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Safety in the studio - part 4 of 1 2 3 4

by Jocelyn Conway Published 01/08/2016

Photographer Safety

We often forget about ourselves when we are working - I have got to the end of a shoot and feel dehydrated and tired!

I now have a bottle of water to hand and remember to drink often, the heat in the studio can dehydrate us quickly if we aren't careful.

I occasionally get a sore back. I have to watch how I bend and try to avoid it if I can. I use a stool to sit on and keep my back straight as much as possible.

If I have to kneel or ask my spotter to kneel I always use a cushion.

I keep the studio clear of trip and slip hazards: wires are tucked away and any spills are wiped up right away. I often have small children in the studio and parents are warned of the potential dangers in the studio. I have a parent with the child at all times. If siblings or other children are coming for the shoot, I ask that parents bring another adult to help them.

I also have a dedicated child area where there are safe toys and a little space for them.

Conclusion

All these points can be taken into consideration for photographers on location and in parents' homes but there is a lot more to consider when mobile and this will be covered in more detail in my talk on safety at the Convention next year.

Danger lies not just with our subject matter but with others who come along to the shoot - parents, grandparents and siblings!

I once had a child scale three shelves in a cupboard and got to my office scissors and thencut her finger! Her mother was standing beside her while the dad and I were in the studio photographing the baby!

There was another child who was told repeatedly not to carry around my fold-up stool! We took said stool from her a number of times and the mother was told of the dangers of catching a finger. However, the child was efficient at getting what she wanted and sat down on the stool before it was completely flat and caught the top of her leg!

We can't eliminate risk completely; never give guarantees.

All we can do is reduce and minimise risks to acceptable levels.

Before each session either in the studio or on location, I do a quick dynamic risk assessment called 'Take 2"'.

Take 2 minutes to stop and think!

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Contact Jocelyn Conway

1st Published 01/08/2016
last update 09/12/2022 14:58:41

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