The Photographer


The Role of the Photographer

The role of the photographer is to record the still images that are required for the production of a product. A brief should be prepared from the product specification by the project manager or interactive designer. The photographer may be called on to photograph a wide range of subjects, from human subjects posed or captured in action during an event, to places such as landscapes, buildings, interiors, to objects such as documents or personal or cultural artefacts. Some location scouting and background research may need to be done by the photographer in the course of a project. The production assistant and researcher may need to work with the photographer In setting up shoots. In addition to cameras, lenses, flashes, film and batteries, the photographer will need specialist equipment such as spot lighting, screens, backgrounds, and copystands. The photographer is responsible also for film development and should discuss with either the artistic director and interactive designer the quality of images. The photographer may also be required to provide images for use in the production of any support, packaging and publicity materials. The photographer may also be involved in the process of image convertion to digital format, either in scanning, image grabbing from rostrum camera or in arranging with an outside service for PhotoCDs to be produced.

Personal Skills and Qualities of the Photographer

The photographer should have experience in shooting a wide range of subject matter in different settings and conditions. They should be familiar with current practices and trends in digital photography. They should be familiar, also, with professional image editing and processing software such as Adobe Photoshop, whether or not they will actually be using such software in the course of the project. As recommended in Apple Computer (1994), p.25, the photographer "should also be able to get along and communicate with all kinds of subjects, from children to celebrities." Specialist skills and equipment will be required for natural history or other scientifc photography.

Guidelines

In framing shots, the photographer needs to take into account that their photographs will usually have to suit a display screen which has an aspect ratio of 3x4. This means that they should always think first about photographing their subject in landscape mode rather than portrait. In addition, they should be sensitive to the fact that 3X4 is not the aspect ratio of 35mm film, so if their images are to appear full-screen, then approximately one-ninth of the image will be cropped off the width when displayed.

The project manager should discuss with the photographer the scheduling of shoots. It may be, for instance, that an outdoor shoot must take place at a particular time of the year. This may affect the production schedule.

It is the author's understanding that, in the UK, permission is not usually required by the photographer to use a photograph they have made of a human subject for whatever purpose in the UK. This is not true in all countries. This point should be checked by a legal advisor.

If a photograph contains trademark or copyright protected materials which are central to the subject of the photograph rather than incidental, then advise should be sought as to whether the photograph infringes copyright.