“… I’m really nervous in front of a camera!”

It’s a really familiar comment. While it’s always rare to come across people who are mad-keen to be in photographs, most are happy to relax and go with it, placing their faith in me, and others find out they enjoy the whole process more than they expected. I’ve found over the years that allowing your subject to relax is the pathway to their trust. Keep it fun and enjoyable and you’ll get that vibe back in expressions and body language – which after all are the main elements when photographing people. 

Another notable, technical approach is lens choice, as this can make a huge difference to the look of a portrait. I spent years at arms-length shooting racing drivers in situations where you just had to make the best of the access you were given. As a result, what was once an obstacle to overcome is now a technique I use often. Photographically speaking there is no difference between a portrait of a driver tucked away talking to his team, and a bride in the happy mass of family during the first few moments after a ceremony. For this, and many other applications I favour the use of a long lens, such as a 300mm/f2.8. This isn’t your everyday lens. It’s big, heavy and expensive and often becomes a point of conversation with guests who are keen photographers. The beauty of the lens is that it cuts through foreground, throwing it out of focus, and picks up glorious middleground detail in faces from afar. This means you don’t intrude on the moment and record something natural, a real plus with people pictures, especially on a wedding day.

It’s not just up-close, fine detail shots that the lens is good for. When applying that focal lens to a scenic shot it gives the effect of foreshortening the photograph. In a similar way to the tight portraits, the lens’ characteristic is to throw the fore/background out of focus and concentrate on a pin sharp section of detail. A decent example of this is the image below. Lisa and Alex went for a wander around the grounds of their ceremony venue, but I decided not to go with them and stayed put. Without any direction from me they stopped for a moment on the bridge and my vantage point from a couple of hundred feet away, thanks to the telephoto lens, was ideal to pinpoint the scene and isolate their position over the river. They had no idea I was shooting, which meant a pleasant surprise when they saw their selection… and the moment was kept to themselves.

Variation breeds creativity. I hope!

Involvement in photography is by no means a perfect way to spend your life, far from it. Sometimes, though, it has flashes of coming close. The last few weeks illustrate why I do this for a living and also why I’ve never regretted being a photographer. Whatever the profession or line of work, we all seem to moan and dwell on the negatives too much. I often curse the procedure of editing, for example, all those time consuming hours spent vacantly staring at a Mac, tweaking colour balance and preparing selections for presentation. But at the same time I’ve always thought it vital to keep hold of the numerous positives of why I do what I do, and I’m under no illusion that I’m far luckier than most.

Looking back over the last few weeks it’s interesting to note not only the variation of work, but also the diverse nature of the locations. Spring kicked off with a flight to Malaga on a job for SEAT UK in Marbella. The brand were launching their new EXEO model and the brief was to look after the specific needs of the invited automotive industry media. The name of the game on this sort of trip is the turnaround of pictures against the limited time available, it’s a case of making the most of every hour. On one hand I had to shoot a couple of product shots for the News of the World, which were then transmitted back to the UK for almost immediate publication. Then on the other hand a selection of shots was required for a specialist website who were conducting a thorough road test of the car. In this case the requirement was something quite scenic which put the car in an attractive location typical of the environment. Photographically speaking none of this is difficult, but add the time constraint, my lack of knowledge of the local area, and having to set-up a shot on a public road (sometimes physically lying in the road to gain a perspective!) and you get bogged-down with restrictions, the like of which they don’t teach you in college. 

From Spain we move to Cornwall, and a job which couldn’t be more different. Given my love of shooting in cathedrals and churches it’s sometimes a very, very slight disappointment when I discuss shooting a cival ceremony with clients. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with them, but the grandeur isn’t there. However (swiftly contradicting myself) I’d suggest a pretty good substitute is shooting on the Cornish coast. Following 8 hours driving across 6 counties (on Good Friday!) I arrived in Morgan Pawth, near Newquay, to find a picture postcard setting. The couple who had commissioned me were keen to really get across where we were, so a scenic feel to the photography was essential. To their great credit they also understood that the crux of making the day work was taking a wander on the beach, something they were prepared to do even in the face of inclement weather, which was forecast but fortunately didn’t appear. My main obstacle was eliminating members of the public from the pictures – you can imagine how popular a sunlit beach was on Easter weekend – but with a little luck, a little judgement and a dash of digital help they ultimately looked like they had the place to themselves. 

