Summer break is over :(

Summer break is over L

For those that read my blog will know I'm doing a foundation degree in professional photography.

It’s kind of funny in that when you’re doing the school run with the kids and then they have their summer holidays; it seems to go on for ever! But when it’s you, time seems to have whizzed pass and you’re into a new year and you have to get your head into that mode once again.

It’s been a nice break, but at first I felt I should be doing something like research or my head buried in a book somewhere. But I’ve kept myself busy and done a few paid shoots and then there was my own little project on photographing myself and taking part in Bristol’s 2hrs in Bristol Competition which was a marathon. I did a fair bit of studio work as I know the beginning of the new year there will be a lot of that, and what with a new camera I had to get some new equipment to be able to get the camera to work with studio lights. I also invested in a beauty dish and some reflectors and tried them out in the studio; the beauty dish does give some really good lighting on a person. I read somewhere that to use a grid for a man and white diffuser for a woman; to me they both had their advantages depending on the image.

Buying gear is really down to how deep your pockets are and whether you look around for a good deal. I've looked at some video and images taken with well-known brands and the cheaper end seems to do just as good a job as them. Of course a lot of the work is done in the post editing and that’s something else that I've been working on what with composites and skin texture.

I think the summer break has given me the chance to digest what I've learnt and to put that into practice, when looking through the viewfinder I don’t just concentrate on the main part of the image but look at the sides and try different angles on what I'm seeing. Getting critical with your work has got to be a good thing, right?

One of the last things that I've invested in was the X-rite Colorchecker passport. I've read a lot on the subject and many professional photographers look at it like a bible, it does help get the right white balance and colouring, it also now works as a plug-in with Lightroom and saves a heap of time getting those batch of images right. I've had my monitor calibration software for some time now so everything works in sync.

The very last thing to mention is tethering my Sony A99 through Lightroom. I did download the Sony software but you really have to go round the houses in getting the dam thing to recognise the folder you want it to use, it can take me 15 minutes before I have it right, which is not good with a client sitting and waiting. So I was looking round the web and came across DSLRSoftware.com who boasts about their piece of software that works direct with Lightroom as a plug-in which is called DNA capture support. It’s about £18 but they do allow you to do is download a free version to try out, this has their watermark come up all over your images. But it’s brilliant, you start the tethering after connecting the camera to the laptop or PC and you just name the file and away you go your connected and taking images. Displaying images on a larger monitor than what’s on the back of your camera or through the view finder, gives you the full view of what you’re doing and gives you the chance to make changes on the fly that maybe you wouldn’t of done if you just went with the small view on the LCD screen or trying to enlarge the image on there. Sometimes it’s the small things that make that job just a bit easier to do and can be a real time saver.

So am I ready for the new semester, well I think so. I'm for ever creating ideas in my head for an image with a certain look to it, and maybe I will be able to put those together now with what we’ll be asked to do in the workshops. So into my second year of a great course that I totally recommend to anyone thinking of doing something similar and to catching up with friends I've made at college and to new ones that are just starting out in their first year.

Thanks for reading, AndyD

The Photographers Ephemeris (TPE) App

The Photographers Ephemeris (TPE)

Today, not many of us DON’T walk around with a mobile phone that does more than just be a phone. We can read emails, shop online, play games, play music, make videos, and of course take photos or selfies.

This list can go on and on, but finding an App that actually does something for photographers that use an external camera, is something that is getting better.

The Sun and Moon

Here's the thing, you find this great location that over looks a city or landscape that you think would make a great image for a sunrise or sunset, or maybe you would like to capture the full-moon on the horizon. But how do you know what time on a certain day the sun or moon will be there and will it be in the right location?

You could take pot luck and drive back on and evening or get up before dawn to find out, but what then if its all been in vain and you've struck out and it won't happen at that point of reference, your not going to be happy at wasting time and effort.

TPE

This is one of the very best apps you could possibly buy for your phone, the Photographers Ephemeris. You don't even have to go to the location as you can look over the map or do a search on the road or point that your interested in and just drop a pin. Straight away it will show you the sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset. And even have realtime of which direction the sun or moon currently is. It comes with a compass to show your direction in comparison to where the sun or moon will fall at a certain time of day or evening. You can go to a date in the month to see not just what time sunrise or sunset will be but the positioning will reflect the change of date.

You can save locations, so you can go back at a later date or time of year, you can view the area in so many map types as there are many to choose from. Its all there in one app for where ever you are in the world or looking to go to.

Desktop Version

Screenshot of desktop version

This version is just as useful and is free to use as its web based. you get the same info and you can bookmark references from your search.

There are so many times when your photographing a landscape, you think the location might have a great sunset or sunrise. So with the phone app, you have all the info at your finger tips, no more trying to predict where and when.

