Glassware

Chrome

Insustrial

Landscape (panorama)

Interiors

Camera movements

Inside of bulbs in focus

Base of bulbs in focus

Revisited Macro shot

Studio shots

Macro shots
Extra Shot

I was thinking of using this as an advertisement for the new energy efficient lightbulbs and having it as an ActewAGL power saving campaign. It might have a lagline such as "Dont be left in the dark".

Why should ActewAGL employ me?

Being a CIT photography student i have been taught to be very particular about my images. I expect a high quality result as not only will i be representing ActewAGL but also myself. The images I use could hinder my chances of future jobs if not up to a professional standard. Also due to the fact that i am a student, i have access to facilities and equipment that even some professionals can not access easily.
I believe i can successfully relate to the current style of ActewAGLs photography whilst still moving forward. I think i would be the best choice of employee as my prices are reasonable and you can be sure you will be receiving a professional standard set of images.

Studio Image Requirements

The following are just ideas, then may likely change as time goes on.
Glassware- My idea so far has been light bulbs. I honestly cant think of any relevant glass objects relation to a power and gas company, though perhaps I'm just having a mental blank. There will be no cost involved as a already have a bunch in my house that i can use. I will likely need to borrow large softboxes and perhaps illuminate the mantle in Photoshop. Again, no cost as i own photoshop and have student access to CIT's studio facilities.
Close up- I intend to have a rugged pair of hands working on some type of machinery that is able to be brought into the studio.
Chrome/shiny- So far i am thinking of using a gas bottle which i have access to at my house. I am not sure about CIT's policy of bringing a potentially dangerous item into the studio so i will perhaps need permission from Julian. Large soft boxes and clever use of dark studio space will be needed to create seamless highlights.
Tilt-shift- For my tilt shift image i will have to borrow both a Canon Camera body and PC lens or a hassleblad set up as my kit is Nikon and i don't have my own PC lens. I am not 100% about what my object will be but i hope to have foreground and background interest to make it very obvious that it is a tilt shift image.

Image Source: http://acg2.fullcoll.edu/FACULTY/MAHMOOD/ACG170/images/light009.jpg

Location Image Requirements

So far I am unable to think of any costs needed for the location shoots other than perhaps petrol. I have not developed a specific time line mainly because there are far too many variables (weather, personal commitments etc.) although I do intend to have taken some shots for each task by week 12. This will give plenty of time to organize re-shoots if necessary. I am not a fan of timeliness, and have done fine without them so far.

In regards to accessing buildings, work sites etc. I will need to contact ActewAGL and inform them of my situation as a student with a photography assignment. I can assure them that the images will not be used for advertising or anything other than my schooling needs. There is a good chance i will have to have a property release form for images of the ActewAGL buildings. I have founds some samples but of course my own will be very specific to the situation and make it sound appealing and harmless for the company.

Sample Model and Property release:
http://www.hooverstock.com/release-forms.php

Sample Property Release:
http://www.alamy.com/contributors/alamy-stock-photography-property-release-form.pdf

Keeping with ActewAGL's style.

http://www.actewagl.com.au/

The above images are taken from the Large Business, Small Business and home owner pages of the ActewAGL website. The main feature in all three images, as in most advertising images, is that the people are all happy. This portrays that the product being endorsed is satisfying for the user.

The first image is very soft with overhead lighting and possibly the faces are lit with merely the reflection of the white documents or perhaps a softbox from the front.
The second is an outdoor setting with harsh natural light most likely aided by a reflector to light the front of the man. It is shot from a low angle with scaffolding entering the frame to confirm that the man is in a construction setting(targeting labouring businesses) and generally to make it more interesting.
The third is also a simple shot with window lighting and possibly some other form of soft lighting to illuminate the subjects faces. I see it as mainly a shot to show happy people in a homely setting.

