Assigned by a national magazine for a photograph of a local entrepreneur, you have two weeks to put together something cool.
This photo will run as either a full page lead to a story or a cover. That will be an 8.5 x 11 size. You may shoot to layout if you wish or simply shoot the images making sure that the intended layout will fit.
You may shoot directly to the layout (download it here in PSD format)
However, it is optional for this assignment.
These are the assignment particulars:
Vertical Image
8.5×11 ratio.
Watch for the placement of the “Title”
Use “Forbes”, “Inc”, and “Business 2.0″ for stylistic suggestions.
Assignment:
A local entrepreneur has just been nominated by a national conference as the number one leader in his/her industry… a new and upcoming industry. The magazine needs an image that shows the person in either an environment that shows their working area, or how his/her business/industry effects _____ (environment, people, energy, people or technology).
You must deliver:
2 photographs, the entrepreneur’s business description (faux, of course) and a paragraph that explains what the entrepreneur has done within their industry. They will both be vertical. One close up in environment, and one in a more expansive shot with more environment. We also would like to see your shoot planning docs, any sketches you are working with or have done for this image, and a lighting explanation.
Here is a page of images tagged “editorial portraits” – and it is an interesting set of images for sure.
Photographing an entrepreneur is sometimes a challenge of personalities, time and logisitics. They are, by nature, usually not very patient. They are busy, and they want to keep working on their thing… not take time for the side-stuff… You (photographer) are often the ‘side stuff’ and it can be quite an adventure to deal with someone who is of a single mindest while keeping the client happy as well. Don’t be surprised if that 30 minutes you were given to make the shot turns into 8 minutes… with no warning.
Logistics means you will probably have to scout a location and pack the lights that make sense to you for your image, time and environment for the shot. Having the ability to make some choices in advance is a welcome situation that is not always available.
Assign your narrative and carry it through. Work with the lights you know. Share with us your plans and we will jump in and offer suggestions at the Flickr page. Plan the shoot carefully.
When a photographer gets an assignment like this it is important to find out as much as you can about the subject. I want to know what the industry is about, and how the subject got started and what others think about them. I do lots of research so I am not standing there saying stuff like “so what do you do here?” At least I do as much as I can to find out about what he/she has done and why I am taking a photograph of them
I also want to be able to have a conversation with them, so being aware of what they are passionate about can be the difference between having a good connection with the subject and simply taking a photo. You will find that you can get more time, and have more access when you are someone who is interested in what they are doing.
Flickr Page
Flickr Tag Image:p52-4-entrepreneur
Date Due: February 9, 2012 at showtime.
ADDED: JANUARY 24: INSPIRATION FOR YOU:
Micheal Edwards 1
Michael Edwards 2
Williams Hirakawa
Dan Winters
Gregory Heisler
Carreon
David Morris
Scott Kerline
Jared Leeds
Audio Crit for Page One.
Upload MP3s using free MP3 hosting from Tindeck.
Audio Critique for Page Two.
Upload MP3s using free MP3 hosting from Tindeck.
Enjoy.
Books at Amazon:
ooooohh.. this one oughta be fun!
Hahah…officially over my head! This should be interesting!
Shelly.
Exactly right for many of you.
It may be way over your head… that is not a problem and it is how you learn. Please take your time and work out how you want to do the shot… it will be a huge benefit to your work to give it a go.
Don,
No options with template: white background/black test?
Gary
Thanks for the catch, Gary.
I think I may have uploaded the wrong file – older.
Fixed and uploaded.
Download the good one now.
(edit) …text…
“Work with the lights you know.” Um, that is called natural lighting for me as I have no studio experience. That ok? I mean I won’t have any equipment other than my camera/tripod and maybe a reflector. I don’t have any lights other than the on-camera flash.
Smitty, if it makes you feel any better, I don’t even have a tripod. I want very much to skip this assignment, but I already came in two weeks late AND I am paying for the PRO version, so I’m going to suffer through this and have something to encourage other beginners with in five years.
Ok… gotta ask the silly question. What exactly does “shoot to layout” mean precisely? How would I go about shooting “directly to the layout using the pdf”? Sorry to throw the bus in reverse, but I’m not up on the lingo yet.
Jonathan,
If you want/need to shoot to a layout, download it and have a look. Just compose your shot and crop to fit. Then put your photo on a separate layer.
HTH
Gary
Thanks Gary… I guess I thought there was some trick to shooting “directly to layout”… like in camera or something. Got it. Thanks.
Confused. Faux description. Is the entrepreneur to be a real entrepreneur or just a model? The para explaining what they have done for their industry – faux as well?
Hi,
Yes. If you kn someone who is a real entrepreneur then do that if you can. But if not, make it up and shoot family member, buds, whoever. I will never do an assignment that you are not able to do. Faux is fine when building the book.
I think of this as a great networking opportunity. Off the top of my head I can think of nearly TEN neighbors, friends, etc, who run their own businesses who I could approach to shoot them at work, ‘in trade’ for some GOOD shots to replace their hand-held P&S on their websites / FB, etc… wondering if a release would be wise under the circumstances, or just a clear explanation of the project (not like I would sell their images to anyone else)… for ‘book’ use only, and practice
aww, Don, is PRO truly closed??! (You might want to make it a bit more obvious on the PRO page (I read it all to the bottom, searching for the Subscribe button…
I’ll mop the studio if that’ll move me up the wait list 