Portraits Without Faces

Following on from our successful ‘Through The Generations’ photo challenge, here’s another chance to experiment with your people photography and build your confidence in taking images on the street.

Working individually or in small groups, you’re encouraged to seek out images which give a sense of a portrait but without including the face.

There will be no hard or fast rules as to what lens to use, or whether the portrait should be ‘posed’ or ‘candid’. The aim of the photo challenge is to start to develop an approach to taking people photos that you feel comfortable with.

To help with this, the event will include:

• Sharing of images to help inspire you
• Discussion on ways to take non-facial ‘portraits’
• A map of places to photo with suggestions of themes
• Experimenting with ‘ice-breaking’ openers

The photo challenge lasts three hours which includes time to ask questions about your camera as well as group check-ins. The cost of the event is £10 which includes the chance to receive feedback on your photos post-event.

“Lovely to meet you all today – I had a great time and got a couple of photos that I really like. The day has definitely helped me to have more confidence approaching people to ask them to model for photos and I’ll be doing more of this in the future! Hopefully see you all again soon…” Neil

“Fantastic event. Really helped to build up my confidence when taking pictures including asking for permission.” Siddrah

“Excellent day, really worth-while. Taught me how to approach people and gave me confidence to do so & take my first real portraits!” Natalie

“Really enjoyed it and was really nice to push myself – it was good that we had to set ourselves challenges (even though I didn’t meet mine!) and the guidance and opportunity to share with others was great.” Chantal

Make Special Photo Gifts This Christmas

There are lots of online options now to make affordable gifts with your own photos. So if you fancy making a photo book, a Christmas card, a calendar, a diary, a notebook, a portfolio or something else creative then come along to this relaxed and social photo-gift-making session!

You will need to bring:

• Your laptop
• Your photos in digital format
• An idea of what you want to make

If you want your photo gift delivered in time for Christmas, then keep the idea small, as you’ll need to upload your project by the end of the weekend ready to print.

I will start by outlining projects possible in just 2 hours. Then I will show you the gifts I have previously made to help inspire your ideas. There will be demos on how to use various software (all available for free to download or over the internet; you just need your laptop and the Southbank wifi).

Throughout the rest of the session, I will be available to help you with whatever you want help with e.g. book design, basic photo editing, IT issues whilst you are able to get on with making your project and chatting/sharing it with others.

Typically we will be looking at and using sites such as:

• Blurb – the best book making software around
• Moo – great for mini portfolios and stickers
• Photobox – excellent calendars and other gifts
• Moonpig – make customised greetings cards

Example prices of products: Photobox prints are 5p each, a Moonpig card starts at £2.00 and for a Blurb photo book at £4. Quality excellent. Post and packing extra.

The event will run 10:30-1:30 and there is a maximum of 8 people. Call me on 07773 819053 or send an email to thephotoschool @ gmail.com to book. Cost is £15. Meet at the Royal Festival Hall on Southbank.

Will You Be Using A Polariser This Weekend?

Given the 20C plus weather we are predicted this weekend, one item of kit you might want to have in your camera bag is a polariser.

A polarising filter changes the way that your camera registers and records light. Using one will alter the way colours, glare and reflections are presented in your images.

In particular, the blue skies that are going to be around over the Easter break will be even bluer in your photos, and the colours more saturated. Here are two shots that I recently took in Venice on a sunny day; one without a polariser and one with. The difference is quite startling!

If you haven’t already guessed, the one on the top/left was without a polariser, ;) Notice the richness in the sky and the saturation of the green, red and yellow in the image.

By turning the polarising filter on the end of your lens (they can be bought for around £35), you will be able to see how the blue in the sky changes from a hazy blue to a more rich, darker blue. It’s up to you how blue you want the sky to look.

It’s best to use a polariser when you’re not facing the sun. If you’re shooting into the sun, a polariser won’t have any effect as the sky is often white around the sun because of the intensity of the light bleaching it out. However at 90 or 180 degrees to the sun, you’ll see a big difference to the sky and the colours if you are using a polariser.

You might also notice that the clouds become ‘punchier’ as the whites become more saturated and defined.

