On Assignment: Shooting for the Cover of a Book

by | Jan 22, 2018 | Updates & Opportunities, Stories & Expeditions | 2 comments

Ever wondered how you're supposed to conduct a photoshoot for the cover of a book?

Well, I wish I could tell you!

Even after shooting for this STS assignment, I still wonder how it's supposed to be done! Despite my desperate lack of experience, I started with the knowledge I had and did the best I could. Perhaps you'll still be able to glean something about what it's like to shoot for the cover of a book as you follow me around in my attempts to gain that much-needed experience:

 

Behind the scenes insights:

  • Even though this wasn't a landscape photography shoot, it came in handy to know how to do location scouting.
  • One of the reasons why it came down to the wire on the deadline was because I couldn't find a good place close to home to conduct the photoshoot! It takes time to do scouting.
  • I usually write off city parks as being not-so-scenic locations, and thus was surprised that Dorsey's Knob still had some good views despite it being so close to the big town of Morgantown. Don't write them off; you never know until you go.
  • I loved the scouting as much as I did the actual photoshoot, if not more so. Maybe that's why it took up half the time of the video. 🙂
  • When working with a team, it's very important to make clear-cut decisions (ie. leave at such and such a time). It's ok if plans or decisions change as long as they are changed in a clear-cut manner.
  • It's amazing how for the actual photoshoot, the eastern sky was so cloudy as we drove in, it cleared up when we arrived, and then it clouded right back up again before the sun came up! It really was a bummer.
  • One of the blessings of arriving for a photoshoot super early in the morning is that there is usually very few other people around. 🙂
  • When working with a model, I learned how important it was to choose as warm a day as possible. Even though it was well above freezing, it was still very cold for my model who couldn't just wear or do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted.
  • Before we started shooting, I found it helpful to step through with the model all the different spots I was planning to shoot. I think it helped us all be on the same page when we had the scope of the project in mind.
  • In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have began with ISO 50....subject movement would be sure to be a problem at 1/40th of a second, regardless of whether or not the camera was on a tripod.

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2 Comments

  1. Annelise

    What book was the picture for?

    Reply

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