Personal Work / Message: Just 1 Beauty Moment...

October 26, 2013 in Personal Work, Message

The Moment is King or Queen...Always .. Oh and REAL

The above image is from today's studio session. I have wanted to shoot beauty for a while and went for it today... more to come on that.

If your wondering why the hands in the frame and why the smile?... my model for the day (Blessing) had come back on set with some Haribo.. you know Kids and Grownups.. love them so, she was trying to be stealthy about eating them (huge fail) and as a result of my questioning (jokingly) the Haribo this moment was created and I love it.

Let me open this up a moment, imagine if you will this was a client shoot for a magazine or makeup line, I shoot this and it pops up on the tether.... pretty good chance the client will reject it (if the brief does not request this)... its out of focus (not the hand) and has some motion blurr thanks to the flash powder slow lights, that's fine they can reject it no problem after all they are paying and its not to brief BUT I would flag/5 star that sucker in a heart beat for myself.... why?

The Moment is Always King/Queen. Not saying a brief/directiin is not important.. it dam well is but if you get these moments before, during or after the brief is fulfilled then press the dam shutter because they only happen once.. Make sure you fill the brief though :)

It's all too easy to get caught up in the brief, the shot list or the lighting, camera, lens... all that technical stuff or worse chimping every shot. Keep you eye to the viewfinder and watch for moments on every shoot, sometimes you can make a moment happen by working to get a reaction to something... you ask them to scream/sing/jump, you act stupid, make conversation... sometimes they just happen. You should be dialed in and be watching for them & not thinking about that preview on the LCD all the time. Why?

The Moment is King or Queen.. yeah said that already so i'll put it another way The Moment is REAL.

Now I am guilty on the chimping or over thinking stuff and missing some moments.. but I try not to and now always look out for them. Does it matter if the image is soft or a bit too dark/bright, not perfect (nothing is)... nope because that's a REAL moment a REAL reaction.

Below are a few frames from past shoots that show real moments/reactions. If i was constantly chimping or had my head up in a softbox or in technical land I would of missed them. Click the Images for larger versions in a Lightbox.

You have your head buried in camera settings, lights, that dam LCD then you miss these moments... REAL moments. Keep your eyes on the prize.

Also go photograph your family members & friends, young old and in-between... look for the moments (Go Do It) and if you get the chance to shoot a 100th birthday.. do it!

The image below is my Gran.. I would of been pissed if I missed that moment (I always wonder what she was thinking), it's ISO 3200 available light, 50mm, F.. it does not effin matter! The Moment is King/Queen...it's REAL.

Going to end this post here.. this image always chokes me up, she's still with us but having a rough time of late... i'm going to see her tomorrow (taking the X100) but its not about the moments tomorrow is about spending quality time.

Rick

Studio Ink Well (Studio at Work)

October 18, 2013 in Commercial, Client Work

The second day working for Studio Ink Well was spent recording the Studio at work and detail shots. Huge thanks go out to the studio and a few of its clients for the open access.

A detail shot of the tattoo chair. I try to always think of options for use of images, adding negative space could allow for the Studios own graphic layout or text to be added later.

The alternative shot minus the negative space. Both of these were lit with flash so I had full control of the scene.

Of course along with the chair you have the Tattoo gun, quite interesting tools and very different than my own.

Inks that the artist David Baker uses.

It's extremely interesting watching another artist at work, not just the skills and work on show but also the interaction with client/subjects and how they build the idea to a finished product. I always find in interesting to watch and listen to and if you read/see between the lines you can learn allot.

Shot allot initially with the available light, it shows the ambiance of the Studio and it also lets me work quickly and less intrusively at first.. instead of breaking out stands and lights from the start. Also as you will see in some of the images above/below it can make for quite interesting and dramatic light.

To give a different look I also lit some images to remove the ambient/available light all together which makes for a more dramatic image when grid spots are used.

This next set is from the second client the Studio had in on the day.

Noticed the reflection in the mirror and shot wide to include it. One of my favorites from the day.

Finished off with a close up detail shot of the Tattoo, they are not complete yet as each stage needs time to heal. I will be photographing the finished Tattoo's once they have fully healed so I can provide prints to the Studios customers.. its the least I can do as they were great to meet and very kind to let me photograph them.

Thank You
Rick

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Client Work: Studio Ink Well (Open Day)

October 18, 2013 in Client Work, Commercial

I have just delivered the edit from 2 days of shooting for Studio Ink Well a new Tattoo studio that has opened local to me.

Turns out its good timing given my recent project I have announced #TattoStory .

Day one was spent covering the open day of the Studio and shooting staff images for the website, got some more work to do regarding staff images and a shop front image I pitched to them but that needs the right conditions and a quiet main road.

Day two was to record the Tattoo artist David Baker at work and get detail shots.

