Knittage simply lit

When Inny needed some snazzy new shots of her knitted wares recently, for use on her blog and online shop, we used the absolute bare-basics approach of 'one camera, one lens, one light'. The location/studio arrangement was also just about as simple as you can get - a living room coffee table table.

What you see in the picture here is the lighting set-up... A single SB-800 with Pocket Wizard (for wireless connection to the camera); attached to the front is a diffuser panel (for nice, soft, even light). A Magic Arm was used to support the rig just off to camera right, positionable back and forth, left to right, as required.

The camera, incidentally, was hand-held.

You'll notice daylight striking the 'set' from the front - this was taken out of the equation not by closing the curtains, but my letting the flash be the sole light source (and adjusting settings accordingly). Flash light is perfect for close-up detail work, as it is very clean and crisp.

As many of you know, I don't believe in relying on post-production in order to 'save' poor technique - clearly, it makes far more sense to get things looking the way you want them at the time of capture. Case in point - the image you see up top is essentially unaltered.

The most Photoshop work that was applied here was to the image which ended up as Inny's banner - a simple case of choosing the crop and superimposing her logo, to end up with this:


Photo shoots are expensive, time consuming, stressful affairs, right? Nope. This little lot took all of about 10 minutes from setting up to taking everything apart, including time to arrange the object (a Spring Greens scarf, no less!), discuss framing options and, of course, sip a nice cuppa.

Found object: Video - light painting

If you've ever tried painting with light - combining long exposures with the use of a hand-held light source to etch shapes/words/colours into the air - you'll know what great fun it is.

Typically, you might trace around people or objects, using a torch or a flash gun - and the technique relies on the principle that during a long exposure (anything from a couple of seconds through to several hours), a moving object (the light) will record as a blur whilst static objects remain, well, static.

Commonly, we see this in 'light trail' pictures of cars travelling along a road at night.

I came across this short video recently, which is perhaps one of the best examples I've seen of how you can take things one step further.

Enjoy!





And if you want to know how they did it, take a look at this behind-the-scenes video as well:





This has given me some great inspiration for a forthcoming shoot - I hope you get something out of it, too!

Take shot, take flight

A number of weeks ago, I teamed up with all-round nice bloke John Preston (of Preston Creative Design Consultancy), to illustrate some publicity material for another of his clients.

The brief was simple enough - photograph a single male subject against a bright blue sky, pointing a branded paper aeroplane towards that sky. The reality of the shoot, naturally, turned out to be less than perfect just as soon as the weather got involved.

Arriving in plenty of time, John and I had a scout around the area for the best location, taking into account the sun's direction, the patches of blue sky and the fierce wind that was blowing around the coastal area. It's one thing having a nice breeze blowing through, but on this occasion it threatened to jeopardise the shoot, given that the paper plane was relatively flimsy and our subject's hair could look a mess if he was blown around too much! The morning's weather had generally been pretty good up until that point and the ground was dry underfoot, so at least that didn't pose any real problems.

Whilst Mr. P went off to meet with our subject, I investigated further, picking out a shortlist of two possible 'sets' to work with. In each case, the sun would be behind the subject - acting as a back-light over his right shoulder (and in so doing, balancing the flash nicely). But my main concern was getting the subject sheltered from the wind.

Here's a quick diagram of the set-up (click to enlarge):


Our saving grace came in the form of some trees and bushes, roughly shaped like a letter L, which wrapped around us nicely.

Next thing, moments before the guys returned, it was time to set up my kit. As ever, keeping it very simple, I went with a single lens (50mm) and single light (SB-800, triggered by Pocket wizard, on a stand). Remember, the sun would be my 2nd light - after all, it's free, so why not make use of it?!

That's when things started to slip. And within a time frame of approximately 1 minute, the shoot was over.

In all I shot just 7 frames, including lighting and posing/angle tests, before the heavens opened and we were forced to run as fast as we possibly could back to the cars.

From memory, the sequence went something like: Sun becomes obscured by cloud... wind picks up... single patch of blue sky is replaced by grey rain clouds... torrential rain. What a farce.

Of course, there had always been a Plan B - to head for a local hotel which both John and I have worked with in the past. There, we would be able to set up a more typical 'studio' arrangement in one of the larger rooms, if needs be.

Amid the ensuing deluge, we peered at the back of my rain-soaked camera...

Job done. No need for additional pictures, no need for a re-shoot. The only call was for dry clothes and a hot cup of tea.

