Pro technology creative photography methods of the thinking photographer

A long exposure of color film at night can enrich the hues both of sky and reflections due to reciprocity failure.. A rich, orange sunset silhouettes the line of towers and gives the pic

n r a o o K s

Pro Techniques of CREATIVE

photography

METHODS OF THE THINKING PHOTOGRAPHER

IAN BRADSHAW

Pro Techniques of CREATIVE photography

METHODS OF THE THINKING PHOTOGRAPHER

IAN BRADSHAW

HPBooks

N o t i c e : T h e i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a i n e d in this b o o k is t r u e a n d c o m p l e t e to the best of o u r

k n o w l e d g e All r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s are m a d e w i t h o u t a n y g u a r a n t e e s o n the part of

H P B o o k s T h e a u t h o r a n d publisher d i s c l a i m all liability in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the u s e of this i n f o r m a t i o n

-dings, p h o t o j o u r n a l i s m , s p o r t , glamour, l a n d s c a p e s , travel,

animals o r a r c h i t e c t u r e ; w h e t h e r you a r e taking y o u r first

t e l e p h o t o ; s t a n d i n g b a c k t o v i e w t h e overall p i c t u r e o r closing

in o n a small detail; looking up, d o w n and f r o m t h e side

T h e r e is o n e g o l d e n r u l e t h a t e v e r y p h o t o g r a p h e r should follow: K e e p it simple T h e b e s t i d e a s a r e t h e simple o n e s

In o n e s e c t i o n , six p h o t o g r a p h e r s with widely differing

s t y l e s a r e g i v e n a m o d e l in a b a r e r o o m , a c a m e r a with a

s t a n d a r d lens, a flash, a tripod and a choice of film T h e r e s u l t s

s h o w h o w d i f f e r e n t p e o p l e s e e t h e s a m e s u b j e c t By t h e s a m e

t o k e n , t h e r e a r e n o a b s o l u t e guidelines for g o o d o r bad in

p h o t o g r a p h y P e o p l e s e e t h i n g s differently and t h e i r

appreci-ation is largely a m a t t e r of p e r s o n a l opinion A s r e a d e r and

p h o t o g r a p h e r , you m a y or m a y n o t a g r e e with t h e v i e w s e x

-p r e s s e d h e r e But t o f o r m any o-pinions at all you m u s t think,

and t h a t is e x a c t l y w h a t this b o o k is all a b o u t

W h a t m a k e s a good picture?

A n s w e r t h e q u e s t i o n s W H O ? W H A T ? W H E R E ? W H E N ?

WHY? a n d H O W ? and a g o o d p i c t u r e is n o t far a w a y B u t t h e r e

a r e n o a b s o l u t e s in p h o t o g r a p h y P e r s o n a l opinions differ, and

o n e ? N e a r l y all g r e a t p h o t o g r a p h s a r e e s s e n t i a l l y simple with

a s t r o n g focal point D e s i g n is also i m p o r t a n t , and t h e e y e m u s t

it only o n c e o r t w i c e a y e a r T h e fisheye l e n s for t h e s h o t of

S t P a u l ' s C a t h e d r a l ( s e e p 18) w a s r e n t e d f o r t h e occasion You d o n o t n e e d a s o f t - f o c u s filter w h e n you c a n b r e a t h e o n t h e

l e n s o r s h o o t t h r o u g h c r u m p l e d cellophane and g e t t h e s a m e

e f f e c t

C o n t r a r y t o popular belief, e q u i p m e n t is n o t t h e m o s t

impor-t a n impor-t f a c impor-t o r in impor-taking a good p i c impor-t u r e While m a n y a m a impor-t e u r s

b e d e c k t h e m s e l v e s with t h e " j e w e l r y " of t h e t r a d e , m o s t

p r o f e s s i o n a l s s t r i v e t o lighten their load E v e n if you h a v e

e v e r y l e n s and filter o n t h e m a r k e t , if you can't think, you c a n ' t

s h o o t

T h e following p a g e s illustrate t h e thinking a p p r o a c h t o t h e six k e y q u e s t i o n s

IAN BRADSHAW

THE KEY QUESTIONS/1

WHO?

