The Corporate Assignment

Prashphutita A. Greco

Whether by contacts, referral or self-promotion, word's gotten around that you're a "good" photographer. Of course, that means you can handle anything from informal portraits, sports, corporate, industrial, and so on. Well, that's what most (non-photographer) folk will assume.

An acquaintance arrives unexpected, announces that you'll be covering the people pictures at an annual conference of Medicos, and... it's next week! You're not exactly thrilled, since your (t)rusty old camera kit has recently been stolen, and - possibly even worse - your suit's been eaten by silverfish! Sounds far-fetched? Not at all: this is a real-life story. To discover how all the problems were solved (and the customer satisfied), read on, o gentle reader...

The Client

Rural Workforce Agency, Victoria Ltd., an organisation supporting Victoria's country health practitioners.

The Brief

Supply images of doctors attending the convention, with particular emphasis on representing what RWAV is most involved with: overseas-trained doctors in Australia; women doctors; medical practice training; and medical qualification exam training. These pictures would be required for use in a diversity of media, including: Website; newsletter; annual report; corporate documents; posters; etc.

The Photographic Plan

1.) Don't panic! 2.) Whatever goes wrong, refer to 1.)

Experience will tell you that things usually won't go smoothly, so you may as well resign yourself to this fact ahead of time, to minimise your stress levels. Oh, do have contingency strategies in place, such as: pre-testing of all the equipment you intend to use; backup camera body; a variety of lenses to suit the situations likely to encountered; spare batteries; loads of film (or memory cards); appropriate lighting equipment and/ or flash (if required); and so forth.

What helps you keep the photographic situation under control is the sum total of your experience under similar circumstances. Pro photogs. aren't necessarily always any more competent technically than you are. However, they've probably already taken a thousand times more pictures than you're ever likely to and had much greater - and more numerous - opportunities to make mistakes (from which they've learnt!) I'll outline as many real-world insights as permissible within the space constraints of this article; these will help you better prepare yourself for a similar eventuality.

Check It Out!

Go to the venue ahead of time, if possible, to get a "feel" for the layout and general lighting levels you'll be dealing with on the assignment day(s). Consider what focal length lenses will be necessary for the various kinds of shots you're required to obtain. Prior to this, you will ideally have conferred with your client as to specifically what they're wanting, giving yourself the chance to "think things through" in the intervening days.

Class Glass

Modern zoom lenses are an optical miracle, providing you with the versatility of a range of focal lengths in a compact configuration. New technologies, such as aspherical elements, have worked wonders. Major downfall of compact zooms? They're oh so-o-o slo-o-o-w... typically, 4 stops less speed than yer average "standard" ("normal") lens. Take it from me, even that last half stop can make the difference between a useable, handheld 1/ 60s and... a blurred throwaway.

When there's a need for speed, you can equip yourself with a pro-grade zoom (generally large - and constant - maximum aperture, bulky, heavy... and expensive!) That'll still only get you to f/2.8, whereas 50mm standard (for the 35mm system) lenses are readily available (and affordable!) in f/1.4 - a blazing 2 stops quicker.

Available (Low) Light Techniques

Light is the very basis of photography; without it there can be no image recorded. Available light photography means... using every light available! Since you're being paid (handsomely, let's assume!) to deliver quality results, you've got to be assertive and take control of the lighting situation. That may be as simple as switching on all the banks of light in the room and/ or cranking up the dimmers to full brightness ahead of time. Or, it could involve directing your portrait subjects to move over to be near a window, making use of existing natural light. You might even have to arrange prior to get other lighting set up in the room. That's where it helps to have introduced yourself to the functions co-ordinator well ahead of time and established an amicable, co-operative relationship. Discuss with them what kinds of shots you're seeking.

What options are available to you when you're forced to work in a venue which still has very low levels of illumination? Alas, digicams may only offer you a maximum, effective ISO setting of 800 or so.

 *  Support your camera with a monopod (maintains your ability to move around quickly).

 *  Utilise a tripod, if permissible within the environment and there's sufficient space for its "footprint" without people tripping-up, etc.

As a last resort, consider the use of flash: it's intrusive and disruptive (particularly in this article's example of a medical convention). Aside from that, flash introduces its own set of problems:

 *  harsh shadows being cast (unless you've got a suitable range of diffusers, or can bounce the flash off the ceiling, etc.);

 *  limited range;

 *  the possibility of burning-out the foreground whilst losing detail in the background;

 *  flattening of perspective, due to a point source of light, when a diffuser would "soak-up" too much of the flash's light output;

If you really need flash, then get an industrial-strength unit: powerful (high Guide Number), with a substantial, heavy battery pack (or mains power, if practicable). Otherwise, you won't have sufficient "reach" and recycling time could be unacceptably long.

