photography and videography workflows across teams, locations and contractors.
• Ensure privacy, consent and intellectual property are managed in line with Australian legal expectations.
• Reduce project delays and re‑shoots through clear briefs, approvals and quality controls.
• Integrate WHS considerations into creative work conducted on active sites and in public spaces.
• Streamline asset storage, naming and archiving so content can be easily found, reused and governed.

Who is this for?

• Marketing Managers
• Communications and Media Officers
• Content Producers
• Creative Directors
• Project Managers
• WHS and Compliance Managers
• School and TAFE Communications Teams
• Local Government Communications Officers
• In-house Photographers and Videographers
• Small Business Owners managing their own content

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Terms
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (Marketing, WHS, IT, Contractors, Site Supervisors)
• 4.0 Planning and Pre‑Production Requirements
• 5.0 Risk Assessment and Site Access Coordination
• 6.0 Privacy, Consent and Release Forms (Adults, Children, Vulnerable Persons)
• 7.0 Brand, Style and Quality Standards for Images and Video
• 8.0 Equipment Management and Basic Safety Considerations
• 9.0 On‑Site Conduct and Etiquette (Workplaces, Public Areas, Client Premises)
• 10.0 File Management, Naming Conventions and Version Control
• 11.0 Post‑Production, Editing and Approval Workflow
• 12.0 Intellectual Property, Licensing and Third‑Party Content
• 13.0 Data Storage, Backup, Security and Retention Periods
• 14.0 Working with External Photographers and Videographers (Contracts and Briefs)
• 15.0 Incident, Complaint and Breach Management (Privacy, WHS, Reputation)
• 16.0 Training, Induction and Competency Requirements
• 17.0 Document Control, Review and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and state/territory equivalents
• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
• Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice
• AS ISO 10002:2018 Guidelines for customer satisfaction (relevant to managing complaints about image use)
• AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018 Risk management – Guidelines