Next stop on the Spring rollercoaster was back to Spain, this time Madrid, for SEAT UK again. A total of 25 hours in the country, some photography in the rain and a fleeting glimpse of snow-capped mountains tells the story. I could explain the finer points of the SEAT Leon’s new bodywork, but…

The wedding commissions were by now in full flow so the next destination was Cowley Manor. I’ve waffled on before about the wonders of the place, but this time things were a touch different. My brief was to shoot as naturally as possible at a wedding with a total of 10 guests – and that number includes the bride and groom. With another family at another location this could easily have been tricky, but working for Jane and Jamie was fantastic. Their attitude was very laid back and the family made me feel part of their day, a gesture which enhanced the feel of the photography considerably. Although the morning was blighted by rain, the weather behaved itself right on cue and allowed us to use the gardens and capture scenic material which summed-up the atmosphere of their approach to getting married. 

Rather ironically the next couple of weeks involves travelling back to Spain and then a portrait shoot at Cowley. If nothing else it underlines just why I can’t moan about how I make a living…

It’s all in the planning

If you’ve ever attended a corporate function, wedding, product launch or a formal cocktail party then I’m prepared to bet something will have stuck in your mind. Unfortunately the memories are often negative, something you didn’t like or an element that didn’t work. When hundreds of different variables need to gel to make something look and feel simple, then you need a professional planner, not merely a friend or colleague who fancies having a bash at organising.

Over the years I’ve worked with many planners and event management teams, some good and some very, very good. But it’s always the individuals who quietly work in the background who win through, not the loud and dictatorial drama queens. I’m presently involved in several projects with the highly regarded Penny Merricks at the Tigerlily Wedding Consultancy. Penny’s approach hits the spot by the getting the job done, but also making it fun along the way – something which couples and families sometimes need when preparations are getting a little manic.

Choosing photography is a really good example on how somebody with contacts can cut through the pack and arrive at a shortlist for their client, taking the drudge out of sifting through countless too-good-to-be-true internet pledges and presenting couples with professionals who will fit into their day. I’ve spoken before about how quality wedding photographers are frequently dragged-down by those who dip in and out of the industry, looking for some easy cash to fit in around their ‘day job’. Somebody like Penny sees through this on the client’s behalf, eliminating time-wasting towards the right choice.

It’s my personal preference to leave a portfolio book with Penny so she always has something to flick through if a new client needs to see something quickly. Beyond this it’s a case of deciding if my style suits them. If it does then an informal meeting is arranged, usually near Tigerlily’s offices in Islington, London – and then more often than not it develops into the start of something great, another project to look forward to. 

The tricky part of the modern planner’s role is simply to convince people of their worth. There’s a school of thought that planners are for the rich and famous, cost the earth and dominate proceedings. Nothing could be further from the truth, they are essential cogs in the bigger wheel of making the big day run smoothly. Talk to anybody who’s employed a pro to help with the planning and they’ll tell you the process was an enjoyable and thoroughly productive experience. As with anything in life it’s finding the right people to help you which makes the difference…

Perks of the job (part 2)

Anybody who reads this blog on a regular basis (you really do have too much time on your hands!) knows that when in wedding mode I’m fascinated by some of the venues at which I’m lucky enough to work. A little while ago I wrote about the grandeur of shooting in large churches and Cathedrals. However, equally as impressive in their own way are some of the locations for civil ceremonies.

One such location is Cowley Manor, at which I shoot a handful of weddings each year as one of the recommended photographers. The Manor perfectly blends relaxed surroundings with a dash of formality and the staff’s bespoke approach lends itself to smaller weddings, ideal for families who want their day to be intimate and personal. At the planning stage couples are guided by in-house coordinator, Sarah Keatley. Sarah’s attention to detail and wonderfully enthusiastic manner make her a pleasure to work with, and from my side I’m never in the dark about plans and timings due to her support. It then becomes apparent that the venue’s trump card is the quality which is evident on every level.

Upon arrival you’re greeted by a 19th century mansion feel, then once inside the staff are relaxed, helpful and available without being constantly on your shoulder. There’s a distinct chilled-out 70’s feel to the decor and once seated in the main lounge you won’t want to get up again for quite some time. It sounds obvious, because the whole point of a hotel is to provide a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere during your stay, but Cowley has a calmness about it which puts you at ease and allows a visitor to make the most of the visit.

