Asked to do a job, no obligations yet...

[Quentin_Moyer]

Before I get flamed, please note that this is NOT a last minute post that I'm making an hour before the shoot because I need a blow by blow walkthrough of what to do.
Here's the scenario:
I can probably count the number of professional, tax paying photographers in my county on one hand, and they all shoot sports and events for the local schools. The executive and senior portrait work is all ran by girls with photography "businesses"
Anyway, I have a friend who has asked me to do her senior portraits. The date of the shoot would be July 9th. She is involved with drama/theater in my high school so she is used to being around cameras and knows about makeup and dress, so I don't have to worry about that. I have about a year and a half of experience practicing photography and cinematography.
By no means do I have the best gear:
Nikon:
-D1x body (I always shoot RAW, so I get 10 megapixel images from it)
-28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G
-70-300mm f/4-5.6G
-a pair of batteries
Olympus:
-E-PL1 body
-ZD 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6
-F. Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 (oldie but goodie)
-OLD Quantaray 75-200mm f/4 with fake macro "mode"
-OLD vivitar auto thyristor flash gun
-pair of batteries
Equipment, software, and data storage:
-Vanguard Espod series tripod w/ stock panhead
-Tiltall "star-d" tripod w/ panhead
-UV filters on all lenses
-San Disk Extreme III CF cards
-PNY "pro" 8GB secure digital
-Gimp
-Corel Paintshop Pro X2

I definitely want to take the job, but before I obligate myself I want to acquire all the information I can first.
ANY input is appreciated.
Thanks, Quentin

 

[johnh2005]

1. What are her expectations? (Do you think you can meet them?)
2. Are you doing this a favor or are you getting paid? (If you are getting paid do you think you can handle a "Professional" level job?)

If you are comfortable with number 1 and number 2 then I think you are off to a really great start. I know NOTHING of your equipment. However, in reading your post I can surmise a few things. First off, you seem to have some damn decent idea of what you are doing. I can tell that because of your post alone. You have obviously been reading the forums and doing some posting (36 so far) so you are obviously not new here. Secondly, you took the time to list all of your equipment KNOWING that that was going to be needed. Since you have been practicing photography for a year and a half I am going to assume you know proper exposure, creative exposure, rule of thirds, and lighting techniques (you seem to have at least some lighting gear even if it is OLD). If you truly do know those things then I am going to guess you are just having cold feet and are looking for some reassurance.

You have a LOT going for you. The main thing is that she is in Drama. That is probably the most important thing. She is going to feel comfortable around the camera. I would suggest you sit down with her a few times and talk about what she wants or is expecting. Talk about the locations, go there with her if you have time. If you can get her to go there do a practice run or two with some quick snapshots and get some ideas of the poses she wants at the locations she wants. After you know where she wants to go, visit yourself. Go there in the morning, in the afternoon and later on in the evening. Check out the lighting. Photograph the areas without her there. Check exposures. Write down anything you note about it. Best lighting times, worse lighting times. Also, as the date approaches keep checking the weather. Have a backup plan if she wants outdoor pictures and it might be raining. If it is in/near a school or church check their calendars and make sure there is nothing else scheduled that will conflict with what you want to do.

So a little more research on here there have been a LOT of links about proper portraiture poses and stuff. Find the books at your local library, check the web for videos. I know you are probably just worried and nervous. Sit back, know what you know and don't know and try to learn what you can between now and then. You are going to be fine. Just relax!

 

[Josh66]

I am going to guess you are just having cold feet and are looking for some reassurance.

My thoughts as well.


Post a link to some of your work. You sound like you know what you're doing, but I can't really recall seeing any of your work...

 

[Patrice]

Good for you!

Now, figure out what the photo session will need.

Will you be shooting outside or in a studio? Have you selected a location if outside? What time of day will you be planning for? What will you do if it rains?

You'll be wanting to get your flash off your camera. Have you got the gear needed to support your off camera flashes and modifiers? How will you trigger your flash/flashes?

Studio will require props, backdrops, and maybe another flash or two depending on the look you are going for.

Outside will certainly require one or two reflectors and some means of supporting them. A second flash might be needed in tandem with your Vivitar if you need to overpower strong direct sunlight.


(By the way, shooting raw does not give you more resolution. You may be getting 10 mb files but you still only get 6 mpx photos. Still plenty for most applications, you just don't have a lot of wiggle room for cropping.)

Have a think through what and how you want to do things.

Don't be afraid to ask for clarifications once you've got a few things figured out.


EDIT: Some of you guys are faster than me on the keyboard!

