group photo

Eleven forty two, put on the badge, pick up the heavy case, put the tripod in it's bag over the left shoulder. Close the door to the office, press the button on the circular transponder.

Pass through the central hall of the faculty, and leave by the big glass front doors. There is the new reactor, and the old one side by side, but there is no need to go there today. Take a left turn and walk along by the fence securing these dens of atomic inquiry. Just around the corner there is an entrance, into the official reception building. There, in the small reception area a picture is to be made of  those fifteen people and a few guests who will decide on the course of the establishment.
Go in through the small revolving door, there is no security on this side.

Horror.

The floor has been opende up to repair some drains, there is a hole and a cordoned-off area precisely where the camera is supposed to stand. Why did nobody mention this?
Maybe there were other things to be done.


Look at the mess and think about it for a few minutes

Remove the plastic barriers by pushing them to one side.
Move the a bench over the hole in the ground, it will be possible to stand upon it.
Then carfully place the tripod.
Move things around a bit, untill the viewpoint is such that the background is level. That should be in order. It might just work. Go and ask the people behind the container to turn off the blue lights, they are there for decoration, but they cause a really revolting skin colour on the photographs that is hard to remove.

And then look into the conference room through the window, there are the fifteen people, count them just to be sure. They are  only fifteen.

Spend some time readjusting the position of the cameras. They are always late, they always have a little more to talk about, it always takes longer.

Half an hour later, they come out, beg them to form a group, two rows, the women to the front, mainly because they are not as tall as the men. The director is very tall, he is used to having to go to the back of the group. Check that all the heads are visible.
take one picture.
ask for a relaxed and friendly smile, just natural you know .
Thank you ladies and gentlemen thank you for your patience.

Bit effusive, but if they don't love that is their problem.
They are all off to the buffet now.

Take down the tripod , pack the camera away, replace the barriers, thank the people who work here for turning off the lights.
The picture

is OK

A
group
just
like
the
last
time.

Take the camera back to the office.
lunch will be late today.