310 / 212 / 205 presenting images

There are so many ways to present your images today. When you want to sell yopur images within the professional market then one way to do this is via a portfolio. If you are visiting a client then this is a good way to show them your work, as well as referring to your web site. But choosing the right portfolio can be very difficult, and this is the one opportunity that you have to amke an impression.
With the great variety and types on offer, re finish, size, binding method and cost.
The portfolio must be presented in a clear and logical way, as it does represent your work and methods to some extent, and be relevant to the job in hand. Don't forget that this portfolio will probably go through several hands and therefore needs to be robust as well as artistic, therefore durabilty, flexibility, persentation and cost will all need to be considered.
These are the parts to be considered:-
Bindings- needs to be flexible enough to update content, but depends on your type of work and how often you need to update. Permanent bindings are veruy good if you do not intend to update eg for 6 months.
Orientation - this is very much a personal choice and depends on the type and style of your photography. It is not a good idea to mix landscape and portrait orientation together. Consider using A3 eg then you can use a combination of portrait and landscape. Some books of photographs use this method to save the reader spinning the book round.
Robustness - Waterproofing, protective bags, slip boxes and a good binding help to withstand the elements, and being thrown around floors, couriers etc. Will the client put the cover on a again????
Size - This is purely a personal matter and to how you want to present your work. The most common sizes tend to be 14x 11ins A4 and A3. Depends on the siz eof your wallet!
Design - A smart and eye catching design can really work, but can be more expensive, but will stand out from the off-the-peg portfolios. Subtle personalisation will really work better.
Quality - Do you offer an quality photographic product? Your portfolio will reflect this. A bespoke or high end portfolio is a quality product and is an investment in yourself, as it demonstrates that you are serious and pay attention to detail.

There are many types of portfolio and listed below are some common types
Leather embossed portfolios- these are like books and come with a variety of binding methods
Ipad folio- to keep up with the latest the this folio has been designed around the apple ipad. Needs technical expertise to view though.
Machina presentation books- these are aluminium covers and lies flat when open, and nylon jackets are available to protect from light, dust and scratches.
Portfolio boxes - been around a long time in any forms, and is a very popular way of showing your images.

BUT YOUR IMAGES HAVE TO BE FIRST CLASS, WELL PRITED AND RELEVANT

310 - Jewellery Final prints

Shown here are my Final Jewellery images.

Please refer to my earlier blog for the workflow and other details of my shoot. My shoot reflects the images that I researched, and I have kept to one consistent theme with the exception of the 7th image of a necklace as I like the different way that is an alternative to the others. All these items would be sent to get picture clipped so that they could be presented in a variety of ways and methods.

unit 310 - materials and equipment

CITY AND GUILDS UNIT 310

With the choice of film or digital cameras these day’s my choice of camera has been the DSLR. Therefore, the way that I will be looking is the way the photographic image is produced and manipulated will be based on the way the digital world works.

Equipment and materials

I have in my possession Canon equipment, which I use for my digital photography. I do have a Canon EOS 5 film camera, but have not used this for several years now, and I still have my darkroom equipment. I may one day get this out again to see the difference.

The images at taking stage are via the camera sensor and are recorded onto the Compact Flash card contained within the camera. I then connect the camera, and with the relevant software, either the Canon software provided with the camera or another propriety software such as Photoshop (my choice of editing software), to my computer hard drive. I then immediately copy these to a separate hard drive as a copy, to avoid lose of images. When using the studio to capture images I also have my laptop tethered to the camera. This does increase the risk of tripping etc due to the extra cabling, but if placed in the right place this does not seem to be a problem. The big advantage of using the laptop, or PC, in this manner is that I can see larger image to judge the image, and also, if using a model, they can see how they are performing and can respond better to my instructions. There is also a facility that can be made where the images are immediately projected to a screen.

It is a little more difficult to use a tethered camera in the field due to the location and the need to adjust to different positions, and due account has to be made to the conditions on location, wind,sand, uneven ground, people etc.

