Lucy And The Lens

Tag: #Photographingpeople

  • What is the best way to capture special moments at events?

    What is the best way to approach capturing special moments at events ?

    Some argue that the best way to approach capturing special moments when photographing events is to be as unobtrusive as possible. Others say that it’s best to be upfront and proactive, seeking out those special moments. There is no wrong answer, but there are some things to keep in mind when making your decision.

    If you choose to be unobtrusive, you’ll need to do some research ahead of time. Learn about the event you’ll be photographing and what moments are most important to capture. Then, position yourself in a spot where you’ll be able to get the best angle without being in the way. This may mean arriving early and staking out a spot, or it may mean moving around during the event to get different angles. The key is to be prepared and to know your gear so that you can be as unobtrusive as possible.

    If you choose to be upfront and proactive, you’ll need to be comfortable approaching people and asking them to pose for a photo. This approach works best if you’re already familiar with the people at the event, but it can also work if you’re quick on your feet and good at reading people. The key is to be respectful and to know when to back off. Again, research is important so that you know what moments you should be capturing.

    There is no wrong answer when it comes to capturing special moments at events. It’s all about knowing your gear, being prepared, and being respectful. But whatever you do, make sure you enjoy yourself – because that’s the most important part of any event.

    If you are simply aware of the key moments that are happening, be ready to photograph them. If you talk to people ahead of time, you can find out their expectations for the event and what moments they would like captured. You can also set up a specific photo area at the event.

    Here are a few examples of moments I have captured at events:

  • Collaboration

    Let’s Talk About Collaboration

    Why would anyone want to collaborate.

    To start with you need to find those collaborations that you feel will benefit you. Don’t collaborate with someone who appears on the surface to just be looking for a freebie. As one point of collaboration is that you hope to get some future work out of this person.

    I also like to do collaboration when I want to learn a new style of photography that I’ve never done before. This is offering a free shoot or a couple of free shoots to learn about and understand that photography style.

    Collaboration can be a chance for creativity you can collaborate with makeup artists and stylists to make something extraordinary.

    Additionally, it can lead to new and innovative ideas, as each person brings their own perspective to the table.
    -Furthermore, it can build relationships and foster a sense of community.

    Sometimes it helps to get a fresh perspective on the projects you’re working on so somebody can help you out.

    In short, collaborating can be very beneficial. It can make projects run more smoothly, lead to new and innovative ideas, and build relationships. So next time you’re working on something, consider collaborating with someone else.

    Here are a few of my photos from collaborations I’ve done with muas, models and actresses.

  • Tips I Learned From Fashion Photography 101 by Lara Jade

    “An artists vision creates the image; the camera simply captures it.” This is the opening line of the book and also the most important. Before you even pick up the camera you must have an idea of what you want to create as the camera doesn’t do the work for you, you have to do that yourself.

    Lenses

    Lara’s description of lenses opened up a whole new world to portraiture for me. I usually tend to use my Nikon 70-200 mm telephoto zoom lens for portraiture, but Lara suggested that instead a wide angle lens can introduce a dynamic angle of view and distort an image excitingly. She also recommends using a macro lens for extreme close –up beauty work which is something Id like to try.

    Photographing with movement

    Photographing your subject mid-movement creates a dynamic shot and adds interest to the image. Lens baby creates creative lenses.A fast shutter speed freezes motion, and a slow shutter speed blurs movement. Manual focus works better for fashion shots as it allows you to focus on an eye or a strand of hair.

    Preparing

    To prepare to decide beforehand what you want out of the shoot and create mood boards or Pinterest boards before every shoot. Look on websites to find models and If you can’t afford a stylist choose or source the clothes yourself. Have a plan for whether you want a location shoot or a studio shoot. Decide which will work best.

    Shooting

    Location shoots are better for new models or clients, and studio shoots are better for experienced models. High key lighting creates a comfortable dynamic to an image, and low key lighting adds a dramatic mood to an image. The best time to shoot in natural light is the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset referred to as the golden hour by landscapers. The light during these hours is soft and diffused, the angle low, and the colour warm. Don’t be afraid to experiment with over and under exposure to natural light. Use one softbox to provide soft and flattering light to your subject. Use a white reflector to highlight your subject and a black reflector on the right side of your subject to add contrast and for more variation use a black backdrop. Experiment with different coloured lights. Use a silver umbrella with a white backdrop for clear, detailed high key images. To enhance makeup use a beauty dish as your light source. Backlight create beautifully And visually dramatic photos. Add a second light for a simple backlit portrait. Use a softbox to flatter the subject and a second light behind to illuminate them. Try using natural light in the studio and enhancing it with reflectors. Use two white reflectors on either side to bounce the light back and a gold reflector to add warmth to the shot.

    Personal Assignments

    Setting yourself assignments is also vital as it helps you to find your style. Then Lara Jade sets us tasks to be open to our interpretation which I will discuss at a later stage as I’m going to give them a go. I’ve made several assignments personal to me; I’m planning a childhood memories project which I am accepting ideas of things to recreate. My crystal ball project is continuously ongoing and also the subject of my latest blog. I also like to showcase my hobbies in my work, and I’m planning a few special projects using models. The working photographer You need to be able to work closely with people, stick to a brief and create your own. Charge what you believe is a fair price for your time but never lose your integrity.

