Seeking advice for Industrial photography

I have a shoot tomorrow for a company that hired me to take photographs of a giant 30x20ish nitrogen tank. Its a pretty large company, and they will be using the pictures for print media, website, trade shows etc... I'm a little nervous, never shot anything quite like this per say. I know there are only so many ways to make a giant nitrogen tank look good, but I'm looking for advice on shots that you guys would maybe get, or a special way of composing the shot, also on how to deal with the corporation. It is definitely the biggest company I have worked with. I'm not totally sure on price as well, I know there is no single way to answer it, I am not reliant on photography income, but I'd like to come up with a fair but reasonable monetary amount.

Thanks in advance!

How much light can you throw at it and how controlled is the environment? Indoors? Outdoors? What's your access to the tank going to be? Will you need a lift to get up to the mid line so it doesn't get converging lines and look like it's falling over? Got access to a tilt/shift lens in case you can't get up high enough to square it up?

As for rate, unless you think you'll find a market for licensed images of 20x30 Nitrogen Tanks, I think I'd just quote them an hourly rate + processing.

With all due respect... How do you have a shoot without an agreed on price and license much less without a contract? I suggest you work out these details before the shoot as leaving it until after it is shot is just setting everyone for regret. Even an email spelling these details out is better than nothing and provides a paper trail. You can pull a assignment confirmation off the web somewhere I'm sure. The procedure used for commercial photography paperwork is here - http://asmp.org …-forms-and-contracts.html

As far as how to shoot it depends on what the client wants and expects. Do they need verticals and horizontals? Do they want it lit? Do they want workers in the shots? Can they give you a look at other shots they have had done they were happy with? Ask them about what they expect you to hand them after it is all over.

I have a 580ex II as far as light, no remote triggers. I'm planning on bringing my tripod so at least I can shoot low ISO and long exposures if lighting conditions aren't the best. The people seem pretty laid back, so hopefully I can get up a little higher somehow to get the shot. Unfortunately I don't have a tilt shift, nor have I ever shot with one (are they easy to learn quickly?). If I really really needed it, I could probably rent it. As far as inside or out, it's outside. Tank is 33ft tall, 10ft in diameter.

The time to try new techniques and equipment is not on a paid shoot. They do take practice.
I fear you do not have enough lights.

If it were me, and I had your equipment... I would shoot just before sunrise, stop at home depot, buy a crap load of flood lights, extension cords and surge protectors. Light it up then right before the sun comes up, shoot away. That depends on the location of the tank of course.

It looks to me as if you've run out of time.

When you first looked at it, did you take a grab shot of it for reference?
1. If you did, why aren't we seeing it so we can help?
2. And if you haven't seen it yet, why not?

Have the client show you some samples of the types of photos they have used in the past, and what other companies in their industry are using for photos. That will get you an idea of what they expect.

They may just want you to setup a tripod and take a simple, straight forward, centered shot of the tank. If that's the case, you can try messing with lighting and composition options once you get that 'safe' shot, but that 'safe' shot may be the only shot they really want / need.

You need to figure out what the customer WANTS before you start asking for advice about how to achieve that shot.

Just providing a little update, I got done with the shoot about an hour ago. I shot for about an hour, then set up in a conference room and edited a few shots then used my HDMI cable to show a few that I got. They seemed pleased with the outcome. As for what they "wanted" they simply told me before hand they wanted the tank "lit" and "the whole thing" in the picture. I used my 10-20 to give some powerful shots, and also used my 50mm. I was able to get back enough to get the whole tank in the shot with the 50mm. It was a very straight forward shoot. The company made it aware that a photoshoot of one of their products wasn't something they normally did. It was usually someone internally with a P&S that took the picture. I realize now I jumped the gun in asking for advice without much background info on what exactly I was shooting.

I wasn't able to see the tank beforehand, it is about an hour drive from me. They simply described it over the phone.

It was on pretty short notice that I was given the opportunity to shoot it, a few executives were flying in, and I wanted to be there at their time frame so they could check them out, and advise on any other shots they might want.

Overall it went well, I did end up charging hourly along with traveling fees, which I feel like is fair for them and myself. It was a good experience!

Happy Client = Job 1

Congrats!

All's well that ends well. You have a happy client so that is good, congrats. If it were me I would have asked if I could see the subject before the shoot and driven the hour to do so if possible. The less surprises, the better and it makes it easier to prepare as well as to quote a price.

Congrats....I was nervous with my first paid. I think the thing is to NOT try and emulate a photo style that someone else has as it may give you the feeling that you have failed if you dont match their style, follow your gut and it works.

Let me just put a medal on myself prior to writing this next line, when floating around the city I took candid shots of people. Wifey seen one of them weeks later and commented who I stole the photo the photo from as it look very magazine/national geographic looking. The pride just ooozed out as I mentioned that I took it....she still didnt believe me until I showed her the original RAW file.

Some times you know its right when you look at a photo you have taken and it just pops out at you like a real pro photo...rare for me but sometimes. With practice hopefully more than sometimes

Great work