Photographer

A photographer takes the still photographs that a media product needs. Their images might be the main content, such as band portraits for an album cover, or one part of a larger design, such as pictures of classrooms in a school prospectus.

Planning and taking the shots

Before the shoot the photographer plans it: which shots are required, where they will be taken, who or what will appear, and how long the session needs. On the day they select the equipment – the camera and lens that suit the job – and decide the composition, meaning where the subject sits in the frame and from what angle, and the lighting, whether that is a studio lamp, a reflector or daylight through a window. These choices are made in advance because each image has to fit the space planned for it. A portrait framed too loosely, for instance, cannot fill the cover it was taken for, so the shot must be set up again and the whole session runs late.

Where the role sits

The photography itself is carried out in production, and any editing comes afterwards in post-production.

Getting permission

The photographer must obtain permission before photographing people or private property, such as a family home or the inside of a shop. Without that agreement the image cannot safely be published, and the product could have to be withdrawn or the publisher could face a legal complaint. For a photo of a junior player on a sports club poster, this means getting a parent’s written agreement first.