I have a series of lenses which range from 10mm to 300mm, some prime, which covers me for most of my current requirements. I also have a spare Canon body, a 400D, which will come in useful should the main camera break down for some reason. I have located a local repair shop for Canon products and for servicing.

In addition I carry a light meter, both reflective and incident, and 2 Canon flash units with radio triggers, 2 tripods (useful for standing the flash units on as required), 1 mini tripod and a tabletop tripod, a remote control for the camera, and various filters (excluding ND and polarising at present).

I have a home printer but this really is not suitable for quality photographs, so I have to prepare these for printing elsewhere. This can be either at college (where studying at present) or printed online or at a specialist printer. I do have use of studio flash lights and use them either currently in the college studio or when I set up my home studio in my living room ( causes a few upsets- but in the name or art!) along with various backgrounds suitable for the subject matter, be it portraits or products etc.

The cost of printing an A3+ print at college is £3.50 each, but the monitor, printer and paper have been calibrated and the final print is to a good standard. I use an external printing source and for £1.10 each(plus postage so the more the cheaper the print becomes) and I can get an acceptable A3 print. The images is sent via the internet and is set to the profile of their printer, and is returned usually within 2 days of sending. There are many other alternatives though.

For the photo shoot of Emma that I carried out I used my Canon 5D with the 24-105mm lens as this gave me a good range to use, for not only the portrait part of the shoot, but also allowed me to get in close to get the shots within the car. In the event, this proved a wise choice as it enabled me to produce the images without constant changing of lens. However, given the opportunity to use prime lens then I would have made that choice, and then spent more time over the shots. As it was a cold day, I think Emma was grateful for the shorter shoot. I would have used a 35mm and an 85mm lens, along with a 105mm lens, and a medium format given the money. Cost is the biggest current restriction to my photography at the moment.

Health and Safety

Photographers also have to be aware of the environmental and health issues in Photography. Not so much now but many of the chemicals that are/were used in Photography can be and are damaging to your health. The 1974 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act needs to be referred too. Employees and public must take reasonable care. Risk assessments should be made for all activities, including fire precautions, using display equipment, manual handling and control of substances COSHH, either in the studio or out on location. The Photographer should have the appropriate current employer and public liability and vehicle insurance. The photographer should have a formal agreement with the customer.  In addition the Health and Safety guidance should be held with regard to working conditions when using computers and VDU’s. The workplace should be suitable for the work , seating should be comfortable and conform to regulations, and control of the environment needs to be attended to as well. When handling electrical equipment the relevant regulations must be upheld.

Studio

Setting up a studio eg means you must comply with the health and Safety Act, especially if you hire an assistant and have the public in. If you are using chemicals then proper ventilation must be in place, not annoy the neighbours with the smell, and have proper methods of disposing of the used chemicals. It is also important to have the proper insurance in place when running the business. The environment must be temperate and clean to work in.

In the studio trip hazards are a particular problem, with trailing cables etc. At Burton college studio for example the majority of the lighting is suspended from the ceiling which eliminates many trip hazards. Safety cables must be fitted to ensure that no accidental damage can be done. However, care must be taken to ensure the correct fixings are stable. Trailing cables should always be taken and routed away from the working area as much as possible. Props, backdrops and materials should always be put away when not in use. Models should not be asked to move props etc, nor adopt dangerous or uncomfortable poses. The minimum number of people should be in the studio, and all should be briefed on the potential hazards. Check all equipment is in good working order prior to your subject arriving.

All electrical appliances and equipment must be tested for electrical safety, and maintained by a competent person. Only trained person should use and move any electrical equipment. All studio flash units should be covered with a soft box or similar piece of equipment to help prevent burns from exposed flash units. Only trained persons to be allowed to operate the lighting system. Need to ensure that flash units do not get too hot so as cause ignition or burn anybody. No naked lights etc are to be used. Where flames of some sort are required for the shoot, then the necessary fire fighting appliances need to be available, to be used only by competent persons.

All persons need to informed of all the safety regulations, evacuation routes and shown where the fire exits , smoking areas, etc are.

