Lorentz Gullachsen Photographer

Photographer for Schools and educational establishments such as colleges and universities, for marketing and communication. Based in Warwickshire and working in the West Midlands, Coventry and Cotswolds.

A school or college photographer is sometimes confused for the photographer that takes the traditional school photo, a notable profession and I certainly admire those who produce the images of the sons and daughters every year, they are a great tradition and that is a highly skilled job that I do not compete with, the numbers and the printing is something I am not set up for and there are many great companies that provide that service.

However, I provide the photography for the prospectus and marketing that schools and colleges require, every few years a school or college prospectus is required to promote and market the school and a collection of images are required for that purpose, fashions and styles and uniforms change, so a school cannot keep reprinting old images, therefore a new image bank needs to be produced, that is where I come in.

I have worked along a variety of designers and art directors as well as direct with clients to produce the images of the physical school and the pupils and naturally the teaching staff, from Head teacher to teaching assistant and occasionally the dinner ladies and the essential support staff.

My skill as a portrait and lifestyle photographer works well in this sector, with many years working in a fast changing environment, capturing the environmental lifestyle images that show engaged pupils and demonstrate the facilities and ethos of the educational establishment.

Happy smiling children should also be contrasted with those serious faces seen when studying with a great teacher. The classrooms and all the facilities such as a gym, library, computer suites, music rooms and performance facilities are all part of the photography requirements and the technical skill with lights and appropriate ultra wide angle lens and remote high view platforms are what I have as standard kit.

What does an Education photographer do?

A photographer of schools & teaching facilities has to understand the needs of the photography, who is the reader of the prospectus or website, is the facility providing for a special group or is it an establishment that is aiming to provide exceptional academic qualifications?

The photographer should ideally view the location and ensure that all health and safety issues are addressed as well as safeguarding issues. As a former FE tutor and university lecturer I am aware of the protocols, I am also aware that CRB clearance is required in some circumstances, however I always insist that I am chaperoned at all times while on the premises so usually a CRB is not required for the few days I maybe on site.

A shot list and schedule is produced and a week before the photography shoot the pupils parents and guardians are asked for permissions for their children to be possible models, and all pupils that cannot be photographed are identified so they do not prevent an image been used.

Often with my assistant the photography takes place after the schedule is carefully put together so as to take account of sun aspect in relation to certain key images and certainly taking into account the access to external buildings that maybe best captured early in the day or certainly after hours, heroic images of the buildings can certainly add value to the image bank as they can be very powerful symbols of an establishment.

If you have a school, college, nursery or education facility that requires photography for Marketing and communication, please contact me for a free advise and a quote.

01608 695050 or lorentz@gullachsen.com