Photo Shoot No 1

For this photo shoot I have been trawling the Internet looking for inspiration as my original plans of doing the shoot in the studio and using some of the other photographers I have already looked at like Richard Avedon and Alfred Eisenstaedt unfortunately are no longer. My model is very restricted for many reasons as to when she is available. So I have decided to do location shoots with the use of the portable lighting equipment from college. I have taken my first bit of inspiration from a camera magazine. Below is a scanned image from this mag.

This picture jumped out at me instantly, although completely different from what I was originally looking at. This picture is more of the current times rather than from 50's and 60's. It's a fashion, edgy photograph created by what the model is wearing the angle in which the photograph is taken and the harsh lighting which gives a sharp shadow down one side of the models body.

Then I have looked at Mario Testino in particular the Versace Autumn/Winter 2009. Please click on the link to look at the photographs I have been looking at. These pictures again are edgy, fashion pictures using harsh lighting to create a sharp shadow on the wall. The use of the white wall with the royal blue carpet and the models outfits all add to the modern edgy feel. Pictures are taken from different angles (to show off the different items of clothes/accessories) the ones of just the models legs have direct lighting from the front possibly slightly from the right to generate the shadow which is cast on the wall and the photograph is taken from the left one I suppose as to not create a shadow himself but most importantly to get the correct angle to get the perfect image. The skirt which the model is wearing has a slit up the side which keeps your eye going up although the picture stops here your imagination doesn't.

Next picture I have looked at is a bit different from the others. Although modern and the same era, its more subtle with a bit of old mixed in. It's by Drew Gardner. Again I have had to scan the image onto my computer.

Obviously this picture is of Lilly Allen and it reflects Lilly's own style in fashion and music and tells you exactly who Lilly Allen is. The background is a flowery pattern which looks to be quite 50's style wallpaper or curtaining but she is wearing large gold hooped earrings which are more modern. The main focus point are her eyes with the flower leading the viewers eyes to hers and is also probably covering up the obscenities which are coming out of her mouth. The overall image depicts a very soft and sweet side with subtle lighting, no harsh shadows like the others.

Martin Munkacsi work

This photograph I think is very simple and easy to understand. The lines on the black tights lead the viewers eye from the bottom of the photograph all the way up the back of the models legs to her bottom. The underwear which she is wearing blend into the background, there is no definite edge to them which keep your focus on the legs/tights. Part of the models back can be seen but I think this is just to make the legs actually look like they are joined onto a body and make it look more human and not just a pair of legs. The picture works well in black and white for the same reasons, the emphasis on the black line up the legs on the tights and the merging of the underwear with the background.

Richard Avedon's work

This photograph is of Bob Dylan taken in Central Park, New York 1965.

The main focal point in this photograph is Bob's eyes, everything in this picture draws the viewers eyes to his. The lines on the cobbled road go up the picture to meet his eyes and at the top of the photograph the horizon again is in line with his eyes. The cobbled road gives plenty of texture without drawing the attention away from the main focal point of the photograph. It has clearly been a miserable day and the wet cobbles give off a glimmer where the light hits them, this would provide some natural lighting and also adds some brightness to what is a grim day. All the objects, trees, buildings, walls, lamp post and the person behind him are all out of focus and the tone of these objects along with the clothes he is wearing are all very dark All of these things along with the fact that he doesn't look happy give off a dark and mysterious side to him, which coincide with his music.

This is a fashion photograph taken in New York in 1967.

It looks like the model is suspended by something or that she is about to jump up and the photograph is taken at that precise moment, using a fast shutter speed to freeze the movement. I think that the latter is the more probable. There is allot of movement in the photograph. Firstly it looks like her hair and dress are being blown up and away from her towards the left. Secondly her body is arched and pointing in the same direction in which her hair and clothes are being blown which gives the impression that she herself is being blown away, it still looks really graceful and relaxed. There is a shadow to the left of the picture which suggests that maybe only one light was used or a couple but from the same side, to highlight her face and skin and again this lighting also gives this photograph direction like the shape of her body and her hair and dress being blown over to the left. The main focal point is the dress, the models legs draw your attention up and across to the left. Her face is further back in the photograph and although it is highlighted all the viewer can see really is the lower part and the side of her face and not her eyes.

