Time for...

Shoot with Amy and Katrina

16/04/2012

Had the pleasure of working with Amy and Kat, two aspiring models the other afternoon and the chosen location being Plymbridge woods. I had spoken with Katrina on several occasions in the past about working together, but as with everything these days... time is always an issue.
My original intention was to do a submerged/semi-submergered shoot in the water to capture an abstract type image, however the water down there isn't the warmest at the best of times, I also need a new polariser filter for my 77mm lens to achieve what I want.

©2012 Matt Elliott

I didn't want this to be a 'fashion' shoot and there was no make-up or stylists on location, just a few dog walkers who were intrigued as to what we were doing.
So far, where lighting is concerned, I have normally used a two light system off camera, although I do have the resources to use three if I want to add a hair light for example. Generally though I have found in the past using one flash enough to fill in the subject against background light. Problem's I have found with using speed lights are the batteries don't last long, they can overheat and take time to re-charge, which means you can easily miss that 'one shot'.
When I first started shooting models I was always in a rush, not wanting to keep people waiting around, however there's no point setting-up a shoot to do make a mess of it!
Amy and Katrina were very professional and needed little or no direction, however if you're after a certain pose or look a good model is more than happy to oblige, it's not always about them wanting pretty pictures!

©Matt Elliott 2012

One thing I did try during this shoot was a multi-image blend which is something I am experimenting with at the moment. I asked the girl's to stand motionless while I shot 5 high speed images or varied exposure. I asked them to cover their faces as I knew the end result wouldn't be 'pretty', although after seeing the final result Amy wants to know what it would have looked like...next time.

One personal concern I always have during editing at the moment is 'will they like the final result, or hate them?'. I am not a fashion photographer, and in no way consider myself to be good enough to be one, but I do get asked a lot by, it has to be said, girls to have a shoot with me which I take as a compliment.

©Matt Elliott 2012

I have found the more I shoot these days, the less I shoot. Digital is a wonderful invention, however it's not so wonderful when you have to trawl though thousands of images for little or no return...get it right in camera. I tend to crop very little too and when I do I normally keep to a 3:2 ratio for ease of access. Looking back at when I started the crop tool was never constrained, a bit like my eye, now I have made vast improvements in this area, so I must be improving and will keep doing so.

Even if this area of work doesn't interest you the best advice I can give is to do it anyway, what have you got to lose. It's all photography and you'll learn loads! As you are working with people lighting is key, and that, at the end of the day is what photography is all about!

Thanks again Kat and Amy, no doubt we'll work together again and I'm looking forward to the water shoot...next time!

All images © to MRE-Photography 2012