Photo Shoot of Habitat Pieces

Had a great day Monday going to a photo shoot.  I was having the all the pieces of the Habitat Work photographed. I wanted to have professional photography of the work so that I can use them for publicity purposes along with good documentation of what I did. The weather was beautiful!  One of the nicest days we have had for a looooooooooong time.

Photo shoots are interesting.  They take the coming together of several factors. The photographer has prep work to do in setting up his studio for the type of work he is going to shoot.  He must think about, to name a few, where the items will be placed or hung, what type of background will they need, what lighting needs to be set up, and of course all the paper work concerning agreements, fees, and licensing.

On the artist's side, all pieces must be ready for the camera.  I always take along things like an iron to get rid of creases that may have happened during transit, pins or clips in case things need to be fastened or hidden, and a lint remover to get rid of all those unwanted white specks that always show up in the camera lens!

Communication between the photographer and artist is critical. How are these photos going to be used?  Are they for printed material, publicity, craft show jurying, or just personal use?  Do you want full shots, close-ups, or both?  If a model to used there are a whole other set of considerations. I talked briefly about this in an earlier post http://studiojottings.blogspot.com/2010/04/photo-shoot.html.  All these factors make a difference in how the pieces will be shot.

I can't emphasis communication with the photographer enough! If communication between you and the photographer is not a two way street you may be disappointed in your results.  Take the time even in the middle of the shoot to make sure the photos are what you want.  Work with the photographer's limitations but also make sure that you are getting the shots you need.

OK, the fun part is watching how this all takes place.  It is a dance between photographer, work being photographed, model if present, and you.  Have fun at it! 

I took a few pictures of the photo shoot at Ritterbin Photography in Boston. Mike Ritter is the photographer.

If you are looking for a photographer, I highly recommend Mike.  Check out his website at http://www.ritterbin.com/.  I always enjoy working with Mike.  He brings a lot of his creativity to the table.  Thanks Mike.  I'm looking forward to getting the CD of the photo shoot.