Amended proposal...

Working Title:  Tea Rooms of the North

After doing a 'vox pop' style brief at the end of last year, i realised i really enjoyed interacting with the public and photographing them. I feel by doing this it will boost my confidence and strengthen my skills in photographing the public and most importantly approaching them in a professional manner. In my spare time i love to visit tea shops near where i live as i feel they are unique and a lovely place to relax and socialise. After researching into tea rooms i found that there were intact a great selection of them right in the city of manchester! I felt this would be excellent to photograph in my 'vox pop' style by simply asking a member of staff in the tea room, preferably the manager or senior staff member, and asking them to stand within the business surrounding as i take their portrait. I have seen this style done before but never in a tea shop setting and i think it will really work. I would like to consider the relationship between the tea shop and the people that work with in it. This interests me as i have seen it done before in other regular shops and more often than not the shop worker reflects the shop that they work in.

This is the image that inspired me to do my version, this is infact an image taken by somebody on my course! I love the relationship between shop and worker and i am excited to  apply this to the tea shop aspect of my idea. 

I have emailed seven tea shops in and around Manchester and after just two days i have had four positive replies which is great and i can't wait to get started! 

Here is a copy of the email i have sent to the tea shops…

Hello!

I am a student at The University of Salford studying Photography, for my current brief i had to come up with an idea for an editorial in a magazine. I have chosen to capture the hidden beauties of Manchester, mainly focusing on tea rooms. When looking at your website i see you have a beautiful business and wondered if you wouldn't mind me coming in and taking a few pictures including, if possible, an image of the manager/senior staff member in the business surrounding. I will not be using these images anywhere but to submit at university and i am happy to email you the images afterwards.

Thank you for your time,

Amelia Johnson

I tried to be as professional as i could and from the positive replies i feel i have come across professional and i am pleased that they trust me to come into their business and photograph them. 

Who?

(* already had a positive reply from)

Richmond Tea Rooms *
Home sweet home
Sugar Junction
Teacup and cakes *
Hey Little Cupcake *
And The Dish Ran Away With The Spoon
AiryFairy Cupcakes *

What?

Photographing portraits of the manager/senior staff member in a variety of tea shops, with the business surrounding as a backdrop. also added images of their products to support the portraits

Why?

I have always wanted to do this and i am aiming to strengthen my skills in areas i haven't done before eg. photographing the public/busniesses and approaching them in a professional manner.

Where?

In Manchester and Didsbury including canal street and the northern quarter

When?

Most of the replies have asked me if i can come in on a week day when they are less busy, so i am restricted as i am obviously in uni some days but have managed to work out a schedule and have all addresses, managers names, times and days set out so i am fully prepared to approach them in a professional manner.