Health and Safety

Health and Safety laws apply to all types of businesses.

For the full Health and Safety at work act please click here, this is the official Health and Safety at work act 1974. This site I have used as research as well as at what I already know from the work which I do.

"All workers have a right to work in places where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Health and safety is about stopping you getting hurt at work or ill through work."

What we as possible employers should do;

1)
In a studio environment and whilst on location a risk assessment should be done. This should include anything which could harm any employees whilst doing their job and any precautions to stop it from happening. Explanations of how these risks will be controlled should be communicated to who it applies e.g your employees or anyone coming into your studio such as models.
2)
Training in health and safety for your employees. All employees should have the necessary training required to do their job in and out of the studio environment. Anybody coming into the studio e.g model should be given the necessary information regarding health and safety.
3)
All electrical equipment should be looked after and properly maintained (PAT testing).
4)
First aid facilities should be available and at any one time there should be someone in the studio who is first aid trained.
5)
For in the studio and location environment you should have any relevant insurance which covers you for public liability.
6)
Fire procedures should be in place, with the relevant signs and fire extinguishers available.
7)
Correct precautions and training should be given to all employees with regard to lifting heavy objects and of the handling of all camera and lighting equipment.

Comments, Photo shoot No 1

Talked to Steve today regarding my next photo shoot, I had originally organised for a model to come into the studio for the 1st of April but due to circumstances unfortunately can't make it so I have tried to come up with some other ideas. Due to being restricted with the use of the studio and fitting it round somebody Else's schedule I have looked at something similar but on location. Steve has informed us that we can use the portable lighting equipment from college and I have found some photos in a magazine which I like. Steve has suggested what kind of lighting was used, and I have come up with a location.

I am going to look at some more relevant Photographers to get some more ideas on clothing, style, angles, lighting, mood, and posses. I need to organise a time suitable to my model and when I can use the location which I would like to use, and arrange with the college to book out the portable equipment.

Test shots for photo shoot No 2

Went to check out a street in Lichfield as a possibility as a backdrop of a photo which I wish to replicate. There are a couple of reasons as to why I think that this site is unsuitable for the photograph. The direction in which the photograph needs to be taken gives you a back drop of a cathedral and also due to refurbishment to the cathedral there is a unsightly white scaffolding cover over one side. The street I think is too wide, and on the original photograph there are lines on the road which is the way which the cobbles are laid which draw your eye up the photograph towards the focal point of the picture, his eyes! The buildings on the right and the bridge on the left to set the horizon line are great and quite suitable, but with the cathedral in the background and the refurb works, this I feel will ruin the whole photo which I’m trying to create.

I do have one other option at the moment, the London Embankment. This could well be an option from the pictures which I have seen, two foreseeable issues could be, too many people and finding a good spot with the right kind of buildings as its such a big area.

Studio Equipment, Lighting

Bowens 500 and 1000 flash are two of the lights used in the college studio.

Technical Data

Both of these lights are the same apart form the power, they both work in the same way.
They have a very short freezing flash duration of 1/2900 sec which is able to freeze movement so is highly suitable for fashion portrait shots. This helps if you are trying to get movement in your picture, for example if your model is jumping in the air or flicking her hair.
The lights have three different standby functions;
1, the main lamp is on all the time whilst shooting and the flash goes off when the shutter button is depressed
2, the main lamp is off all of the time and only the flash goes off when the shutter button is depressed
3, the main lamp goes off once the flash has been fired for a couple of seconds and then returns to being constant
These different variations create different types of images, if the lamp isn't constantly on then the person who is being photographed eyes will appear dilated as their eyes will be adapted to the dark.
Once the flash has fired there is a beep which indicates that the flash has recharged to full power and is ready to be fired again. On the side of the unit there are two dials, one changes the power of the flash, if this dial is changed the flash has to be fired once to defuse the flash that's if you have reduced the power and increased power to charge up, the other dial is for the brightness of the constant lamp.
On the back of the light there is a switch which syncs more than one flash light together. So if you attach one flash to the camera via a cable then once the shutter button is depressed the signal is sent to all flash lights to fire all at the same time.

