ActewAGL - Things To Photograph.

Solar Panel/s:
This could be done in the studio as well as out on site.
If done on site i would most likely require permission to access private property. I might also need to contact a local solar panel business and/or contractor to see if i could borrow a panel or two to photograph as well as follow some tradesman to an install so i can photograph them doing an installation.

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Energy-saving device/s:
LIGHT GLOBES - POWER MONITORING SYSTEM
These items (unless installed to a place of residence) will be photographed in the studio. At this stage i will probably just shoot them in a clean and clear way, no special lighting effects.

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Other:
Below is a collection of other image research relating to this major assignment that may help me.

ActewAGL - target market.

(Further information sourced from page 3 of ActewAGL's Sustainability report 2010-2011).
 ActewAGL’s Sustainability Report 2010–11 contains relevant information relating to ActewAGL’s sustainability plans and past year performance. The information and reporting contained within the report is directed at ActewAGL’s key stakeholders, identified on the basis of their direct interest or involvement in the activities and business of ActewAGL.

 ActewAGL’s primary stakeholder segments are considered to include:
• customers;
• suppliers and industry partners;
• owners;
• people;
• Federal and local government stakeholders; and
• local community groups.
 
ActewAGL regularly engages with its stakeholder segments through a variety of mechanisms, including annual customer surveys, periodic employee surveys, meetings and participation in community events and public forums.

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(Further information sourced from page 5 of ActewAGL's Sustainability report 2010-2011).

For ActewAGL, sustainability means ensuring the continued success and viability of the business while operating in a manner informed by relevant social, environmental and economic considerations. ActewAGL is committed to a clean energy future for the ACT and is working with its employees, the Federal and ACT Governments and the Canberra community to efficiently use resources and address climate change and its resultant economic, social and environmental opportunities and challenges.
ActewAGL’s long term sustainability focus over the life of the Sustainability Strategy 2010 – 2015 is to:

• demonstrate leadership in sustainability;
  
• ensure its operations are performed in an efficient and sustainable manner;
  
• strengthen employee awareness and practice of sustainability principles; and
  
• work in partnership with customers and the community to encourage and motivate responsible sustainability behaviour.
  ActewAGL’s activities and achievements in this area to date are highlighted throughout this Sustainability Report 2010–11, and include:
  

• actively exploring renewable energy generation projects for the ACT;
  
• working with contractors and suppliers to ensure positive environmental and social outcomes;
  
• delivering sustainability awareness training to staff;
  
• monitoring and reporting its greenhouse gas emissions;
  
• increasing the number of Green-choice customers; and
  
• sponsoring a number of environmental events within the capital region.
  

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ActewAGL - technique/equipment requirements.

IMAGE requirements.

LOCATION images:

• 1x Stitched image.
• 1x Landscape scene.
• 1x Architectural interior (with correct perspective).
• 1x Architectural exterior (with correct perspective). 
• 1x Industrial scene (with or without involvement).

It is important to also include:
An image demonstrating use of High Dynamic Range.
An image that displays balance ambient and artificial lighting.

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STUDIO images:

• 1x Close-up image (energy-saving product).
• 1x Glassware product image (energy-saving product).
• 1x Chrome / highly reflective image (energy-saving product or tool).
• 1x Image demonstrating camera movement (energy-saving product).
• 2x images from any of the above categories.

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EQUIPMENT requirements.

LOCATION images:

• Camera.
• Light meter.
• A sturdy tripod.
• Standard and specialty lenses.
• Portable lighting kit, light modifiers, stands and sandbags.
• Spare SD memory card/s.
• Spare camera battery.
• USB Tether cable.
• Sync cord.

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STUDIO images:

• Camera.
• Light meter.
• A sturdy tripod.
• Standard and specialty lenses.
• Studio lighting kit, light modifiers, stands and sandbags.
• Laptop computer for tethered capture/review.
• Portable back-up hard drive.
• Spare camera battery.
• USB Tether cable.
• Any additional backgrounds, props, light modifiers and/or coloured gels.

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ActewAGL - Location requirements.

With my focus of this assignment being on sustainable energy, i feel it is best that i capture images of facilities that are already established/operating in and around the ACT. This will give an accurate depiction as well as allow me to physically drive to each location and spend time there photographing them to the best of my abilities.

If i can also gain access to a/all facilities, this will allow me to capture industrial images.

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FACILITIES

Solar-generated power - Royalla Solar Farm.
http://actsolarfarm.com/

Wind Generated Turbines - Lake George wind farm.
http://www.actewagl.com.au/Environment/Environmental-initiatives/Wind-power/Wind-generators.aspx

Water-generated turbines - Mt Stromlo mini hydro / Cotter Dam / Corrin Dam.


http://www.actew.com.au/Water%20and%20Sewerage%20Systems/ACT%20Water%20Supply%20System/Water%20Treatment/Mt%20Stromlo%20Mini-Hydro.aspx

ActewAGL - past/present advertising campaigns.