If there was one thing that I wished it did, would be to sync with my iPad or laptop, maybe this is something for the future releases.

Thanks for reading, AndyD

Portait Images - The Problems One Can Face

Portrait Images…

One of things I’ve found is that unless you’re working with a model that’s trained to be in front of the camera and can take direction in what you the photographer is looking for, you get the frozen and can take time to have the person comfortable in a studio or camera environment.

Being Relaxed

For any client that’s come to you and asked you to do a portrait image of them or of a family member have an idea of an image that represents them best. But putting someone in front of a camera seems to cause that involuntary look of nervous or a blank look. Many times I’ve heard people say they hate having their picture taken, but I think this is due more to the situations they've been in when they've had the image taken and by people that like everyone else has a camera and says ‘smile’ and then they see an image they feel is un flattering, this plants the seed of not wanting to have their photo taken.

There’s a great difference to someone having a camera at an event that wants to take photos, but inclined to take the photo of a funny situation that involves that person, while a photographer goes round and looks for that interesting but relaxed look that puts them in a much better light. If you say to someone to look at the camera or look to the left, they end up with this fixated look and their desperate not to blink which involuntary makes them blink as you press the shutter.

Getting that natural look

With young children and animals it seems to work in the opposite direction where you make a noise or rattle something to gain there attention. What makes this different is their not aware as of yet what a camera is or does. Older children and adults, it’s more about getting their attention away from the camera and lights and to focus on something else.

One way is to communicate, build a conversation that leans them into forgetting why they are there, make light of something that comes up in conversation that makes them give that natural smile or laugh. Take an image of someone and ask them to look direct at the camera and then another using the commutation situation, you’re going to see a big difference in the images that makes one stand out better than the other, and that’s the relaxed look.

Using a wireless trigger

Something that I learnt while doing my self-portrait project is to use my wireless trigger to take the shot for me as I don't have anyone to help me behind the camera. 

Using a wireless trigger in the same way while working with a client, gives you the flexibility and the chance to get images easier. Once you've set the lighting and camera up on the subject, you can then move away from the camera and then have your subject focus on you. For instance you want them to look slightly to the left, you move yourself to that position of the angle you want them to be in. you’re getting them to focus on you and not the camera so if you strike up that conversation and carry it through, you’re always going to have that natural look.

Moving around and communicating brings those images your trying to create without that professional model direction. A wireless trigger is there to control the shutter and doesn't need you to be behind the camera all the time. You know you've got the focal length how you want it, and the lighting, all that’s left to do is watch and click, then you’ve got the shot.

Getting the shot

I’m sure other photographers have their own techniques; this is just one way to consider working on portraits if you’re like me and you’re still learning the skills of taking good portraits. Getting those amazing shots can take time but if you find a way that makes it easier for you and the sitter, then you’re saving time and effort for both of you.

Thanks for reading, AndyD

24 Hours in Bristol 2014 Competition

This is a competition that’s open to everyone, it does cost to enter and you can pay for extra images to be included and you get allocated a time slot that one of the images must be taken in.

Last year was the first time the competition was run and photographers had from midnight on the Saturday till midnight on the Sunday, I got the slot from midnight till 1 am! The weather was terrible with it being cold and raining added to the torment.

Like most I decided to photograph in the city centre and around the docks, a lot of photographers did same thing, and one of the finalist actually took a photo from the opposite side of the docks from me.

Hundreds of photographers took part in the event and were from all over the country and from Europe as well, it was a great event and I knew that if it was to happen again that I would take part.

There are lots of photographic competitions to part in, and in my view it worth having a go to gain experience and having the chance to have your work in a gallery for all to see.

This year the event is being run from the midday on the Saturday till midday on Sunday, I think this is a better way to do it and makes life slightly easier for all. We didn't have much of ID to say we were doing the event but this year supplied with proper ID's so that if anyone gets stopped by the police in the early hours of the morning, they will know what their up to as the council and police are made aware of the event and the Bristol Lord Mayor, is very much behind the event.

I'm not sure if this kind of competition is run in others cites in the UK or abroad, but it’s a great thing to get involved in and helps to promote your city. Over a thousand images were taken last year and I'm sure that a lot more will be taken this year.

For me, I want to have images that cover the morning, afternoon, evening and night. So over the last couple of weeks I've been looking and Google maps and travelling around all over the place to try and find something new and part of Bristol. I guess I'm lucky as I live in Bristol and have the time to look, while others maybe are just coming along for the weekend will find it slightly difficult to maybe get outside of the city centre and know where to go.

Last year images where landscape and street photography images, but I'm looking to try and find something different or to maybe photograph something in a slightly different way that’s more creative. 

