It's important to be adaptable
In this industry it’s important to be adaptable. Sometimes things are not what you expect or have been told to expect.
This is where experience counts. Where it becomes critically important that you know your craft and your equipment.
Those of you that have been following this blog for a while will know that I have a number of bags and that I pack to suit the job. Having said that, I also like to be prepared for the unexpected.
Be prepared...definitely not travelling light.
Yesterday’s job was a case in point. I was booked for a food shoot, complete with stylist, and a pretty comprehensive brief. The client needed high-end images for use on large digital screens, website and possibly in printed material…so I packed accordingly.
However, when I arrived I discovered the agenda had changed…considerably. Food was off the menu. To my liaison’s credit, instead of just cancelling, she had a new shotlist. The downside of this was that I had packed what I would need specifically for a food shoot…the widest lens in my bag was a 24mm…and the client wanted interior shots (plus a large variety of other subjects and objects).
It was time to think on my feet, work around the problems and come up with solutions. I don’t often work off a tripod (they tend to be a bit restrictive for newspaper work) but having one “just in case” was a lifesaver. The lack of a “wide” was overcome by stitching a number of images together… like shooting a panoramic landscape (a bit more technical in close quarters but the techniques are similar).
The roll of gaff tape (that is a permanent resident in my bag) got a serious work out for some of the other images…as did clamps, foil, cardboard and reflectors.
If you know the mechanics of photography well, just about anything can be used to get you out of a “situation”.
It also shows the importance of “personal projects”. Shooting the rum bottle (Aug. 9) was a project I set myself as a challenge. Techniques I learnt from that shoot were put to use yesterday…not the same scenario…but small adaptations make the strategies applicable.
The shoot was more work than it needed to be, but it is the end result that is important. As long as the client is happy…
Until next time…happy shooting