General notes

• The job of the photographer is to snag attention for more than the nanosecond of a passing glance.
• The most important thing in your bag is your attitude.
• You have to be in love with the sound of the shutter.
• Don't worry about how people use or talk about your images. No matter what happens later, you have to be excited about that moment in the field.
• Your camera is not a camera. It is a visa that gets you into people's lives.
• At the end of the day, we're storytellers.
• Cameras now do a lot of what the photographer used to do. Now, you must add greater value.
• If you can cause people to tilt their head when viewing your photos, it shows you have intrigued them.
• Pictures maybe trained seals. Have to jump through hoops for client. Eg. space for words.
• Nowadays, clients know what they want and demand value.
• The viewer of the picture is your customers.
• Move the viewer along. Keep the eye moving. Keep the interest going.
• Photography is one bit set of compromises.
• Project confidence and serenity.
• The camera is designed to carve detail out of anything.

Overall tips

• Use tungsten white balance to get blue in daylight (eg window, open door) or white flash.
• Put lights, even little lights, in various places to create good light everywhere. Points of interest. Balance.
• Use gels to create coloured light.
• Light the scene before the model turns up. Don't let them get bored [or paid to do nothing].
• Catch them when they are energised. Wind them up and shoot away. Especially catch the peak moments of genius.
• Watch for the switch in the subject's eyes as they turn off and go glassy. The shoot is then over.
• Put a bare flash behind them to create a rim.
• Video floodlights flatten the still picture.
• Take test images.
• The further you put the light from the subject, the more diffused it gets, bouncing off all kinds of things.
• Patrol the edge of your frame. Watch for lights dragging your attention away.
• You don't need a light meter when the camera's measurement is sufficient.
• Kit: at least two cameras. Basic range of zooms (14-24, 24-70, 70-200). Weight and time considerations.

Location assessment

• Walk around. Look. See. Notice architectural features. What is moveable and not. Obstructions. Texture. Places to put lights. Reflective surfaces (to use or avoid).
• Turn off the lights and look around. Savour the light that exists in the room.
• Where's the natural light? Clear things that are in the way.
• Compose the set with what you have.
• Access is everything. Sometimes you need signed permission.
• What time do you have before the public turn up?
• Sketch out the location with where all the lights, people and props are.
• Sun is your friend or your enemy. Shape or use it.
• Notice the fall of light on faces.

Shooting tips

• Interior shooting: -2 flash. 1/25 sec. F5.6.
• Flash straight on is like hitting them with a hammer. Though a little can help.
• Use off-camera flash.
• Little flash-mounted soft box is better than straight flash.
• Shoot first for background without flash (changing speed). Then flash to light subject.
• Set up with an assistant as model so you can bring the real model in fresh.
• Bleed a little ambient light into your solution.
• Keep trying different things.
• Use gels. Double-gel for extra effect.
• Watch what is happening to the background when you change settings, lights, etc.

Copyright 2004- Abergavenny Camera Club. The copyright of images on this website belongs solely to the photographer. Images may not be copied, downloaded or used in any way without the specific written permission of the photographer.