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Getting known and trying to break the norm.

November 28, 2012
Development, Portraits, Promotion
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Any photographer will tell you that one of the biggest journeys for them to take is the attempt to do something new, so find their own USP (Unique Selling Point).  More often and not these days it is a certain look done in post production (after the photo has been taken).  An example of this is the Dragan effect (google it).  The thing is with PP is that it is quite easily replicated.  Once someone comes out with a catchy look, its just a matter of time before everyone is doing it.  That USP then becomes dull, it loses its impact.

I have decided to undertake a couple of projects over this Christmas period working at charity events  and a Christmas fayre.

Why?

Well simple, I decided I needed to do two things.  Firstly be seen for what I do (taking portraits) and secondly to capture something that makes people go wow, which is not that easy.  I also wanted to make people go, “I like that, can I book a family shoot or a portrait session from you?”

A standard set up for this kind of event is probably a two light set up, maybe three.  A main light, fill and either a background light or hair light.  The idea being that this set up is versatile as the sweet spot can be organised to be quite large.

Well I decided I didn’t want to do that as although you can get reasonable light it will not suit everyone.  There is not really any set up that will suit everyone, so decisions have to be made.  I chose to use a ‘clam shell’ set up which has the main light as a 1.2m Octobox directly above the subject, and very close.  The fill light is under my feet and I shoot through the gap in between.  The problem is that to get this really amazing soft light the subject is close to the light and the sweet spot is quite small.  I can only fit (carefully) two subjects.

Ultimately here lays the problem.  I do not directly make any money from this shoot which as a business I have to make money to survive.  There will always be people that want a certain shot and it is difficult to almost alienate yourself from anyone, but I have to look at the bigger picture.  I want you to see that I can get some amazing pictures of you guys and in a studio with all my kit at my disposal and a couple of hours to spare, we can come up with same really memorable shots that you will love.

Looking at it that way, its a bit of a no brainer really….  What I particularly love about this is the options that remain in PP, like in any lighting situation I suppose.

In the thick of it and always experimenting

November 19, 2012
Development, Portraits
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As a photographer one of the best parts of the job is the sheer volume of options.  I love the fact that I can always learn new techniques, be it composition, lighting, style or… well the options some times feel pretty limitless. #

The only limit to a photographer is their imagination.

I love playing with lighting, the studio is a great place when things are going well and the most frustrating place when they are not.

Lighting is, in essence quite simple, even the most complex of lighting set ups should look simple, but simple is great to look at and natural.

After setting up a stand at a recent charity fashion show, I thought it would make a great opportunity to try a simple clamshell setup.  I have to say I have never used this one before and I really have no idea why.  It is an amazing light and with post pro can suit men, women and children.

For this one I had a 1.2m Octabox as the key light, with a simple shoot through brolly as the fill from the floor.  The lights were no more than 1m from the subject so I used a wide lens for most of them.

Another set up in the bank.

Herding cats and capturing character

May 13, 2012
Development, Portraits
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There is a popular phrase that we have all heard stating you should never work with children or animals, however as a photographer, you try that.  I recently came up with a promotion idea to get people into the studio, to see how we work and hopefully come away with plenty of workable images to wow the customers.

This became the ‘Pets win prizes’ competition.  The premise was for local people to bring their pets to our studio in order for us to try to capture some of their character.  The shoot was free and an image from their shoot was to be displayed on Facebook in a gallery for people to vote (like) their favorite.  The winner is the image that 7 days later has the most likes.  They then win a canvas wrap print of their pet (not necessarily the one used in the competition).

As with anything like this, the build up can be nervous as you find yourself asking the questions, like, did we promote this enough?  Will people turn up, have we explained the situation properly?  Has word got around?

I need not have worried because apart from a quiet hour at midday, the event was a success.  We got a variety of pets in from the expected cats and dogs to the more exotic Bearded Dragon and some tropical fish in a huge beer glass.

I like to put myself under pressure, and I limited each shoot to 15 minutes, which included the time to get to know the animal a little, try to find some of its character, decide on how to work with it and light it, and then execute (not the animal but the idea).  I could quite easily have set up a flat light setting and just gone for the safe option but I didn’t want a load of same images.  I wanted to be creative, to try to show off each animal as best I could in the time.

At the end of the day, I sit through the images and I have to be honest, I am happy with what we got.  There are a lovely range of shots, the customers went home happy and I now hope they like what they see.  I don’t photograph a lot of pets, so this was an ideal opportunity to try to broaden my horizons as a photographer.

As I try to complete the job, my eyes are heavy, this was a challenge but like all challenges I am left in its wake feeling content.  This is the kind of project I think I should do more often and I urge others to also.  It is all to easy for a professional photographer to focus on revenue, but there is a kind of warm feeling when you undertake a project for no obvious gain, that said I did take a couple of bookings today which is nice but certainly not what this was all about.

If you have read this blog today, could I urge you to visit our Facebook page, and visit the gallery.  Please take a little time and like any images you like.  The winning pet owner will I am sure be most grateful.  Plus there are more images from the set to see.  As with any of my work I love to hear from people, feedback is important.