The above three pictures are all attachments which attach onto the flash guns. They all have different effects on the subject in which you are taking shots off. Firstly is a soft box, this softens the light on the subject and creates less of a shadow or none at all. For example if you were to set the studio up with two soft boxes either side of a model towards the back of the studio pointing at the backdrop this will prevent any shadow and make it look like there is no back drop in the photo.

Secondly is a reflector and this creates a softer light and ensures that the light is more evenly spread across the subject. This is a useful tool to use in portraiture to soften the light on the models face.

Thirdly is a grid diffuser this again is highly suitable for portraits. It contains a perspex outer opal diffuser with a removable honeycomb grid in the centre, this gives a direct pool of light in the centre surrounded by a soft-diffused light.

Above are some of the backdrops in the college studio which can be used to create a different mood in an image. These can all be painted in what ever colour you require for your shots. There is also a roll of black thick paper like material which can be hung from a stand as a back drop.

This can create either a really sharp edge to the model in the photo or a seamless edge, and if only one light is used to the side then this will only highlight one side of the face thus creating a totally different image and the side which isn't lit up disappears into the background. I really like this way of taking pictures it gives the image a real mystery and it really draws your focus straight to the models face and what the face is saying, its so simple!

Ideas for basketball photo shoot

I have planned to do a session in the studio, and have arranged to get my friend in, she plays basketball and thought that this would make for quite an interesting shoot. Showing movement as well as posed shots. To get some ideas of how to get my model to move and what sort of images I want I have had a look on the Internet to get some ideas.

What I want to get from this shoot is a practice and a get to know session with the studio equipment and gain a bit more confidence, with talking to the model and getting the model to move and posse as I wanted.  I have done some research which are these pictures to the left.  Just standard posses which I think I would find fairly easy to replicate and the model would find easy to maintain.  I have to bare in mind that my model which I have chosen hasn't done this before and she will feel as uncomfortable if not more than myself.  

I like these photos as they are all a natural stance for a basketball player not totally staged, it looks like the photographer has just snapped away to get a natural expression.

This picture is actually of an pro American Basketball player taken by Dustin Snipes.  I like this photo as she is looking away not directly at the camera making it appear more natural.  Looks as if she could be on the basketball court waiting to play, that's if it didn't have studio screen in the back ground.

 

Click here to see some of the photos from the shoot.

In this session the set up I used was one Bowens 1000 with a open disk reflector, a 5D Canon camera set to 200 ISO.

These photos are a few of the pictures which I took in the studio session.

I have chosen this photo because I like the angle it was taken at, although in the background you can see all the ceiling light rails which I can hopefully edit out at a later date.  I also like the expression on her face, natural and relaxed although looking at the camera it still appears that she actually hasn't been put in that position and is natural to her.  This picture uses two different techniques, the angle of which the picture is taken and lines which draw your eye in, her legs at the bottom of the picture draw your eyes up to her face. 

f6.3, 1/100, ISO 200

This picture I like as it is totally natural, well as natural as you can get in a studio.

  

We were just throwing the ball around trying to get some shots and incorporating some movement.  There is a shadow being cast behind the model which has been caused by just using the one studio light from the front and not setting any lights up behind her which would hide any shadow and it would change the whole out look of the picture by whiting out the background. 

f7.1, 1/160, ISO 200

This picture most resembles the ones I have looked at like the Dustin Snipes one.

Looking away from the camera and relaxed.  A natural pose.  Again there is shadow cast behind the model and the top of the photo needs to be edited.  

f8, 1/100, ISO 200

During the photo shoot I had to be aware of the Health and safety aspects, with there being someone in the studio who has never been in before and that we had a basket ball being thrown around.  

Before the session started I made sure with help from Steve that all of the equipment set up, was set up correctly and all trailing wires tucked up out of the way as to not trip anybody up, the camera was fixed securely to the counter weight tripod, the light was securely fixed and positioned as to not get in anybodies way.  With throwing the ball around the studio we had to be careful as to not throw too hard or fast and be extra cautious when the lights were turned out to take the pictures on the bulb setting of the camera to show exposure times.  Refer to the pictures shown in the section about shutter speeds.