8.5 Scouting field locations, pre-interviews

When you have chosen your story, found the best researcher and best research facility, and had your story approved, it is time for scouting. While print journalists might not even need to leave their chair, as they can get all they need through the telephone or the internet, you have to actually get to the lab and find out what you can do there to improve your images.

Ask the researchers to show you around not only the lab but also around the attached premises – from roof to cellar, if possible. Have a look at all the research equipment, technology, the menagerie and all other related stuff. Get as close as you can, touch things, ask questions and have everything explained. Try to arrange for demonstrations of specific activities. Usually, it is not possible to shoot, for example, lab procedures live on real samples. Ask the researchers to prepare samples that will not suffer from contamination caused by shooting, and to demonstrate different phases of research on these samples.

Often, there is not much to be shot because the equipment is enclosed in boxes, the data appear on dull computers, and the researcher’s study is just a mess. And yet, you need to find a way. Usually, it helps if you ask the researcher to show you how he or she actually carries out the research e.g. how samples (or other objects) are acquired, transferred, stored and manipulated. Look for anything that moves or blinks or is coloured. Also watch out for noises that come with good images. A perfect first image is accompanied by a noise e.g. the image and the sound of a coffin being opened with a shovel – this really draws people in.

The scouting and pre-interview will also help you get on closer terms with researchers, see what they actually look like, how they speak and cooperate. And vice versa – they will learn the same things about you. When you get to the shooting itself, you can treat each other as acquaintances.

Scouting will provide you with a lot of interesting information you could never get from studying documents. Documents will give you data but will not show the toilsome road to achieve the data.

Sometimes, however, scouting field locations is not possible, because, for example, the lab is abroad and you lack funding for a double trip. Then, you have to arrange as many details as possible by phone or internet – and rely on good luck and on your own ability to improvise.


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