Burton College Fashion Shoot 2012

James Woodings and I were commissioned by Kerry Wilkinson from Burton Chamber of commerce and Emma Strange Course Leader of Burton and south Derbyshire college to produce a set of images for their BSDC 2012 fashion show. The show which is part of the college's annual Creative studies Arts exhibition was held at Burton Town Hall from 18-22nd June

I was granted permission by Kerry Wilkinson to publish some of the images from the night on my blog for course work purposes only

I was given a brief from Emma to produce some ambient light images of the night without the use of any kind of flash or any artificial lighting. The purpose of this was to record the ambiance of the show which would highlight the coloured lighting and smoke effects generated which contributed to the atmosphere of the evening

I decided to use a Canon 5D Mk 2 Full frame camera to record the images. I choose this camera because of it's low light capabilities which enabled me to use really high end ISO speeds without to much noise being evident in my images. This camera is renown for producing excellent quality low light images without the inclusion of hardly any noise at all. The majority of the images were recorded at 4000 ISO and about 30 at 5000 ISO
I was still able to hand hold my camera at these high end ISO's which still enabled me to use a shutter speed of 125th of a second which eliminated any blurred images

The show was lit by a variety of coloured flashing spot/laser/lighting and which played havoc with my camera's light meter. Using my camera's built in light meter under these challenging conditions threw the rule book out of the window and I had to use all of my skill and judgement to conjure up the correct exposures for the images. Thrown into the mix were intermittent blasts of theatrical smoke which made my exposures even more tricky and challenging

I found the assignment to be fairly challenging but well within my capabilities. The images shown here were all straight out of camera with just a small amount of sharpening applied

in Photoshop. All were shot with ambient light which which gives a true representation of the ambience of the evening

James and I decided on two approaches to record the images. Jim would be positioned on the rear balcony of the Town Hall looking down onto the models. We decided Jim would record all the formal shots some with flash and some without using a Canon 70-200 F4 Zoom Lens. Jim would record the more narrow angle shots of the models mainly walking on their own along the catwalk.

We agreed I would shoot the more wide angled shots close up to the stage including groups of people,  the building and the lighting. To achieve this I used a Canon 24-105 L series wide angle zoom lens. Most shots were taken with 4000 ISO 

The shots above were taken more to portray the ambience and atmosphere of the event. I wanted the viewer to feel the atmosphere of the evening. Using any kind of flash lighting would have ruined the shots which would have washed out the colours and illuminated the smoke to intensely. I angled some of my shots which gives the viewer a more interesting perspective and view point of my subjects

I found the models easy to photograph on the evening and there was plenty of time to compose my shots. I moved in very close to the stage edge and most shots were recorded 3-4 feet away from my subjects. Using an aperture of mainly F4 enabled me to let enough light into the camera and still use a fast enough shutter speed to freeze any action

I had to shoot my images quickly and efficiently as I was standing in front of the main audience at the venue. I was crouching down mainly just below and in front of the models. I chose this location and position as to give the maximum amount realism to my shots. Shooting any further back would have included people and rows of seating which would have reined the shots. I was able to steady my camera on the edge of the stage  for some of the images

Overall I was very pleased with the majority of images recorded on the night. I shot the images in raw + jpg which gave me the option and  versatility to manipulate the images even further in Photoshop. Shooting in raw enabled me to select a number of different white balances should I have needed them

The client was very pleased with the images shot on the evening and James and myself received very positive feedback from Emma who had requested the images. Emma has used and distributed a lot of the images from the shoot amongst students from her college to use in their course work's and projects

Jordan Model shoot

 (Jordan) Male Model Shoot

Under construction

I was commissioned by a work colleague to photograph a relation of her family who has the potential and ambition and to become a male model. Jordan a 13 year old teenager shown here in the college studio is a trendy 13 year old guy with the good looks and the confidence to possibly make some money out of a modelling career.