Here's a couple more possibilities with film-based cameras:

 * If ISO 800 film still doesn't give you a useable shutter speed (eg. if you need to hand-hold the camera, etc.) then consider an even faster film. ISO 1,600 will cause you to sacrifice some sharpness and colour saturation, as well as having increased grain size.

 *  Find a Lab which can push-process your film (eg. by 1 or even 2 stops; any more than that will likely result in a very noticeable deterioration of image quality). Effectively, you will be under-exposing the film (as you're rating it at a higher speed) then telling the Lab to develop it for longer in order to compensate. The trade-off is that a pushed film will have a build-up of contrast and increased grain, so experiment ahead of time to find an emulsion which pushes acceptably well for your purposes.

Do Good Work!

At once simple and sagacious advice and the mantra for success. By keeping this dictum always at the forefront of  your thinking, you'll ensure that you continue to strive and transcend your previous achievements, looking for new and interesting ways to depict your subjects. Simultaneously, you'll be keeping your client happy (assuming, of course, that you're fulfilling the requirements of the brief, as regards to the kinds of shots they're after).

Ye Olde Two Camera Trick

It's mandatory to have a spare camera system in case of failure or misbehaviour of your main camera body and/ or lens (eg. if they get bumped, dropped, soaked, etc.). Many modern cameras (overly complicated, electronics-laden, plastic-predominant) are delicate and need to be pampered. Not so most of the "Classic" cameras of yesteryear (eg. the all-metal, robustly engineered Canon FTb is built so that it can also be deployed as a hammer!) For maximum versatility, and to ensure my film didn't run out at the critical moment, I garlanded myself with two cameras around my neck.

One further advantage of using tandem cameras: on the (remote) possibility that there's a malfunction with one of the cameras (eg. hair, dust or grit trapped in the shutter gate, which would appear in every frame), you'll at least have similar pictures on the other camera. If your reputation rests upon getting some crucial shots, it's well worth the extra effort. This certainly saved me, when the film on one of the bodies appeared to be advancing normally, yet had slipped off the take-up spool.

Real-World Photography

A vast array of well-practised techniques is invaluable - nay, essential - for these kinds of assignments. The only thing you can rely on is that tricky photographic situations will keep presenting themselves. Often, no matter what you do will be a compromise.

The ability to think quickly on your feet is imperative: a delay in making a decision may well mean you've lost the shot.

Realise that your usual high standards may be more than what the client requires. The pursuit of that "perfect" picture might well require more time and resources than are available, perhaps also at the expense of other necessary images.

A People Person

Having discussed some of the technical aspects, let's consider what's (arguably) of even greater importance: your people skills. By this I mean the ability to:

 *  Keep your cool under pressure;

 *  Make friends easily and be able to generate small talk with persons from all walks of life and of varying education levels;

 *  look (and act!) professional at all times;

 *  direct your subjects into the pose and/ or location required in a friendly and efficient manner;

 *  be organised as you work, so you never appear to be fumbling around, even when your subjects have to hurry along to their next commitment or task, or you're experiencing equipment difficulties (umm... challenges);

 *  have learnt enough about the company or organisation beforehand that you can ask intelligent questions and make knowledgeable comments;

 *  remember people's names when introduced for the first time, particularly the "key" players in the hierarchy (hint: study the corporation's existing Annual Reports, glossy brochures, etc. prior).

Empathy with Your Subjects

Dealing with all the various personalities can be a real challenge. If someone's reluctant to have their picture taken, then you might well have to sneak in a shot surreptitiously. Tune in to your subject's feelings: become adept at interpreting body language, vocal intonations, etc. If the person is starting to get uncomfortable, then it's time to ease off. Even CEOs of large organisations can be intensely camera-shy!

Business Matters

At the end of the day, what'll get you repeat business is going to be word-of-mouth, recommendations and referrals. Bring along your business card. Amazingly, this is often overlooked, causing the potential loss of future business (read: money in your pocket with which to buy more gear, film, books, magazines, etc.!)

Ensure you don't become so carried away in producing the most technically perfect images that your costs (including your labour rate) exceed the agreed payment. That's the fast-track to going... out of business!

If you can make your clients say "Wow!", then you've succeeded. That means they'll think of you first when another occasion arises requiring the services of a highly-skilled, pro photographer. Well, you don't necessarily have to be a professional, but you'll certainly need to at least appear to be!

