A client asks you to come and take photos of the director of a kitchen company handing out training completion certificates to newly appointed sales folk. So what kit do you take....?
- 16-70mm f2.8 lens
- 50mm prime f1.4 lens
- Camera... the choice of the day was my Nikon D300s
- Pop up backdrop
- Off Camera Flashes x2 + triggers
Right that should cover it.........
you arrive and the client wants a few photos of the sample packs the sales team will be using..... not really set up for that but, no matter, I can do that (with a little bit of post production).
So now comes the space you've got to work with........
It's a class room....Bugger.....! Glad I brought the wide angle lens.
So the products get laid out and you try your best to not get the 20 year carpet in the shot whilst colour balancing the flo tubes and your flash.
Result....
If you get the right composition, you can make it right in post production....
- I cut out the samples from the background. Added a nice wooden floor (I have a file full of backgrounds and skies). Converted to B&W and then just brought the colour of the labels back out....
Next the client wants a group shot of the Bosses..... Right make sure you get this one right or that will be the death of this relationship...... but who is most important.....? Do you ask....? Body language....?
Look for the man in the nicest shoes and great watch...... Doesn't always work but 9 times out of 10 it does the trick. You know that theses shots are never going to be the best.... Out of the studio, crappy white board backdrop not enough space to put the lights......
What to do.....?
Place one light at the back to blow out the white board.
Place the other light to the right of the most important person and let the light fall off down the line....
Result...
This way everyone who needs to feel part of the image is prominent within the frame.
Next is...... Can you just take some candid shots without using the flash during the pep talk....?
So out comes the 50mm Prime f1.4, give it some distance (back of the classroom) and fire away making sure that the point of focus was ALWAYS the speakers eye. If you don't do this at a wide open aperture you will get the subject blurry beyond belief and the best photoshop skills in the World won't help you.....! You need to get the sense of environment into the shot in order to give it context, who is he speaking too, are they attentive. Without these elements the images are worthless.
Result....
The easiest part of the shoot was the part I was asked in for, because that is what I set up for....
The best part of the shoot was knowing that I had the kit that was flexible enough to cover the unexpected...... That's the key..... Never say no to the client , always be flexible......
Be a Mexican, Not a Mexican't....
That's the difference between a Good Photographer that works all the time and the Good Photographer who doesn't....
