Back to the Blog

Every week for the past 3 months my 'to do' list has included the word 'blog' - every week I've ignored it taunting me from the page. But not any more.
The past few weeks have been busy - theatre shoots, documentary work in schools and of course weddings. But that is no excuse - I should like to write, to share, to publish photos I'm proud of and have enjoyed taking; so I will.
I've included a small set today from a wedding I shot at the weekend that I'm working on at the moment: Frankie and Ian's wedding at Berkerley Castle in Gloucestershire. It was a fine day (contrary to the weather throughout the week) and a beautiful setting. Bridal preparations were at a local hotel and when I arrived there were already 9 women in a fairly small room all getting pampered and preened so I did what any polite person with a camera would do - started shooting. Chaos and excitement are great challenges to getting shots that start to tell the story especially in a confined space. But the room soon thinned out (once we had lost 2 hairdressers and the other bridesmaids went off to change) and it became very calm start to the day.
I won't go into huge detail on the rest of the day but the choices the couple had made for their day was lovely (lillies, great castle, fish and chips for the Wedding Breafast, a live band) and despite the registrar being 20 minutes late(!) no one freaked out and everything went off smoothly. I'm looking forward to finishing the edit this week and getting the shots to the couple whilst they are on honeymoon.

Silent Anger - Reveal Theatre Company

On Thursday I did the production photography for a new play that is touring through May called 'Silent Anger' by Reveal Theatre Company - a very powerful piece of theatre exploring race hatred in Britain today. 4 Actors, 2 Crates, 2 Projection Screens and one white floor. Very simple but very effective. I've attached a slideshow that gives a flavour of the play, have a peek; I tried in shooting the performance to create a sense of the 'look', style and dynamism within the play.

Honing Your Style

Epiphany! I've always had a very distinct idea of what I want to photograph and how I want it to look. However, I also like to read, research and get advice just to cover my own insecurities about what I want to do - it's just my nature. But the last wedding I photographed at the end of March I had the confidence to shoot what I wanted - not a bit of my stuff and the rest in the style of someone else or how I thought I 'ought' to shoot - and 'Hey Presto!' I ended up with the wedding day coverage I really wanted and was totally proud of.
I have a style - and that I think is really important.
There are a lot of photographers out there but I've always hedged my bets and shot how I think professionals should shoot with a bit of my own style thrown in. But 'NO!' have the confidence to shoot from your heart, the images you want to produce. I look at a lot of other photographers work - some I like, some I envy, some I'm amazed by - but the images that I 'love' are the ones that are shot with a unique style and perspective. That is what I have to have - and I'm now determined to persue it.
The images people always comments on and the ones I want to show of mine are the ones I put myself into, the ones that represent my style. That is what I'm shooting from now on. You have to cover all the bases on a job but I think I can still do that keeping my own personality in the image, not trying to create a pastiche of different photographers' appoaches to one subject.
Current definition of my style (it is sure to refine): Documentary realism with an editorial aestethic.
I need to put that in my pipe and smoke it!

Moving Forward

Loads of new challenges ahead for this year. Apart from the constant challenge of wanting to create compelling and exciting images for everyone I work for I feel I have to start operating more effectively as a business. Target new clients, nurture existing ones and focus my thoughts on where I want to be and what I want to shoot.
It's all very well being a jack of all trades - loving shooting different opportunities and taking on each job as it is offered - but I really need to start to think where I am most effective. Fashion/Portraiture, Lifestyle shoots, Weddings or Theatre. Or can I shoot a combination of all of the above and let one compliment the other and create an ever evolving style of photography (oo-er!).
Time will tell but I shall blog more regularly about where I am moving as a photographer and hopefully be able to reflect that in the work I produce. A very serious post this one... more 'war stories' next time.

2010 - THE Year

First blog of the year and a firm wrap over the knuckles for not doing it sooner.
A lot is happening and I'm constantly trying to push the results of my photography to create better and more satisfying shots.
In the studio I've been trying some new set ups to get that slickly lit look that is all over – and I like it! Three light set ups seem to give the results I'm looking for – a beauty-dish or softbox keylight, 180 degree bare flash for highlights and a backdrop light to get that graduated look or add a splash of colour.
In the Theatre I've changed my technique slightly to get that 'defining moment'. Two cameras, one Canon 5D mk2 with a 24-70 f2.8 and a canon 1D mk3 with a 70-200 f2.8. Motor drives enabled on both. Move round the action, find the shot and fire off a few frames. Within those shots I try to get that exact moment of drama and interaction – and it appears to be working. I think working in theatre for 20 years has helped me anticipate the shot where all the drama, tension and story is contained.
Coming up in the next couple of months are some bridal shoots for Make-up Artist Daniella and another studio shoot for Jason Kester and the Believers (including some HD video of performances) and some extreme make-up fashion work. Can't wait!

Merry Christmas One and All !

...and a Happy New Year.

November Catch-up

Incredibly busy over the last few weeks - sorry for not posting before.I'm really enjoying exploring modern portraiture at the moment and playing around in the studio to create different lighting effects (I can't explain how much I love my 'snooted' beauty dish.I'm very sad!) as well as trying to create a fashion look tat I'm happy with.Thanks to Giselle for being a great model, MUA and dressmaker.
I've shot a couple of shows - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe & The Accrington Pals - which are always exciting to do and I'm producing some big prints for Glebe Primary School of the work I did there during their Creativity Week.
Christmas comes on a pace and then it's easing myself gently back into the wedding season, hoorah!