Landed a job.

shrimperblue

shrimperblue

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Dave
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Hi all,

I just got my first job!

I have been asked to spend a day taking photos of newly built indoor swimming pools in big wealthy homes for a companies 2008/9 brochure.

I have got an Canon 18-55 kit lens and also the 70-200mm f4 L USM is en-route.

I have a polar filter etc.

Can anyone offer me any tips shooting indoors with swimming pool lighting?

SB
 
i'm not sure if an 18-55mm will give you a wide enough angle for some pools. might be worth looking at getting a wide angle lens. will make the rooms and pools look bigger than they are aswell which would help future sales for the brochure (and get you more work)

Good luck with it.
 
SB, it sounds to me that you are completely unprepared for this task. I know this because it sounds a lot like my first job and I know I was. ;)

You'll most likely get some folks on here saying turn that dial thisaway, twist that ring the other, press this button etc but going out shooting for £££'s isn't about ordering off the set menu.

You need to take stock of each image as it comes up and shoot the best solution for the brief. The most important thing is to have visualised the final shot before going anywhere near the camera. All the stuff you lean is just about getting that vision to the client.
 
18 is quite wide depending on what crop your camera is.. eg 17 on my 1.3 crop body is wide enough for indoors. but suffers a bit on my 1.6. I am presuming the lighting will be good with all glass roofs but if your totally indoors you might struggle on that score.
 
congrats
I would consider getting something wider
or getting a full-frame body

lighting will be fun during the day
after dark will be even more "interesting"

do you know anyone who has a pool so you can have a play, sorry practise?
 
I use a Tokina 12-24 and it is as sharp as, you will need a lens in the 10-12 range I would say and a decent tripod to use a longer exposure. How did you go about getting the job?
 
shrimperblue said:
hmm. So I may have to hire a 28mm or something then.
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correction...sorry I forgot the 12-28mm or 12-24mm etc.

I know where you are coming from. I always visualise my photos first. As have requested last years brochure to get an idea of what the client wants too.

I wouldnt do this if I didnt think I couldnt. Plus it will be great experience and help the portfolio. I just want to provide a good service and quality of work.

I may invest in a wide angle lens as I have been toying with the idea for a while anyway.

I got the job as I play football with a very large supplier of swimming pool supplies and this company is one of their largest customers. I met with the director, showed him some of my work, was honest with him about my level of photography and built a good repour.

SB
 
Asking for last years brochure was a good idea, it gives you an idea of what they want, and can analyse the photos for a particular recurring style and things like props and so on.

If you know a contact personally, request a practise shoot if someone has a swimming pool. I'd go for a 10mm-20/22 as they may not be much room on the poolside to play with, especially if its an indoor pool.

Making sure you have a stepladder and possbly some means of clamping your tripod or camera to the stepladder as many ladders do not go high enough.

Lighting - you're selling some studio flash heads - I'd reconsider this if I were you. You may need some extra light...
 
shrimperblue said:
I wouldnt do this if I didnt think I couldnt.
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I think your half way there with that line alone... confidence will get you through most things.. Knowing you can do it.. then any problems you know enough to work around them and get the best out of it..

Good luck with it.. when is it and will you be telling us what happened? :) nosey gits us tha knows :)
 
Tread with care! Companies who sell properties - particularly very expensive ones, know what standard of photography they require, and they can be incredibly critical of camera angles and any distortion.

I'm not saying don't do it but be aware this is no easy undertaking and you could find yourself doing these shots over and over before they're satisfied.
 
Sounds like a challange I have no advice to offer just my support :thumbs:
 
:bang:
CT said:
Tread with care! Companies who sell properties - particularly very expensive ones, know what standard of photography they require, and they can be incredibly critical of camera angles and any distortion.

I'm not saying don't do it but be aware this is no easy undertaking and you could find yourself doing these shots over and over before they're satisfied.
Click to expand...

