Although photographers are
in general a friendly bunch, we all want the best pic for our clients so there
is always a little bit of rivalry at big events.
But that doesn’t mean we tread
on each other’s toes or don’t support each other. For instance I was recently
contacted by a Newcastle press and commercial photographer who was stuck in
traffic on the A1, and asked me if I could get over to do some PR photography in Middlesbrough and generate some ‘same day turnaround’ press photography for the following day’s Middlesbrough, Yorkshire and Newcastle newspapers.
Helping each other out is all
part of a day’s work, and in those instances it’s a case of get the brief, get
there, and get the job done. On jobs like these I would never want to tread on
anyone’s toes by handing out my Dave Charnley Photography business card, as far
as the client is concerned I’m just Dave.
We have to react equally
quickly on a client job too. I’d say around 5% of my photography jobs involve an odd extra
shot that was not on the brief, but it’s usually no problem. It often arises
when a senior person has asked the in-house PR account manager to get a few
shots of X,Y an Z. In those circumstances, it’s a case of if I have the time
and it will save them a separate re-shoot I’m happy to help out. A board
director might only have ten minutes to spares, so it’s important to be
flexible and work fast.
Some photography commissions are a mix of product, lifestyle and portrait shots, destined for use in marketing material, on the web and in advertising. I like to create a variety of shots
for the client so they build up a photo library they can put to a range of
uses. For instance if they are commenting in the press about an incident or some
low profit warnings they need a shot of the Managing Director looking sombre,
while a news story about the business supporting a local childrens’ charity
needs an altogether more cheery shot of him.
Some clients plan well in
advance, and as I write this blog in June I already have some Newcastle, Sunderland and Stockton commercial photography shoots booked in for October. But the PR, marketing and advertising photography world moves at a fast pace, and I can routinely get a call from a
client asking if I can do a shoot starting at 7.30am the following day, and
going on until dusk.
A younger photographer might
be stressed by the pressure, but to those of us with 25 years of press and commercial photography under our belts, it’s no problem. My days as a Middlesbrough pressphotographer working for newspapers turning out four editions a day gave me a
good grounding.
Running my own photography
business means being more than just a good photographer, I have to be good at
the behind the scenes work too, such as studio work, admin, accounts and
marketing. It’s about striking the happy medium between day-long photoshoots
and the luxury of time spent back in my photography studio in Stockton.
Even when days are
incredibly fast-paced and stressful, I still wouldn’t swap places with anyone.
I’m lucky to have an
incredible variety of jobs in my diary, ranging from PR photography and product shots to sports and royal events, and as a north east freelance photographer it’s a case
of ‘access all areas’. It’s a real privilege to work for some great clients and
to see my photos used on the front page of newspapers such as the Journal, the
Middlesbrough Evening Gazette, the Yorkshire Post and online.
I honestly can’t think of any other job
I’d rather be doing.
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