"Pixel Pot" Do your home work.

This installment of "humble me" is about pre-visualisation and planning. A cautionary story about getting your ducks in a row. The above photo is one of many that Wayne Eastep took for Nautica. At the time Nautica was unknown and the company wanted images that would set the tone and lifestyle of the clothing line it was about to launch.

Now don't forget I am working away (as an intern) cataloging whats seems to be a mizzillion images. Musing on my own work I mention my "sorry ass" set of images that I took for the rowing race. Wayne hones in on my statement like an F4 Phantom Interceptor. Here in lies the beauty of my intern experience. Not only is Wayne an excellent photographer but also an excellent teacher. So I am stopped in my tracks for an impromptu lesson.

Wayne opens up his website and proceeds to the Nautical images. He starts off explaining the meeting with the art director and the clothing designer. The launching of a media champaign is a really big deal it can instantly make or break a company or product. It would be pointless to innumerate what is hanging in the balance. The designer brought along samples of the clothing and some drawings for them to look over. So with little more then these fragments the agency and photographer were ask to make it happen. Wayne requested period of time to develop his ideas.

Wayne's first step was to purchased a ticket to the Virgin Islands to began his process of pre-visualisation and planning. Step 1 locations; Location to define image; where do "Nautica" wearers hang? A private villa, an exotic local market, a secluded beach, and a private yacht were all scouted and used. In choosing location consideration to time of day requires several visits to determine lighting. Step 2 agreements and releases; It is imperative that all legalities be agreed upon and signed before commencement of the shoot. Vendors in the market were enlisted as paid models with signed agreements. All properties that were selected as potential had to signed off with permissions granted and notification of insurance coverages. Step 3 consideration of props;  careful staging often requires props to be located, rented or purchased. For example, in the photo above, the sail boat and captain were hired to tack back and forth via commands given by two way radio. The sail boat is a prop and one that is extremely effective. Put the radios on your list of equiptment, it will save foot steps or a swim. Moving foward, they're Models to hire, accommodations to rent, assistants to move furniture, buy flowers, find a ladder and do make up. Questions of equipment; mental preplanning of each location will determine equipment required, it is unlikely the local hardware with have a flash tube. Shipping is expensive and when working internationally customs can hold your stuff so arrangements are made for international pre-approval. The ducks are lining up, so let us move on to the actual shoot.

Got the picture? Not yet. The image above was taken back in the day of film also known as "chromes", so to get things right Wayne has an additional camera (or two) fitted with Polaroid backs. Everything thing is backed up, all cameras are equipped with duplicate lens should something fail. Redundancy is the third key to success. The customized camera allows for an instant check of the lighting and exact location of all things "Nautica". The catch is the Polaroid image is the size of one 35 mm frame, but hey this is pre-digital and it works like a charm. Have we forgotten about meals, the crew needs to be happy, Wayne admits when he is in the flow of work he forgets to eat or fails to notice that the crew may need a meal break. So we are working hard but not as hard as the boss, his mind is in the shoot and insists on shooting an additional roll. And why not, all the keys are in the lock the set up is perfect. In his mind he knows that  nuance and security are paramount, Wayne shoots another roll.

 As I listen and look at the "Nautical" images I feel as if I am on location holding a bounce card in the Virgin Islands, I have included myself in the script.

It is clear that the keys to success are planning, pre-visualization and redundancy. A must if you ever expect to roll with the big boys, excuses are not accepted. To continue the lesson.... now back in his office Wayne decides to send only half of the film off to Kodak for processing...... A few days later anxious to view the results, Wayne finds that each and every image has been cut in half. Did you hear me CUT IN HALF!  Wayne calls the agency and imparts the news. Hearts sink into stomachs all sensory functions fade into black, the art director considers taking the 24th floor plunge. "But no wait, there is another roll of the exact set up,  remember how you bitched at my insistance on taking additional images?" Well?  The day is saved.

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