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Rainy Portraits in the Studio

Rainy days aren’t always the easiest days to get great photos for a whole bunch of reasons but with a bit of effort and a lot of luck, you can get amazing photos.

However if getting wet isn’t your thing, it’s surprisingly simple to bring the rainy weather inside and under your control.

In the video below I’ll show you how you can create a rainy day window portrait using a couple of flashes and some simple props.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4USUxcL49A[/youtube]

The main thing you’ll need is a “window” and although you could use a real one I opted for a sheet of clear Perspex (also called Plexiglas or clear Acrylic). I’ve had my sheet for many years and it’s very scratched but still serviceable. www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Durable-Acrylic-Sheet-90cmx1-8m/p/210002

The video has two ways of using the “window”, shooting looking from the outside in and shooting from the inside, out. Both have their own unique feel and if you’re set for one, doing the other is quick and easy.

If you tried the technique yourself, do leave me a comment below and share your photo if it’s online somewhere.

It’s always a pleasure to have Beth Smith model for me. Check out her portfolio at https://purpleport.com/portfolio/bethsmithmodel/

Getting Creative With Colored Gels

Coloured gels are one of the “must have” light modifiers in my studio. They don’t adjust the shape of the light but they modify it’s colour and with a bit of know how you can get some amazingly colourful effects.

The gels I usually attach to my lights are always the heat resistant type, flashes produce loads of heat at higher powers. However if the gel is away from the light then I also have 70cm rolls of coloured cellophane which I get from my local florist and craft store.

Fun as gels are, why limit their use to altering the colour of light? In the video below I’ve got some creative alternatives uses for gels.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkG62J2tSBc&[/youtube]

As always working with a great model makes the world of difference and Beth did a great job here https://purpleport.com/portfolio/bethsmithmodel/ Similarly close head shots need great make-up and I have to thank Kate for this https://purpleport.com/portfolio/katechalkleymakeup/

Shooting Winter and Snow Studio Portraits

I love shooting portraits outside on location but winter can pose problems. Changeable weather and short days don’t help but cold, wet weather are my nemesis. So perhaps it’s not surprising that I find myself spending more time in the studio at this time of year.

Being stuck in my studio doesn’t mean that I can’t also embrace winter and bring the outside inside. A great way to do that is to make it snow.

In the video below I walk you through both the lighting and Photoshop post processing.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5QU9Jvc7v8[/youtube]

If you’d like to try my Photoshop Snow Action you can download it from https://www.gavtrain.com/?p=2490

If you’re after the falling snow in a can that I used for this shoot then check out the Snow Business store http://www.snowsupermarket.co.uk/falling-snow-c4/falling-snow-spray-in-a-can-p9

Three Must Have Portrait Props In My Studio

With the colder, darker weather very much with us here in the UK it’s not surprising that I’m finding the studio a much nicer place to work in then being on location. However the four walls of my small home studio can start to feel very limiting after a while so to avoid cabin fever setting in I have a selection of props to liven up my shoots.

The video below covers my three main types of prop and a few ideas on how I like to use them.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4aPx8mbBAY[/youtube]

Sunglasses
Winter might sound like the wrong time of year to be on the hunt for novelty sunglasses but I find having a selection on hand can really help. On a very simple level it gives something for your subject to interact with but sunglasses can also become part of the styling of the shoot. With a bit of craft skills you can also transform a pair of dull, basic sunglasses into a fashion item in it’s own right!

Hats
Just like sunglasses a hat can be worn or held once again giving your model something to work with. Hats can add character, hats can add mood, hats can be fun. Hats with brims can cast shadows which can cause problems as the model moves but with a bit of careful lighting that can be used to your advantage.

Fabric
Random bits of fabric are the perfect thing to have in the studio. They can be pegged up as backgrounds or wrapped around your model as a an outfit. Sheer fabric can be placed over your subject to add mystery or moved around for a floaty feel

There are endless ways to add ideas to your shoots, props can really help at this is just a few ideas to get you started.

Water Workshop Timelapse

A few weeks ago I ran a slimmed down version of my water workshop at the Jessops store in London’s Oxford Street. This was an Olympus UK sponsored event but was open to any photographer whatever make of camera they owned. It was also free for the 20 photographers who were lucky enough to get a space in one of the two sessions

I love this workshop for many reasons but mostly because it’s a real “hands on” event and as you’ll see in the time-lapse below, everyone gets involved.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9YrutvJN0s[/youtube]

Here’s a little info about the time-lapse. It was recorded on an Olympus TG Tracker action cam by Clare Harvey-May from Olympus UK. The TG Tracker has time-lapse recording built in and Clare recorded the two sessions (morning and afternoon) from two different angles, both in 4K.

