Breakfast in America – A photographers’ trip and at least 10 things you should know.

The old saying goes ‘ a journey starts with the first step’ but there is a great deal of preparation you should do before you leave or take your first stride.

America is one giant of a country and has many layers of government protocol to match! Being a photographer is not just turning up with a nice Leica and behaving like Austin Powers, then tossing your camera to the assistant proclaiming ‘I’m spent!’ It’s a serious business and to be taken seriously as a professional, whether you are a designer, art director, producer or photographer, these following tips will help when thinking about traveling abroad and commissioning a professional to shoot for you.

1. Visa – you can’t work in America without one. If you try and are discovered, you will be deported and possibly have a ban on entering the country again. So make sure your paperwork is in order and triple check everything before you leave.
2. Camera – sounds obvious but you need to think about what you are shooting and what gear you need.
3. Gear in the hold – again, this sounds obvious but if you are taking extra gear, lights or big equipment, it needs to be protected in the hold and you need to hire or buy the right baggage. Or do you want to hire your gear when you arrive? Depending on your plan, renting kit might be cheaper than flying yours across the world.
4. Weight limits and extra payments – this goes with the above. Extra bags or weight comes at a cost. Do you really need the extra gear and are you prepared to pay to the costs?
5. Flexible luggage and long arms – cameras and laptops and related fragile kit, should always be with you as hand luggage. Put it in the hold and it might not survive the trip or worse, it might not arrive. Most airlines only like one piece of hand luggage so whatever you take, it has to accommodate your personal items too. Choose something that is flexible to your needs and is easy to transport. No matter where you are staying or how far you have to walk, your arms will stretch, as carrying any gear/weight is not funny and will soon dampen your enthusiasm. Make sure it has wheels, straps and comfort pads to take the pain out of your journey.
6. Jet lag and getting enough rest to be ready for shoot/long days. Goes without saying. Jet lag is like a hangover without the joy of a night out. Make sure you sleep, drink plenty of water, listen to your body and lay off the booze.
7. Suitable clothing for shoot – research your destination, check the weather and pack appropriate clothes for the climate but also something you can comfortably travel and work in. What kind of shoot will it be – a quarry, beach, nightclub? These are things to consider when looking at an empty suitcase.
8. Time zones – obvious one really. Most places in the US are a working day behind the UK and links need to be kept open back home. I find keeping my watch to local time and my phone to UK time helps. Mid-afternoon I find my body wants to crash and knowing it’s 3am back home helps get a grip on things.
9. Cultural differences/similarities – although Americans speak English it’s amazing how different and equally similar life can be.
10. Keeping doors open and clients back home happy – if you are away for more than a few days, clients like to know you haven’t abandoned them. So remember to stay in touch.
11. Meeting deadlines and workflow before you leave. Don’t do work whilst away as this is almost impossible to achieve. Juggling too much can cause burn out. I like to meet my deadlines before I leave so I can have a clean slate and give my full attention to my current job.
12. Behaving appropriately, whether client is there or not. When you are away, you are representing your client's company and your own. Inappropriate behaviour and news of it will travel fast, and could damage your reputation.
13. Insurance and liability cover. This is an important one! Americans have no issue with lawsuits. Make sure your insurance is up to date and covers you appropriately for any eventuality. And get medical insurance too. Crucial!

The last thing you should know is go with an open mind, have fun and be flexible. Things will probably not go to plan and you have to be agile and think on your feet. Enjoy the scenery, eat some great food and have a ball but remember you are a professional and you are there to do a job.

See you when I get home.

Testing, testing, testing

It’s a little-known fact that good professional photographers do something called testing.

But what is it, and why is it important in your selection of a top-class professional photographer?

It’s an opportunity for a creative photographer to try out an idea, flex their creative muscles, and demonstrate their range of work. It’s also a great time to stretch the talents of a make-up artist, stylist and model.

Testing is collaboration between the photographer and the creative team, and depending on the shoot, it can actually involve quite a few people involved in the creative process.

Here are a few reasons for testing:
• To try out a newly-signed model to a model agency
• You have an idea for a shoot and need to try out a certain look
• A new make-up artist or stylist is in town and they have a particular style
• You want to test-drive a concept before presenting it to the client.

Testing is a like a personal project, where you pull together a team, develop the idea and a brief, and then plan the shoot - which will involve a mood board or style sheet.

The shoot will usually be art-directed by the photographer, with the team contributing ideas to the look of the make-up/hair/clothes style.

Although it is usual for the photographer to produce and direct a shoot, it is undoubtedly the team effort where everyone involved comes away with a stunning piece of work for their portfolio.

This type of work can be incredibly creative and also push the boundaries of a professional photographer without enforced limits of deadline or client briefing.

Working this way gets you noticed, and will sometimes inspire existing clients to book you on the strength of this work as well as your regular photographic jobs.

It’s the creative stuff that people value increasingly these days - this also helps creative, professional photographers to get more interesting work. Why not push your own creative boundaries as a professional photographer and get testing, testing, testing?