In p o r t r a i t u r e W H O ? is a l w a y s a key q u e s t i o n , b u t it is n o t

n e c e s s a r i l y t h e only o n e t h e p h o t o g r a p h e r h a s to a n s w e r cessfully In this i n s t a n c e , it w a s t h e r e s p o n s e s to W H E R E ? and H O W ? that supplied t h e p h o t o g r a p h with i t s finishing

T h e s e s s i o n w a s hastily m o v e d o u t d o o r s I u s e d a simple

w h i t e r e f l e c t o r , in this i n s t a n c e a p i e c e of w h i t e c a r d , t o r e f l e c t light on t o Jill's f a c e u n d e r t h e b r i m of h e r h a t A 5 0 0 m m m i r r o r

l e n s m a d e t h e back-lit l e a v e s a p p e a r a s o u t - o f - f o c u s d o u g h n u t

s h a p e s and g a v e a s t r o n g s e p a r a t i o n b e t w e e n s u b j e c t and

b a c k g r o u n d

T h e o r i g i n a l i d e a was for a

plain red background, so Jill's

straw hat would stand out, and

soft light to lessen any skin

blemishes But the picture

lacked impact and the red

background was too dull

A s i m p l e m o v e o u t d o o r s meant I could take advantage of the bright sunlight and the trees A reflector increased the light on the face A mirror lens

"created" the background while adding impact to Jill's gaze

WHAT?

L a r g e , popular e v e n t s a r e o f t e n s o b u s y that it is difficult to isolate t h e b e s t p i c t u r e s W H A T ? h e r e is C r u f t ' s D o g S h o w in London, w h e r e t o p d o g s c o m e to b e j u d g e d O n s u c h an

T h e p o s e and e x p r e s s i o n s of t h e t h r e e say, quite simply, Sit

T h e timing w a s s u c h that all t h r e e e x p r e s s i o n s w e r e c a p t u r e d

p e r f e c t l y

T h e p h o t o g r a p h w a s t a k e n for a n e w p a p e r and w a s ,

t h e r e f o r e , black and white, but it probably would n o t h a v e

w o r k e d half a s well in color T h e s t a r k quality of black and

main judging ring at Cruft's

shows what you expect to see

at such an event — dogs

S h a r p o b s e r v a t i o n and a little thought produced a study of the human element of the show, with not a dog in sight

Technically, nothing more was required to make this picture than a camera with a standard lens

dog, food e r a etc

I T* WQWiV TWiWEMOStfOOeM

WHERE?

M a n y g r e a t p i c t u r e s a r e t h e r e s u l t of s o m e o n e b e i n g in t h e right p l a c e a t t h e right time O p p o r t u n i s m is t h e k e y n o t e h e r e :

I could n o t h a v e anticipated this p i c t u r e

W H A T ? W H E R E ? and W H E N ? w e r e accidental I w a s ing h o m e f r o m s h o p p i n g and s p o t t e d a potential p i c t u r e a s early

driv-e v driv-e n i n g m i s t rolldriv-ed o v driv-e r a valldriv-ey at s u n s driv-e t WHY? w a s t h driv-e

n e c e s s i t y in t h e rapidly c h a n g i n g light With s l o w color film in

t h e c a m e r a , a relatively long e x p o s u r e w a s n e c e s s a r y I had,

t h e r e f o r e , to find a firm b a s e o n which t o r e s t t h e c a m e r a

F o r t u n a t e l y t h e r e w a s a low, fiat t r e e t r u n k b y t h e r o a d s i d e , and I held t h e c a m e r a d o w n firmly o n this natural tripod I t o o k

reciprocity failure Here, it has

enhanced the rich colors of the sky, and the misty valley floor contrasts well with the sunset

WHEN?

T i m e of day h a s a vital e f f e c t on p h o t o g r a p h s T a k e , f o r

in-s t a n c e , thiin-s in-s c e n e — a in-sailboard on a flat blue in-s e a T h e

p h o t o g r a p h e r ' s p r o b l e m is h o w to m a k e it look d i f f e r e n t f r o m any o t h e r s n a p s h o t of t h e s a m e s c e n e W H E N ? is t h e k e y

q u e s t i o n and is closely linked with H O W ?

