Thursday, 15th July, 2010 · 9:30 am
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PictureBoo – 15th July 2010

This week’s PictureBoo gives a little insight into photographing in public for an annual report.

I’ve also had a request for a longer post about shooting documentary work for corporates based on this assignment, and that will follow soon, most likely in the form of a permanent article called called “The Art of Documentary Corporate Photography” to accompany the articles on wedding photography.

Meanwhile, hit the play button or the link below the photograph to hear its story.

Centra employee helping a customer with her shopping

(c) Roger Overall 2010

CorporateBoo #3 – Musgraves

3 Comments

Filed under Corporate, PictureBoo, Podcast

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  • http://www.ronanpalliser.ie/blog/ Ronan Palliser

    Love this shot Roger.

    You mentioned in the audio that if you photographed children you asked permission and showed the parents the photograph, and also about how this type of photography is different to wedding or other corporate documentary work where people expect/accept the photographer’s presence.

    I’m curious as to how it worked out in terms of the adult customers?

    Did anyone object to being photographed? Did you need permission from anyone whose photograph was subsequently used here or in the annual report? Or were you working on the basis that people are effectively in a public place.

    Obviously if this photography was being taken on the street that clearly is the case, but I would have wondered if being in a shop was a bit more of a grey area in terms of people perhaps having a ‘reasonable expectation’ of *not* being photographed as they do their shopping in their local shop.

    Did that issue get discussed as part of your planning of the shoots with Musgraves, or indeed did it arise as you shot during the two days?

    Ronan

  • http://www.rogerverall.net Roger Overall

    That’s a great question, Ronan.

    My take on it is this. When you go into a retail environment, you are generally being filmed anyway. There are security cameras everywhere, and signs put up to tell you this. Nobody really can go into a supermarket these days and expect not to be filmed by the shop CCTV. Nor does anyone worry. At least, not those of us who have a clear conscience.

    That’s one aspect of it, but not the complete story.

    I mentioned in the audio that I didn’t hide in any way. I simple left a bit more space between me and the people I was photographing. If a customer looked at me quizzically, I’d smile and go over to them and explain what I was doing. Sometimes I would have to be in closer, in which case I asked permission and made it clear that the key person in the picture would be the staff member serving them. In quite a few photographs, the customer is photographed from behind or is out of focus.

    A friendly and open attitude gets you a very, very long way.

    I think the shops were also chosen well. The customers really did know the staff and we happy to help out, especially as we were highlighting something positive.

    I was once almost run out of a gun show in Houston when I wanted to photograph my Dad’s stand where he was displaying his antique revolvers. Guns have a negative connotation, so people were a lot less happy being associated with them – even though it was a legitimate show in a US state where gun ownership is commonplace.

    People only get uncomfortable having their photograph taken if they either don’t see why or feel it will make them look bad.

    I was photographing something positive and was able to explain that to people. Not a single customer objected to having their picture taken.

  • http://www.ronanpalliser.ie/blog/ Ronan Palliser

    That’s a great answer, Roger :-)

    I had considered the CCTV aspect, but not so much the significance of you not trying to hide what you were doing, and what you say about being friendly and open makes a lot of sense.

    At the same time I think it’s a credit to you that not one person objected to having their picture taken.

    As for photographing a gun show in Houston – rather you than me! Thanks for the (ongoing) insight into all aspects of your photography.