I used the college Photography studio to produce the images and I worked to a brief which was to produce a set of images which would be good enough to send to model agencies and catalogue companies that require male models on their books

I was given a brief to photograph Jordan in a variety of different outfits ranging from football kits to casual wear in a variety of different poses 

I researched a variety of different model poses which I new would suit a 13 year old teenager,some of these are shown here below:

I used a variety of different lenses for the assignment but the main ones were a Canon 24-105 F4  L series and a Canon 50mm 1.4 usm

Jordan was very nervous at the beginning of the shoot and he found it hard to achieve certain poses which were required in the brief. I new I had to bond with him to form a repour and gain his confidence which would enable him to relax and feel at ease. I find chatting and joking with my subjects helps them to relax and feel at ease. After 20 mins or so behind the camera Jordan started to come out of his shell and I and eventually got the shots I was looking for. 

Shown on this blog are a few images from the shoot which I am quite pleased with. I used the combination of 4 Bowens studio heads with a combination of various soft boxes and beauty dishes to manipulate my lighting setups

I was trying to achieve a type of Butterfly/Paramount lighting which eliminates any shadows on the models face

I used a main modelling light with a soft defuser and a secondary soft box light under construction

Shown here is my studio setup.

The eyes of any portrait are the heart of the image and these have to be pin sharp. If you can include catchlights all the better. I deliberately included catchlights in Jordans eyes when I shot my images, adding catchlights to a subjects eyes gives them a sparkle which makes them stand out from the rest of the image


I used 1 single Af point through my camera view finder,this allowed me to position my focal point on the most critical point of the the image the eye

It's important to form a good rep

our with your subject and to gain their confidence
,showing the recorded images juring playback to my model helps to booste their confidence

Alrewas wedding shoot

Under construction

I am in the process of producing some really nice images to use in promotional material and to include in a website to promote our wedding photography business.

A colleague of mine James Woodings and I are in the process of setting up a small part time wedding photography business shooting weddings at weekends in our spare time

We both have a passion for photography especially portraiture a field which we would really like to excel in and will endeavour to produce some really outstanding results

These are the first shots of a wedding model shoot that I planned at the weekend. Jim and I hired a local model for a few hours last saturday afternoon to shoot some wedding poses over at Alrewas church 

I pre planned the shoot with Amy weeks in advance and here is a list of preperations that I made to make the shoot a success

1- Advertise for a bride model to pose for wedding photography. I advertised on a national model agency website for models requiring time for prints but not many came forward. I eventually advertised that I would pay the models time which gave me a lot better response

2- Agree a fee for the models time and ask her to fill in a model release form

2- Send the model a brief of the photo shoot  agreeing on clothing, makeup and hair styles,times and locations. I sent the model a list of poses I wanted her to achieve

3- Source a location to shoot my images. I emailed local churches and vicar's asking for their permission to shoot photographs on their property. The vicar of this church was very obliging letting me shoot inside and outside of the church on this occasion. I gave the vicar a donation for his church for letting me use the property

4- Rechie the locations. It was imperative to familiarise myself with the locations I was going to shoot at so I went over to the church a couple of times before the shoot just to pre plan my poses beforhand in my mind

5- Pre check local weather forecasts. I new on this particular day it was going to be cold, overcast but with no rain,not ideal, but ok for a reasonable shoot using fill in flash

6- Health and Safety I had to consider my models safety for the shoot, making sure she was well looked after. The afternoon was very cold so I provided blankets and hot drinks to make the shoot more  comfortable for her. I carried out a risk assessment inside and outside the church making sure there were no trip hazards,trailing leads and cables from our lighting or slippery services that she would be walking on

7- Arrange a changing location for the bride to change outfits and put on makeup etc. I had spoken to the vicar of the church earlier and we were to use the church as a changing room

8- Shoot the images.  We hired Amy on an hourly basis so it was imperative to move on fast, shooting the images as quick as possible

 

