I had an induction into the Photography Studios on Wednesday 6th March. We went through health and safety guidelines, rules for the studios and an overview of the essential equipment. Now that I’ve been inducted I can book out a session in one of the studios to take the photos and videos I need for the sequential and static elements of the briefs.
Formats: An important thing to consider before shooting these photos/ videos was what format I wanted the final outcomes to be. I want my sequential piece to be a video for Instagram. I will create my video in the dimensions of an Instagram reel so that it looks the best when posted. Also this format can nicely be posted onto YouTube shorts and TikTok but its style will be targeted to Instagram. The dimensions are listed below:
1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall
Aspect ratio 9:16
The poster will primarily be designed in A4, I may design some at bigger sizes such as A3 and A2. This is a standard paper size so would be ideal for printing in bulk and putting around Camden and the venue for physical promotion. I plan to make a variety of designs in both portrait and landscape. With these formats decided I will be able to better plan my photos to fit the required dimensions and orientations.
Planning: below is my planning of the visuals for the video and the photo shoot. Planning this in details before allows me to better utilise my limited time in the studio to get all the shots I wanted. The plan contains information about the videos format and audio. It also has ideas of what specific shots I wanted to achieve and a detailed equipment list. All the props and equipment was either mine or I bought specifically for the shoot. I did borrow a camera, tripod and a range of lighting options from the University.
Photos – photography studio:
Videos:
Reflection: I really enjoyed my session in the photography studio. I learnt a lot of technical things about how to properly operate the camera and lighting to achieve different shots. I have lots of photos and videos that I can work from. I will use some of the photos for the photos and a combination of both for the video and interactive design. I’ve got a nice mix of portrait and landscape shots. I’ve also got a range of normal shots as some detailed close ups. With the accessories, colours and props I’m already starting to see the visual identity coming through. However, my issue with the raw shots is that they are still too similar to what is being posted on social media. Some of the photos as they are seem too predictable and played out so the way I edit the photos will be really important in making my work unique and recognisable.
Samuel Green Illustration 