W a t e r c a n b e blue, g r e e n , clear or m u d d y It c h a n g e s color according to t h e sky — and t h u s t h e t i m e of day — and t h e

a n g l e f r o m wfhich it is v i e w e d W a t e r can also act a s a mirror, and it w a s this t h o u g h t thai inspired m e T h e w e a t h e r w a s too calm for an action s h o t , b u t t h e tranquil s c e n e could still c r e a t e impact with t h e right lighting

W H E R E ? and W H Y ? w e r e s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d h e r e H O W ? really b e c a m e W H E N ? In t h e late a f t e r n o o n , w h e n t h e s u n w a s low in t h e s k y , t h e angle of i t s light w a s r e f l e c t e d off t h e s u r f a c e

of t h e s e a a s f r o m a m i r r o r B e c a u s e I e x p o s e d f o r t h e highlights (reflections), t h e s k y d a r k e n e d and t h e sailboard w a s

s h o w n in s i l h o u e t t e T h e flat s e a s u d d e n l y c a m e to life, ing a s t r o n g visual impact and a t i m e l e s s travel p h o t o g r a p h

provid-H O W ? m e a n t waiting a long t i m e for t h e light t o b e right S o this e x e r c i s e e m p h a s i z e s a n o t h e r a t t r i b u t e a c r e a t i v e

p h o t o g r a p h e r m u s t h a v e — p a t i e n c e You c a n n o t c a r r y it in a

c a m e r a bag, but it is j u s t a s i m p o r t a n t a s your e q u i p m e n t

In t h e m i d d a y s u n , this

photograph is no more than a

conventional snapshot It has

neither action nor atmosphere

All the details of sail and sea

are visible, but the picture has

little excitement

T h e n e a r - m o n o c h r o m e

e f f e c t achieved by waiting for the light to change helps to create a picture with immediate impact The lack of color actually contributes to a feeling

of warmth and exhilaration

At first s i g h t this was not a

promising location for a good

photograph — just an

ordinary-row of shops on a bend in a

road that could be almost

anywhere

T w o n u n s in a h u m o r o u s

s e t t i n g and a simply framed viewpoint turned the picture into a timeless photographic cartoon and a best seller

W H E R E ? and W H E N ? w e r e accidental I w a s lucky e n o u g h to

b e in t h e right place at t h e right time W H O ? and W H A T ? ,

which n o w s e e m o b v i o u s , relied a t t h e t i m e upon s h a r p

ob-s e r v a t i o n of a d e v e l o p i n g ob-s t r e e t ob-s c e n e

T w o n u n s w e r e going f r o m s h o p to s h o p collecting for c h a r

-ity, w o r k i n g t h e i r way d o w n o n e side of t h e road W h e n I first

s p o t t e d t h e m t h e y w e r e a f e w d o o r s a w a y f r o m a s h o p n a m e d

The Liberated Lady I had to think quickly and positively I had

no control o v e r t h e situation, s o I had to w o r k out H O W ? in a

m o m e n t T h e s h o p sign w a s i m p o r t a n t , s o a s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d

viewpoint s e e m e d a good idea, not only to give t h e p h o t o g r a p h

a built-in caption, b u t also to u s e t h e s h o p f r o n t a s a f r a m e for

t h e picture O n c e I had decided on t h e angle, W H E N ? m e a n t

L o n d o n finds it impossible to t a k e in t h e magnificent s p l e n d o r

of t h e interior of t h e d o m e a s a w h o l e Similarly, with a

stan-d a r stan-d c a m e r a lens, only a small p a r t of t h e v a s t stan-d o m e is visible

T h e p r o b l e m of H O W ? t o c a p t u r e t h e e n t i r e s t r u c t u r e o n film

w a s intriguing e v e n if, eventually, t h e a n s w e r w a s logical

M y s t a r t i n g point w a s t h e fact t h a t t h e main part of t h e building is circular Why n o t t a k e a circular p h o t o g r a p h ? T h e

H O W ? w a s , t h e r e f o r e , a N i k o n 6 m m fisheye l e n s T h i s h a s an

e x t r e m e w i d e angle of v i e w and t h e r e f o r e s e e s b e y o n d t h e

n o r m a l horizontal plane of t h e " s t a n d a r d " 8 m m f i s h e y e lens

W H E N ? had t o b e early m o r n i n g , w h e n t h e cathedral w a s

e m p t y , o t h e r w i s e t h e wide angle would include a n y b o d y within

r a n g e , and t o u r i s t s quickly a c c u m u l a t e f r o m 10 a m o n w a r d