A polariser cuts out between 1 or 2 stops of light from entering your camera. On a sunny day this means you will be able to get a slower shutter than is normally possible on a bright day. This opens up the creativity potential of more movement in your photo.

Do remember however, a polariser will affect the colours and reflections of the objects in your image too, which is one of its main uses. A polariser helps colours become more saturated because it is cutting down the amount of glare or reflection that objects naturally give off. This can be more pronounced on a hot day.

It’s up to you and the effect you are after if you want to cut out that glare or not. For example, if you are shooting across water, you might want to keep the sparkly reflections to add mood and the drama of a hot day to your image. Alternatively, it might be a distraction in your image.

So this is just an introduction to the effects using a polariser can have on your photos. If you are out taking photos with one, I’d like to hear your experiences of using it and maybe even see a photo or two :)

Let’s hope we do get the excellent weather we have been predicted over the Easter holidays. Good luck!

Docklands Photo Walk

Last weekend eight of us set out on a walk through the Docklands with our cameras. Here’s a pictorial diary of the places we visited and sights we saw.

Starting at Canary Wharf we spent some time exploring Jubilee Park. This small oasis of calm sits above Canary Wharf tube station and is absolutely packed with city workers having lunch on a warm day.

We looked at photo examples of architecture and talked about how sometimes it is better to focus in on the details of a building rather than try and get the whole height of the building within one picture.

We then crossed over the bridge to the once bombed South Quay which is now as modern and busy as Canary Wharf is. This provides a nice view of the Millennium Dome across the West India Millwall Docks. It also offers some great abstract shots of shiny silver buildings, patterns and reflections.

Walking along the West side of Millwall Inner Dock, we discussed the issue of using images to tell a story. We looked at various themes we might concentrate our eye on and how to photograph some of the sights we had in front of us. One of these was the old cranes that line the docks.

We also spotted a SEAL but could any of us get a picture of it?! We tried and tried, but it was just too quick going back under the water. Still, a lovely animal to have seen living in the financial district!

Crossing over the bridge near Crosshabour we again spotted more wildlife to photograph. Swans nesting in a heap of rubbish was a sad sight and a tricky shot to get. However, I did find this lovely contrast of the ‘strong and elegant’ hanging just a short way away.

Leaving Millwall Outer Docks behind, we ventured into Mudchute Farm. It’s currently lambing session so we had fun stroking and photographing the lambs! We explored the use of macro settings (or a large aperture, small f number) to take close up photos of the animals and Spring blossom.

This is my favourite photo from Mudchute Farm but it is one that I took last year. The sheep just weren’t quite in the right place for a similar shot this time round :(

Some people had fun getting up close to the sheep; you’ll have to go to flickr to see that shot (and a similar version of the shot below but in colour)!

After passing through Millwall Park, we came to Island Gardens. Once home for me, and always home for the north end of Greenwich Foot Tunnel, we took a couple of shots of the great view across to Greenwich, before walking through the tunnel to get there.

I tried out a composition technique called ‘framing’ that was discussed earlier in the photo walk. You can see below, how the trees are positioned to act as a frame to the stunning Royal Naval College and people walking. Framing can add depth to an image as well as helping to direct the viewer to look at what we want them to see as important in the scene.

I also used the ‘rule of thirds’ technique which is great for beginners to learn. We looked at many photo examples of how this technique can be used to enhance our images.

Our final pictures of the day were taken in the Royal Naval College. It was teaming with tourists and lots of people taking photos! I took this shot because I liked the pattern of all the lines in the scene and I felt the people interacted well with the man-made environment.

Happily snapped out, a couple of us enjoyed a cool Summer-like pint in the Old Brewery before heading our separate ways.

If you would like to learn more about photography, please join me on the next Docklands Photo Walk on Easter Saturday 23rd April 10am-1pm. More photos can be found on flickr.

As a beginner photographer, there is so much yet to learn!

Information overload of photography magazines and blogs can leave you wondering where to start. I believe that taking things step-by-step and practicing a few things at a time will help new ways of photographing become second nature to you. So here are three photography tips I’ve found useful to remember when out photographing.

Beginner Photography Tip 1 – Move About

Try not to always take photos at eye-level. Crouch down for a kid’s view or find some steps to climb for a bird’s eye view.