Assuming you can drag yourself away from the log fire in the lounge, you’ll find it’s the grounds which really cap the whole experience. The Manor is set in approx. 55 acres of grounds, providing the feel of an adventurous wander. A large terrace overlooks the lake and beyond this there are various nooks and crannies in which to explore and lose yourself, and it’s right here that a magical little tale has become legend. It’s said that the writer, Lewis Carroll, was strolling in the gardens one day when he came across a little girl happily playing. After briefly chatting to his new friend he returned to his room to begin writing a short story based on the young lady’s happy disposition. Her name was Alice Liddell, and the short story eventually became Alice In Wonderland. A magical place indeed…

An honest subject

I’m a firm believer that people change considerably when they make a big effort to look good in a picture. The most attractive people I know are the ones who relax, stay themselves and just take it as it comes. If you want to see total honesty in a photo, then you’ll get it from just about any kid under the age of 10. Mention photography of children to people and they conjure up babies on rugs, or primary school photos showing reluctant, awkward smiles. Make children pose and they’ll hate it. Let them be themselves and you’re on to something.

I was recently commissioned to shoot some casual shots of a young girl, the ultimate aim being for the family to have a few photographs for framing. I wanted to try and capture the person in a location, but beyond that I wanted to keep an open mind. The plan was to go out and about, have a good time, and record some stuff without placement or direction. This can be a little risky, because as we all know kid’s moods change in an instant, but nothing ventured nothing gained. The location was to be around Aldeborough on the Suffolk coast, maybe the beach, maybe a park too. The day was freezing cold and we aimed for the beach first. While there were bouts of sunshine, for the most part the day was overcast and this worked well as shadows didn’t come into play. Plus I was shooting black & white for a lot of the time, so a high level of ambient light wasn’t required. 

The first shot here was during a little stone throwing competition, but it gives the feel of a child lost in thought on a windswept day. I’ve cropped the height down to provide a slighty more panoramic feel (to me it feels a little like the end of a movie) and I’m really happy with the result. The picture could be viewed as generic by somebody who doesn’t know the subject, but from the parent’s perspective it’s also unmistakably their daughter, so it works. The technical elements are very simple, no point being elaborate because the feel of the day was very editorial and off the cuff. It’s shot at 400asa on a 24mm lens, slightly underexposed to bring out the clouds, with the lighting on the body tweaked later because the file is RAW. Some people might light this with flash to add a little drama, but unless I can use a studio softbox I don’t like flash, so it was natural light all the way. I could have asked somebody to stand next to me and hold a reflector panel, punching some light into the foreground, but that would have taken away the spontaneity of the picture and disturbed the moment. Next stop, a nearby castle…

Anything with ruins or places to hide are winners with kids. They don’t give a damn about the history, but at the same time they love the environment. The second shot was simply a matter of chatting and walking and when we came to a gap in the wall, she looked right at me. That worked up to a point, but then when something distracted her and she looked away – bingo – it makes the picture because the lack of eye contact lends a much more natural feel. Again, really straightforward set-up : 800asa, 50mm lens, but this time with the aperture opened up to pull some light into the shadows. It’s been cropped square because the walls to the left and right were just wasted frame space.

The last location was a park, where the thinking was to use a setting totally different to the beach or the castle. I also wanted one of the framed prints to include some detail, vary the content a little and move away from just a person. I deliberately used only one lens on this, the 300mm, shot at f2.8. This focal length gives a feel which is very middle ground heavy, that’s to say it throws the back and foreground out of focus and results in the complete opposite of the beach picture, which is almost as much about the clouds as the little girl. After a few detail shots typical of the surroundings, intended to compliment the portrait, I just used the evening backlight to shoot another casual pic. There’s a feeling about the last one, it says “I’m tired” after a long day having fun, so a natural end to the set. Keeping this one colour was important too because then the slightly golden feel of the evening works with the tree detail. Putting them together and cropping quite tightly also makes the print interesting and varied. So, not brain surgery by any means. Just an approach free from photographic trickery, no complicated set-up and a pleasure to shoot. Small slices of somebody’s childhood caught forever…