 

[Quentin_Moyer]

Thanks so much for your reply.
I'm definitely comfortable taking the job as she is a very close friend. She did offer to pay but so far I've left that stay at an offer, for now. As for expectations, so far I know she wants natural locations (no cliché shots on train tracks or against brick walls, and nothing in a studio setting). "Natural" is easy where I'm from as it is mostly rural.
She's a very down-to-earth person whom I discuss photography with a lot and will have no problem with me explaining composition or lighting (if only the same could be said for my family).
I guess an important aspect would be how big she wants the prints to be? Consensus would probably have it that my D1X won't have enough pixels to make prints as large as 20x30, but there's a 20x30 of my brother shot on a 10mp Canon p&s on the wall in my house that looks fine unless you scrutinize it very closely.
I certainly have enough time to read up and get better educated, so time is on my side.
Thanks again for your posts.
EDIT:
A few responses came in while I was typing, I'm unable to post any of my work now as I'm on an iPod using wifi away from home. If you see the Volkswagen post in the Beyond the Basics forum, the link to my flickr stream is there, as mediocre as it may be.

 

[johnh2005]

If you are worried about the pixel count maybe you should look into renting a body that will support the stuff you already have? Is that even possible? If so, have her pay for the rental as the payment/partial payment of the shoot. A newer body would go well with higher pixel count and maybe better low light situations. If you do choose that route do it now and find out what you can rent. Then go to the nearest store that has that body and spend a few hours playing with it lol! Learn it as best as you can. Then rent it for a three or four day (even 7 day) period where the last day falls on the day AFTER (or two days) your scheduled shoot. That will be the "just in case" oh **** weather happens. The days before will be practice time for you. Barring that just let her know your limitations as far as pixel count and possible size limitations of the prints.

Post some of your work please. Portraits if at all possible. Maybe then someone can C&C them and give you some pointers from there.

 

[johnh2005]

Oh and depending on your budget, go hit up the local hobby store or Wal-Mart and buy some white foam boards. Paint one a nice light grey. In a pinch you and her can have some friends hold them for reflectors and/or shades. They are cheap and easy for fill lighting. I used a couple of boogey boards. hahahha You can even take some colored sheets and use them for some interesting backdrops/shades/diffusers. Just some ideas.

 

[Quentin_Moyer]

http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/quentinmoyer/5849206789
Here is a URL to a candid portrait of an SS re-enactor at a WWII event. I know it's pretty mad-saturated, but as for posting work this is the best I can do right now.

If it doesn't work, I started a thread in Beyond the Basics that links to my photostream.
It sucks having no BB code.

 

[Josh66]

OK, I got to your photostream from that link you just posted...

Flickr: Quentin Moyer's Photostream

Still looking... Just thought I would post it in case anybody else wanted to check it out.

 

[Josh66]

That looks like a pretty cool WWII re-enactment, BTW...

 

[Quentin_Moyer]

Thanks for the conformation, I was worried that it wouldn't work.
Keep in mind- the WWII shots are all a set. Some of them aren't as strong on their own but they reinforce the entire set. (some are obviously less sharp/distorted, they were shot on Nikon's crummiest G lens, fully racked, wide open.
EDIT: Very cool, the world's only airworthy B-29 flew in this year.

 

[Josh66]

OK - So ... you don't have a whole lot there to look at (but what is there is not bad). Not much in the way of portraits...

You seem to have a good grasp on exposure and composition (judging from a very limited exposure to your work).

I think you can handle some senior pictures, provided you compose them the way she wants. You said the girl you're going to be taking the pictures for has theater experience and knows about posing and all that - so that should help. That's really the biggest thing I would worry about - posing. That, and the location.

Don't forget to rotate your camera into portrait orientation every now and then.

...Only one picture in your photostream was in portrait orientation.

 

[Quentin_Moyer]

Thanks a ton for your input, and yes, since joining this forum I have learned to lose the horizontalitis (I'm an idiot for taking so long, my D1x has a friggin' grip built in).

 

[pgriz]

Thanks a ton for your input, and yes, since joining this forum I have learned to lose the horizontalitis (I'm an idiot for taking so long, my D1x has a friggin' grip built in).

Not an idiot, just that habits are... habits. Take conscious effort to change.

 

[HurtNoMore]

Easiest way to do an outdoor portrait. Find some shade and then use a reflector, close to one side, to bounce some indirect light at the subject to bring out some more contrast.

Shoot using your 70-300mm f/4-5.6G at around 100mm to avoid any distortion. Shoot wide open(aperture) and set the focus on the subject's closest eye.