It’s all about the people

March 11, 2012
Afghanistan
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Afghanistan is a country with a long and difficult history, like many other nations, including our own (the United Kingdom).  Freedom comes at a cost and sacrifices unfortunately need to be made. On a basic level its just that people desire a simple life, they have few needs, but they crave a safe place to live to let their children grow up.

The Afghans are no different to us in this respect, but they are of course different culturally.  Yes this is a Muslim country but yet the culture is very different to that of Iraq which is also Muslim. There is almost always a pride in any nation or culture and this place is no different.  People are people wherever you go.  They sleep, eat (although diets vary), socialise, crap, laugh, cry and dream  Fundamentally they are the same as you or I.

Afghanistan will manage itself, it has to and it is naive to think that they don’t already, but their cultural make up is very different to ours.  They manage themselves on a much more intimate level, where each village is an entity separate from other villages around them. Here in Helmand, the people don’t really care what is going on in Kabul, they have no desire to own a 50 inch plasma TV, almost all of them don’t even own a TV, few have radios or a car.

This is not a wealthy place in our terms yet is described as the bread basket of Afghanistan for its mineral rich soil. They will grow what they can sell here, poppy or wheat, what ever will help them feed their families.  We would be no different I am sure.  Should they really care what the west thinks they should grow? Existence here is tough, unbearably hot in the summer and freezing and wet in the winter.

This is a country of extremes. ISAF can not be here for ever, the government knows that, the people do too and the transition is moving on full speed towards a comprehensive security cover by its own forces.  When the security forces are left to deal with any problems themselves which I am sure they will do, I have no doubt that they will manage.  There will be hardships, but transition is a necessary step to grasp their own future. Only Afghanistan can ultimately choose its own path.

I wanted these images to show humanity, mood, character and highlight that upbringing notwithstanding we are the same.  I don’t speak any Pashtun or Dari (the two main languages spoken here in Helmand), and as a photographer I like to communicate with people, to direct a little for light and composition (at times), this was quite hard initially and to be honest I found the Afghans play up to the camera a bit and pose with ridiculous expressions.  I have over the weeks developed a basic sign language to try to direct them a tiny bit at least. A funny thing happened the other day when I was out photographing some local Afghans during an operation, I had been out a while and was tired and saw this young guy who I wanted to photograph, he was back lit (a look I really don’t mind), so I got the shot.  After I showed him the image he gestured to me to take another, he pointed at the sun and changed his position relative to the sun.  This was not something I thought I would have been able to get across in my basic sign language.  I did prefer the second shot though!

Afghan elder in Natural light

January 9, 2012
Afghanistan, Portraits
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My main goal for this tour aside from my primary video role has been to put together a selection of portrait images, in the hope that I could arrange a small exhibition of portraits at a local art fayre.  I will be adding another blog entry near the end of the tour displaying some of my own personal favourites.  In the meantime I wanted to share this one.

An Afghan elder and the pace of life

Whilst working on some footage for an Afghan Air Force open day at Kandahar, I saw this elder, who had arrived early with some young children.  He promptly sat in a hangar doorway waiting with his worry beads.  He was just waiting patiently when I got this picture.  Taken on the trusty old manual 50mm lens (some people are getting bored hearing about), I wanted to concentrate on his face.  The lines are like a text, telling his life story and similar in many ways to so many other locals.  There people have endured so much in their lifetime and their lives are tough by our standards.

Simply processed in Lightroom, it does not need much more.

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Snapshots of the soldier

December 12, 2011
Afghanistan
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This post is really just a selection of images from a recent trip out which will hopefully give you an idea of what a soldier is.  They are random images that I hope will show we are human and they do have a sense of humor.

Soldiers will have a laugh whenever they can and will make light of anything even the bad.  On a recent trip one of the officers was shot in the leg during an operation and all the guys could talk about was how he had only been out here a few days and was already on his way home again, ‘lucky bastard!’

Of course this was what we term banter and like most things said out here is not to be taken seriously.  It is designed to lighten the load and of course everyone was glad he was not more seriously injured.

Mascots, the soldier will name their vehicle, stick mascots on it or personalise anything including their bed spaces.

Even when it gets cold, and boy does it get cold,

there are ways and means to feel the heat.

In confined spaces anywhere you can dry your kit, you use.

We love getting our mail and when it comes in so infrequently it can mean lots arriving at once.

There is always an opportunity to get into the party spirit, and sometimes you get the impression that fancy dress is code for hardly any dress at all.

Soldiers like getting tattoo’s and many of them have meaning, many of us have been here before and will come again.

Food HAS to be so hot you no longer taste it!

It does seem that out here most soldiers smoke.

It is difficult to keep your hair short or do Jedward have a lot to answer for?

Mustaches and Christmas hats should be worn at any and every opportunity.

Preparations to go out on an operation are a ritual, everyone has their own.  Nothing is ever taken for granted.

Although there is always time for a smile no matter how tense.

It is better to be ready early and then wait than wait til the last minute, it pays to be organised.

We are just regular people, just like anyone else but we adapt to circumstance and adversity, we just find a way to deal with things we would have no cause for otherwise.

If only!