Photographic Lighting

Lighting is such an interesting topic. Without light, there is no photography. Yet this is one area that modern photography seems to have forgotten. If you want to improve your photography, start with lighting.

I remember when I first started out as a professional photographer in the days of film, yes I am that old, I used on camera flash to expose everything. It was a Metz 45 which was a very cool flash in it's day, but it was still full on flash. Now I am talking about 1993 so it was a long time ago. Funny thing is, a couple have given me a disc of images taken at a wedding that they asked if I could fix. Images were exactly how I had photographed in the early years, full on camera flash, leading to flat images.

Fast track to the birth of digital photography, suddenly there was this thing about available light, so we took everything with available light, with some terrible consequences. I was watching a talk the other day by a pro photographer call Kevin Katoba who put it as well as I have heard. Lighting is actually not about light, it is about shadows. Once you think about that it all makes sense. Shadows provides the  three dimensional look that often separates a good professional and amateur photographer from someone that is just framing and pressing the go button and allowing these awesome modern cameras to do all the work.

The second comment that Mr Katoba said was that you use natural light if it is there, and if it is not, you create it. I could not put that better and came across a prime situation on Saturday at a wedding. I was photographing the groom in his parents house. There was artwork on the wall that had there own lighting. I had the groom next to the window but the light was not strong enough to balance with the art light.

So this image is what we were getting on the test images. I could have turned off the lighting on the art work, but the light across the face is very flat. The solution is to put a fill flash to the left, actually on the veranda on the other side of the glass doors. The flash is off camera, with a flash-bender in the shape of a snoot. This gives a very directional light source and produces a much more punchy image. If interested in flash-bender, Google it or go and talk to Camera House in the Domain.

Both of these images are straight out of camera and I guess the point here is that the second image in not reproducible through Photoshop. Bottom line, if you are interested in Photography, learn about lighting and how to use light. So simple yet such a difference in the quality of the image produced.

Any questions about how we did this message me or give me a call.

Thanks

Selecting Your Wedding Photographer.

Possibly the hardest decision when preparing for a wedding is the selection of the wedding photographer. A wedding is the most expensive party you will ever throw and once it is over, all you have are your memories. Your photographs should be something quite special.

So how do you select a photographer? Generally, the best way is by personal reference from a friend or colleague who has had experience with a photographer. If you ask around, check the images that were taken, ask how it was on the day and how well the process went. Selection comes down to the style of photography, the personality of the photographer, cost and how well you get on with the photographer when talking to them. You must meet with the photographer and spend some time getting to know them. It will make it easier on the day. If no one has experience with a photographer,then a google search or yellow pages is next. Most photographer will have a web page and the best way of narrowing it down is to search through their web pages and look at the images. How do they look? Are they well composed? Is there detail in the dress? Do they look natural?

There are two distinct styles that wedding photographers fall into. The photojournalist who tries to be the fly on the wall and capture events as they happen and the traditional wedding photographer who directs and poses. Most photographer fall somewhere in between these two using a combination of photojournalism and traditional photography. It comes down to personal choice and what you like in your photography.

Consider also the impact that the photographer will have on the actual day. How long do you want them there, do you want both bride and groom getting ready images, do you want a real cake cutting and bridal waltz? All very important to the day but will impact on cost. The reception is a big part of the day but often forgotten. A new product on the market is the photo booth, a really fun way to get images of your guests from your wedding.

So what is your money paying for? A wedding photographer requires many skills. The most important is seeing light and their ability to use the light. In photography, light is everything and the way a person is positioned within the light can be the difference between an average photograph and an amazing photograph. Photographers need equipment that can handle the different lighting conditions found during a typical wedding shoot and the technical skills that allow them to photograph in all conditions. This means expensive lenses and a variety of portable lighting gear. It takes a lot of experience, training and commitment to do it well.
Further, they need the organisational skills needed to shoot family and group photos, time management skills to get it all the photos needed from the day, problem solving skills as there are always different scenarios that arise during the day. After the wedding, there is post production, editing techniques, graphic design for albums and canvas prints, and the ability to pull it all together. Print quality and album quality is everything if your memories are going to last. Wedding photographers could charge less by compromising on the quality of their products, but it would be the couple who pay for it later.

