Studio session. Part One.

The next challenge was working in a studio. Up until then I had used speedlights. Mounted on tripods, with wireless triggers. As I mentioned before, they have limitations.

The training course had supplied studio lighting. I wanted to use them again. So now I looked to hire a studio and model. More pressure and complexity, but I knew it was the way to go.

I didn't want just a plain white background studio, I was looking for a studio with some character and variety of sets.

I always get nervous before a shoot. But worrying about what to do with the lights made the next shoot a bit more of a test. The studio owner was great, always there when I had a question. And of course Nicky was very patient. And always ready with a suggestion when I got stuck.

For more of my work, go to my Facebook page.

and 

website

Digital picture taken. Never to be viewed again.

When I started thinking about this post, it was originally going to be a piece lamenting a consequence of moving to digital.

Most pictures taken nowadays are maybe looked at once and are never viewed again. Lost forever on the computer hard drive or camera phone.

Searching for them on a computer, or smartphone meant trawling through the library or folders. This could prove difficult to do unless you catalogued or keyworded them.

Prints on the other hand can easily be passed around without having to crowd around a screen.

Because the film had to be printed it was more likely that the pictures would be framed and hung on the wall.

But hold on a minute, perhaps I'm wrong. Most prints from film were only looked at a few times, before being put in a draw.

Finding them later meant remembering which draw they were stored in. Was the envelope labeled - or is a major search and rescue on the cards?

Digital images can be quickly uploaded and viewed online via social media - or emailed to people. At home you can view them on your television and these days we all have huge screens.

Film made learning and experimenting expensive.

You had to send the film off, or take it to a shop. And wait.

I remember returned from holiday with some exposures unused. What to do? Send the roll to be developed anyway, wait for another occasion to get the camera out, or use up the last few pictures on anything?

If you did wait to use the film completely before getting it developed it was sometimes like a trip down memory lane. Such was the time between nearly using all of the film and finishing it.

Most people didn't routinely carry a film camera. The smartphone has meant less missed "kodak moments".

Going digital has led to more pictures being taken and then being shared more widely.

Being able to see the pictures instantly means I can learn from every shot.

So perhaps my initial thought - that prints were better than digital - was wrong. In fact, I would go further and say that digital offers many advantages over print.


The only disadvantage I can think of is that photography is maybe less valued. Both by the general public and the industry. That's an idea for another blog

But I still think we should print them occasionally, frame them, and hang them on a wall.

For more of my work, go to my Facebook page.

and 

website

What next?

I had steadily improved and gained more confidence; but where now?

I decided I wanted to try portrait photography. I have talked about this is a previous post. Family and friends. I wanted to push forward and gain as much experience as possible. I booked a portrait photography course. It was a good introduction to photographing people I hadn't meet before. How to quickly break the ice and have both sides of the camera relax. I'm sure Jade was way more relaxed than I was.

Here a few of my favourites from the two days.

Those two days convinced me I liked portrait photography, But I needed more experience. Different people, locations and styles, so I started to hire models. I mentioned this in my First Post.


The next few shoots were home based. This meant limited room and having to check the backgrounds for distractions. There is nothing more annoying than getting home, and realising you missed something that could easily have been cleared away at the time.

I was using speedlights, okay for smallish rooms but they take some time to recycle and if you do fire off too many shots in quick succession they overheat.

Some of my most liked pictures from the early days are:

Jessica

Jasmine

Jodie

TR

Check the blog for more updates These early shoots were in houses. I'll post my first studio shoots and my thoughts on them later.

For more of my work, go to my Facebook page.

and 

website

Getting more serious

I was getting consistent results with my photography. The number of pictures I was satisfied with was rising.

I wanted to push my photography, see what I was capable of.

I contacted an event photographer, Jenny from Fresh Orange Photography. She was offering an opportunity to work with her at track days. I could improve my photography and learn how to delivery what the customer wanted. It gave me the chance to photograph at some circuits I had been to before and some new ones. Goodwood is a particular favourite. I also had access to the parts of the circuits members of the public can't get to.

It taught me a lot. I must have been doing something right, Jenny asked me to do a track day as the only photographer. And I really enjoyed it.

I did a track day at an RAF base. There was a demonstration of flying skill from a Chinook.

I very grateful to Jenny. I learned a lot and got some great pictures.

As a result of the help I got from Jenny at Fresh Orange Photography it gave me more confidence. I approached an Autograss club about photography at their meetings. Concord Autograss

They said come along, be our official photographer. A very friendly bunch. I did two years photography with them.

Supplying many racers with pictures. Again I learned a lot about sports photography.

in the beginning

I had a film camera.


But I only used in holidays, and special occasions. Christmas, birthdays etc. So it had very little use. Having to wait for the film to be used completely before taking it to be developed. It was good in a way. Especially if the film had been in the camera a while. It was like a trip down memory lane when you finally got it back, and you opened the envelope to see what you had photographed.

Then a few years ago my wife bought me a digital camera. I could now take pictures and see them immediately. I started to use it more. Just to experiment. And I took more interest in how the picture was taken. It was a nice camera, but really it was a point and shoot. I want more control so I bought a DSLR. That really opened my photography.

I had always followed motorsport. Growing up I lived near Brands Hatch. Now with my new camera I went there with a new purpose. I have also been to Silverstone. But it's not really a track for spectators like Brands is, or at least was. Silverstone is so big, and the fencing so far from the track, photography isn't very rewarding. Brands use to be great for spectators. Don't get me wrong it is still one of the best. But the building on Clark Curve. Before then you could see pretty much the whole short circuit from there. Just sitting on the top of the small mound. It is still a good place to watch racing. I remember the cars parked in the car park next to the Cooper Straight. As the winners did their parade lap, flashing their lights and sounding their horns.

If you want to get close to the racing though. Lydden Hill is the place to go, or Canada Heights. You can get very close to the racing, I really recommend these two. Low fencing, close to the track means you don't need a long lens, and you don't have to shoot through fencing. They are very relaxed venues.

Lydden Hill

Brands Hatch.

Canada Heights.

Silverstone

For more of my work, go to my Facebook page.

and 

website

Why I cycle.

Cycling lets me get away from it all. I get to switch off. I think that's why the pictures I take whilst cycling tend to be of the view, my bike and not me. I rarely use the self timer. I don't know, I just don't appear in many of the pictures I take. My cycling cohort; Matthew and I have been cycling around Surrey and Kent for years. And again the majority of the pictures are missing either or both of us. 

Here are some examples. You'll see what I mean.

For more of my work, go to my Facebook page.

and 

website