    Retouching

    To make your images pop this is something that is typically done after a shoot. I used to use photoshop files with many layers so I can always go back and adjust. Now I have changed my editing process using Lightroom to batch edit and then using photoshop to fine-tune whichever images I feel need more work. Lara states that she applies layer masks to create composites which is something I haven’t tried but id like to give a go. You can use curves to change the tone of an image by using it on the RGB channel. Use a hard healing brush to correct skin blemishes or use the spot healing brush or a clone stamp tool. Use textures to add a vintage film feel to your image. In Photoshop You can turn an image into black and white by creating a channel mixer adjustment layer by going to layer>new adjustment layer>channel mixer. Click the monochrome box. Move the RGB sliders. Then form a selective colour adjustment layer and select neutrals and move blacks slider to +30. For more contrast then select blacks and mover the slider to +10 or +20.

    Marketing

    Think about who your intended market is. Use push marketing to showcase your photography to potential clients, art buyers and directors. Also, pull marketing uses social media and word of mouth to create your brand. Think about your brand and how it appears to clients. Prepare both a physical and an online portfolio.

    I hope you enjoyed this post and you stay tuned for more of what I’ve been reading and shoots I’ve done recently.

  • Street Photography

    So recently I’ve been doing a vast amount of street photography so I thought I’d share with you what I’ve learnt.

    The first time I did street photography it felt obtrusive, I felt like I was doing something wrong because it is essentially photographing people without their consent.

    Later I found out that street photography is legal in a public place. A subject is also allowed to ask you to delete images and it’s always better to agree to avoid an argument, as chances are you will find another interesting subject pretty quickly.

    Street photography involves observing the people around you when your wandering aimlessly round the streets and people are an extremely interesting subject when you find what you’re looking for.

    Everybody has a story to tell and after photographing them on the streets you become an author, a writer of images waiting to be discovered.

    But for me on the streets I don’t just look for people I look for something quirky, something out of the ordinary.

    Street photography is essentially speed dating for the minds eye, you see what you envision as an interesting subject and shoot them as fast as you can before the opportunity disappears.

    So previously I wrote a post called read this if you want to take great photographs of people by Henry Carroll but I purposely left out his street photography tips to use here.

    Henry Carroll says that ‘capturing fleeting moments on the street is all about making your own luck’. To me this means that street photography is hit and miss if you don’t capture the right person at the right time you will lose the opportunity or if you see something interesting it might have moved before you have the chance to photograph it.

    Carroll states photography is all about finding the right spot so all the action will come to you. If lots of people are looking at something you can’t see then assume they are an interesting subject. Approach people as well as capturing moments. Slower shutter speed blurs your subject and faster shutter speed captures less movement.

    To conclude this post street photography opens your eyes to the world around you and it gives you an in depth view into the people in any city and the stories they have to tell which is what makes it all the more intriguing to me.

    Here are a few of my street photography shots from a variety of walks in different cities:

     

  • Charity Photowalk In Liverpool

    Charity Photowalk In Liverpool

    Last Sunday I went on a Charity photo walk organised by Terry Donnelly in Liverpool to raise money for a little girl with eye cancer. You can find the go fund me page here:Go Fund Hayden

    It was a dreadful dreary day for a photo walk but we didn’t let that dampen our spirits. We started of in St James’ Gardens at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and then explored the inside. In the gardens we found the perfect spot to shoot the three models that Terry had organised and it’s always nice to have the opportunity to shoot a variety of models.

    One of the highlights of the time spent in St James’ Garden was when I asked one of the photographers if the lens he was shooting on was the new lomography lens and he said yes would you like to try it, and gave me a master class for a couple of minutes. I never would have known what it was if I hadn’t seen fashion photographer Emily Soto shooting with it on her Facebook page and Instagram. That’s the best thing about going out with other photographers they are generally open to letting you try out their lenses as they know that photographers have a sense of pride looking after their own lenses so they will be careful with yours.

    Inside the Anglican Cathedral my main fascination was with the stained glass windows I was amazed at the intricate and beautiful detailing when I used the zoom on my lens for a couple of shots.

    The next part of the walk consisted of some street photography and finding some stunning textured walls to shoot the tattooed model Rhi against and it was hard to take a bad shot of her. As we were in a big group it became increasingly difficult to get any one on one time but the model Rhi had this great red hood and some interesting tattoos and I had got some shots earlier in the day but I had this particular shot in mind. What I wanted was a shot of Rhi with the hood up, where she was holding it in her hands and I wanted to add the feature of the finger tattoo while looking for the perfect background to compliment her. With a little help from my photography friends I found this sign that looked like a magazine style poster that was perfect for my idea.

    Photography is all about seeing something in everything, in every wall, in every sign, in every building that is worth shooting. You must use your eyes to see what other people don’t see. Photography is a similar medium to film in that every person watching the film sees something different, every photographer sees something different in an image. You may submit your image to one photography competition and the judges will love it but submit it to another and the outcome may be quite the opposite.

    After the street photography we looked around Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral but having been there twice previously I found less to shoot. Finally we ended the walk back at the Anglican cathedral and then I spent the rest of the day editing a few of my images and then looked at them again to do some more editing on Thursday.

    All in all it was a great day and each photographer contributed £10 for the little girl with eye cancer and some giving even more money and its always rewarding to raise money to help someone or to help out a charity. Photography isn’t always about taking photographs for yourself or a client it can also be about coming together and doing something you love to put a smile on someone’s face.

    So I hope you were inspired by this post to not only photograph for yourself or a client but to raise money for someone else.