Once the pictures were turned over to John's team, they were tweaked a little - just enough to bring a bit more colour into that damn awful sky. The picture at the top of this post is a quick scan of the final document, showing the image as it appeared, so apologies if it doesn't exactly 'pop' off the screen.

In hindsight, and keeping in mind the less than perfect conditions we faced, I was happy with the way these photographs came through. Looking for the positives, the paper plane stands out well from the sky and the 'mood' of that sky ties in well with the accompanying text.

Sometimes, as they say, it's not the destination but the journey - and this shoot was a case in point. The greatest irony of all still remains that as I was driving back to the office, the clouds parted, revealing a great blue sky and perfect sunshine. Bugger.

Still, at the end of the day, the client was delighted with the end product - and that's what really counts.

Simply effective product photography

Another little product shoot from earlier this month, a further example of how I like to keep things nice and simple. The products in question were a range of samples produced by a local firm of screenprinters, engravers and precision engineers. We have created images for this company in the past, and the purpose of this assignment was to show off the new line aimed at the medical profession.

One empty meeting room, one camera, two lights and a plain card background - that's all we needed in order to produce a set of simple yet effective pictures which can be dropped into the company's website, brochures and all manner of marketing material.

Here is a time-lapse video showing the process, from start to finish. Be sure to check out the selection of images at the end of the film:

DVD: Location Lighting with Drew Gardner

In my recent Focus On Imaging post, I mentioned catching up with fellow photographer Drew Gardner, and that I bought a copy of his new DVD.

Well, I've finally had a chance to watch it, and would like to share a few thoughts. This is by no means a review or a critique - merely a reflection on what I saw, which should serve as information for anyone interested in Drew's work or who is thinking about getting a copy for themselves.

First of all, it's important that you know something, as if it isn't obvious in other posts I've written: I am passionate about photography. I also have an insatiable thirst for knowledge. And I never get tired of seeing 'behind the scenes' footage showing other photographers (and creatives) at work.

A pleasant surprise here was that not only do viewers get to see actual shoots unfolding, but Drew then goes on to explain the lighting details (both 'how' and 'why') for each of the shoots covered. As an added bonus, he also shares his post production technique, too - something I really wasn't expecting. So as you can imagine, as far as my criteria were concerned, all boxes ticked.

I think one of the things that really comes accross in the DVD is how very open and honest Drew's approach is. A great many of these DVDs are often 'polished' so as to somehow keep up apearances; not so with this one, and it shows all the good bits, not so good bits, warts and all as the shoots progress. And he doesn't take himself too seriously either, which is definitely a good thing ("If I had hair, I'd pull it out!").

As a photographer, there are many 'nuggets' of information which I would gladly endorse here. For example: the emphasis on advance planning and being in a good frame of mind ahead of a shoot, the fact that pictures should not rely on post production for their success (get it done in camera, at the time!), and that good communication is also essential to the success of a shoot. Photography is all about the moment, but we are reminded that often these moments need to be crafted and built up one element at a time, such as with lighting.

If you are now intrigued, why not check out the teaser which Drew posted on his blog a little while ago here.

Of course, if you have already seen the DVD, let me know what you thought - it's always nice to get another perspective.

Any thoughts or questions - please hit the Comment link below.

In spite of the rain...

Whilst up in Manchester, Manda and I decided to take a trip out into the countryside of Bowland - a lovely area of rivers, sheep and rolling hills crossing rural Lancashire and North Yorkshire in the North West of England. I'm sure there's probably more to the place than that, but these were just my initial observations!

Having been treated in Blackpool, the day before, to a relatively mild afternoon with dry weather and a fantastic sunset, we were all fired up to have another day out walking around and taking pictures 'just because we can'. As I said in a previous post, creating more personal work is very much on my 'to do regularly' list this year.

In theory then, the idea of another day out was a good one... Seeing that the light was pretty good and conditions were almost rain-free, we packed the car with everything we'd need to create simple lighting on location - 2 flash guns (Nikon SB-800s), 2 lightweight stands and a set of Pocket Wizard remotes (for reliable wireless flash triggering). Between us, we were using both Nikon and Canon camera/lens kit. Oh, and just for a bit of comfort, a flask of coffee came along too (pity we forgot the milk!).

I say the idea was a good one 'in theory', because nature had other plans for us.

With every mile we drove, the wet stuff got worse. Specks of rain turned into a fine drizzle, before passing through a state of what can at best be described as 'lazy droplets', before threatening to become a downpour. Add to this the increasing cold and we were getting further and further away from what would be considered 'favorable' conditions.

