first gig

[Patrice]

I've been asked to photodocument the raising of a timberframe structure. This will be an all day affair. The task is to produce a visual record of the raising but also to come up with some shots that the company could use in it's marketing material.

In return for me insisting on fee, they promised me they'd have somebody else there

Should be fun.

 

[craig]

I have no idea what "In return for me insisting on fee, they promised me they'd have somebody else there" means. Maybe they are paying another photog and you are just shooting? At any rate; you will get a great series out of this one!!!

 

[mysteryscribe]

A bit of advice about documentary photography in general.

For 95% of the shots put your artsy side in the closet. Mostly they are going to want close ups of the joints. Wide shots of the beans being lifted in place. Even wider shots of the site as the building rises.

The artsy compostion should take second place to showing the product but... even then the product has to be shown in a way that isnt awkward or clumsy. It's a lot like documentary style wedding photography. you have to show what happened in an acceptable way.

Just keep in mind the end product and you should have fun with it. Unless I miss my guess it will be a long boring day with a few minute here and there of pandemonium. You should learn a lot from the experience.

 

[Patrice]

That's right, I am not accepting a fee. I recommended someone to them who can guarantee a good product. In return for being 'honest' they'll allow me access to the site.

mystercribe, thanks. Good pointers, that's exactly what I was thinking. These people are not wanting 'interpretive' imagery, they need a product that happens to be images. They will need details of joints and such, they will want to document the process and they will need compositions that allow for 'copy' on the images.

It will be a learning experience. I'm looking at it as a free education.

 

[Big Mike]

This is what I'm thinking...have a tripod set up in a good location. Every so often, take a shot from that location...kind of like a time lapse. Then shoot the details between your intervals.