Should i fortake on this trek?

[timmyquest]

My dad works for Morrow Equipment Comp. (http://www.morrow.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1). Aparently next week they are errecting a craine in a fashion that they havnt done in 10 years and rarely ever do. His boss wants someone to go up to madison (WI) and take pictures of the site and errection (Hold your laughs please).

He claims i could make $600-$1000 doing this, here are my issues.

1.) I have never been to madison
2.) I have never been paid for my work
3.) I have never done this kind of photography
4.) My only current lens for the job is the 18-55
5.) 18 year old, with camera, on construction site...although, and i dont doubt he's right "Tim, if you show up with a camera and a hard hat that says morrow no one will give you any problems" (Morrow rents these $5 million machines out to contractors).

I want to do it, but i guess i'm just a wimp.

Talk me into it...or out of it

[LazyPhotographer]

They want to pay you to do something you love - take pictures. I'm surprised you're not packed and waiting by the door! :shock:

Lemme guess what everyone will say:

Shoot RAW, take extra batteries & cards, make triple backups of your files, borrow or rent an additional bigger lens if you can afford it.

Make sure they pay your travel & insurance and always wear a hard-hat!

Walk like you BELONG there, enjoy the experience, and GO.

My 2 cents...

[robertwgross]

As I visualize the scene, I think it will be natural to say "to hell" with the beauty of the sky and just shoot it with the sky blown out. Although you'll probably be on the ground shooting upward somewhat, you might be better off to see if you can get up high and shoot one downward at the top of the crane (maybe from a nearby building?).

If you can, get plenty of light on the company logo. Or better yet, line up the shot with a large wooden company sign in the foreground.

---Bob Gross---

[Scottes]

The pay will buy L. Heck, charge an L and pay the credit card off when you get paid from Morrow.

Go for it!

[Laziferous]

Is there any penalty, should you screw the shots up? Go for it dude. I definitely would.

p.s. you forgot issue #6...
6) I'm getting paid to shoot an erection.

Couldn't resist :wink: :mrgreen:

[c0ntr0lz]

DUDE what are you thinking about
DO IT!!!!

[XXWoodmanXX]

Word of advice.....

Don't forget your hard-hat. Foreman's hate those kinda mistakes.

[blinking8s]

hey, if you dont want the job, tell them I'll do it!

[IanD]

Just Do It!
(geez, that would make a good Ad slogan)

[Andy_T]

Go for it!

And maybe try to understand perspective distortion first :lol:

That might be a problem when photographing a crane (that's basically composed of parallel vertical lines) if you use too wide an angle.

You might also consider this assignment a reason to pick up a 1.8/50 lens (doesn't have to be the 24-70L on the first assignment). Definitely sharper than the kit lens for about 80$.

Otherwise, observe LazyPhotographer's suggestions...

Edit: when you're at it, why not prepare a bit?

Go out and try to photograph some large structures first (e.g. other cranes, bridges, towers) so you get a feeling for the best angle, distance and how these look in the finished pics.

You might do a google for other crane manufacturers and look up their websites ... what kind of pictures have they posted, which look best? You might ask your dad which ones *he* (as a guy from the trade) considers best.

Get to know in advance what the most important steps in the erection are so you don't miss them. Shoot the work crew and the equipment used in the erection. Ask your dad to identify the most important persons (e.g. like the company owner or management, if they should happen to pass by) to you ...

Best regards,
Andy

[maderito]

1.) I have never been to madison
I have. Beautiful, not so little, college town where all the lawns are green and the soil is black. Check it out.

2.) I have never been paid for my work
You just graduated and have your degree. Did someone mention to you that you have to work someday?

4.) My only current lens for the job is the 18-55
Didn't you recently fire off a post defending the 18-55 as a superb lens?


Take Bob Gross with you as your assistant. He has a D60 which is a good backup camera. :)

[dn7elson]

Talk me into it...or out of it

A couple of construction site thoughts if you decide to go.

1. Always check-in with the project superintendent. Tell him why you are there, what you are planning to do, and ask if there are any areas that you should stay away from.

2. Bring your own hard hat. Go to Home Depot and buy one for $9.00 if you don't have one.

3. Don't take pictures of the workers. Some won't mind or even ask you to take their picture, but others seem to be in perpetual "hiding" and will get more than a bit exercised if they see you pointing the camera at them.

4. Watch where you are going....there's lots to trip over and fall through on a construction site. I have seen workers walk through an opening in metal decking with a wheel barrel (after removing the plywood cover minutes earlier), so just be on your toes.

5. Check-out with the superintendent, more of a courtesy, but it lets him know your survived and are now gone :lol:

6. Be professional, do your job and act like you belong there. This will generally solve 95% of the other issues.

Otherwise, have fun, take lots of shots and BRACKET you exposures on the crane against the sky on at least a few crucial shots to make sure that your exposure meter doesn't get fooled and leave you with a mess.

You might even want to consider renting a lens for the day since your vantage point of the crane erection may not work well with only the 18-55 lens. The 70-200 would be a nice supplement and allow you more options as to getting more image in the frame.

