Devise a themed assignment on a topic that interests you and in a field of photography with which you feel comfortable, (for example, landscape, street photography, portraiture, still life).


Client and BriefingMy client was a local newspaper called the Lyme Regis News which was owned by the Bridport News.  The paper commissioned me to provide a number of images to support a series they wanted to run called ‘Town Talk’ which would use local people who were featured when they did something exceptional.


The series would feature upward of 6-8 people over several weeks, although I would be expected to submit approximately 10-12 images, and it would require me to visit the client’s home or place of business and photograph them performing their chosen task.
My initial list of suggestions came from the newspaper and I added to it when I felt there was sufficient justification for another person to be included.
  
Planning the photographyThe newspaper gave me some ideas of the people they would like to include but it was up to me to find their contact information and make my own arrangements to photograph them at their convenience.


For those people who had email addresses that were easily obtainable, i.e., on their websites, local directories, etc., I sent an email explaining what I was doing and asking if they would like to take part?  I looked up other people in the local telephone directory or business directories to see if there was a listed phone number and just rang them.  When I explained what I was doing those people who I managed to get in touch with were only too keen to help.


In some cases I just went to a place that I knew they would be and asked them face-to-face. Again, an explanation of what I was doing was usually sufficient to gain the subject’s co-operation and in one particular case, for example, when I saw the harbour master in the harbour, he suggested times when he was doing particular jobs and invited me to be present to take more photographs.


Keeping track of appointmentsAs there would be upward of 10-12 clients I decided that I needed to be organised and I created a spreadsheet to make sure I knew exactly who had replied, the agreed dates for taking photographs and to see who had completed a simple questionnaire (see next page).


Workload Planning:

Subjects
The original photo shoot was aimed at producing pictures of several different people but for this assignment I will be concentrating on one person, i.e., the Town Mayor - Michaela Ellis, as I had to do some preparation before we were able to get together in the mayor’s parlour. I planned to photograph her putting on and wearing the mayoral robes as though she was about to take part in a formal ceremony.


In preparation, before we met, I had to check what dates the parlour was available in the afternoons.  The room faces west and would be dark and gloomy in the morning.  When I had some dates I then approached Michaela to find out when she was available and we organised a suitable time for her.  The afternoon we met in the parlour was quite a dull day with no sunlight coming in.  This was a good thing in a way as I had recently photographed a local fossil hunter in his workroom, which faced south, on a very sunny afternoon and found that the lighting on one side of his body was far too strong.  I couldn’t recover any details even when I used Photoshop / Image / Adjustments / Shadows & Highlights.