W H E R E ? w a s e a s y — t h e r e is a m a r k on t h e floor e x a c t l y

u n d e r t h e c e n t e r of t h e d o m e I placed t h e c a m e r a on this s p o t looking s t r a i g h t up in o r d e r to t a k e a d v a n t a g e of t h e s y m m e t r y

of t h e d e s i g n I c h o s e a 6 m m fisheye instead of t h e " s t a n d a r d "

8 m m fisheye (that is, t h e 220° angle of v i e w of a 6 m m l e n s a s

o p p o s e d to t h e 180° angle of v i e w of an 8 m m lens) s o that t h e black and w h i t e c h e c k e r e d floor of t h e cathedral would give t h e

p i c t u r e a natural b o r d e r

You d o n ' t have t o b u y a fisheye lens T h e t i m e s you will u s e

it a r e f e w I r e n t e d o n e f o r this e x e r c i s e Also, if you d o u s e one, m a k e s u r e it is b e c a u s e t h e lens is t h e right tool for t h e

j o b r a t h e r t h a n , a s in m a n y p h o t o g r a p h s , m e r e l y a gimmick

A s t a n d a r d 5 0 m m l e n s gives

a limited view of the inside of

the mighty dome of St Paul's

A s e n s a t i o n a l v i e w is

produced with a 6mm fisheye

lens I used the self-timer

mechanism on the camera to give

me a chance to hide behind a nearby pew Even the most accurate exposure meter would have produced difficulties here,

so I took a wide range of exposures Since I had rented the lens, it was worth using plenty of film to get the picture right

t u r e d t h e imagination of all w h o s a w it It has r e m a i n e d a b e s t seller m o r e than t e n y e a r s l a t e r

I w a s o n a n a s s i g n m e n t for a national n e w s p a p e r , c o v e r i n g

t h e E n g l a n d v s F r a n c e r u g b y m a t c h at T w i c k e n h a m in

Lon-d o n " S t r e a k i n g " haLon-d b e c o m e a c r a z e that y e a r , anLon-d t h e first half of t h e m a t c h had j u s t e n d e d w h e n , in f r o n t of a h u g e c r o w d

t h a t included royalty, Michael O ' B r i e n s e t off o n his n o w

-f a m o u s s t r e a k T h e Australian, w h o m a d e his d a s h -for a b e t (for t h e e x a c t a m o u n t h e w a s s u b s e q u e n t l y fined), l e a p e d

n a k e d f r o m t h e c r o w d and r a n a c r o s s t h e field

T h e r e w e r e m a n y p h o t o g r a p h e r s a t t h e match, b u t play in

t h e first half had e n d e d a t o n e e n d of t h e field M o s t of t h e m

w e r e t o o f a r a w a y t o catch t h e l a t e s t action I had b e e n

good-a r m e good-a c h , good-a third w h i p p e d off his h e l m e t good-and tried t o shield t h e

at that m o m e n t I did n o t n o t i c e i t s o t h e r main ingredient An

o u t r a g e d official w a s dashing u p with an o v e r c o a t to shield t h e

s t r e a k e r f r o m royal view A s I r e l e a s e d t h e s h u t t e r h e

a p p e a r e d in t h e f r a m e A f a m o u s p h o t o g r a p h w a s m a d e

BEST SELLERS

PERENNIAL FAVORITES

T h e t i m e l e s s l a n d s c a p e is a best-selling theme This dead elm tree on a country road could be anywhere Such a general landscape photograph has many uses as a background picture in brochures Scenes that remain the same over the years and do not need updating because of changing fashions or skylines are always in demand Pictures with areas of blank spaces for logos or captions are also useful to advertisers, for example

W i n t e r l a n d s c a p e s can be good sellers too perhaps because photographers' reluctance to venture out in harsh conditions means that fewer scenes such as this arc taken The seasonal uses of such photographs range from the relatively exotic, in

calendars and greetings cards,

to the more mundane, as in advertisements for insulation or heating systems

T h e c l a s s i c s u n s e t p i c t u r e

is also popular, such as this example from Key West, Florida It appears time and again in holiday brochures, in yachting magazines, and in literature on leisure activities and retirement Such a picture

is an even more familiar feature

on calendars, postcards and as

a background shot in catalogs

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

F a c i n g up t o t h e s h o o t b e g i n s b e f o r e you l e a v e h o m e , n o t at

t h e point of p i c t u r e - t a k i n g Clear thinking and a d v a n c e

plan-ning, plus anticipation of potential p r o b l e m s , m a k e it e a s i e r to

t a k e good p i c t u r e s l a t e r So, b e f o r e you s t a r t t a k i n g

p h o t o g r a p h s , S T O P ! and T H I N K !

