Category: Tips

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 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 »

Announcing theLightMatters Photography Training and Workshops

 Gavin   Back to Basics, Courses, Journey, Strobist, Studio, Techniques, theLightMatters, Tips

I’m really excited to announce the launch of my new photography training, photography workshops photo-shoot experience days through theLightMatters Workshops.

It’s not just a photography workshop though. It’s the foundation of a local photography community, centred around Guildford, Surrey. My vision is to create a lively and exciting group with a varied repertoire of subject matter. We’ll be shooting in the studio and on location. We’ll be using many different kinds of light from pure, natural light to speedlites to studio flash and mixing them up a bit too. Oh yes, and we’ll be making some great images along the way.

My goal is to run a mixture of group shoots and workshops, Continue reading Announcing theLightMatters Photography Training and Workshops »