A group of Photography students were recently given the exciting opportunity to work on a paid live brief for Warwickshire County Cricket Club. The brief consisted of photographing merchandise for the club’s website, using the professional photography studios in our very own Parkside building. Students took on roles such as art direction and project management.
Students involved in the brief, Emily Green and Abbie Thomas, talked to us about the experience.
What was your role and what did it entail?
Emily: My role was project manager for the week. I oversaw all the photographers and project coordinators. This included advising and supporting the team, quality checks on the images, solving any problems and managing the shoot day schedules. It was really rewarding working on a live brief, as it gave me a taste of what it would be like in industry. I enjoyed the pressure of working within that environment and seeing the results at the end of it.
Abbie: My role for this photoshoot was to be the photographer, photographing the clothing. The brief involved photographing various clothing, accessories and merchandise items to the highest standard. Working to a live brief felt weird but also exciting as well. I was nervous to start with but after understanding what was needed to be done, I felt more comfortable with the photoshoot.
What challenges did you face during the photoshoot and how did you overcome them?
Emily: The biggest challenge I faced as project manager was the quality control of images. I had to make sure I was looking at all the images the photographers were taking, and that they were up to standard. This was difficult as there were four photographers shooting at the same time, so I had to split my time evenly. However, having attention to detail, good time management and being precise really helped me focus on the quality of the images, and the photographers soon adopted the style and quality I wanted to achieve.
Abbie: We needed to edit the tops to look as if they have been photographed on a ghost mannequin, which was quite tricky for me as I have never done that before, but I learnt how to do so quite quickly. Another challenge was the creases in the tops, which needed to be smoothed out as much as possible before being photographed.
How has your course helped you in delivering the brief?
Emily: My course has helped me by giving me the opportunity to be part of projects such as this, but it has also allowed me to explore new pathways within the photographic industry that I wasn’t necessarily aware of before.
Abbie: My course has helped me with photoshoots like this by putting on workshops which helped me to understand more about professional studio facilities and equipment, from lighting to the studio space itself.
How has this experience benefitted you?
Emily: The experience has allowed me to explore a new career path and has given me the industry experience needed to venture into this. It has also given me a better insight into fashion photography, which is an area I’m really interested in pursuing.
Photography - BA (Hons)
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