W H O o r W H A T a m I going t o p h o t o g r a p h ? W H E R E a m I

going t o do it? W H E N will I b e taking p i c t u r e s ? H O W a m I

going to a p p r o a c h t h e shot? WHY is it w o r t h taking? T h e n ,

what will t h e light b e like; will I n e e d a flash; w h a t film shall I

u s e ; what p r o b l e m s might o c c u r ? You should a n s w e r all of

t h e s e q u e s t i o n s b e f o r e s e t t i n g o u t t o avoid l a s t - m i n u t e panic

and d i s a p p o i n t m e n t at t h e s c e n e

All good p r o f e s s i o n a l p h o t o g r a p h e r s think long and hard

a b o u t an a s s i g n m e n t , s o m e t i m e s f o r d a y s b e f o r e a s h o o t

T h e y o f t e n plan a " s a f e t y s h o t " — a p r e c o n c e i v e d idea t o fall

back on if all e l s e fails Such s a f e t y m e a s u r e s a r e m o r e o f t e n

than not d i s c a r d e d , b u t t h e y occasionally help you avoid a

d i s a s t r o u s s e s s i o n

If you o w n a g r e a t deal of e q u i p m e n t , a d v a n c e planning m u s t

include d e c i s i o n s a b o u t l e n s e s , filters, c a m e r a b o d i e s and s o

on But e v e n with a basic c a m e r a and lens t h e r e a r e still

impor-tant m a t t e r s f o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n

First is choice of film U n l e s s you w a n t special e f f e c t s , t h e

basic rule is t o u s e t h e s l o w e s t available film for t h e job It is

a l w a y s t e m p t i n g to c h o o s e a f a s t film s o you can handhold t h e

c a m e r a , b u t don't b e r e l u c t a n t to u s e s l o w e r film and a tripod

o r o t h e r firm b a s e T h e d i f f e r e n c e in t h e quality of t h e e n d

r e s u l t is c o n s i d e r a b l e

S e c o n d , d o you u s e t r a n s p a r e n c y , color n e g a t i v e film (print

film) o r black and w h i t e ? T h i s is largely a m a t t e r of p e r s o n a l

s i d e ( u n d e r e x p o s e d ) t o give good, rich r e p r o d u c t i o n T h e only

e x c e p t i o n to this is with a high-key subject, such a s b e a u t y

p o r t r a i t u r e , w h e r e a slightly o v e r e x p o s e d t r a n s p a r e n c y

(light-e r t h a n n o r m a l ) h (light-e l p s k (light-e (light-e p t h (light-e skin t o n (light-e s s m o o t h and cl(light-ean

W h a t o t h e r i t e m s should b e on y o u r checklist w h e n facing

up to t h e s h o o t ? A p a r t f r o m c a m e r a a n g l e s and lighting, think

a b o u t t h e various " i m p a c t " t r i c k s at y o u r disposal: h o w a b o u t

a reflection o r a s i l h o u e t t e , o r e v e n a double e x p o s u r e ? Do you

n e e d to r e n t any special e q u i p m e n t such a s a fisheye lens? W h y

n o t p h o t o g r a p h at night i n s t e a d of d u r i n g t h e day? T h e r e a r e

m a n y o p t i o n s t o b e c o n s i d e r e d b e f o r e t h e shoot b e g i n s So,

r e m e m b e r to S T O P : and T H I N K !

E x c u s e s f o r u n a d v e n t u r o u s , u n s u c c e s s f u l p h o t o g r a p h y a r e legion M o s t c o m m o n a m o n g t h e m a r e : " M y c a m e r a c a n ' t t a k e

p i c t u r e s like t h a t " W h a t t h e w o u l d - b e p h o t o g r a p h e r m e a n s is

"I c a n ' t t a k e p i c t u r e s like t h a t , " b u t n e i t h e r s t a t e m e n t is

n e c e s s a r i l y t r u e E v e n t h e s i m p l e s t of c a m e r a s is m o r e v e r satile than m a n y p e o p l e think, and all p h o t o g r a p h e r s a r e c a p -able of using t h e i r b r a i n s to w o r k o u t t h e solution to a p r o b l e m