With a bit of effort you can shake up your photos and give your audience a whole new perspective. One of the best tools a photographer has is his/her feet. Be prepared to walk, crouch down, lie down, even climb up a tree (!) to get a unique photo.

Beginner Photography Tip 2 – Use A Tripod

If you’re out in low light, use the 1/60th rule as a guide for when to use your tripod. If your shutter speed is slower than a 1/60th it’s best to steady your camera to avoid visible shake.

The photo below is a poor attempt of a night shot. It could have been so much of a better shot if I’d had room in my suitcase to take my tripod with me to Italy and could then have used slower shutter speeds. Instead I had to up my ISO as far as possible and hope for the best!

Beginner Photography Tip 3 – Change Your WB

If you are moving from outdoors to indoors remember to change your white balance to avoid colour cast. Unless of course you are using your camera on automatic or with an automatic white balance!

The photo on the left has ‘daylight’ white balance which when used indoors can make a picture have a tinge of blue. The photo on the right now has the technically correct white balance of ‘tungsten’ and you can see it adds a much warmer feel to the image. It’s up to you which photo you prefer but in technical terms there is one that is ‘correct’.

If you’d like to know more about photography and have a few more settings to try out, you could come along to one of our beginner photography workshops, running at weekends which cost £35. Read more about them and our excellent testimonials over at The Photo School website.

Beginner Photography Tip – Continuous Shooting

Continuous shooting is a simple selection on your camera and useful for many types of photography.

The drive mode ‘continuous’ allows you to take several photographs in rapid succession. Sometimes called ‘burst’ or ‘rapid shot’ mode it is worth looking in your manual how to turn it on.

A Fail Safe Setting

I mostly use it when photographing babies or small children to capture various expressions and then choose the best photo later. I sometimes use it in my macro photography when out photographing flowers in the wind to get the shot in focus.

It’s also useful in fast paced environments such as sporting events to capture the decisive moment. Turn it on and the camera will take photos in quick succession; choose the perfect shot afterwards!

Want to learn about the other drive modes and settings on your camera?

Join us for a beginner photography workshop. The next workshops are March 19 & 20th in London.

How To Create A Good Landscape Photo

Earlier this month I was on a photography retreat up in Balquhidder, Scotland. Out of all the photos I took (nearly 1,500 of them!), this photo at Loch Voil on the penultimate day seems to be all my friends’ favourite.

As a beginner photographer I am also very pleased with this photo. It is a culmination of getting up at 5am everyday and practicing everything I had been taught on the week away!

Please leave me a comment on flickr if you like this photo.

What Can You Learn From This Photo?

I’d like share some photography tips with you in how I created this photo:

• To be a good landscape photographer you need to get up early! I was in position by 5:30am for this photo, which involved climbing over barbed fences in the dark!
• You need to be in possession of some gradient filters, I’ve since learnt! These help with achieving slow shutter speeds to achieve ‘glass like’ water which nicely reflects the sky.
• You need to search for a foreground interest and marry this with a stunning background.
• Focus a third of the way into the image. I found focusing difficult whilst using the filters as there was a lot of switching between auto and manual focusing, so that the camera didn’t focus on the filter itself!
• Wait for the right lighting. And I mean WAIT! You’ll need patience and good observational skills. There were only a few seconds when the sun had lit up the trees before it had moved and lit up something else.

The Enjoyment Of Landscape Photography

To get up early and see the sunrise everyday was one of the highlights of my week away. It was also very beautiful to be in silence a lot of the time and immerse oneself fully in the surroundings. I also liked combining the large vista shots with the close-up plant photography I did. I’ll post more on this another time.

If you would like to know more about going on a photography retreat you can contact the Dhanakosa Centre.

Where Do You Find A Photographer For Business PR?

For those of you in business, or who use high profile images in your work, it might be worth knowing about the Press Association (020 7963 7156) .

If your business has a strong national, or international story, they could provide you with photographer for free.

Seems they offer the following services:

• Search one of the most extensive editorial picture resources
• A dedicated team providing research and licensing expertise
• Specialist photographers for commissioned events
• A network of international image partners

Have you had contact with the Press Association Photographers before?

Please leave a comment.

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