Great piece on how you can sabotage yourself by assuming stuff about a job:

[Chris Santucci]

Why the Official Pictures of US Olympic Athletes Sucked So Much

I've had a few similar experiences where even when I asked for specifics, didn't get any, and then showed up on the job and found out that the client's expectations were wholly unrealistic - thereby shafting myself in the process.

Don't let it happen to you.

[Grug]

God, what a nightmare situation. I feel for the guy.

Even so, I'm kinda shocked he didn't at least shoot the pictures to a cleanish backdrop (heck even a plain wall will do) in order to be able to photoshop the bejesus out of them after the fact.

I'd have run back to the car, got the windshield reflectors out and put them on the fill side of the subjects to bounce back the single source strobe for a slightly more evenly lit result. But if you've got no props, no studio, no lights, no nothing - for god's sake shoot for the photoshop!

[morgan_moore]

.. photoshop the bejesus out of them after the fact

Remember Getty (editiorial) and AFP are news agencies.. they have a 'no significant photoshop' policy and have fired staff for image manipulation.

They are allowed Levels but thats about it

It comes from the concept that manipulation of 'news' images is 'unethical'

Also these chaps when working in cities often use the subway/taxi or a scooter/motorbike because you cant get around fast enough in a car, they mainly work from a single rucksack with maybe some have a 12inch lastolight, but thats it

A 16-35 a mid, a 70-200 two bodies and a flash.. if you need a reflector you get someone to hold a newspaper and bounce the flash off that

Off topic but funny to me (now).. never hitch a ride with an AFP staffer to the airport on their bike - its fast, but very scary

S

[Grug]

Remember Getty (editiorial) and AFP are news agencies.. they have a 'no significant photoshop' policy and have fired staff for image manipulation.

They are allowed Levels but thats about it

It comes from the concept that manipulation of 'news' images is 'unethical'

Fair point, though for these sorts of promotional portraits, I'd have at least called up my editor and pleaded to be able to. God knows I've done enough 'event' coverage at sports presentation/media events to find that particular situation terrifying (thinking you're doing press headshots rather than formal portraits).

It's the sort of shoot you'd take the motorbike to (for ease of parking), and a barebones zoom-lens kit in a single backpack.

[morgan_moore]

Its the editors, editors boss

Id have covered in journalistically, and photographed the other photographers doing their thing and tried to wock off a few frames with a tele with the athletes looking at me

"olympic athletes at a promotional photo session today" - I think his error was to step outside of the journalistic box, he forgot he was a news photographer covering some non news and got tied up by the PR machine

Bottom line the communication broke down well before the photographer got to the location, he would never be setting jobs up, just working off a diary

S