Client: Cambridge Edition

Camera: Canon 6D with Sigma 24-70mm

The best route to perfect pictures is to plan a photoshoot down to every last detail. Have the set all ready, batteries all charged-up, additional batteries charged up and be ready to go before your subject even walks on set.

However, the truth is that life rarely runs on time and as a pro photographer, you have to be able to quick on your feet should the moment arise. I had one of these sink or swim moments recently when I was called upon to shoot a team photo for the Cambridge Edition staff - one of our sister titles at Bright Publishing. The title is celebrating its third birthday and the shoot occurred last minute. Not to worry, where there’s a will, there’s a way. 

So the solution was to find an interesting corner of the office and surround the staff around a sofa next to a magazine stand that held copied of the title. The problem was that this nice corner was a little bit cramped and I had very limited options when it came to lighting. Natural light was out of the question, so I opted for my emergency fallback plan - an Elinchrom Rotalux soft box on a BXRi500 hoisted as high as I could get it and angled at 45-degrees down at the gang.

With the camera in manual and set to 1/160sec at f/10 (ISO 100), the shoot was set-up, done and over within ten minutes. Even back-up plans need to be learnt and practiced so ask yourself: what’s your back-up plan?

PS: Happy birthday, Cambridge Edition