Location

The photographer should visit the location prior to the shoot to establish any hazards, and carry out any risk assessments required. If in a public place then this has to be considered. Consult the customer on any location risk and decide what actions are required, and take any actions to minimise any identifiable problems. Comply with any reasonable requests or rules at your location.

Observe the countryside code in all aspects when out on location. When in the hills and mountains take special note of the weather conditions. Plan your trip so as to use the minimum of equipment to carry. Ensure you are aware of your surroundings and plan accordingly. Don’t take unnecessary risks, and if appropriate inform somebody of where you are going and when you are likely to be back.

212 - general workflow chart

I have produced my own basic crib sheet for use on planning a shoot. the details will be different for any shoot and this chart serves as a starting point

General workflow chart (assuming using digital cameras)

Pre-shoot

Idea – subject matter-on location or studio based (depends on subject and style)/ or brief for a client.
Prepare story board as required
Locate subjects –either people, objects, or both
Contact people, arrange time and describe shoot. If abroad check facilities and accommodation and travel details
Arrange to collect/use objects, and return details
Arrange dates at location, either on location or studio based
Decide final presentation of images
Arrange for assistants as required
Arrange for make-up/dressers/ props etc
Decide and sort equipment for shoot. Ensure all is in working order and batteries will be charged as necessary. Ensure sufficient power available
Carry out pre-shoot survey as required in either location.
Check on any health and Safety requirements/any restrictions to the location.
Check sufficient power available and the space required.
Confirm dates and actions
If working on location check the weather eg and if abroad check for any restrictions
Have a plan “B” should anything disrupt plan “A”, or arrange alternative dates
Double check all arrangements

On the day

Arrive at location/studio
Set up equipment as required
Ensure all parties are present and aiming to complete shoot/make up done etc
Explain reason for shoot and outline procedures/ allocate responsibilities
Make a start, adjusting as the situation arises, due to artistic/restrictions etc
Edit/ artistic changes as the shoot progresses
Save images to another source as you go along to prevent loss
When complete pre-check images and re-shoot if necessary
Thank everybody for the time and effort
Wrap up the shoot and return everything to as it was at the start

Post production

Download/copy images to another storage area
Confirm originals are OK and at least 2 copies available
Pre edit and delete unusable images
Post produce images using suitable software
Print/display images as required at the beginning
If a paid job see/discuss with client/get paid

Refer to other blogs regarding client jobs and pricing etc, but this chart is a good starting point

Unit 212 ---Working to a brief

Brief

Aim and objective

The aim of the brief is to provide me, the photographer, how you, the client, want the final image/s to be, and the object is to provide a record of photographs as you want them presented. in this instance a matt finish to printed images are to be presented into an A4 book.

Within this in mind, a collection of 10 images is required of Emma. The concept of the idea is the first thing that comes to mind, as is what and how you are going to photograph with the given brief. The next step is to work the idea given within the brief that has been given to you. The following step is to ascertain what the final image the client is after and to which format. Who is to provide the model, accessories props etc is the next step. Location of course is a vital consideration, studio or on location, as is the time of year should an outdoor location shoot be required.
The other part is to produce 10 images of Jewellery, which is going to have to be photographed in the studio, as seperate objects.

Imaging approaches.

The client has chosen a book of images as his way of presenting them. There are various other ways and means of presenting this work. When on location/in the studio taking these images you have to aware of the final use of them. Therefore, you need to plan your approach. In this case, the images need to be A4 and produced in a book. Other means of preserving and presenting the images are available. CD/DVD and any other form of hard disc, for example on your computer or on server somewhere safe, or even on a memory stick, these are the first things to consider. Printing the required images is another way, but you have to be selective from the number you have taken. These can be printed in the local shop, off your home printer, professionally printed or on one of the many online shops. You have to be careful where you print them and the printing must match the requirements of the brief. In this instance the quality can be standard printing, but dependant on the brief some may be wanted for sale,advertising etc or need to be printed for archival purposes for example.