The Price Equation

How much to charge for your work is quite possibly the most difficult part of the whole exercise. Quote too low a price and (a) you'll be "shooting yourself in the foot"; (b) your client will ask you back again, expecting the same under-valued fee. For corporate work, the client normally has cash to splash; if they don't put it in your pocket, it'll only end up in someone else's!

Naturally, you'll be doing "quality" work and adding value, rather than just doing the job that's asked of you. In other words, "going the extra mile". This may not require eating into the profits of the assignment or even having to put in a huge amount of extra time. Perhaps just a little bit more effort and/ or better planning on your part; meticulous attention to detail; supplying the work sooner than agreed upon; etc. What can you think of which would give your client more than they were expecting?

Here's a marketing tip. We've all had ingrained into us from the time we were children that: "You only get what you pay for". It follows logically that: Price = Cost + Perceived Value (acknowledgment: Winston Marsh, Business Growth Centre, Melbourne). That is, the price reflects not just what it cost to provide the service: it's to do more with the "worth" to the customer.

Sidebar: Mechanical -Still Viable?

With photojournalism, thorough familiarity with your gear is a pre-requisite, so you can "catch" the images as they present themselves, with the minimum of delay. I'd had 8 years' practice with my electronic camera which "vanished" only a week before this assignment. Hiring a replacement system wasn't economically viable in this instance; besides, it'd have been different from what I was used to, anyway.

Necessity demanded I utilise a hefty (750g) mechanical Canon body and a flimsy (500g) mostly-mechanical Olympus body, each with quite differing design philosophies. Overcoming the technical and operational challenges was an added, constant pressure. There were advantages in using these cameras instead of my previous system, in terms of faster, sharper optics. With the prevailing low ambient light levels, and sensitivity of conference attendees to being photographed, flash wasn't usually an option. Also, I now had access to a system-compatible, true macro lens, which I was able to deploy on occasion.

Motordrive, autofocus and aperture-priority autoexposure would have been enormously advantageous most of the time.

The limitations of the final images were more a result of the environment - and poor light levels, necessitating very fast emulsions - than the equipment itself (or non-familiarity with it on my part). As the saying goes: "It's the photographer, not the camera." Don't simply use a "lack" of equipment as an excuse to say: "I can't do it!" Find a workaround, innovate, make do with what you've got, and... just get the job done, anyway!

Admittedly, the OM20 suffered from numerous intermittent problems, having previously lived a hard life (in the hands of a NZ Press photographer!)

Conclusion

By spending time with your client prior to the scheduled shoot, you'll not only make things easier (and less enervating!) for yourself, but have a better chance of fulfilling their minimum requirements. If the client's expectations are too high (relative to time/ resources/ budget/ environment), then you really need to make this clear to them before you do any work. Otherwise, there'll be disappointment on their part and frustration/ ill-feeling on your part.

Aim, as much as possible, to give your client that little bit extra, so they're delighted with your service. This way, when another photographic requirement comes up in future, they'll immediately think to give you the first call. Here's wishing you every success in your corporate assignments! Remember: aim high, but only promise what you're confident you can deliver.

By the way, I neglected to mention how I solved the suit crisis... well, I decided I may as well look like a photog., so I wore a fashion vest. This had sizeable and numerous pockets for stashing lenses, films, etc. - very practical and serviceable. At least I wouldn't be mistaken for a doctor attending the conference (no offence to any doctor-photographer readers).

    Equipment Details

Canon FTb (all-mechanical: battery required only for exposure meter) with Canon FD breech-lock 50mm f/1.8 S.C. and Canon FD breech-lock 100mm f/4 Macro S.C.; Olympus OM20 (mostly-mechanical: batteries required for shutter timing and meter) with Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 and Zuiko 35-70mm f/4 (for occasions where I couldn't "zoom with my feet"). Unless otherwise specified: shots hand-held Metz hammerhead flash (used only occasionally)

    Captions

Image 1  Have We Got a Convention for You! Conference organiser, Veeraja Uppal, outside the venue. Kodak Portra 400 NC, rated normal.

Image 2  Details, Details!  Showing the pre-planning aspects of such a conference. Depth Of Field deliberately limited by using a 100mm macro lens wide open and by moving in close. Kodak Portra 400 NC, rated normal.

