RESEARCH
What is the role of a digital operator ?
The role of a digital operator consist of assisting the photographer during a professional shoot. This includes the responsibility of the editorial process and making sure all requirements from the clients are met such as retouching , size , resolution etc. Other duties include , making sure camera kits are prepped lenses are clean, batteries are fully charged etc.
What is the normal route to work?
This is usually done using digital apps such as phase one , Capture one, Hasselblad , Phocus & Adobe lightroom.
What is the basic kit requirement and technical knowledge required of a digi op?
- MacBook Pro ( i7 processor, 16 GB RAM etc)
- Capture One Pro, Adobe Lightroom, Phocus & Chronosync
- Tripod
- External Battery power ( portable ) for location shooting
- Backup Drive
- Various tether cables
- In order to use this equipment, you would need knowledge of professional systems , organising resources and managing workloads.
What are the skills required of a digital operator?
You have to be knowledgeable in digital, lighting and camera systems. Furthermore , this more of knowing how to do quality control analysis which is to organise test and inspections of hardware and software products as well as their services to evaluate quality and performance .
This will also consist of knowing how to evaluate systems, trouble shooting, maintaining inventory ( checking stock) and setting up and running software.
'LAVAZZA' CAMPAIGN
Project Aim : Shoot a still life advert with a dig op assistant featuring the campaign item (lavazza cup).
RESEARCH
-Lavazza is a company that imports coffee from all around the world.
-Established in Turin , Italy in 1985 and owned by the family with that surname for four generations.
-It is branded as ‘Italy’s favourite coffee’ and it is claimed by the company that 16 million out of 20 million coffee purchasing companies choose Lavazza over others.
-Lavazza was the retail market leader in Italy ,owning a market share of 47% ,2,700 employees and sales of 1,340 million euros in 2013.
Lavazza campaign examples:
ideas:
1.Shoot a woman at a bar holding a lavazza cup . why? This is my first idea because it was the first to come up as an initial idea and I think it has a surreal feel to it and an unexpected difference (IDEA 1)
2.
3.
Main idea :
I intend on shooting this image I put together below because it's the best out of my others and I feel like it matches the criteria as well as it being easier to devise.
I will get my model from an exterior source , and I will shoot the cup in my selected time slot in the studio separately. The location where I will shoot the model is an exterior source as well. I will shoot the background " night sky " in my own time in another exterior location , preferably in a high position where I can capture the sky clearly to get the perfect shot.
Finally, I will put all three images into photoshop and create an in situ to produce the main idea presented below in my style.
Lavazza Inspirations Moodboard:
What worked ?
-The photoshoot for my cup went well as i booked studio time through my lecturer.
- I got the cup i needed for my shoot.
-I got the rest of my props which was table and background etc.
What went well?
-I managed to meet up with my model successfully and have my shoot in the default location i had planned .
-I booked camera equipment that i unfortunately didn't own by booking in the kit store and borrowing from colleagues.
what didn't go well?
-The location for shooting my model was jepordised due to unfortunate circumstances with my model, so i had to travel up to her to make sure this shoot occurred.
- The lights i was supposed to use turned out to be an unexpected failure and did not reach the standard i was expecting.
- When shooting my background the image i was preferably aiming for did not turn out how i wanted due to weather conditions which was a minor issue but till made a effect on my shoot .
What would you do differently next time ?
-I will rather book 'elimchrom' lights for my exterior shoot next time , as my lights became an issue.
- I will also prepare a secondary location for my model to easily be able to arrive at so i won't have to use budget default options .
- Through out my whole project next time , i will most definitely sort all timing errors as that makes a major impact on the project. This ranges from making spare time to gather all separate components and leaving extra time for extra errors.
Practical Presentation :
