Press and PR photography advice - Lucky Dog Photography

I work as a press, public relations and corporate photographer in Brighton, Sussex, London and throughout the UK. This page has a few bits of advice and the answers to some frequently asked questions. If you have any other enquiries or would like to discuss anything in more detail please email me or call 07831 505548 and I would be happy to discuss it.

Table of contents. Scroll down or jump to topic

Organising a photo call
Emailing photos
Image storage and delivery
Digital information
Turnaround times for press, pr and location work
Portrait photos
Terms and conditions

Organising a Press/PR photoshoot.

Some of the best press and public relations photos are spontaneous. Unfortunately you can never rely on something interesting happening just when you want it. We recommend that you arrange as much as possible in advance, then anything unexpected will be a bonus. We will be happy to discuss plans and offer suggestions for any future event. Here are a few things you might want to consider.

Tell us what you want in as much detail as possible.
Tell us when and where the pictures are needed.
Tell us where you are planning to use the pictures.
Get us to turn up to a job a bit early so we can walk around and see the location together.
Make sure there is someone on the job who can point out key people and deal with problems if they arise.
If you are expecting other press photographers, try to set up a couple of prearranged photo opportunities. They may not do exactly what you had in mind, but they will appreciate having something to work from.
In a busy schedule allow time especially for photos, even if it's only a couple of minutes. Tell the relevant people when it's going to happen.
Think about props that might be useful and make sure that they are available.
Arrange access to viewpoints that could make the photo more interesting, roofs, balconies etc.
Look for people, locations and stories that can be used to add interest to the event.
Get permission to take photos if necessary. Places such as shopping centres, railway stations, supermarkets etc are all privately owned and can get very difficult if you just turn up and start snapping.
Try to avoid boring line ups, cheque presentations etc. Some publications won't even print them.
If you have to get shots of managers/officials/dignitaries etc, think about setting up a less formal shot for use in other publications.

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Sending photos online

We can email a small selection of high resolution images to clients after a job or post low res versions online for viewing only. Email is not suitable for sending more than a few high res images at one time, due to limitations on file sizes and upload speeds by ISP's.
If you want to receive images by email it's worth checking that your organisation does not have security measures in place (firewalls) or limits on transfer sizes, that will prevent files from being delivered.
We will need to know:

Email addresses of recipients.
When they are needed.
What size and resolution are needed.

If you need a lot of high res images sent on a regular basis, a better solution is an f.t.p. account (If you have an IT department they should be able to set one up for you), or use a file transfer service such as YouSendIt.

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Image storage and delivery

Work is normally supplied on a CD or DVD. This includes a digital contact sheet, medium and high resolution images. These can be viewed on almost any computer with a standard web browser such as Firefox or Internet Explorer. We guarantee backup for one year and can supply duplicates as needed. A charge will be made for duplicates.

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Equipment

We shoot all work on digital cameras. Our equipment is regularly updated. We currently use Nikon D700's and D300's.

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File formats:

Jobs are normally shot in RAW and delivered in jpeg format.
We can provide TIFF files if preferred.

File sizes:

Current file sizes are 10-12 megapixels or approximately 28 megabytes per image. This will easily print a high quality image up to an A3 page size. Much larger prints can be made using interpolation software if necessary.

Prints:

Prints can be made directly from digital files. These can be ordered from us or you can take your CD to a printer if you prefer to deal with it yourself. Use the High Resolution files for printing.

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Turnaround times

PR work Jobs are normally processed, burnt to CD and posted out on the same day if time allows.
Work can be processed on the spot but we will need to know in advance and allow extra time. Rates will be higher than for overnight processing.
Location/Studio work Allow 2-3 days after shoot. Rush service available.

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Portrait photos.

We can arrange group or individual portrait sessions, either on location or in a studio.

Individual portraits, for use in features etc, can take some time. If the shot is to be taken outside of a studio, we will turn up well before the appointment to find suitable locations. We recommend that you allow at least an hour with the subject, to try a variety of shots. This may be impractical in some cases but results could suffer if the the time is cut too short.
Group sessions, where you need a selection of individual people photographed in the same style, can be done much faster. Normally allow ten minutes per person. We usually need a largish uncluttered room to set up lights and a backdrop.

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Terms and conditions

We retain copyright for all images.
You have full British Serial Rights for all commissioned work.
We do not charge reproduction fees for previously commissioned work.
We will not distribute or resell any images from commissioned work without written permission from the client but reserve the right to use any such images for the promotion and advertising of our business.
We may charge a fee if you sell images to a third party.
We do not accept any other terms without prior written agreement. Commissioning work from Lucky Dog Photography assumes acceptance of these conditions.

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