But of course, in true British spirit (that is to say a stubborn and determined fashion), we refused to be beaten by this. I always carry a bunch of clear freezer and zip-lock bags with me, to keep all the electronic stuff dry in such scenarios - and thankfully, as ever, this simple, cost-effective solution proved perfect for the job.

Modern pro kit is pretty resilient these days - it has to be - but even so, it makes sense to give it a helping hand from time to time.

We managed to get a good few pictures in the can between us before the decision was made to head off to a different location further up the road. In the event, the weather really set in and so 'Plan B' came into force - head for the nearest pub on the way back and have a late lunch before settling down to a warm evening and review our day's efforts.

All in all, we had a great time in Bowland. And despite the weather, the experience only served to fuel what drives us as photographers, and what it's all about - a passion for photography, and a desire to make images. Pure and simple. And with the thought of long summer evenings on the not-so-distant horizon, we can't wait to get out and about and do more of the same!

Just a bit of fun

I like to have a laugh. After all, it can't always be work, work, work. Sometimes you just have to find an escape and let your hair down. For me, this relief often comes in the form of visiting a little web site by the name of World Of Poot. Don't ask. It's just a bit of fun - check it out if, like me, you have a twisted sense of humour, and all will become clear. Disclaimer: I have always maintained that it is my insanity that keeps me sane - and, no, it is not me in the pictures!

Anyway, the point is that over the New Year break, the WOP team went out and about to do a spot of filming locally. Naturally, this gave cause for supporting still images for this non-factual spoof documentary. And as far as I was concerned, it also provided a chance to give the new 50mm Nikkor another airing. Lovely standard lens, and perfectly suited to quick, no-frills portraiture. I also brought out the ultra-wideangle for some more dynamic perspective - another nice option for this kind of stuff, so long as you are aware of the limits of its perspective distortion at closer distances.

As for lighting, the rather flat ambient of the late-afternoon overcast day was just perfect for balancing with portable flash. Given that the images were shot at an old abandoned folly, and the underlying story had a theme of history and the past, we wanted to inject a bit of atmosphere. Playing with light (albeit very simply) is the perfect way to do this.

Additional lighting, then, was supplied by a single Nikon SB-800 speedlight, triggered remotely using CLS - Nikon's Creative Lighting System, and fired bare-bulb style (i.e. no modification such as diffusers, brollies etc). This was mounted on a small tripod for easy positioning.

These are by no means technical images, nor do I claim them to be. It was all just a bit of fun. However, the techniques used for the shots here can be applied to many different assignments in order to add interest, highlight certain image elements or to create separation from surroundings.

Oh, and for quick reference, the direct link to the mini-film is this one right here. Enjoy!

Web Wise

Does anyone still use traditional libraries these days? You know, places where you can go and actually hold actual books in an actual building designed for just such a purpose! Well, I do - albeit on increasingly rare occasions!

I was in my local library today, where I picked up an interesting looking book called "Web Presence - Creating an eBusiness out of chaos". I've not had a chance to sit down properly to explore it in any great depth yet, but it looks like it just might present a few nuggets of useful information.

The general consensus these days, it would appear, is that you'd have to be a fool not to use at least one of the myriad online tools as an integral part of your business promotion/marketing plan. Sure, some types of enterprise might argue that they really don't have a need for it, for whatever reason. And that's fine... although something of a shame and a missed opportunity, I think.

By now, I hope, it is clear where I stand on this. If you still don't know, maybe you should check out the main GBP website, our YouTube channel, or the front page of this Blog in order to see how we are spreading the word further.

The more I look into how I can develop my business activities, the type of work I undertake, and the way I supply my imagery, the further I am drawn down the internet superhighway. On the right here, you will see some of the blogs which I regularly follow; these are of interest to me - and possibly/hopefully they will be to you, too - and what is really exciting is that we just don't know where our associations with them might lead. I have already formed new synergies and re-established past connections this way alone, and from what I can tell, there is a virtually limitless range of possibilities to be explored in the future.

Now, it's long been known that our American counterparts appear to be much more open to the 'cross-site, open-networking' potential of the net. And a great deal of these guys have been sharing information left, right and centre for years. One of my favourite exponents of this, as you may know, is Chase Jarvis, who recently posted a video entitled "Making The Web Work For You". I would recommend you take a look because, in Chase's own words, "If you're at all thinking of blogging, video, the web, or sharing information, then you will pick up a thing or two, guaranteed. Keep in mind, it's almost entirely unedited. But there are some nuggets in there. Nothing flashy , just a couple of us guys talking about blogging and how we use the web in our profession. There's a Q+A session at the end as well". Incidentally, it also features David Hobby (who you may know as Mr. Strobist) and David Nightingale.