Image 3  A Moment - Captured  You'll often need to be set up, ready and waiting to catch such fleeting instances. Fujicolor Press 1,600 at ISO 1,600

Image 4  Significant Moment - Be Prepared!  Arrival of the Health Minister, who would open the convention. Ensure you're fully informed of the schedule of events - well ahead of time! Fujicolor Press 1,600 at ISO 1,600

Image 5  World-renowned Professor giving Keynote Speech  Be certain to take lots of pics. of people when they're speaking: it's difficult to get a shot where their expressions look "just right". A low camera angle was utilised here. Fujicolor Press 1,600 at ISO 1,600

Image 6  Timing is Everything  Wait till the hand gestures look interesting and fit in harmoniously with your composition. Fujicolor Press 1,600 at ISO 1,600

Image 7  Conference Delegates Need to be Fed!  Record the personal side of the convention apart from only the professional aspects. This may well turn out to be useful for the layout of the brochures for future conferences, etc. Fujicolor NHG II 800 at ISO 800

Image 8  Visiting Overseas Doctor Ponders a Point Made  Being as discrete as possible (by pre-setting focus and aperture, and being ready to work fast), be alert to the optimum instant to take the shot. Fujicolor NHG II 800 at ISO 800

Image 9  Tying It All Together  Conference Chairperson and RWAV Logo. Fujicolor NHG II 800 at ISO 800

Image 10 In the Spotlight  Conference Chairperson Fielding a Question Fujicolor Press 1,600 at ISO 1,600

Image 11 Au-naturale: Available Light (Darkness?)  Incandescent (tungsten) lamps emit their light towards the warm end of the spectrum - precise colour dependent upon their design and power output - bathing the scene in a yellow-orange glow. Most viewers of photos will prefer this to a cool (blue) cast if people appear in the scene. Fujicolor Press 1,600 at ISO 1,600

Image 12 Unwelcoming, Cold Light of Flash  Opposite of the inviting warmth of the previous picture (colour cast has moved towards the blue end of the spectrum). A powerful flashgun was employed here (bounced off the ceiling to give more even illumination and avoid harsh shadows). There's a loss of detail in the far distance where the flash didn't fully reach. Notice, also, how details (eg. the colour saturation of the red blouse) nearer to the flash become "washed-out" due to the higher level of illumination. Further study reveals that the attractive reflections in the mirror of the green trees outside have all but vanished in this flash-blitzed image. Which of these two shots do you prefer? It's your call, though sometimes everything is - of necessity - a compromise. Fujicolor Press 1,600 at ISO 1,600

Image 13 Photographer Perched on His Parapet.  Since the vast majority of pictures taken on planet earth are from human eye level, your work will immediately stand out/ look different if taken from any other height! Fujicolor Press 1,600 at ISO 1,600

Image 14 Panel Discussion - A Lighter Moment.  Strive to capture those elusive moments of spontaneous, expressive, positive human interactions. Fujicolor Press 1,600 at ISO 1,600

Image 15 Look, Mum: No Flash!  A delicate balance between ambient light and that emanating from the projection screen. Thankfully, colour neg. film has more exposure latitude than slide film. A situation where you definitely wouldn't want to use flash! Fujicolor Press 1,600 at ISO 1,600

Image 16 TV Monitor (Role Play, Captured on Video).  A shutter speed of 1/ 30s or less is mandatory to avoid the horizontal retrace lines on the screen being visible in your pictures. You'll be glad you brought your normal lens (50mm in the 35mm format) for such low-light work, due to its speed. Fujicolor NHG II 800 at EI 1,600

Image 17 Lunchtime!  Very warm colour temperature resulting from the halogen downlights. Congruent with the prevailing mood ie. yummy food, good times, etc. Fujicolor NHG II 800 at EI 1,600

Image 18 An "Eye" for Detail.   I waited to fire the shutter until the presenter's actions were "in-sync" with the projected image. Tripod-assisted; cable release poised in hand. Fujicolor NHG II 800 at EI 1,600

Image 19 The Old Opthamologists's Wisdom.  One of the more humorous moments... again, you need to be ready ahead of time. Tripod. Fujicolor NHG II 800 at EI 1,600

Image 20 A Pre-visualised Shot.  Having studied the program well in advance, I had the luxury of planning this one, though I had to (impatiently) wait till near the end of the final day of the convention. To accentuate the ox eye as the subject, I used my 100mm macro lens at maximum aperture and moved in close to restrict the DOF. Flash bounced off (white) ceiling, to give diffuse, even illumination. Keeping precise focus was tricky, as the surgeon kept moving around during his presentation. My personal favourite out of 10 rolls of film over 3 days. Fujicolor NHG II 800 at EI 1,600

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