Studio research

I practiced using the studio lights, camera and backdrop to see what the lighting was like and how it looked using 3 point lighting. I used 1/4 1/32 and 1/2 lighting. I shot using a honey comb and spill kills.

I am pleased with the lighting in this photo, although the back light is a bit strong and would have looked better if it was less bright.

 

 

These photos have a shallow depth of field. This is an interesting technique to use if you want to pick up on details, but not so good for portraits as you lose the detail of the face. I like it how the guitar is in full focus and I also like how the back light is in shot of the first one, it gives it quite a raw fell to the picture.

This picture has a deep depth of field as you can clearly see from the end of the guitar to the back of the models jumper. This is practical as it clearly shows who is in the shot.

I am happy with this shot as you can see in clear focus the model, the guitar and the back light. Although the guitar is in the shot it does not take over the model and the model then becomes the main focus. I like the light in this shot because it's something different and unique, most portraits don't have the lighting in them.

Rosie and model

For Rosie's photoshoot on Monday 10th December as 1.30pm. I am going to be doing a location shoot aswell as a studio shoot. For her studio shoot she wants to be stood back to back with her model. I am going to use harsh lighting to create an intense environement and to cast shadows. For the location shoot I will use natural lighting, e.g : the sun.

Shooting light diagram;

I am going to a spill kill light (right) and a honey comb (left) to create harsh lighting and shadows.
      
Honey Comb                                           Spill kill

For her location shoot I am going to use;

I will be shooting this at a derelict building located in Ipswich that I have sourced. As there wont be any power supplies near I will have to use natural lighting from the sun, this could be a problem as it could be a dark day. I will take reflectors with me and an assistant just to make sure. The location shoot date it yet to be confirmed.

Reflectors

 

 

Benji Sadler

After pitching my ideas to the client he agreed to work with me for his music portraits. I am going to be using flour in some shots to create movement throughout the picture. Benji also wants some standard portraits of only him, not including his drum kit. Our photo shoot is scheduled for 10.30am on Monday 19th November. We have half an hour to shoot as many shots as possible. He wants a variety of action shots and posed shots.
The lighting for my shoot will be like this;

 

I am going to use 3 point lighting for Benji's shoot as I feel it will look great on a black background for what he wants. The drum kit will also fit int he middle of this. This type of lighting includes key lighting (left light), fill lighting (further back righ) and back (halo) lighting. I have decided to use shoot through umbrellas as I don't want the key and back lighting to be too harsh and noticeable. The fill lighting is further back to prevent shadows.

 

For the portrait shots of just him without his drumkit I am going to use spot lighting, using only a honeycomb to create a dark shadow effect. I will have it up high so it is over him.

Shoot through umbrella

 

 

For my music portrait photography assignment I have chosen to work with two clients, Ben Sadler and Rosie. They both have different ideas and also have different roles within their music career. Rosie is a vocalist and Ben is a drummer. I have gathered information on their ideas and what they would like from their photo shoot and have decided to compile some more research on them.

Ben would like a shot of him playing his drums in the studio, with something coming off the drums; e.g : dirt, sand or water. Although water is a problem in the studio as it can become messy so I thought using beads might be a good idea as they are easy to clear up and will look good during an action shot. Another idea I had was to use flour/talc powder so when the drum is hit it flies into the air and the light will create a really interesting effect on the powder. I plan to use three point lighting including halo lighting to create a soft atmosphere. Some examples of this are;

 

Coloured paint

Gold Glitter



Flour

Water

 

I really like the idea of having something on the drum because it gives the photo movement, as drum photographs can be a bit plain and boring and sometimes the drumkit takes over the photo. My favourite are the flour ones as it creates a dust also.

Some other drumming photogaphy that I really liked including stills from music videos;

 

 

 

For Rosie's shot she wants to have a male model with her also. She wants to be standing back to back with the man and wants to photoshop some smoke coming from the man, as you can't smoke inside. I thought an interesting idea for this photoshoot would be to use silhouettes or to use lighting to create a certain atmosphere.