Let me know what you think of that video. And if you have any suggestions/ideas/recommendations of your own, please feel free to put them in the comments section below so that everyone can benefit from them.

40th party people

In my last post, talking about happy accidents, I alluded to a recent assignment photographing a party. Here's a bit more detail about that...

This one was a private affair - as apposed to a corporate shindig - and was held to celebrate a 40th Birthday. The location was a large activity centre housed in an aircraft hangar, in which 60 guests congregated - complete with fancy dress - to let their hair down... Remember Dennis The Menace? Thunderbirds? Banana Man? Well... they were all there, strutting their stuff! Encouraging attendees to dress as characters from their favourite childhood comic books and television shows was a great idea and, photographically, it offered plenty of potential for some striking images.

As is often the case with these jobs, I was commissioned via one of my event management clients. I've worked with them a lot over the years, and we have such a good working relationship now that they know what they can expect - without the need to direct me in any way. I really like this flexibility because I think it produces better pictures - and that is, after all, what it's all about.

Humor me while I get a bit technical here, but I know some readers love to get a glimpse into the 'behind-the-scenes' stuff... My initial set-up, as is often the case, was to have one camera hooked up to the utra-wideangle Sigma lens, and a second to the trusty telephoto. This is the way I most often kick things off, sometimes substituting the latter for my 'standard' 18-70mm Nikkor zoom - an aging optic now, but still nice and sharp.

One of the great things about the wider lenses is that they allow me to get close in amongst my subjects, for frame-filling shots with a certain intimacy that you just don't get by stepping back from the action. This suits me fine, because I think it's really important to engage directly with people - to make them feel at ease... which results in the best possible pictures.

With all shoots - but especially at events such as weddings and parties - I'm always looking out for the smaller shots, too. The details, the incidentals - such images have the ability to 'fill in the gaps' and ultimately build up the narrative of the story. On the night in question, I was able to produce plenty of candids, using the ambient light to compliment the costumes' striking colours.

Speaking of lighting... each of my cameras was set up with a Nikon SB-800 speedlight. However, I really don't like to use these on-camera if I can help it - the results are often flat, uninspiring and full of god-awful shadows (see left). Instead, I do one of two things - either hand-hold the flash at a distance anywhere within my arm's reach or, at more controlled assignments such as location portraits, place the flash on a stand. Off-camera lighting is just so much better; it is more flattering for portraits, it helps you avoid unsightly image content (again, see picture) and it shows the form of objects off at their best, at the same time adding atmosphere to a shot.

By way of comparison, have a look at this picture, again depicting one of the musicians. See how much better this looks? In this particular example, there was no front spot-lighting of the band, so I was able to replicate this effect simply by holding the flash high up an angle of about 45 degrees to my left shoulder. Notice how the background drops off into shadow, how the wonderful colour and detailing of his guitar stands out, and how I have made use of what little ambient lighting there was, to add a bit of colour and interest. Altogether a much more pleasing image, I think.

And finally, just to prove that the tables do sometimes turn...

If you are one of the girls in this picture, please speak up - I'm curious to see what your picture looked like! Get in touch and we'll do a swap :)

How to hijack a photograph

If you are the sort who likes a good prank, or who simply appreciates a good bit of technical thinking for the sake of art, you're going to like this. I got wind of this guy's activities thanks to Strobist (original post here), and I see Chase has also made mention of him too (ah the joys of blogging - watch those stats shoot through the roof, Sir!).

The artist goes by the name of Julius von Bismark; he is Berlin-based and his 'invention' is called "The Fulgerator". What does this contraption do? Well, in a nutshell, it is basically an adapted SLR camera and flash gun device which senses when another camera's flash goes off and then projects an image. Doesn't sound like much hype, huh?

Here's the best bit. It is an unwitting passer-by (often a tourist) who sets the sequence in motion simply by the act of taking their own picture; within a fraction of a second, The Fulgerator lets off a flash, projecting its image onto the scene that the 'subject' is focusing on.

Confusion and amazement then follow (though not necessarily in that order) when they review the image only to find something unexpected.

All is revealed in the video below. Enjoy!



If you like what you see, make sure you also check out Bismark's website for more info.

Happy Birthday, Grandad!

