Alan Benson

A couple weeks ago Georgia and Nathan went to Poachers Pantry, Murrumbateman on a FREEZING Wednesday afternoon. (Tina and Teri went Thursday). We started off the first 20 mins or so watching Alan work his magic on a plate of canapes. I was honored to work as his reflector assistant twice that day. First I held his gold reflector whilst the 2 shivering models tried to enjoy some food outside. The gold reflector added warmth and a glow to the model's faces, and emphasized the food on the plate. I then got to hold a diffuser reflector whilst the model was on the ground serving a plate of dips and canapes. This actually in my opinion gave me wind/frost burn on one of my fingers, and i couldn't feel anything with it for 2 days. However I did a good job apparently, and Alan got the shots he needed.

I then proceeded to help Nathan and Georgia inside who were taking stock photographs on a white background for web and pamphlet advertisement to deep etching.

They kept bringing out items for us to photograph, which i was actually reluctant to do as i was there to watch Alan. In between items we took 10 mins or so to see how Alan progresses his shots.

His photographs were taken step by step. The food on its' own, and then positioning props around the plate. His lighting techniques were quite easy, but i probably wouldn't have thought about doing some of his techniques. One shot which did stand out in particular was the pizza shot. The dish was lit through a glass block, and speedlites, the glass dispersed the flash with a warm glow, very much like window light through blinds.

So some equipment Alan took with him was a MacBook, tethered.

Lightroom was his preferred cataloging and tethering software.

85mm tilt shift lens

70-200mm nikon lens.

D3 Nikon Body.

prefers available light even when shooting outdoors, not even speedlites.

Black Diffusers,

White reflectors

Transparent diffusers

Loves Square cropping when deciding his final set of photographs.

When shooting outside, be on aperture priority on 2.8

Speedlites

Poachers provided wooden boards for texture and colour for the food.

Gavin Blue

Gavin Blue

submits estimates in writing.

book-keeping/accounting

communications

repairs & insurance

45 weeks per year

3 days per week = 1080 hours = $88 per hour

Does not give single price for work.

-itemized by time.

not afraid to say no

worked with

-NAB

-Dan Murphy's

-Tiffany's

-Womans Weekly

-TAB

Do not be vague with description of what's included.

No verbal quotes.

Charging for equipment in quote.

"Digital Capture"

Digital Capture Processing - Post Production $150 per hour

Leave the client with the experience of value.

Seperate hiring of other professionals price for advertising usage.

Hourly rate can be calculated by the fact you can't work for anyone else in that day.

$250 per day for assistants, $180 graduates assistant

-takes care of equipment

-ask questions anticipate work

Terms of Trade

-Cancellation

-Variation of Job

-advances on invoices even new clients, or 35% upfront charge.

-Create a rates card

-Probable usages and costs

1 day = $1800

1/2 day = $1000

minimum call out 2hours = $500

digital capture per day = $150-500

post production = $120 per hour

digital retouching = $120 per hour

freelance assistant = $250-300 per day

location search 1 day = $1000

location search 1/2 day = $500

GST is added

Base usage agreement

-12 months

-advertising

Base usage agreement

-24 months

-corporate

Loves Truck photography.

worked with

-Andrew Craig & Stuart Crossett

Speedlites:

Fast/light/in-obtrusive/highspeed/no leads/cheaper/sync.

infra-red/line of sight needed to work

no radio slave

commander unit only 1 stop incraments

no modelling lights.

Charity work, - ACOCP (still births)

Michelle Aboud

Michelle Aboud - Advertising/editorial/fashion Photographer

-Focusing on colour, texture, design, composition, visual arts within her photography.

-Loves using wide angeled lenses.

-Works collaboratively with the art director before and during a shoot.

-Tries to "pre-visualise" her photographs before the shoot takes place.

-When merging photographs, highly consider shadows.

-Read an image left to right is a key piece in composition.

-Loves using Strip lighting/large soft boxes - Soft lighting with flash.

-Feeling the light can be much more affective than thinking about the light. How the direction goes, the textures it can have. Desaturation in post-pro is much desired.

-Her images look so HDR, and 3D.

-She enjoys being creative with her images, on shoot and pre-shoot.

-While shooting an editorial, she likes to portray the characters of the models/alternatively giving the models a suitable character which suits that particular client/brand.

-She does not retouch her own photographs but does edit to a certain degree.

-She has a really good relationship with her retouchers 10-15years.

-Within a fashion shoot she creates movement with the models, keep it consistent and not rigid.

-Evolving photographs through editing processes - double exposures.

-Must capture the "essence" of the model. If necessary direct the model if she is not doing what you want her to. May need to take her out of comfort zone.

-Loves referencing her photographs from films, especially from America/NY/LA, Europe and from the 70's era.

-The more viewing and reading, the more referencing and creativity can be done and available.

-One inspirational photographer, Jean Loupsieff - French photographer from the 60's. Loved using wide angled 35mm.

-Self Criticism never gets you anywhere.

www.micheleaboud.com/