I'll be honest here... I was unable to find much to report back with, which is very strange, because i know for a fact that ActewAGL has there hands in a lot of pots throughout Canberra and support just about every major event that happens here.



There are advertisements on the sides of buses and i'm sure they have a few television commercials from time to time as well, but i don't own a television to view them on. So i'm not really sure what their style of marketing and advertising is.

My guess is it's that (cheesy) happy people doing good things commercial style, where everything is bright, friendly and clean-cut in ways that make people feel good about the company and what they stand for, so perhaps i should run with something like that.

ActewAGL - HISTORY

ActewAGL was formed in October 2000 when the Australian Gas Light Company (AGL) and ACTEW Corporation, an ACT Government-owned enterprise, entered into Australia's first utility joint venture.


Following October 2006 business dealings with AGL and Alinta, ownership of ActewAGL's retail arm was shared equally between AGL Energy and ACTEW Corporation and ownership of ActewAGL's distribution arm was shared equally between Alinta and ACTEW Corporation. Further changes to the distribution partnership occurred when a consortium including Singapore Power purchased Alinta in 2007. Alinta changed its name in 2008 to Jemena. The distribution partnership is now owned equally by Jemena and ACTEW Corporation.

In February 2004, ActewAGL entered into a management agreement with TransACT Capital Communications Pty Ltd.

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Green Initiatives
Since its beginning, ActewAGL has continued to undertake several innovative programs to help the environment. They include the following.

• Greenchoice – This is a program that lets residential and business customers support environmentally friendly green energy by paying a premium on their electricity bill (either fixed or percentage based plans). The additional payment is invested in renewable energy generation from sources like mini hydro, wind power and biomass.

The Greenchoice program is independently assessed by the Australian government's National Green Power Accreditation Program to guarantee that the green energy produced by ActewAGL comes from government-approved renewable energy sources.

However Greenchoice customers are still charged for carbon tax on their Greenchoice energy, which even the CEO of ActewAGL admits is counterintuitive. This negates any financial benefit Greenchoice customers might otherwise have received by supporting carbon-neutral energy.

• ActewAGL solar – The purpose of this initiative is to encourage the use of renewable energy sources, by offering support and advice to those interested in installing solar generation systems to their homes.

• ActewAGL hydro – While most hydro-electric developments require the building of dams and lakes, ActewAGL's mini-hydro uses an existing water supply to provide electricity that would otherwise come from fossil-fuel power stations.

• Solar farm – In early 2008 ActewAGL worked with the ACT Government to study the feasibility of developing a solar farm in the ACT. The study investigated the environmental impact, economic viability and educational benefits of such a facility. In May 2009 the ACT Government called for expressions of interest to construct, own and operate a solar power facility in the ACT. The government specified the facility must be capable of delivering power to at least 10,000 Canberra homes. ActewAGL responded to this request and in December 2009 were advised that they had been shortlisted to move through to the next stage of the selection process.

Battery electric vehicle – ActewAGL is assisting Better Place Australia in the establishment of their first Australian electric vehicle network in Canberra. In July 2009, Better Place Australia announced that it had chosen Canberra for its first city-wide roll-out in Australia. Better Place will commence installation of its charge spots and battery swap stations in 2011 and start supporting approximately 1,000 trial electric vehicle customers in Canberra from 2012. ActewAGL will support the electric vehicle network by supplying and distributing electricity from renewable sources.


Referenced from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActewAGL


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Major Assessment task.

This reads like a big task and will require plenty of the following:

PLANNING
RESEARCH
CREATIVITY
DEVELOPMENT
ORGANISATION
BACK AND FORTH
CAMERA TECHNIQUES

The good thing is though, we will gain a bunch of new skills and understanding of both camera techniques and post-capture techniques along the way in class time. We are then required to implement these new skills into the assessment task to achieve a desirable result.

Image sourced from:
http://www.ena.asn.au/udocs/2010/08/ActewAGL_CMYK-w.jpg

I pulled ACTEWAGL (http://www.actewagl.com.au/) from the hat of possible clients. I do feel this will prove to be a challenging client to focus on/work with, but if i put my brain into action and get things planned ready to go, all should go well for me.

I have only commenced a small amount of research into this so far, because there are a few other subject tasks due next week that i want to get out of the way first, so stay tuned for more on this. That said I have sourced two recent company reports from the company's website (amongst other things) to read up on. This will help me understand what the company does/offers and what they have planned for the future.

D.