KEEPING AN OPEN MIND/1

T h e R o c k of G i b r a l t a r was

almost invisible to the naked

eye when I took this picture

When asked what exposure I

used I can only reply, "A dry

martini at /-8!" I was sitting on

the balcony of an apartment in

Spain and could vaguely see the

outline of Gibraltar, topped with colored lights With no real idea

of what would happen I decided

to set up the camera with a 500mm lens on a sturdy tripod, focused on infinity and opened the shutter The camera was loaded with Kodachrome 64 film I then enjoyed a leisurely drink before closing the shutter Do not worry about exact exposure times when they are as long as this

M a n h a t t a n a t n i g h t docs not look like this to the naked eye, which is swamped by the bright lights The eye cannot discern color in the sky, or in the shadows A long exposure of color film at night can enrich the hues both of sky and reflections due to reciprocity failure The exposure for tliis kind of subject is difficult, even with a meter, so 1 advise that you try several combinations of shutter speed and aperture setting to make sure you get it

right In this instance, I held the camera firmly on a low wall and made an exposure of about

20 seconds The river's flow turned the reflections into colored blurs Still water would have given a clear mirror image, which could have been overpowering

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

KEEPING AN OPEN MIND/2

U

•A \ 4™

You can t a k e p i c t u r e s i n t o

t h e s u n This photograph of a Cretan windmill even has the sun in the picture It was a broken-down old mill that was unimpressive when viewed from the other side with the sun shining on it But, because

I exposed for the sun, the windmill is silhouetted against the sun itself, and an ordinary subject becomes picturesque, conveying a feeling of Mediterranean warmth

P o w e r t o w e r s a r e

p h o t o g e n i c A rich, orange sunset silhouettes the line of towers and gives the picture a strong graphic quality A normally mundane subject was thus transformed This photograph has sold well as a background for advertisements and for annual reports in the business world

D o n o t p u t y o u r c a m e r a

a w a y in w i n t e r with the excuse that there is not enough light Cold, gray days can provide pictures, too, especially

if there is snow on the ground This photograph was taken without ever leaving the warmth of home from a window overlooking Central Park in New York A figure in a landscape gives an idea of scale and adds depth to an otherwise ordinary' scene

TAKE SIX CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHERS

E v e n b o d y s e e s p i c t u r e s differently, and individual p h o t o

-g r a p h e r s a p p r o a c h t h e s a m e a s s i -g n m e n t in a v a r i e t y of w a y s

T h e following 16 p a g e s s h o w t h e vastly d i f f e r e n t w o r k of six

p r o f e s s i o n a l p h o t o g r a p h e r s faced with t h e s a m e basic situation

T h e six p h o t o g r a p h e r s , e a c h a specialist in his or h e r o w n

field — p h o t o j o u r n a l i s m , l a n d s c a p e s , fashion and still-life —

w e r e a s k e d t o p h o t o g r a p h a m o d e l in a b a r e r o o m T h e y w e r e

given t h e s a m e e q u i p m e n t , t h e s a m e m o d e l (in t h e s a m e

clothes), t h e s a m e r o o m ?.: id t h e y all w o r k e d on t h e s a m e day

E a c h w a s given o n e h o u r to p r o d u c e a p h o t o g r a p h o r a s e r i e s

of p h o t o g r a p h s T h e choice of film w a s left to t h e individual,

but a p a r t f r o m t h a t and t h e s u n m o v i n g a r o u n d t h e building

during t h e day, t h e conditions w e r e t h e s a m e for all six

T h e m o d e l , Vicki Michelle, is an a c t r e s s w h o h a s had

d o w n each side of t h e r o o m , giving soft cross-lighting, and a

b a r e brick wall t o t h e r e a r T h e floor w a s laid with pine b o a r d s

E a c h p h o t o g r a p h e r w a s given a 3 5 m m S L R , a 5 5 m m lens,

a tripod, a flash w i t h a long s y n c c o r d , and a filter to place o v e r

t h e flash t o s i m u l a t e a t u n g s t e n light s o u r c e

T h e i r r e a c t i o n s to t h e situation varied S o m e c h o s e to i g n o r e

t h e r o o m and c o n c e n t r a t e o n t h e m o d e l , while o t h e r s m a d e full

u s e of t h e s p a c e T h e j o b d e m a n d e d quick, clear thinking

without t h e aid of f a n c y p r o p s It called for g o o d c o m m u n i

Nikon FM2 camera with a

55mm / - 2 8 lens The camera

has a built-in exposure meter

and double-exposure capability

T h e electronic flash was a Metz

CT-4, which automatically gives

correct exposure The long

sync cord enabled the flash

to be placed well away from the camera if necessary- The four-extension tripod was a sturdy Gizzo with a pan and tilt head The step-ladder was available for use by photographer or model