[John_T]

I would definitely do it if I were you. Excellent opportunity to get experience, paid or not. Just relax about it and take your time.

Great advice you are getting here. Stating the obvious, take a tripod. If you have the time and can find a good spot to shoot from, shoot for a 2x3 or 4x6 frame stitch. Ask your father how the sequence of events goes and plot out a storyboard for yourself to plan your shots in a manner that document the whole show.

Andy's tip is very valuable. Practice. Organize and do a dry run several times. Of course the actual shoot will be different, but it will help you arrive more prepared, more relaxed and more able to take in the actual site and set up quickly and right.

[Scottes]

Seems like 12 out of 12 are saying to do it...

Can we interest you in a bridge we have for sale?
:-)

[robertwgross]

Don't forget your hard-hat.

Wear a hard hat with a gigantic Canon logo on each side.

---Bob Gross---

[CyberDyneSystems]

Go go go go go go go .....


But get the "Morrow" Hard Hat.. :wink:

As mentioned.. this will buy you your next "L"...

I think the Wide lens will be your best lens for the job.... even if you had a 70-200mm f/4 or something.. for this task the wide will be on more often. (fitting a giant crain in the frame takes some doing!)

The logo! .. and try to get some good Candids of the crew working near the logo if possible..

You never know.. if you pull this off you may and up with a photo or photos that are part of Morrows advertising campaighn or indistry brochures for years to come.

I'd see this as a fabulous opportunity.

Other Opportunities:

I don't know what your school situation is.. but this sort of thing may be translatable into some sort of credit... :wink:

[CyberDyneSystems]

P.S....


...you want to "partake" inthis quest.. :wink:

Not sure about "foretake" :roll:

[arogop]

Timmy

What site are they erecting the crane? I work in Madison and live neaby in Cross Plains. It would be fun to stop by and say hi.

I am guessing that it is going up downtown so you may want to see if the capitol building is open and take pictures from the outside veiwing area. Also see if you can get the capitol as a backdrop on a few photos.

Madison is a beautiful city set between several lakes.

So, what kind of crane is this?

[dn7elson]

The logo! .. and try to get some good Candids of the crew working near the logo if possible..

This can sometimes lead to your getting a personal experience with hospital food.... :( :? make sure that they know and OK candid shots on a construction site. As an official photographer of the crane supplier, he won't be in a position to "shoot and run".

[CyberDyneSystems]

http://www.morrow.com/images/products/Horizonal-jib-150.jpg

[timmyquest]

The logo! .. and try to get some good Candids of the crew working near the logo if possible..

This can sometimes lead to your getting a personal experience with hospital food.... :( :? make sure that they know and OK candid shots on a construction site. As an official photographer of the crane supplier, he won't be in a position to "shoot and run".

Anyone who ***** with a morrow guy on the job site is a moron ;-)

(which is why i'll have a morrow helmet). Without morrow, there is no construction site ;-).

Anyways i'm not real sure where it is, yes i would imagine downtown...generally 400 foot buildings do not go up in the middle of neighborhoods :-D

[dn7elson]

Anyways i'm not real sure where it is, yes i would imagine downtown...generally 400 foot buildings do not go up in the middle of neighborhoods :-D

Then the crane raising will take place incrementally, over weeks or even months as the structure goes up. You'll likely be photographing the initial installation height assuming that this is going to be a tower crane.

[arogop]

Anyways i'm not real sure where it is, yes i would imagine downtown...generally 400 foot buildings do not go up in the middle of neighborhoods :-D[/quote]

Actually Madison is a little different. The downtown is a residential neigborhood. On the Ismus side it is mostly small houses and on the other side is student housing and the University. It also has the Capitol. City ordinance doesn't allow any building to be built that obstructs the veiw of the capitol dome.

A 400 foot building would probably only be allowed about 2 miles from the Capitol, and to the west. A 200 foot building could be built on select low lying sites. Anything under 75 would have little restrictions.

[timmyquest]

Anyways i'm not real sure where it is, yes i would imagine downtown...generally 400 foot buildings do not go up in the middle of neighborhoods :-D

Then the crane raising will take place incrementally, over weeks or even months as the structure goes up. You'll likely be photographing the initial installation height assuming that this is going to be a tower crane.

That wasnt the point of what i said...i've been around these things (to an extent) for nearly 15 years. I'm fully aware of the process ;-).

Also, i'm not sure how tall the building is going to be...i can assure you it's over 75 feet though.

[dn7elson]

Also, i'm not sure how tall the building is going to be...i can assure you it's over 75 feet though.

A far cry from 400 feet....but what's your point and/or question?

[timmyquest]

Also, i'm not sure how tall the building is going to be...i can assure you it's over 75 feet though.

A far cry from 400 feet....but what's your point and/or question?

That wasnt directed to you.

[dn7elson]

That wasnt directed to you.

Oh, it was under my quote :shock: :)

[CyberDyneSystems]

Is there a specific reason why this otherwise agreeable thread is oddly going so far south?

Can we all chill... and watch the use of the language while were at it?

Thanks. :?

[Timbits]

oh oh oh, can i go. sounds like fun.