Job Offer.

A couple of weeks ago I had an interview with a company called Electra Films in Lulington.

http://www.electraweddingfilms.co.uk/

I went to the interview with my portfolio, and when I got there it was a home business. She had forgot I was coming and so we couldn't have the interview in her office we had to use the living room where she had dirty washing over the sofas etc. She was very unprofessional but looked through my portfolio and asked me what I knew about photoshop and I told her and we got on okay in the interview and she offered me the job.

I really wanted the experience so I really wanted to take the job but after the interview she seemed to get more and more unprofessional. She spoke quite abruptly when ringing my mom to get in touch with me, expected me to get hold of colleges equipment for her business etc.

In retrospect I am glad I didn't take the job, because she also wanted me to do all her admin work for her as well as do the assisting on weddings for free and she was very unprofessional.

I am going to continue to look for assistance work more locally.

Studio.

THE IMAGE DEPOT

The owner is Adrian Heapy, a man who has over 40 years experience in the Photography industry.

Although I was away last week with a viral infection I have read up on other people's blogs to make sure I get the necessary information.

I found this extremely helpful-

When working with clients:

• Always get payment off the client before you hand over the images.
• Always check out peoples background before you work with them.
• Check out local photographers and know what they are doing so you know how to improve your work and appear better than them when a new client approaches you.
• Have terms of contract and conditions clear and written down for legal purposes.
• He wont photography anyone under the age of 18 without the parent being present at the time of the shoot.
• He has someone else in the studio with him when photographing women.
• You have to educate your client on different looks you could create and always offer them alternatives.

Downstairs there is the main studio and is where they kept the set building kit and a changing room. There is also a second smaller studio that is mainly used for still life and product shots.
Upstairs there is a media centre for post production. All props are kept in the attic.

Craig Mcdean.

Stylish

Kirsten Dunst

Macmillan Coffee Day

One client I agreed work for were the Walton family who were hosting a Macmillan Coffee Day for Cancer on the 30th September.

I went on the day to find not many people there, which was a little disheartening. I also found that most of the people who were there didn't want their photos taken! I tried to convince as many people as I could that I was there to take photos and to have their photo taken, and a few agreed. The hosts were up for having their photo taken, but when I asked to take more so I could ensure I got a good photo they refused. To them they just wanted a picture of themselves but to me as the photographer, I wasn't happy because I'd have like to have got better images than I did. In the end I gathered everyone who was there for a group shot, however although flash and sun go together well, the flash on my camera just wasn't up to the standard it needed to be, so when I suggest they all move under the gazebo to reduce the glare from the sun, again they were not interested. They had a photo that would do and didn't want to stand for more. But I think this is something I will come up against whilst working for some clients. And I can only do as much as the clients want or allow me to do.

Young Fashion Photographer Of The Year Continued.

For this competition I am going to visit the Hire Studio Steve has spoke to me about over the past week.

The model I have selected has told me she is available for Monday the 10th of October, so hopefully if the studio is available I can do my shoot then, I'm just waiting on a definate confirmation from my model.

The image I am using for inspiration is of Sophia Loren.
I really like everything about this image, the fashion, composition, the distant look on her face. I like the old fashioned feel to this image but I will need to make my image more contemporary and up to date with the fashion choices I make.

Location - the studio. I don't want a plain white background to my image though because in fashion these days it's just not as popular as it used to be and no ones taking photos of a model against a white background anymore. I have to be careful I don't make my image look cheap or too staged.

Styling - I want a more up to date hair style, I'm thinking big hair, maybe curly or just backcombed. My model has quite thick black hair which I think should be made a focal point to my image, after the clothes. I want more bolder makeup but not so overpowering you loose focus on the expressions of the model. I have decided to keep the sun hat, as these are just starting to sell again in High Street stores and is coming back into fashion. Instead of a corset I'm thinking of using a modern black dress, hopefully one that comes in at the waist to accentuate my models tiny waist like the corset does in this image. Also, tights with a stocking look/print have been in fashion lately and so this is a contemporary twist on an old fashion style. The jewellery and gloves are something I haven't decided if I want to keep yet because I don't want to copy the image, although there are more fashionable up to date versions of these things available now e.g fingerless lace white gloves which I am going to investigate.