Images from Day one first... The Open Day

First up is the shop front and the Studio Ink Well team. The restriction of the traffic and close main road meant a compromise on this shot which is why I will be going back when conditions are some what quieter and not as traffic heavy so less chance of being run over :)

I love that art work on he shutters, David Baker the Tattoo artist had some paint left over from the shop build so put it to good use.

The studio custom design and draw each Tattoo and watching them work made me wish I could draw.

Some cool art work in frames gives you an idea of where the studio draws its inspiration from.

Once the door opened visitors and potential customers started to arrive.

A cake was made by friends to celebrate the occasion.

We finished off with a group shot of everyone still around towards the end of the day.

An enjoyable day was had by all and I wish Studio Ink Well great success for the future.

Thank You
Rick

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Personal Work: Location Hunting in Stockport (Rachael F)

September 23, 2013 in Personal Work, Photography, Portrait

You would think by now I would know or have shot all the locations in Stockport, sadly that’s not the case so I have work to do.

It had been a nearly 2 months since I last picked up the camera and that’s not good, been busy with re-doing the website, social media stuff (infuriating at times) and not really been myself. I’m tired, stressed, still looking for a job and was in need of a kick up the ass to go shoot. Thankfully a good friend sorted that.. cheers Mark.

So a casting call was put up but that got resulted in nothing. After a post on a local facebook group Rachael came to the rescue. Now I had worked with Rachael before but it had been a while.

Come shoot day I was not feeling it at all. Confidence had lowered; doubts and noise had entered my already busy brain… ahh @#?!

It took me allot longer to get in to shooting and I know why, I think to much, worry too much and had left it too dam long between shoots.

Thankfully I had packed light, kept gear simple….less stuff to think about or get in the way. Only took one camera and one lens… actually it’s the only lens it has given the camera is a X100, also took 1 light and only 2 modifiers (28” Apollo, Grid Spot).

After I had warmed up somewhat and let my head clear (kinda) I started to enjoy the shoot more. I took a total of 169 images… allot of the first frames sucked… and that’s all me. All said and done came away with 22 edited images.

The image at the start of this post is my personal favorite from the shoot (thanks Rachael) because I had looked at this tunnel countless times and had an image in my head… funny thing is its not this image and I’m ok with that because this one is better.

Whilst setting up for this first image we were battling with traffic and public, during which a gent walking by asked Rachael what she was doing. I managed to catch this moment from the conversation.

Those images are actually from towards the end of the day so let’s rewind some and travel back in time.

The first location was an old car park of a now closed furniture shop (which by the way would make an amazing studio). Made a few frames at this first location which you can see below.

Those leggings and boots are great. Sometimes its worth looking for detail shots during a shoot.

But I’m a portrait photographer, better make some portraits then.

Anyone who’s knows me will know I like clean simple backgrounds, paper or walls.. what ever. That way your subject is the main focus of the image.

All the above images are natural light. Not wanting my speedlite to feel left out the next few are lit by a Westcott 28” Apollo Softbox.

The image above was taken whilst setting up, liked the pose/look.

Can’t remember what was said for the life of me, but made Rachael laugh. Then it was time for food and I was really looking forward to this after being on a training diet.. full English breakfast please.

After food we moved on to another location just at the side of The Plaza in Stockport. One day I will shoot in the Plaza… its going to cost so that one is on hold.

The next few frames were lit with that light you can see in the shot above. Westcott 28” Apollo on a stand boomed by Mark. Oh the jet stream thingy bugs the crap out of me, its sticking out of her head. Anyway moving on.

Needless to say we got some funny looks shooting this location on a busy Saturday afternoon. Oh also the EXIF Data = 1/1000th sec, F8, ISO400 Wireless Sync! Thank you Fuji and Phottix.

Sticking with the same location I changed the light modifier to a Grid Spot for the next set.

Head not in a clean spot but sometimes you compromise.

It was then time to move on to the next location just up the steps. Next images are lit with the Westcott 28” Apollo again.

Rachael fell in to this after a difficult and uncomfortable pose, that said uncomfortable pose did not get selected for edit.. go figure.

After this we moved on to the tunnel location but we have seen those already.

The final location was just nearby the tunnel and demanded bare flash and pretty much full power to control the sun.

Love this shot. Not quite as much as the tunnel one… almost. Bare flash zoomed to 80mm held by Mark in a horizontal position to change the pattern of light and the exposure was 1/1 full power, F16, 1/1000thsec, ISO250.

You can do allot with a speedlite with a DSLR but going up against full sun and a wide composition your better off with a leaf shutter camera like the Fuji X100… that thing will sync at 1/4000th sec if you cable a fast flash up, wireless its limited to your triggers and the signal delay. By the way the triggers I use are the Phottix Strato II Multi great for faster sync speeds.

Thanks for an enjoyable day shooting Mark & Rachael.

Thanks

Rick