The weather was cold and cloudy so the plan was to use lots of fill flash using our Canon 430 and Canon 530 flash units. Amy was our model a 21 year old from Burton

More to follow

       

These are the first shots of a wedding model shoot that I planned at the weekend. Jim and I hired a model for a few hours last saturday afternoon to shoot some wedding poses at Alrewas church. The weather was cold and cloudy. Amy was our model a 21 year old from Burton

More to follow

I used large apertures of F4 or 2.8 which helped me to isolate my subject from my backgrounds and produce the Bokah effect that I am looking for

 

My Model should not be laughing in the shot above it looks to false

Conclusion of the shoot. 

Overall I was pleased with some of the images and the model in question. I was a little disappointed with the models appearance as I asked her to pose with hair up and use a lot of make up but she appeared with hair down and very little makeup. She was a really nice girl, easy to work with and was fairly experienced at posing. I would definightly use here modelling services again

I need to up my game with the next model I use and will make sure I make the model look more glamorous in my end results. I know I can produce better images than the ones I have produced here and feel positive to move forward to the next level

 

The problem with these images, my model is posed ,looking at the camera and smiling,I need to start shooting more natural looking images and to move away from the posed shots

Model Release Form

I am photographing a model at the weekend and it's imperative to consider the legal side of things before you move into any kind of photography with a model or a total stranger


It is therefore important to produce a Model Release Form, this is a form that the model will sign which grants certain rights and permissions to the photographer  to photograph,reproduce,manipulate and sell images produced from the photographic session

At a bare minimum, the release form should state that the model has agreed to be photographed and they have granted permission for the photographs to be used for all lawful purposes including commercial use.

The agreement to be photographed is consent to invade that person’s right to privacy. For this consent to be effective:

1. It must be granted by someone who is capable of understanding the nature and consequences associated with the photography and who has the authority to consent.
2. The release needs to specify the uses for the photographs.
3. The release should include a general comment as to the nature of the photographs taken and the dates of the shoot.

Shown below is a template which I have sourced from the Internet and one which I will be 

using at the weekend when I'm shooting with my model

Business Plans

Creating a Business Plan

What Is a business plan?

A business plan is a written statement of your business and outlines what you want to achieve and how you plan to go about it

It is essential to have a realistic working business plan when you're starting up a business.

A business plan is a written document that describes a business, its objectives, its strategies, the market it is in and its financial forecasts

It has many functions, from securing external funding to measuring

success helping to keep to yourself on track for your goals and steer you along the right path towards success

What a business plan should include

A business plan should provide details of how you are going to develop your business, when you are going to do it, who's going to play a part and how you will manage the finances.

Clarity on these issues is particularly important if you're looking for finance or investment. The process of building your plan will also focus your mind on how your new business will need to operate to give it the best chance of success.

Your plan should include:

•  An executive summary - this is an overview of the business you want to start. Many lenders and investors make judgments about your business based on this section of the plan alone. These are the key elements to include:

•  A description of your company, including your products and services

•  Your mission statement

•  Your business’s management

•  The market and your customer

•  Marketing and sales

•  Your competition

•  Your business’s operations

•  Financial projections and plans

The business plan should also contain all of the following to give potential investors an insight of what the business is aiming for

•  A short description of the business opportunity - who you are, what you plan to sell or offer, why and to whom

•  Your marketing and sales strategy - why you think people will buy what you want to sell and how you plan to sell to them. How and why are you better than your competition

•  Your management team and personnel - your credentials and the people you plan to recruit to work with you. Your skills and expertise

•  Your operations - your premises, production facilities, your management information systems, equipment and assets etc

•  Financial forecasts – Including Financial planning, financial forecasts, profit and loss, sales forecast and cash flow etc

Wedding Photography Market research and feasibility study

Wedding Photography Market research and feasibility study 

(Unit 5) Outcome 1, 2, 8

I have been carrying out some market research lately on the wedding photography business in and around my local area. I have visited many local wedding fayres to find out more information and to gather further knowledge of the local competition I would be facing should I decide to continue and set up a wedding photography business