I used Adobe Premiere Pro CC2015 to edit the two videos and add some of my stills from the workshop. As the final video was to be at 1080p HD, I was able to pan and zoom around the much larger 4K footage to create the motion you see in the final video.

I have to thank to Jessops and Olympus for hosting me and not complaining about the wet floor. Sam, for dragging crazy heavy bags of gear all over London. But mostly I can’t thank enough all the photographers who came along to both days and get so involved and slightly wet… you were warned!

Best Focal Length for Portraits

Knowing the best focal length for shooting portrait isn’t as easy as it may sound. Different focal lengths give very different results, some more flattering then others. In this video I take the same head shot at several focal lengths and compare the results.

[youtube]www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGYqWULIUp0[/youtube]

Traditionally a 50mm lens (on a full frame camera) has been considered the closest to the human eye but generally I prefer headshots with 70mm or more.

As you can see in the comparisons above, zooming in (and therefore stepping back from the model) has a few benefits. The longer focal lengths give even tighter crops on the background and stepping back compresses the facial features. Of course there’s plenty of scope for creative portraits when shooting head shots with a wide angle lens but for most photographers, longer focal lengths are better.

Adobe Photography Jam Re-Watch

I love demoing photography and Photoshop to my fellow photographers, so when Adobe UK invited me to speak at their Photography Jam event in London, I jumped at the chance.

It was an amazing evening of photography education and inspiration. Adobe lined up some really great speakers and invited an audience of around 150 photographers. Despite it being a seriously hot room, the audience’s enthusiasm throughout the evening made the event come alive.

If you couldn’t be there Adobe UK have you covered with all of the talks and demos now available on re-watch including mine.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVvRU78hqUc&index=4&list=PL5JIQFdhtvjb-8SU3lZPYdyy6C_s-_IxQ[/youtube]

I was given about 20 minutes to talk about the new features of Photoshop CC2015.5 (and CC2015) that I actually use day to day. I also threw in a few general Photoshop tips along the way and would have loved to do more but time was not on my side.

You can see the rest of the talks and demos on the Adobe UK YouTube Playlist

Richard Curtis gave a great demo on the new features in Lightroom and Photoshop

Mike Watson passed on some of his Stock industry knowledge

Sophie Ebrard Talks about her amazing career journey
(NOTE: this link contains image that are NSFW – not safe for work viewing)

Bella Kotak shared some of here ethereal portrait work and how they are created.

Ambient vs Flash for location portraits

When it comes to shooting portraits on location I know many photographers who love to make best use of the ambient light. I also know lots of photographers who wouldn’t dream of shooting on location without flash. Although I prefer flash, I’m very happy to work with ambient light if it does what I need. If you’re undecided about moving to flash or perfecting your ambient shooting techniques then this video should answer a few questions.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXA-vsOm-mk[/youtube]

I must thank the Gatwick Aviation Museum for the use of their location and the loan of the pilots outfit. Part of the reason for the look and location in these shots was to test out the venue and one of the outfits for my big Aviation Apocalypse workshop. Judging by what we learned on this shoot, the workshops are shaping up to be very exciting!

Flash

Ambient

Low Key Lighting

If you have a small or portable studio set up then low key portraits should be high on your list of “must have” lighting skills. Why? Apart from looking amazing, great low key lighting can be achieved with simple equipment against any dark background.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba1Hiq3w3kc&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

As the video above demonstrates, black backgrounds are the obvious choice for low key shots but grey backgrounds work too. So what makes a shot low key?

An underexposed image is not the same as a low key image. Whilst a true low key shot will have the majority of it’s tones on the dark side it will also have a few areas of highlights too. Contrast is key and that needs lighting but how you get there is all part of the creative process.

Creating shadows with D.I.Y. Gobos

Placing an object in front of a light source will usually cast a shadow of some sort. In the studio, if the object is solid it’s known as a flag but if it’s full of gaps (or semi translucent) it’s called a GoBo and can be incredibly useful. The shadow cast by a GoBo is often used to add texture or shapes to an otherwise plain background but there’s more to GoBo’s then that.

GoBo’s can cast shadows directly on to your subject for dramatic effects or they can be used to give reflections of the light source a little more style. And you don’t need a fancy GoBo projector to do it. Fabric, glassware, twigs or even tinfoil with random holes in are just a few things you can find around the house.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sBK4xFmF3Q&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

One last thought. Many photographers will tell you that GoBo is short for Go Between because it’s something that goes between the light and the subject. Well, if that’s true why aren’t they called GoBe’s?