Office photos

[www.roelandebruijn.nl]

First off: I don't know whether this is the right forum, if not, please transfer this post to the right forum.

I have been asked by a friend to take photos of her office environment. She can't tell me what she wants in terms of

end result. It is for web and they rely on my photographer's eye. Flattering but scary.

What would you guys do? I have tried to find photos on the web, but most are considered too 'smooth',

too 'processed.Would like your advice on how to handle such an assignment.

Thanks in advance.

[tonmestrom]

Wie is de feitelijke opdrachtgever? Praat met ze, je moet een startpunt hebben of tenminste een idee van wat ze voor ogen hebben. Als het om een betaalde opdracht gaat zou ik er nooit op zo''n manier instappen.

 

Als het daarentegen om een vriendendienst gaat, niet doen. Hou zakelijk en prive strict gescheiden.

 

succes

[mendonphoto]

Tenminste moeten ze doeleinden hebben i.v.m. de indruk die de fotos moeten geven. Daar is je startpunt. Neem hun wensen en stel wat ideeen voor totdat jullie een overeenstemming hebben.

[lovcom_photo]

dodog adf adfg adhqeiohgeq, unt dowlkeg advnzxvckljn sdklw qkje lajdkf.

[frans_waterlander]

Pretty rude to reply in Dutch to an English post.

 

Frans Waterlander, formerly of Dutch nationality.

[gerrymorgan]

<p>

I think the biggest challenge (and opportunity!) in an office environment will be to have interesting lighting. What do you have in the way of lighting? Can you get a light off-camera? Some inspiration <a href="http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/04/on-assignment-blind-snoot-portrait.html">here</a> perhaps?

</p>

<p>

You could get a couple of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vivitar-285HV-Auto-Professional-Flash/dp/B00004TVSP/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1214446159&sr=8-1">inexpensive flashes</a>. You could buy some remote triggers to fire them with (<a href="http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=16766">cheap ones</a>, if you're not expected to be equipped as a professional), to fire the flashes with. You'd have to use the flash in manual mode to do this. Or you could use a long cable to fire one off-camera flash (with TTL metering if you use the proprietary cable of your camera manufacturer).

</p>

<p>

Or you could find a window that does not have the sun streaming directly into it and use that as the main light, perhaps with single flash to spice things up a bit, or as fill light.

</p>

[www.roelandebruijn.nl]

Thanks to the link to Strobist. I was thinking along those lines as well. Problem is, they don't want anybody to be visible/recognizable in the pictures. So that's an issue.

I have a SB800, so off camera flash is no problem.

I am right now thinking along the lines of taking my tripod, dimming the lights, shoot @f13 and 1/2 second. And then letting someone move past real fast. Suggesting action, and still showing no recognizable persons.

What do you think: cheesy or ok?

 

Thanks in advance for the replies.

[gerrymorgan]

A blur could look OK if you can find a good background somewhere in the office. You could have a scene with several people in it, one writing, another opening a file cabinet, another drawing on a white board, and they could all move at the moment when you start your half-second exposure. Another option would be an unrecognizable silhouette of a person. Or, if your friend really just wants a generic photo of people in an office rather than a photo of her particular office, there are plenty of photos on stock photography sites (such as iStockPhoto) that she could license for web use for very little money. Admittedly, that would take the fun out this project. How about a group of people sitting around a conference table with paper bags on their heads? Or, more seriously, arranging someone so that their face is obscured by an office item that they're holding (an urgent report, for example).

[www.roelandebruijn.nl]

Thanks, the last one actually sounds like it might work. Although you are probably laughing out loud. That could work. It is a serious environment, but giving it a bit of a twist might actually be the best option.

 

She does not want a generic photo of people in a office. She wants a photo of the office. I just want to add some lightness in a otherwise very, very bland picture.

 

So thanks for your advice.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

I'd do something along the lines of Friedlander's "At Work."

[gerrymorgan]

Good luck with your shoot, Roeland. Do let us all know how it goes if you have a spare moment afterwards.

[www.roelandebruijn.nl]

Still working on the pp, but on the whole not dissatisfied with end result. Will post one or 2 when finished. Thanks for the input.