To make sure I don't copy this image I am going to try different angles and I want my model in different poses and positions to this image, so that I have taken inspiration from the clothes, but updated them, and her facial expression, but not copied the image exactly, mixing up the angles and style of the actual image.

Young Fashion Photographer Of The Year

Put your own spin on a famous photograph from the world of fashion.

Deadline: 14th October 2011.
Age group: 16-25.


Clothes Show Live is the UK's largest beauty and fashion event. It is back this year to celebrate 23 years at the forefront of fashion and beauty.

The Young Fashion Photographer Of The Year will be running as part of the Clothes Show Live Design Awards Programme.

The Brief is to take inspiration from an iconic image and put their own spin on it. Without just copying the image.

I must enter one image with a short description about how I created the shot and a detailed explanation of the entry, alongside a copy of the image that inspired my entry.

Ideas of how to approach.

I need to keep generating potential new clients & I need to think of new & innovative ways to create contacts and find clients.

I already have created contacts through prior work & through generally knowing people e.g the macmillan coffee day, the 18th birthday party I have lined up & the recording studio owner I know. I can use this for finding other new clients as well, but I also want to generate clients through word of mouth and business cards & through contacting businesses, people etc directly to secure work.

I am going to do this by emailing or ringing local businesses, events, clubs etc in Tamworth & surrounding areas to see if they need any work done, some places/people I will approach for paid work as I know I can get it, others I will offer unpaid work.

Future Plans.

Some plans I have for the future include;

- Fashion Photography

- Portrait photography

- Wedding Photography

- Studio Work

- Home Studio

First steps to achieving this.

- Contacting wedding photographers, local photographers & local studios to see if I can get work experience/be an assistant so I can build my experience & my portfolio.

New Client 24th September 2011.

All the models I have worked with in the past are people I know personally. I noticed via Facebook that one of them has her 18th birthday party coming up in November at Goals in Birmingham.

Knowing that this would be a big event in her life, and a good opportunity for me to gain more clients and experience, I contacted her asking if she had considered having any professional photos taken at the party. To this she replied saying that she would love to have this done and enquired about how much I would charge. Following this I now have a paid job lined up for the 4th November 2011.

I'm going to approach this by getting to the venue before anyone arrives to get some images of the room, picture of the birthday girl etc, then stand at the front door to get some images of people arriving. I will then walk around and try to take photos of the party and the vibe and make sure I get the balance of images of the birthday girl and her friends and family.

There will be lack of light in the venue, I will need to make sure I choose a high ISO so I can shoot with a faster shutter speed and still expose the shot well. I am also going to take a flash gun with me.

I am going to take business cards and hand them out and leave them on tabels at the party so if people from the party see my images and like them I might gain more clients via this.

Models

Kayleigh Middleton.

Grace Watson

Chloe Hunt

Carmel Ensor

Kerrie Hickman

Current work.

I was approached a couple of weeks ago about a Coffee Day for the charity Macmillan by a friend. It's on the 30th of September at 11am. As this work is for a charity it is unpaid. The brief I have been given is simply to take pictures around the event to help promote the Coffee Day and Macmillan.

I have decided to approach this by getting to the Coffee Day at 10:30am to photograph the room, coffee and cakes before people show up. I will then take photos of people arriving and then stick around throughout the day to get a diverse set of images to really show do the day justice.

I am very confident about how to approach the day and achieve maximum results with my images as I have done previous work in events and groups.

I have just finished taking a few images at Tamworth Castle, where I worked over the summer. I photographed "King Penda" an actor with members of the Tamworth Castle Team because they had a big event over the summer exhibitioning the Staffordshire Hoard. Unfortunately the curator of the Hoard doesn't allow any photos of the Hoard being taken because of Copywright.

I am also in conversations with another Charity in Tamworth and A Recording Studio in Birmingham, but these are at very early stages and will be gone into in more detail once the ideas are more developed.

Previous work with clients...

I was involved with a Tree Planting Event, where both the organisers of the event and the subjects of the photographs asked for copies of the images.

I have also been involed with a few aspiring singers and models which they wanted to use in their portfolios or as promo work...

I was also involved with Sutton Coldfield College taking the Drama FMP photos...

I have also done some paid work for a woman who wanted a christmas present for a friend and a family portait. However I can not find these images.