Yesterday was a very special day for our family - my Grandad turned 97 (though you wouldn't have thought it to look at him!). So, naturally, out came the camera and lights to mark the occasion.

The backdrop for the pictures was the rear garden of his house - with a bit of privacy and so many happy memories there, it was the ideal setting.

Past experience has shown that taking a 'posed' picture of my Grandad is akin to photographing a young puppy - I find myself with a maximum of just a few short minutes before he decides it's time to move off to get on with other more 'exciting' activities (thankfully, I have also learnt not to take this reaction personally!). So, with this in mind, I set up the lights in advance, making full use once again of the wireless capabilities of the Nikon Speedlight system. For more examples of this system in use, see the content label list on the right; if you have any questions, please post them via the comments link below.

The diagram here shows the basic arrangement, viewed from above. As you can can see, the main light was fired through a translucent umbrella; I often use this approach as it provides a clean and flattering diffused illumination which softens the skin nicely.

Behind the subjects were placed 2 other (undiffused, SB-800) flash units - one either side, each at approximately 30 degrees, creating a nice rim light and giving clear separation from the background. This would have been accentuated even further had the subjects' clothing been darker.

For any keen photographers who are reading - yes, you're quite right, the the main light is in fact a Metz, not a Nikon. Simply put, the Nikons were set to fire off the Metz, thanks to the SU-4 hack. Want to know more? You should definitely check out this page over at Strobist, where David Hobby gives a great run-down of this excellent slave function.

But getting back to the point... and the whole reason we create pictures in the first place. Regardless of subject matter, every image is designed to be memorable, meaningful, impactful in some way. Of course this process is subjective to varying degrees - the photographer's beliefs, his/her stylistic preferences, even one's state of mind at the time of capturing the image - all can influence how the picture turns out. And every picture has a purpose, it's own story to tell.

On this occasion, I simply wanted to document the fact that my Grandad has reached such a great age. The caption would read nothing more than "Grandad in the garden on his 97th Birthday". In years to come, I will be able to look back on these photographs and remember the happy memories of that day and of the years that led up to it; the times we spent together in that place, the fun we had.

And therein lies photography's greatest strength - the ability to capture moments in time, no matter what content fills the frame. It is there to preserve those moments for the benefit of future generations. Technology is wonderful - but it is merely a tool which allows us to realise our visions.

Why good business sense counts for a lot

I don't ask for much when I'm looking to buy something. Following a bit of research, a good price combined with polite, professional service is usually all it takes. Call me old fashioned, but surely these are the two key elements to any service, regardless of whether it is photography, dry cleaning, your local newsagent... whatever.

Yet it is with alarming and increasing regularity that business owners fail to take these qualities on board. In the past couple of months, I have witnessed both ends of the spectrum - from a company who, although it's product is a good one, clearly doesn't know the meaning of the words 'customer care' and left me feeling so under-valued as a consumer that I am almost lost for words... right through to another who, quite frankly, blew me away by the speed, efficiency and professionalism of their service.

Clearly, I am not going to name and shame those who failed to impress, but I would like to take this opportunity to tell you all about the company who impressed me so much...

They are Movie Cameras Inc, a movie camera prop hire specialist supplying the film and tv industry; they also have a second arm dealing with everything from lighting stands to replacement bulbs, gels to clamps. Check out their online shop here to find out more.

So what is the long-term result of these recent dealings? Well, I am still battling away with the first company, waiting for them to honour their end of the agreement (note: a delivery was promised for today and, unsurprisingly, nothing has turned up - that was over a week ago. I was also let down on this front 3 weeks ago, too). Hmmm... I guess this is what they call a waiting game?! Once that delivery does finally arrive, I shall be cutting all ties - these people have lost my business.

As for the second company... Well, it is with pleasure that I can say that a good connection has been established, and cross-website links and recommendations are flowing (for example, there are already links on Strobist - a website which has over 200,000 regular readers worldwide and a discussion group of more than 20,000 members). And I'm sure that there will be more as the months roll by. What's more, I would have no hesitation in spending my hard-earned cash with MCI at any time in the future.

So... can you see the connection yet? Good business practise = customer satisfaction = personal recommendation = secondary promotion = additional sales & business growth.

Now, I would never claim to be a business expert by any stretch of the imagination, but is this logic so difficult to comprehend?! I think the philosophy really is simple to the point where it has almost become a no-brainer.

Be professional, regardless of your industry or the individual you deal with. Be sure to look after your customers and they will look after you.