I have deduced from my research that the town is absolutely saturated with wedding photographers in and around this local area. I have counted approximately 25-20 wedding photography businesses around this area, which can be found on web pages, yellow pages and local phone directories

There are various standards of photography offered by these photographers and prices range from some of the cheapest at £400 to the top end £1500-£2000

Most offer different tiers of service for eg: bronze, Silver and gold packages and many offer a bespoke service especially tailored to suit your needs

The competition is huge and you have to be a good photographer to stand out from the rest. There are a lot of “weekend warriors” out there who have bought a couple of 5D’s or equivalents and produce wedding photography that is far from inspiring. The budget market is out there and there are people willing to pay for a budget wedding on the cheap. You get what you pay for and they are obviously  not bothered about a high standard of quality. They will undoubtedly receive budget standard photography and budget standard photos

I have looked at the top end of the market around here and there are one or two excellent wedding photographers. Their prices are quite high well over the £1000 mark but they do provide high quality photography

Not only do you need to be a very good photographer to succeed in wedding photography but you also have to be a very good businessperson

Not only does your standard of photography have to be very good but your business skills are paramount. You need to be good at Marketing, Finances,

Management, admin and IT, etc. Looking at research statistics on the Internet, you need to be 30% photographer and 70% businessperson to be a successful wedding photographer

I’m confident I have a lot of these skills, and want to expand them further. I’m positive and focused and like the buzz of the competitiveness. This I believe pushes your standards even higher. It’s imperative to have an excellent website built up front that show cases only your very best work. Potential clients get their first impressions of how good a photographer you really are while looking at your first 6-10 images. Produce a sub standard website with sub standard images and you will ruin your photography reputation for ever

I am not ready yet to complete a good website at the moment and my images are not at a high enough standard to show off my skills . I will be working with different models over the summer period to improve my wedding photography, better my skills and give me more experience of the industry

Magic Attic (Old images)Brewery Exhibition

I contacted a place in swadlincote called "The Magic Attic" that has archives of old images of Burton and its breweries. Shown below is the reply I received. It seems like we have to pay to receive copies of these old images which would have to be scanned from old glass plates etc

Steve

Many thanks for your enquiry.  Your email was unclear - are you intending to exhibit at the Town Hall or the Brewing Centre or both?

Indeed we have hundreds of these sorts of photos in our archives from 1890 onwards which would be suitable for your exhibition.  Many of these are from our collection of original glass plate negatives which we have been given or purchased and subsequently we have scanned them into our on-line database.

We are always willing to assist in these projects but we do have to be careful – in the past we have been let down and despite verbal agreements some of what we have supplied has made its way into the public domain and we have examples that some copies have been sold on Ebay.  Because of this we now supply all photo with a signed and legally binding contract regarding copies etc plus a prominent display on any exhibition board that the images have been supplied by The Magic Attic Archives.  We also charge a fee for supplying any copies and in some cases we may have to obtain the permission from the original supplier which can take a few days.

I would suggest that you visit the Attic (address and open times on the internet - www.magicatticarchives.org.uk ) on a Monday or Thursday evening when we are less busy to discuss your exact requirements and you can also see all the photos we have in our in-house database (not accessible via the internet). During the daytime when open we are exceptionally busy.

You may also like to try the Bass (Coors) museum who probably have their own collection.

Regards

Keith Foster

(Secretary / Trustee of The Magic Attic)

=======================================================================================

The Magic Attic - a Registered Charity that relies completely on donations from visitors and income from the sale     

of our items such as copies or photo copies.  We are run entirely by volunteers and without any financial assistance

from either the Burton Mail or any Local, District or County Council,  We have to make a charge for any quality

copies that we produce and have to make a charge for dedicated and requested research by our researchers.