So how much should you pay for your wedding photography? The Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) states at least 10% of your total wedding budget should be directed towards your photography. Photography, like everything else, comes down to “you get what you paid for”.  A quality photographer costs a little bit more because they bring to the table creative experience, technical experience and spend a lot of time on your images ensuring that they are perfect. They do not compromise on quality, neither should you.

There will obviously be a huge difference in the final images and the products when comparing an $800 photographer with a $5000 photographer. This difference will be in quality, quality of the actual image, quality of the albums and prints and the quality of service. This is one of the most important days in your life, do not compromise on quality. There can be no greater disappointment then getting your photos after the events and thinking "I wish I had of gone somewhere else."

All of these factors are important, however if you do not get on with your photographer it will be a long day. You must meet with your photographer before the day and you need to get to know them. You have to trust that they know what they are doing and enjoy their company. With wedding photography, there has to be a lot of trust involved. If you do not believe in what the photographer is saying, it will show in the photos. Many photographer offer an engagement shoot as part of the package. A great way of getting to know them and see how they photograph.

Timing on the day is vital. A run down of the day should be organised before the big day, timing, locations and events. This should include any special needs you may have for the day. Locations you like, people you want photos of. This needs to be locked down before the day, it goes to quickly to make it up as you go.

Look for photographers accredited with the AIPP, these photographers are part of an education system that allows photographers to improve their skills while being mentored and taught by the best photographers in the business. There is also an accreditation system in place that you must pass to become accredited.

Wedding days should be fantastic days, select your photographer carefully and you will have photographs to treasure forever. Remember, don't let little things spoil your day. Enjoy every moment so when you look at your photos, the memories come flooding back.

Malcolm Gillham

Leiden Studios

Michael & Marina

One of the exciting projects to come out if the year was to take our engagement shoots and go a little further with them. Thanks for this goes to Phil & Nicole who had the idea of a 50's style shoot as something different. Enter Michael and Marina, absolutely stunning couple who also came with a very different idea. Unfortunately you will have to wait until after the wedding to post those photos. However some of their photos were stunning and showed the conection that they have with each other. Thanks to Michael and Marina for their effort, again much fun was had by all. I like the idea of a theme for any shoot as it adds a bit to the look of the image and it actually helps with the process of the shoot. With kids especially if you can bring props along, being toys that the kids love or "rugy" it all helps with the relaxation and how the kids respond. Here are some of the photos from Marina & Michael. Please enjoy.

Really looking forward to your wedding, it is going to be a fantastic day. Come on November.

Would like to thank both Kellie and Kelly for their input on this shoot. Any comments welcome.

Missy shoot

So we are starting to get to the end of our wedding season. Really sad because we have had some wonderful people through the studio and I will really miss not going out to the weddings every weekend. Anyway, we had a long discussion on what we can do over summer. And then Missy walked into the studio.

Thanks to Missy, we had a ball on Saturday and she was a great model.

Hailey & Clinton Portrait shoot

We posted one of Hailey and Clinton's images on "Facebook" and got such a good response, we thought we would put a few more up. Hailey and Clinton wanted the shoot at the Brewery in Townsville and the Rhino Bar where Clinton is a chef. We love the Brewery, it has the best beer in Townsville and has some of the best lighting as well. Soft light is what portraiture is all about and in Townsville this is difficult as it is often very harsh, especially during the middle of the day. A lot of our portrait shoots are done later in the day, just as the sun sets for this reason.

The Rhino Bar in Palmer Street, Townsville was a new experience for us, we had not photographed in there before. A little artificial light in the form of a video light and we produced some stunning results. The back light wall produced some interesting effects and required a little fill or reflected light to fill in the shadows. Clinton & Hailey has a bit of fun and got to be models for an hour or two.

Thanks to both the Brewery and the Rhino Bar, your facilities are fantastic, we love coming to your buildings to photograph. For enquiries about portraiture or wedding photography, please give us a call during office hours.