Category: Techniques

Photographic techniques with a camera

What equipment do I need to photograph weddings?

 Gavin   Tips
What equipment do you need to photograph weddings?

 

What equipment do I need to photograph weddings?

Photographing weddings is easy. Don’t be put off by the illusion of stress on the wedding day because it’s just that, an illusion. The secret is having a plan and having the right equipment to do the job. In this post, we’re going to talk about equipment. (If you’d like to talk about planning the day to make it stress-free, leave a comment and let me know).

OK, so what do you need?

This list is what I believe to be the absolute minimum. Can you do it with less? Of course you can, Continue reading What equipment do I need to photograph weddings? »

Developing your photographer’s eye to make better photos

 Gavin   Tips
Develop Your Photographer's Eye

Developing your photographer’s eye to make better photos…

There’s a big, big difference between taking a quick snap on holiday and making a photo that’ll really “wow” your family and friends. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with snapshots. They usually have a huge emotional attachment with them — your kids growing up, fond holiday memories, a great nigh out (especially if it’s something to embarrass the groom with at his wedding). Trouble is, they’re just not that interesting for everybody else.

We’ve all seen the stereotypical sitcom matriarch (Hyacinth from the BBC’s ‘Keeping Up Appearances’ is a classic example) who strikes the fear of God into anyone nearby when she gets her holiday snaps out — they know they’re into several  hours of mind numbing boredom as she recounts fond memories of holidays past. It’s a great comedic element, but it’s probably not who you want to be or how you want to be perceived.

So what can you do about it?

Simple — just Continue reading Developing your photographer’s eye to make better photos »

How was it lit? — Studio lighting quiz

 Gavin   Studio

Question: How was it lit?

How was it lit? Studio lighting quiz
How was it lit? Studio lighting quiz

I thought I’d try something a bit different for this post for a bit of fun and to try and stimulate some more engagement on theLightMatters Blog, so I have a little quiz for you.

Have a look at the two photos on this post and see if you can work out how they were lit.

(Hint: They were both made with the same lighting set-up.) Continue reading How was it lit? — Studio lighting quiz »

High end beauty retouching in less than 15 minutes?

 Gavin   Digital Darkroom
High End Beauty Retouch - Amy

High end beauty retouching in less than 15 minutes?

Last weekend I was in the studio shooting senior portraits**. We had six young ladies in on Saturday and with 2 looks each I’m sure you can imagine that adds up to a lot of images. Just over 80 final images that needing to go through my beauty retouching cycle. What’s more, every image needed to be magazine quality and available for the client by Tuesday evening.

Time was not on my side, especially as I hand retouch every image personally.

Yes — I could automate it but to be honest I don’t like the overprocessed, same-old same-old look that many of my coleagues produce. Plus, I charge a premium price because I hand finish the images so automating and outsourcing aren’t really avenues that I want to pursue for strategic reasons. To me, beauty retouching is just as much a part of the creative process as the lighting, styling, directing and making the images. It’s ingrained in my very style.

Thankfully I had a few tricks up my sleeve. In an earlier post I wrote about the benefits of having a defined process to improve client experience. That same rationale is as equally applicable to retouching as it is to running the ops side of your business. In essence, I use a defined workflow for retouching — it gives me consistency, I don’t need to ‘think’ or re-invent the wheel every time and more importantly, it gives me a massive productivity boost when it comes to retouching. Continue reading High end beauty retouching in less than 15 minutes? »

How to set up 3-Light Pure White Lighting

 Gavin   Strobist, Studio, Techniques, Tips

Pure white backgrounds are very much in fashion at the moment. Why? Because…

  1. …it’s easy to set up and gives a clean image
  2. …it lends itself very well to most websites
  3. …you don’t need an expensive set, a white-ish wall will do in many cases
  4. …if done properly it gives an automatic cut-out in the camera, saving time in post later
  5. …the white background doesn’t distract from the subject

In particular, photographers love it because it is so simple to set up. When perfected it gives a beautifully, clean image like the one below.

20130906-121615.jpg
Alana – Pure white headshot using 3 lights

Pure white is a core skill that every photographer needs to master.

Continue reading How to set up 3-Light Pure White Lighting »