Project Light

Exercise: Experimenting with light

Flash off set right

Flash & reflector

Flash bounce ceiling

Flash diffused low power

Flash offset left

Project Settings, Backgrounds, Locations

Exercise: Thinking about Location 


Inspiration comes from the most unlikely sources sometimes.

I travel to work by train most days and have traveled the route more times than I care to remember,  as the train was pulling into Leeds city station I noticed a heavily gratified portacabin and immediately thought what a good location that would make for a portrait shoot.

I recce d the area taking some sample shots for potential backgrounds then enlisted the help of a friend.  I explained the kind of look I was after, as it would have to be in keeping with the surroundings the shoot was to take place in.

We revisited the location several days later and produced a series of shots that in my opinion follow the grungy style that I was trying to achieve whilst also producing in interesting backdrop to the photos.

Project: Types of Portrait Framing

Exercise: Portrait - scale & setting

For the first exercise I have chosen my 5 year old daughter Tilly, I have tried to keep the focus of the first images centered around the face and eyes and in the second and third image given more weight and emphasis to the above. I think anyone that views the first few images will be drawn in by the eyes as the main focus of the image.

With the first head and shoulders image I have tried to create an almost three dimensional view with the reflection in the glass on one side and the opposite side of the face of the other. For the second head and shoulders shot i tried to achieve  an almost nonchalant pose almost expressionless but creates expression without any displayed.

For the full figure shots i tried to produce a more natural look which I think the viewer would tend to agree with.

I decided to produce these images in black and white so as not to detract to much from some of the bright colors and i think give more emphasis to these style of picture I have selected

Cropped in close Image 1

Cropped in close Image 2

Cropped in close Image 3

Head & Shoulders Image 1

Head & Shoulders Image 2

Head & Shoulders Image 3

Full Figure Image 1

Full Figure Image 2

Torso Image 1

Torso Image 2

Course materials arrived

So my course material arrived today, had a quick look through the material and first impressions are I'm going to like this one.