Management structure etc

Depending on the type of project  that you are required to do, the following is a general outline of the roles and responsibilities

Ø  The client and the person to report too. Who also pays the final agreed bill if the shoot is to his brief. The client has to be specific (or give the photographer licence to be creative).

Ø  You the photographer, are responsible for everything! This involves the planning, costing, and timing of everything. A contingency plan should also be made to account for the weather for example if on location, or a person being unavailable, or for unforeseen costs, eg a car or model not turning up. It is also important that the photographer liases effectively with the client to ensure that the images taken will as required, artistic licence aside if necessary.

Ø  The subject/s, be they animate or inanimate

Ø  On location or in a studio, purpose built or “on set”. The photographer should check and double check that all is in order and on time. He may pass some of this over to his assistant.

Ø  An assistant, or 2 or more as required. Their role is to support the photographer, check the gear is available and in good working order, shift gear, post- produce images in some cases at the time taken for instance.

Ø  Location of lighting, props etc. The photographer needs to set the scene and will get his assistant to aid with this task/s.

Ø  Communication between all parties is crucial to the success of the brief. Paths of communication need to be set from the beginning to ensure the success of the shoot.

Another important consideration is the access to facilities and to provision of food and drink when required.

Estimate of resources.

The resources needed are:

Time to prepare the outcome

Relevant choice of equipment to use, i.e. camera, 35mm or larger format,selection of lenses suitable for the situation, flash units, external lighting source, telephone, props etc

Provision of power packs etc to suit lighting and/or other electrical equipment e.g a laptop when on location. Ensure all batteries are charged to suit the requirements, or an external power source is available.

Use, or loan, or hire of car/s, model/s, jewellery, shoes etc

Decide what items to buy to complete brief eg shoes

Location or studio as required. Ensure the proper permissions are available and suitable for thre shoot, eg you are not trespassing .

Background, either on location or in the studio

Time scale required

PC or MAC to post produce images with relevant software to suit.

Transport to and from the location where required.
Access to facilities,changing areas, and food and drink where appropriate

Health and Safety issues also need to be addressed where necessary.

All the above must be costed to the best of your knowledge. The photographer will have to decide what to spend money on and which items to spend money on, as he may be able to use props etc he already has. This can make significant savings on a shoot. A flowchart can be as complicated or as simple as you need, dependant on the shoot. Attention needs to be paid to who is responsible for what etc to provide a stress free shoot. A contingency sum also needs to be build in. This can be discussed and spent as required, with the client or not. Events do happen that you will not have costed for.

Workflow

1.  Plan for every part of the project. What is it I am going to create? What is the end product? If I want images for the web, resolution is not as important. If I want to print, then I need to know the target resolution and the required colour profile of the output device. I also need to know the file format requirements for the final media, which is a printed book in this instance. I need to scout the location. What time of day is the best time to photograph? Limited on car shoot by access to cars etc if a wet day and the owner will not get his car wet eg. I need to visualise the photograph I want to take and the tones I want in the end product in. I need to think about how to highlight the fashion accessories, and what positions I would like to see them in. I need to think about what lenses I am going to use, whether I need lighting or any other special equipment. Consider the use of a tripod etc. Will I need an assistant? Then I need to gather all the equipment and materials I need for the shoot. And to check the weather forecast for an outdoor location shoot, and have a plan B if possible.
2. Now I need to focus on preproduction. I have scouted the location as part of my planning, and I am starting to visualise my images. I have assembled my lighting and props, umbrellas, etc . I am now doing lighting checks, and using the tripods. I do need to set up my camera for bracketing and white balance, depending on the final output I require for the book. I need to ensure I have enough battery power available for the shoot, for camera lighting and accessories. Preproduction encompasses all the things I need and want to accomplish prior to shooting.
3. Record the images as per my visualisation, and show the models the tear sheets so that they have a good idea of what is required of them prior to the shoot. Ideas may change when actually taking the images.
4. Then I begin my post-production, which in this case means loading the images onto my computer and editing them for cropping, colour, contrast or any other image defects I spot or are not suitable. It may be that minimum editing is required depending on how good the initial shoot was. I then need to prepare the images for production. Printing images may This is the production phase, and the final step. Here is where I decide which printing option I am going to use (I have done this from the beginning), either printing from a local printer or a commercial printer, to be sent in a format that can print from (eg DSCL require jpeg). Resolution and format are key to the photographic reproduction then it is important to plan from the beginning. I can then meet my target as set out from the beginning. The important part is that resolution and output size must be understood during the planning stage, so that I can get to the processing stage with the correct images.

