Following on from last weeks trial day I now have more dates in the diary to freelance for the local newspaper group which covers Herts & Essex. All photography is subbed out to an agency and this is who I am working for. The papers have quite strict requirements, usually they require a mix of landscape and portrait orientation (usually around 8-10 images per job if possible), all at 200dpi and saved as a jpeg to around 900k. A lot of detail has to go into the 'File info' area including date, job number, address, description of photo and the photographers name so obviously there is a certain amount of PP work required.
Yesterday I was covering the 1pm-9.30pm shift and had about 7-8 jobs on, quietish in the afternoon but a busy evening. First order of the day was to check, re-check and triple check settings, batteries and cards and to ensure I had everything I needed. Job number one was to get some pictures in a primary school of a quiz the whole school were taking part as part of the anti-bullying awareness day. I am not going to include all pictures of the day, just enough to hopefully give a flavour, in some of the images I have blurred faces for obvious reasons.
Next up was another primary school where the pupils were releasing about 200 balloons, again to raise awareness about bullying. Obviously I had to get this one right as there would not be another opportunity and as I was waiting in the playground the sky was getting darker and darker with an approaching squall, in the end I had to up the ISO to 500 and even then I was only getting around 1/125th shutter speed:
From there it was onto Broxbourne Civic Hall where a Christmas Fair was being held. One big function hall/room with a couple of annexes filled with various traders, along with a Father Christmas on the stage for the kiddies. Lighting was difficult and finding subjects of interest even harder. After about 40 minutes I bade farewell as the next job was calling and I had to pop home to get my assignments for the evening.
A quick trip up the A10 found me at another Christmas Fayre, this time at a school, it was typical school fund raising type of event, I got some shots of the choir, face painting, Father Christmas etc etc