One tool that I've found fantastic to use for knowing where the sun is going to set or rise is called TPE - The Photographers Ephemeris App, there’s also an Android version as well as a desktop version. Where ever you are in the world, you can drop a pin on the map and it will show you where the sun will rise of set as well as when there's a full moon. You can even go to a date in the calendar and see what time and where the event will happen. The app cost about £4.00 but worth the money as you can work out before you turn up at a location where sun will be at that exact time of day, its brilliant.

There's still time to register for the event and to find out more you can visit their website which is http://www.24hoursinbristol.co.uk.

Thanks for reading, AndyD 

The Spiral Bridge

The Image - Spiral Bridge.

As photographers, we look through the viewfinder and line the shot up and press the shutter, or do we?

I guess that may have been how I used to take photos, but so much time has passed or at least it feels like that, now I look at images in a different way. 

When I see an object or a scene, I look at it with my eyes so that I can see the whole picture and from different angles, it may take a minute or more because of other factors that either make the image or spoil it in someway. Things like light, rain and people, when I say people its more of a case that they just don't suit the image that I'm looking to create from the scene, let me explain.

Take good look at the image and then imagine that there are no people on the bridge, if you put a finger on each person on the image, you get an idea how it may look without them on there. It becomes an empty space with just the curve of the bridge and the building to view, it would feel like there's something missing that can make it more than just a spiral bridge, that's how it is for me, but as you the viewer, you only get a part of the image. You don't see how tall the building in the centre or right is, you don't get to see the bridge in its entirety or how wide the river below is, you see only what I've allowed you to see. So with that in mind, I need to make the image interesting that you will hopefully like it because of what I've done to create the scene as I've done.

The great thing about black and white is that a grey day just doesn't matter, in some cases it can add to the black and white because of the dull light. Then in post editing, you can add or delete effects of light and shadow to bring the image into a new dimension that embraces the scene.

Sitting at one end of the bridge looking towards the scene, I waited and waited as people pass me by with me making a mental note of how they were dressed or had with them, I would look through the viewfinder at people that I was interested in and did snap one or two, but many just passed by as they just didn't fit the scene. I've learnt you don't have to rush taking your images, if you relax into it then things become more clear to what your trying to achieve.

The image...

The gentleman had passed me and I could see how his hands was in his pockets of his trousers and his bag over his should and directly in the centre of his back, and the best bit was that he walked in the centre of the bridge, unlike other that stayed close to the rail like the women that is coming from the other direction towards me.

I had followed him through my viewfinder till the point that he was at the midway point between me and the other end of the bridge and then pressed the shutter, bang! I got the shot I was waiting all that time for. It's not perfect as I wished that the women wasn't on the bridge, but in some respect for me she doesn't do any harm to the image or scene if your prefer to look at it that way. This isn't a staged shot in that I had a model to walk in the central part of the bridge wearing what I wanted them to wear and so to hold that point till the bridge was clear of people, why, because this isn't an image for a magazine or advert, but life and a candid view that I waited for and so has its imperfections.

So I have a colour image that I know that will be revamped into a black and white, but I have to make it pop (the favoured word for making an image stand out), to do that I use Lightroom.

The first thing is to make a virtual copy of the RAW file so I'm not working on the original, I could do by working on it and then exporting the final image and then clicking or the reset button, but if it doesn't work then I've messed up the original for ever. The next part is to drop the contrast and make the whites and black slightly dull and add a bit of clarity, then I'm ready to begin painting.

I use a tablet pen when I work on a image so that I have full control, Bamboo is a good make to look at and very easy to use. The image is made up of black and white and then in the middle a mixture of different greys, so I decide to which of the greys to increase or decrease by using the slider for exposure and then paint in and once done, play with the contrast if needs be. Then the whites or lighter greys I brighten once painted with decreasing the exposure. So the image get's built up and bring the image more alive than a mono image look.

Just looking at the floor of the bridge, I've increased the exposure and then painted slight greys to add effect to the floor so give a kind of graining to the floor.

I had read about this technique from a french photographer, which is no relation to myself by the way, and I know some have thought that was done as an HDR, but know, its a single image and just worked on in Lightroom with no help from Photoshop. 

For some people this might be interesting that it is all done in Lightroom as Photoshop is expensive yet you can come up with interesting looks on an image.

I'm still learning and more importantly experimenting with my images, to me that's what makes photography or part of it fascinating to do. There is so much out there and so much we can learn and do that it can never become mondain or boring in doing photography, I on wished that I had done this many years ago than now, but I do what I can and share with others, and if they enjoy my work then maybe I can be on par with my mentors and well known photographers that are talked about some day in my lifetime.

Thank you for reading, AndyD