We are going through the house buying thing (yet again, long story, :bang:) I have seen some pretty crap "work" in some brochures of what claim to be "excutive style" properties.
(I drive the Mrs mad with the likes of " nice pictures, shame about the blown highlights :D) sorry I digress
 
Cobra said:
:bang:

We are going through the house buying thing (yet again, long story, :bang:) I have seen some pretty crap "work" in some brochures of what claim to be "excutive style" properties.
(I drive the Mrs mad with the likes of " nice pictures, shame about the blown highlights :D) sorry I digress
Click to expand...

LOL There's plenty of those shots about - we've all seen 'em - where the guy from the estate agents has nipped round with his compact. :D
 
Pleased to here the news – Well done
Something like a 10-20mm would certainly be a very useful lens for the job and borrowing or hiring one is the way to go. If you can’t completely cover the required area, think about shooting on a tripod and covering the pool area in 3 shots, centre then left (with overlap), and right (with overlap). Shoot with exposure set to manual, then stitch images together and sort distortion in photoshop. For maximum quality shoot in RAW, bracket your exposures and then use layers with masks to extract the best from each shot.
Sam-D
 
thanks for all your kind support and advice.

Just to clarify....This is a photo shoot for the swimming pool company that have built the indoor swimming pool and not to sell the houses :)

I like the idea about the step ladder, and I will be hiring a 10-20mm probably, or check for a decent priced 2nd hand one.


SB
 
shrimperblue said:
...
I like the idea about the step ladder, and I will be hiring a 10-20mm probably, or check for a decent priced 2nd hand one.
Click to expand...

nah you'll need a bigger ladder than that :coat:
 
You should bare in mind that if you get up a ladder and point a 10, or even 20mm lens for that matter, down at the scene you will get some really dramatic distortion.

Sometimes this can be good thing and you can use it to your advantage but one thing that seldom looks good running downhill in the frame is a swimming pool.
 
Well done on getting the job, sounds like it will be good.

I agree with what the others have said about a wide angle lens.

Also if you can, take a laptop with you and check you shots while your their, just to make sure you have the shot you want.

Good luck :)
 
dazzajl said:
You should bare in mind that if you get up a ladder and point a 10, or even 20mm lens for that matter, down at the scene you will get some really dramatic distortion.

Sometimes this can be good thing and you can use it to your advantage but one thing that seldom looks good running downhill in the frame is a swimming pool.
Click to expand...

I was pondering the same thing....entering a wide TS-E realm with this idea.

Bob
 
Shrimperblue, you can never have enough light. Even if you have to build into your pricing the cost of hiring two 580EX flash heads, it'll be worth it to do wireless indoors. You can never have enough light when working indoors because there will always be some part of the image that looks darker than the rest.

My advice: do a rental on a decent super-wide zoom (Canon 10-22 or Sigma 10-20), get as much lighting power as you can and shoot, shoot, shoot until you believe you have the right shot and your trigger finger bleeds... and then shoot some more to cover your arse!! :)

The lower profit margin from renting kit will repay itself though better images and you'll create more interest from potential clients with amazing shots.

The other thing – confidence is key. The client obviously can't take pics themselves otherwise they'd not be hiring you, so stay calm, think ahead of yourself and don't let the client bully you into doing things you don' think will work.

Well done on getting your first comission. As Yazz sang, "the only way is up..." :)
 
cheers all,

Special manThanks! I am getting the credit in the brochure and also my business cards will be in the clients reception.

SB
 
There a couple of other things to consider (IMHO)

1) Try to really understand what the client is looking for - if they were really happy with the photos from last year they would use the same guy....
Use the photos from last year to find what they really think and want

2) Do you have insurance? Now may be a good time to get some - 3rd party and indemnity, as well as damage to the kit - can your camera swim?

3) Following on from 2) - you need to think very carefully if you use mains powered flash near a swimming pool

4)white balance - yes you can correct after but why not it get it as close as possible when taking the shots - time to get used to custom white balance...

5) The swimming pool environment is very humid - be prepared - use plastic bags on your kit when you leave the pool (should stop condensation forming on the camera and lens - t should form on the sealed bag)

Good luck – keep us all posted on the results
 
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