Situation management.

When planning an outdoor shoot there are many things to consider, let alone the weather. Access and privacy are very important. Can you access the area you want to get to, does it invade anybodies privacy?  An inspection prior to the shoot will answer many of these questions. You need to look for the ideal location. Is it going to be too sunny, or cold for instance, what can you do to counter this situation. A site survey will answer many questions and will affect your decision as to how you are to carry out the shoot and meet the requirements of the brief. Does the suggested location suit the brief, or does it have to be changed, and the client advised. Alternatives can be discussed at this stage. All decisions and timings must be available to all parties, and should be confirmed so a sto eliminate any errors and delays.

Experience from previous shoots will be an advantage and should reduce any problems, and can be raised and solved at the briefing with the client.

As an aside the photographers experience can help the client decide what he wants as a final image, and should be encouraged so that all parties are satisfied.

The above comments can also apply to any work done in the studio. For example can you get the props in, are there any alteration works needed, either studio based or on location. Do you need permission to carry out this work.

Each shoot and situation will produce their own differences, and these have to be explored prior to the shoot.

Health and safety considerations are very important in all locations, and they will always be different.

Legal considerations

There are personal and property issues here. There is a mountain of legislation to adhere to, but it all meant to protect the rights of everybody and everything. Data protection and confidentiality must not be overlooked, so as protect the identity of the person /s involved. Employers and employees are responsible for their own and others actions in all cases, and this should be made clear at the start of the work. Contract law is important between the parties involved, whatever form they take. Can be written, but part may be verbal, so it is important to record these verbal instructions.

These days’ working with minors is an important consideration, and reference to the Children’s Act, Children and Young Peoples Act for example must always be adhered too. The Obscene and Post Office Acts are also prevalent these days, but generally these will not come into everyday photography hopefully.  Risk assessments must be done and advised as required.

Safety at work is an important consideration and applies to photographers as much as anybody else.

 The Safety at Work act is a powerful document. Personal equipment needs to be in the best condition. It will fall to the photographer to check all is in order.

Awareness of Acts such as the Countryside Act/Countryside Code should also be adhered to.

Intellectual rights and intellectual property refers to creative work which can be treated as an asset or physical property. This has become a very important area, and with the advent and use of the internet then huge problems arise in this area. It is difficult to control these days, but Copyright, Trademarks, Design rights and Patents all fall into the intellectual category.

Pricing photography

Price depends on the usage of the final image/s, and depends also on the clients usage thereafter. These day’s license issues are the main topic used in negotiations. The photographer has to decide how his images are to be used within the context of the brief. There are many ways to satisfy the client’s use of the images. I can license “unlimited” use in a limited way by restricting the time, location, and/or range of use, while leaving other parts unrestricted. I can also put a whole time limit on the use of these images, i.e. a limited period. If they are not be used internationally, for example, then the client does not need to pay for this, nor for example if the client is not going to use the images on a large bill board.

The parameters and use of the images need to be discussed and agreed at the negotiation stage with the client and to his use and then incorporate these discussions within the price and contract for the work. If the client wants unlimited use forever then he must realise the cost implications for this, and it is the photographer’s job to advise the client on these different aspects. The photographer may employ somebody to aid the negotiations at this point.

In some cases the where the client requires unlimited use, and the client has no obligation to me how he is to use the images and where, as it may pay them in their interest to play down their intended use. In these cases, it is up to me to overestimate, by a decent margin, the probable use by the client. It is in the photographer’s best interest to provide the best images for the client based on the brief and discussions at pre-photograph stage. Judgement also has to be made whether you want to take this commission if the use of the images is unclear, as your reputation is at stake.