In reference to just these shots, i might only need a 50mm, a soft box and a reflector to take images that relate to the style of ActewAGL, but of course our folio requires a more diverse range of images than just these three. The main things i will need to use/borrow/purchase will be:

• Studio- (with regular studio lighting setups) Obviously for the studio shots.
• Wide lens -For the architectural interior shot.
• Photoshop - for the stitched/panorama shot.
• Tilt Shift lens - Might be needed for the architectural exterior shot.
• Props - for the glassware and chrome/shiny shot.
• Lens with large f-number and possibly a polarising filter for the landscape.

Since writing this blog entry i have discovered (admittedly on a classmates blog) more images to emulate the style of ActewAGL. I will post them soon.

Target Audience

Large Companies

Small businesses

Home Owners

According to the ActewAGL website its three main target audiences are home owners, small businesses and large businesses. For home owners the best way of advertising is through television. Most people are going to be watching television in their homes therefore it is important to use images that would appeal to a home owner specifically, eg.a well lit happy family in the living room with with a natural gas heater obvious in the frame. For small business owners a good way to attract customers would be to portray builders, store owners etc. working efficiently with the help of ActewAGL and somehow allude to ActewAGL being superior to other providers. This could be done perhaps by having a tradie installing an hot water system with the ActewAGL logo on it and in the background you can see wind turbines on a hill, suggesting clean energy. Large businesses would be reached more effectively with clean stylish images that portray professionalism. Relevant images might be a photo of well dressed business people outside the large ActewAGL office building.

Image sources:

http://www.telnic.org/images/Large-businesses-image.jpg
http://electricianrichmond.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/electrician-1.jpg
http://www.kenlauher.com/Portals/40296/images//watching_television.jpg

Advertising Follow Up

Since my last post i have kept my eye out for ActewAGL advertising around canberra. What has stood out is the massive art light installation on the bottom level of the ActewAGL office building and a large van sporting the massive ActewAGL logo on the side... Still no decent photos representing the company though.

ActewAGL's past advertising campaigns.

I found that most of ActewAGL's advertising is done with illustrations rather than photos.

October last year, ActewAGL launched its first compressed natural gas (CNG) refuelling station at Fyshwick. The main image used to represent this station is seen below. It is a clean image that accentuates the ActewAGL logo through the use of a long exposure. Perhaps the photographer could have had people using the station rather than it being baron.

On the ActewAGL website, their "take a break" promotion is represented fairly badly. The image is a tiny square crop with post production vinetting and soft focus.

http://www.actewagl.com.au/promotions/takeabreak/default.aspx

Ultimately it was difficult to find any decent advertising campaigns that included photography but i will continue my search.

ActewAGL - A Brief History

I have been allocated ActewAGL as the company I am to photograph for my Major Assessment. Although ActewAGL was offically set up in October 2000, it claims to have been servicing Canberra and surrounding areas ever since the establishment of the Kingston Power House.

ActewAGL is Australia's first company to offer electricity, natural gas, water and wastewater services.It is made up of two partnerships; ActewAGL Retail, which is owned equally by ACTEW Corporation and AGL Energy via and ActewAGL Distribution, which is owned equally by ACTEW Corporation and SPI (Australia) Assets Pty Ltd.

ActewAGL seem to be supportive of local charities and events, boasting donations to the Red Shield appeal, Bushfire appeal, Tsunami fund, and manys sporting teams.

Greenchoice is ActewAGL's green energy program that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their home or business through sources that can notbe or can be replaced such as wind power, solar, mini-hydro and biomass. Things that will be interesting to photograph.

ActewAGL celebrated its 10th anniversary by officially opening its new headquarters on Bunda Street Canberra by unveiling a brand new artwork titled"The Journey". These photos seem reasonably good quality and are what ActewAGL are happy to represent their company with.
http://www.coolon.com.au/images/gallery/actewagl.jpg

Here is the typical photograph you can expect tosee from a company like ActwAGL
http://www.actewagl.com.au/_lib/images/Menu/workingWithPole.jpg

Information sources:

http://www.actewagl.com.au/

http://www.actewagl.com.au/Greenchoice/about_greenchoice.aspx

http://www.coolon.com.au/gallery/actewagl

http://www.esaa.com.au/