New Coronavirus COVID 19 working procedures for commercial photography

Robert Seale photographing in a “clean room” at NASA for a story on comet dust published in Smithsonian magazine.

COVID 19 has brought unprecedented challenges to many areas of the economy in the past few months.  As we emerge from lockdown situations, businesses will continue to have a need for fresh commercial photography, whether it is for new marketing efforts, making portraits of new faces as leadership and staff undergo changes, documenting new facilities and infrastructure projects, or communicating with stakeholders about your company’s efforts to keep workers safe and healthy during this ongoing crisis.

After years of working with some of the world’s biggest brands in the industrial, oil and gas, and healthcare segments, working safely is part of our DNA.  Careful preparation and proper wearing and use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is something we’ve always done.  However with this new challenge, and with the guidance of the CDC, and OSHA, we are modifying our practices in some ways to still get the job done while keeping our photographic subjects, clients, and crew members safe.

Some of these new practices:

-Using minimal crew.

-No carpooling.  Crew members and clients will arrive to the shoot location in their own vehicles.

-Social distancing, both between crew members and clients/subjects.

-Minimizing the number of people on set.

-Scouting/preparing lighting ahead of time to minimize subject time on the set.

-New remote digital tech solutions for client review from a distance.

-employing the use of digital composites when photographing groups.

-Wearing masks, and when appropriate, gloves/safety glasses, and other PPE as well.

-Frequent cleaning of equipment and hands with disinfecting/sanitizing wipes.

-Delineation of duties between crew members so that specific equipment is only handled by one person.

-If using a makeup artist on set, setting forth procedures for sanitizing equipment or using new supplies and application tools.

-Minimizing air travel, utilizing “road trips” over longer distances when required.

-Beginning each job with a JSA (Job Safety Analysis) meeting or Toolbox Talk to plan the shoot and discuss all safety hazards, as well as specific COVID 19 mitigation procedures.

Many of the things we do, like shooting outside in an industrial plant, will be largely unchanged, except perhaps for the wearing of masks.  In other cases, particularly in more populated interior shoots, we will have to find ways to be creative.  In most cases, most shoots can be completed in a touch-less way, with proper social distancing and minimal time on set for all involved.

As we adjust to this “new normal”,  most corporations and ad agencies will still need great imagery and video footage to communicate with their customers and shareholders.  New advertising will need to be created.  Annual Reports will still need to be produced.  Websites will need to be redesigned and updated.  Companies will be selling new products and services.  Executives and boards will change and new portraits will need to be made.  When it’s time to communicate, don’t hesitate to call on us to provide your visual needs in a safe and professional manner.

Be Well.  Stay safe and healthy out there.

 

Robert Seale featured in new ASMP collateral

One of the new ASMP postcards (Photo by Robert Seale)

This is definitely one of those Wayne and Garth “I’m not worthy…” moments,  The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) have featured me, Houston commercial photographer Robert Seale, in their new collateral pieces (brochures and postcards).  Wow!

The American Society of Media Photographers is the premier trade association for the world’s most respected photographers. ASMP is the leader in promoting photographers’ rights, providing education in better business practices, producing business publications for photographers, and helping to connect clients with professional photographers. ASMP, founded in 1944, has nearly 7,000 members and 39 chapters.  ASMP’s “Find a Photographer” feature on the national ASMP website is a wonderful tool for connecting photo editors and art buyers with photographers in a given area.  Despite the word “media” in the title ASMP is not a press photographers organization.  ASMP members are typically commercial photographers who work in advertising photography, corporate photography, as well as those who shoot for magazines.

“I’m not worthy!….” – sandwiched in with some big names inside the new ASMP brochure (cover photography by the great Stephen Wilkes)

These pieces are distributed by mail and also as handouts at professional photography seminars, workshops, and events as recruiting tools.  I’m humbled and honored to featured alongside some of the most notable photographers in our profession past and present, including many virtual mentors who continue to inspire my work today, like Richard Avedon, Dan Winters, Arnold Newman, Mark Seliger, Herb Ritts, Albert Watson, Joe McNally, Pete Turner, Jay Maisel, Gregory Heisler, Walter Iooss, and a host of others.

An inside spread in the brochure (photo by Robert Seale)

Major thanks to our executive director Tom Kennedy, a former Director of Photography at National Geographic, and a major force in the photo world, who continues to represent our organization and who leads the fight for working photographers every day.

Robert Seale on faculty of 2014 Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar

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Photo by Bernat Armangué / Associated Press

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve been invited to speak again at the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar Nov. 13-15, 2014. I’ll be doing a couple of workshop sessions on lighting on Friday Nov. 14.

I attended the event in 1992 as a young photographer at my first real newspaper job, and also spoke there previously in 2004. It’s a real treat to be invited back to such an awesome event. The staff that puts on the workshop (all great photographers in their own right) do a hell of a job putting this thing together every year. It really is a first class event.

Among the other Friday speakers: my old sports photography colleague, Jamie Squire from Getty Images, speaking about (logically enough) Sports! Eric Seals a photojournalist with the Detroit Free Press will be leading a session on GoPro and drone photography. Also, I’m really excited that Judy Hermann, from ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) will be speaking on business practices for photographers.

Saturday speakers include National Geographic contributor Amy Toensing, Scott Strazzante (San Francisco Chronicle), Al Diaz (Miami Herald), Ken Lyons (Denver Post), and freelance photojournalist extraordinaire Matt Eich.

Thursday is devoted to video presentations, and in addition to Eric Seals, other speakers include Wes Pope (University of Oregon), Lauren Frohne (Seattle Times), Oliver Janney (CNN), and Amani Channel (Visual Eye Media).

The Atlanta Seminar has been around for quite some time – here’s an overview from their website:   “The Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar was founded in 1973 by a group of photojournalists representing newspapers, magazines and wire services. Its reason for being is to promote the highest standards of photojournalism through an annual educational conference and a photography contest judged by working photographers.

Speakers throughout the years have included Pulitzer Prize winners, Photographer of the Year winners, major magazine and wire service photographers, influential directors of photography, important educators in photojournalism, academia, and others important in this profession. Founded as a regional event, the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar has grown to become one of the most prestigious photojournalism competitions, with participants from throughout the world.”

You can see the entire schedule, list of speakers, contest information, and registration information at: Photojournalism.org.

Hope to see you there!

 

Houston Commercial Photographer Robert Seale featured in ASMP advertising

ASMP_PDN-JUNE_SEale_full

I’m honored to have a testimonial quote and one of my sports portraits featured in the ad for ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) in the June 2014 issue of PDN (Photo District News).  This is the big 2014 Photo Annual issue, (which I should probably enter next year!), but nevertheless it’s cool to be in the issue, albeit in a bit of a loophole sort of way through the ASMP ad!  Hey, whatever works.  😉

Nevertheless, I’m proud to be featured by our main professional photography organization, ASMP, and I would encourage anyone interested in commercial photography, whether corporate, advertising, or even magazine editorial photography, to definitely join the organization.  ASMP provides a number of member benefits, member discounts on insurance and equipment, lobbying on issues affecting commercial photographers (copyright and photographer’s rights), and a number of educational programs and resources to help you with your photography business.

Here's a tighter crop of the June 2014 ASMP ad in PDN.
Here’s a tighter crop of the June 2014 ASMP ad in PDN.