Price is also very dependent on how the final images are to be used and in what location and situation. Sometimes the political situation needs to be addressed. Of course, everything needs to be within legal and ethical boundaries.

It is a very complex situation in the way of pricing as the market is currently very active and you can lose jobs by being too expensive. Extensive research is needed to establish the correct price for your work, as there is so much competition these days.

Below are listed the estimates I have compiled for the brief outlined.

  

Miriad studio estimate of costs

Estimate for Emma’s photo shoot.

QTY	Description	Rate   £	Total   £	Actual cost
	Fee for Meridian to produce an A4 book of Emma, and a selection of jewellery. To be over 3 shoot days on location and in a studio, to be licensed as per the agreed contract. Unlimited use of all images by Meridian only.	900.00	900.00	50.00
1	Hire of Rolls Royce for 1 day incl driver	375.00	375.00	50.00
1	Hire of Ferrari for 1 day incl driver	450.00	450.00	0.00
2	Assistant for 2 days	150.00	300.00	25.00
2	Make- up artist for 1 day	100.00	200.00	0.00
2	Pre production days	300.00	600.00	50.00
1	Scouting day in incidental expenses	350.00	350.00	85.00
1	Travel expenses etc for Emma	150.00	150.00	15.00
	Cost of Emma’s time	free	free	40.00
	Hire of location for shoot	250.00	250.00	0.00
	Post production costs	300.00	300.00	150.00
		Total £	3875.00	465.00

I have included a column showing the actual cost to me for this particular shoot as a comparison. The hire of the cars and location came free, as these are owned by friends. The model Emma was hired for the shown cost, and being a student there is no cost to me as a fee, but a cost will accrue to produce the final images. Pre- production costs were for visiting the owner and location of the cars, and for setting up my own car and borrowed lighting from the college to give me a trial run prior to the shoot.

Estimate for the Jewellery photo shoot.

QTY	Description	Rate   £	Total   £	Actual cost
	Fee for Meridian to produce an A4 book of Emma, and a selection of jewellery. To be over 3 shoot days on location and in a studio, to be licensed as per the agreed contract. Unlimited use of all images by Meridian only.	900.00	900.00	50.00
1	Hire of studio for 1 day	210.00	210.00	0.00
1	Hire of jewellery for 1 day	150.00	150.00	0.00
1	Assistant for 1 days	150.00	150.00	25.00
1	Pre production days	150.00	150.00	0
1	Travel expenses etc	150.00	150.00	15.00
1	Hire of additional lighting	150.00	150.00	0.00
1	Post production costs	1200.00	1200.00	50.00
		Total £	2960.00	140.00

I have included a column showing the actual cost to me for this particular shoot as a comparison. Being able to borrow the jewellery (some clients may also provide free product) cost me nothing and also the use of the college studio was cost effective. A cost will occur for the final images.

There are more general costs also to consider, such as Insurance, costs of running a studio, etc but these should be built in to the Fee, and will be a standard as overheads which will be applied to all estimates. The above should also include catering and other facilities as well.

Conclusion
Working to a brief is certainly challenging, and preparation and planning is essential.This cannot start until the first part of the brief is carried out to get the client to describe the task in as much detail as he can. This is perhaps the most difficult part of the excercise, and needs to be carefully recorded and agreed between the parties to the contract, so that it limits any possible problems or interpretation at the later stages, especially with the presentation of the fianl shoot. Changes can be made, especially if the client is on site, but he has to remember that cahnges can cost more. from the photographers side he needs to be sure of his set up to meet the demands of the contract, and to ensure that new work does not impede on existing work. The challenge is to succeed when there are various types of work happening at the same time. Skill is required to attract the right assistants to enable a smooth flow of work. The expertise gained will be vital to providing the client wit the work that he wants, and show off when completed. The photography is probably the easier bit, the business side must prevail to succeed.