Some examples of this are;

Silhouettes

 

Looking at the camera

Man smoking

Sepia tones

 

 

There aren't many examples of a man and a woman stood back to back but you get the idea. I want this photoshoot to feel really raw and intimate. Rosie would also like a location shot at a derelict building. There are a couple of places in Ipswich that I can think of that would be suitable for this shoot. Some examples of derelict photo shoots;

The locations that I thought of for the location shoot:

Waterfront

Next to Dance East at the Waterfront

Church on Upper Orwell street

 

St Clare's church - Chantry

Crane Foundry Ipswich

 

 



Music portrait photography - 2 artists

The first music portrait photographer I have chosen to look at is Ross Halfin, who is a famous and well known music photographer. He started off studying fine art at University and soon realised it wasn't for him. It was when he started to sneak cameras into gigs and taking photos that he realised what he is good at. His photos have been published in Kerrang!, newspapers all over the world, rolling stone magazine and many more. He currently takes photos travelling the world, but his early work is incredible. http://www.rosshalfin.com/
Some examples;


Bob Marley


Rob Zombie


Korn


Stone Sour

His extensive list of clients and bands that he has shot for is very impressive, he's done a lot of work live at shows and then on location also. Amongst all of this he has also done studio shots but prefers locations. If you can think of a band..he has probably taken atleast one photograph of them!

My second photographer is Fin Costello, who is one of Ross Halfin's inspirations. He's an Irish photographer, his career started off when he moved to London and began shooting sports photography for magazines. Over the years Costello has worked with some impressive and influential names in the music industry including Kiss, Mick Jagger, Aerosmith, Jimi Hendrix and so on. Fin's photograph of Duran Duran was featured on their album Duran Duran in 1981.
biography - http://duranduran.wikia.com/wiki/Fin_Costello
Website - http://www.fincostello.com/menu.html


Mick Jagger


Duran Duran


Robert Plant


Aerosmith

I really love Costello's work because it is all shot on film and has a really grungey, raw feel to it. I think it capture the essence of rock and roll all together very well.

Another type of music photography i'm really interested in is festival photography. When people think of music photography they think of 'rock n roll' and pop stars on stage. When i think of music photography I think of festivals, summer time and everyone having a great time. These photographs are from Paul Underhill who is an event photographer and shot pictures for many festivals.

These are just some examples of his work. Underhill shot photos at a festival that I went to in the summer, Global Gathering. Here are some of my photos from the festival.

Left to right: Nicole, Me, Sarah

About 4am

Face paint

At the main stage

Portrait photography

Portrait photography is one of the most popular type of photography and one of the largest. Portraits can be shot in a studio, outside,candid or with using a model.

Portraits depend on what you want from the photo, whether you want them posed (with or without props also), real life or stills from a certain moment (wedding, etc).

A popular type of portrait photography is Family portraits, here are some of my favourites that I have found.

 I really like this family portrait because it's different and not a typical studio shot. The colours in the background are also really beautiful and match the colours of what the females in the shot are wearing.

This shot is really special. It's an action shot on a set of a family playing with cards. It looks quite Halloween themed. I really like the cards floating in mid air to show that it was a split second caught on film.

This family portrait is shot on location and is really different to what we would normally see of a family portrait as it is quite grungy. I love it how the children are dressed in white, showing innocence and the parents are in black.

 

This is a common style of family portraits in a studio, they are nice and clinical and look good on a wall. I feel they don't have much soul to them though.

My favourite type of portrait photography is action shots, when someone isn't looking at the camera and isn't aware the camera is there (candid). I feel that it gives you a more genuine emotion/feeling than posing for a picture, i particularly like candid street photography;

By Nick Turpin

By unknown

By Burk Uzzle

Burk Uzzle

Burk Uzzle - Woodstock

Here are two examples of my own work where i photographed Sarah Graham. I don't like the black and white photo much, the lighting is a bit too strong and harsh.