The ‘recce’
1. Are there any potential hazards that
could pose a health and safety risk where your photo shoot will take place
(trailing cables/traffic/other objects)?
There were many cables and wires around my photo-shoot area in my home which could have caused some damage if any of us tripped over them. I also took some of my photos near a road so we had to be careful about the cars.
2. What will you do to ensure these risks are minimised?
I cleared away the wires and kept the floor space tidy to avoid any injuries. At the roadside we kept to the path and watched for any incoming cars in case of an accident.
3. Will the time of day/weather affect the outcome of the photos? Have you allowed for this?
It was quite a dull day which would have altered the brightness of the photos so I used some lights to provide additional lighting. I did the same for the photos I took inside although this wasn’t necessary.
4. Have you considered the background to your photos, particularly if taken outside? How will you ensure you will get the background you want?
I used plain white walls as a background on my photos indoors so it could be removed easily on Photoshop. When taking photos outside, I used a large white canvas to cover the front of whatever was behind my model in the shoot.
5. Have you considered lighting? What about the ‘problems’ of natural lighting, either outside, or streaming through a window? Will you need to use a flash? Have you considered reflective objects that might spoil the effect?
Like I said in some of the other questions, I provided additional lighting when it was dim and for some photos specifically used flash.
6. Do you need permission to take photos in the place/venue you have in mind?
No, I either took my photos in my home or by the roadside which was open freely to the public. No permissions were needed.
7. Do you need to book time in a room (e.g.
the photography studio at Shiney)?
No, all my shots were collected from places that didn’t need to be booked. It wasn't
8. Are other people/crowds likely to be an
issue for you? What have you done to ensure that it will not spoil the effect?
I attempted to stay away from busy areas and when I encountered people while shooting, I politely asked if they would avoid the view of the camera or waited until they had passed.
9. Are you reliant on lifts/props/friends’
equipment/models? How have you planned that these things will come together at
the appointed time? Plan B?
My model is my friend so he was willing to dress and prepare for the shoot whenever I asked him. The prop (guitar) that I told him to use was my own so it was readily available.
10. Finally, have you thought of every eventuality…?
Yes, I tried my best to ensure the conditions in which my photos were taken allowed my images to be the best possible quality they could be. I picked midday to take them and also when the skies were quite clear so that I would be supplied with enough lighting (when taking photos outside). Blurred images were not an issue as I used the non-shake feature on my phone.
