Offered work but have a creative block!!!!!!!!

Hi,


Today I was offered the chance to shoot some work for a local sporting venue.

The venue is just plain bloody ugly and run down and very poor look. What do I do?

The reason I am asking the forum is that once I have shots they are to be submitted for approval. I know the approved is quite picky and basically asked me to make a lump of clay look like a nugget of gold.


Should I just pull out and decline the offer?

They want photos in two weeks. Could this turn into a not happy shoot again, not happy shoot again and so on episode?

Den

...well: what have you been asked to shoot? What was the brief? What have you said you will deliver?

Did they give you any idea what kind of photos they want?

It might be possible to take shots from further away, putting the venue in perspective of the entire neighborhood, using the distance to hide flaws.
If they do have any areas at all that are in decent repair you might be able to highlight those.
Is the artificial lighting any good? If so Night shots might help hide weak areas while still showing off how good it looks in the artificial lighting.

lensfreak wrote in post #14619740
Hi,


Today I was offered the chance to shoot some work for a local sporting venue.

The venue is just plain bloody ugly and run down and very poor look. What do I do?

The reason I am asking the forum is that once I have shots they are to be submitted for approval. I know the approved is quite picky and basically asked me to make a lump of clay look like a nugget of gold.


Should I just pull out and decline the offer?

They want photos in two weeks. Could this turn into a not happy shoot again, not happy shoot again and so on episode?

Den

In any case, just make sure that you can give them what they need. Get as good an idea as possible of what they want, and then ask yourself if you can deliver that to them. If you don't think you can do that, then back out as soon as possible.

You don't sound too confident, you don't sound too committed, and you also don't sound like you NEED the work. From that alone I sort of suspect that you probably shouldn't bother. But I could be wrong about that. In any case, do not screw over your client. If you're not competent enough to do it, then backing out ASAP is FAR better than pissing them off by botching the job. And if you're going to back out, the respectful thing to do is to do it as soon as possible so that you don't leave them hanging.

I do need the work, it's just that they just said for to shoot really amazing and modern style shots. The building is butt ugly and run down where it doesn't even look modern, artsy or architecturally sound anyway.

I suppose what I am trying to ask is what do you do when asked for a shoot and you feel you won't be able to deliver because the subject will not in anyway look as requested?

The person who offered me the job is extremely picky and I have a gut feeling I may have been given the too hard short straw as there are other photogs that shoot for this person exclusively and feel I may be the sucker with the hard job. The person offering me the job was calling me names like professional, master and " your work just shines"

My work doesn't shine nor am I a master. My gut feeling is that they were kissing my rear end to try and get me to shoot a shot the other usuals said was too hard.

Den

I'm guessing you've been asked to shoot photos of the establishment? Not actual sporting activities? No quite clear..

Correct, I have been asked to shoot a building that looks like its ready for demolition. Picture an old ugly tin shed with no signs or attractive elements.

Might as well give it a go! The worst that happens is they don't like them and you both move on.
Make sure you go when the weather/lighting is nice, and do your best really

lensfreak wrote in post #14619840
Correct, I have been asked to shoot a building that looks like its ready for demolition. Picture an old ugly tin shed with no signs or attractive elements.

...I think you missed my question in post two.

What was the brief?

Be specific with your client, find out what they want you to shoot, get it in writing and then go out and shoot it! Be as specific as you can. Tell him what you can do and what you can't.

But it looks like you are shooting on spec, and will only get paid if they like your photos, which to be honest isn't the best way to do business. However what that does mean is there really isn't any pressure on you at all so you should just go out there and shoot as closely as possible to the brief as you can.

Post a few shots -- see if someone here can pick a few angles to hit which would make it look better.

Or, try shooting it in very soft light... just curious how bad it really is.

When I was a neophyte at photography I subscribed to the theory that we were to capture reality with all it's blemishes...now my goal is to take those blemishes and make them attractive...somehow..​.different angles or viewpoints or whatever.
However, having said that...I now uaually shoot only interesting beautiful things.

? Low light, B&W such as Film noir style
Good luck!

sometimes you have to bet on yourself, do the shoot, submit the photos and see what happens. i have a gut feeling the outcome will be very positive.