Major Studio Assignment - Good Weekend Cover Brief

 For my Creative E­ditorial portrait for Good Weekend Magazine I am going to photograph my friend Yale Sasson. Yael is a student at ANU studying the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) Arts and social sciences and majoring in Middle East Studies and International Relations. Yael is also the co-founder and co-president of the ANU United Middle East Society. The United Middle East Society endeavours to create an atmosphere of friendship, respect and understanding wherein members feel comfortable expressing their ideas and feelings about all things Middle Eastern. The United Middle East Society aims to promote and achieve the following through discussion and action by a dynamic group of ANU students and friends:

- Explore and experience Middle Eastern cultures and beliefs
- Celebrate diversity
- Provide a forum for dialogue and political debate
- Promote understanding of the complexities of the region
- Foster friendship between members, cultures and beliefs

(Information about the ANU U.M.E.S taken from the ANU United Middle East Society Facebook Group page)

The Photograph will have minimal yet effective props for example I will have Yael hold her folder that she uses daily to organize the group’s activities and Yael will be dressed in a professional manner most likely a suit. In the background of the photograph behind Yael there will be the ANU U.M.E.S Logo (that she herself created) blown up.  I’m thinking of framing Yael in a head and shoulders/three quarter portrait style maybe with her body facing the side and her head turned towards the camera and smiling, I will also have Yael seated at a table with some authentic middle-eastern food in front of her, smiling at the camera. 

The theme for my creative editorial shoot and final Good Weekend magazine cover photograph is going to be “encouraging awareness in youth” because that is exactly what the ANU United Middle East Society does.  I plan to photograph Yael in a warmly lit environment with a bright studio lighting set up. I shall set up a background light highlighting the ANU U.M.E.S logo, have a hair light set up to separate Yael from the Background, and most likely there will be two big lights either a soft box or normal on either side of my subject. I will take the shoot on my Nikon D60 with my 18mm – 55mm Nikkor lens and I will also have my 55mm-200mm lens just in case I want a different look.