THE AUTHOR

I a n B r a d s h a w , author of !}ro Techniques of Creative Photography, thought up the

idea of this assignment and specified the conditions Ian was the first of the six photographers to do the assignment This is just one of the many thoughtful and inspirational notions lan has brought to photography through this book Ian's experience is wide, but liis speciality is editorial photography

"I like to w o r k f a s t T h i s p r o b a b l y s t e m s f r o m y e a r s a s a n e w s

p h o t o g r a p h e r , b u t I find that if I k e e p m o v i n g it h e l p s t o relax

m y s u b j e c t s and g i v e s t h e m n o t i m e to feel seif-conscious T h e first tiling that s t r u c k m e w h e n I s a w t h e r o o m w a s t h e size

of t h e w i n d o w s I a m c o n s c i o u s of light and d e s i g n in

p h o t o g r a p h s I like clean, simple and direct p i c t u r e s It

s e e m e d t o m e that t h e m o s t natural thing to do w a s to u s e t h e

s t r o n g f r a m e of t h e window r e c e s s , j u s t a s in an old painting

I put Vicki into t h e f r a m e , w h e r e s h e w a s p e r f e c t l y balanced

T h e p i c t u r e w a s s t r o n g l y graphic, with t h e black

window-f r a m e s within t h e main p i c t u r e helping t o c r e a t e a s y m m e t r i c a l

p a t t e r n behind t h e model I w a n t e d a slightly a g g r e s s i v e p o s e

a n d I angled t h e a r m s and l e g s to fill t h e f r a m e I u s e d

1 0 0 0 A S A 3 M film."

L a r g e a r e a s of b l a c k , o f f s e t

by the window, create a strong

design that focuses the

viewer's attention on the

subject

T h e m o d e l t u r n e d so that the

strong, warm afternoon

sunlight liit the front of her

body Her direct gaze is

emphasized by the face being

turned just enough to catch the

light

T h e r e i s a g o o d u s e of

s p a c e , which adds to the

atmosphere The grainy quality

of the film adds a feeling of

mystery, and the side-lighting

gives the picture a lonely

quality

F r a m i n g w i t h i n a f r a m e was made possible by the window recess with the black window-frame inside it This graphic effect draws the eye in to the main subject — the model

A w a r m p a t c h of s u n l i g h t on the model's left cheek was used for an exposure reading The grainy quality of the super-fast film was used to add impact

An a g g r e s s i v e s t a n c e not only helped balance the picture, but gave it a strong graphic quality, with a clear separation between the arms and body The model's direct gaze into the lens creates the feeling of challenge

T h e a n g l e of v i e w was just below waist level to give height

to the model, but it was not low enough to distort the vertical frame of the picture This angle also makes the legs look longer

V i c k i ' s v i e w : "Ian

communicates clearly He went straight to the window and explained what he wanted I had to stretch my legs and arm

to fill the space, but the picture

is relaxed We shot this photograph in the first five minutes of the session."

THE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER

T h e s h o e s m a k e a n u n u s u a l

f r a m e and were positioned to focus the viewer's eye inward and toward the model Using the shoes in this way also adds depth

T h e b r i c k w a l l a s a

b a c k g r o u n d adds warmth to what would otherwise be an extremely cold, blue photograph T h e warm shades

of the bricks reduce the dominance of the blue shoes

P a t r i c k T h u r s t o n specializes

in landscapes and travel photography He works mainly outdoors and seldom uses artificial light, natural light being most important in his work He often spends days in a camper waiting for the perfect dawn or sunset His pictures have appeared in books and major travel journals around the world

"I had not b e e n in a s t u d i o for y e a r s and found this e x e r c i s e a

g r e a t challenge I aimed for simplicity and a s t r o n g i m a g e T h e

s h o e s w e r e a h a p p y a c c i d e n t In a casual situation with casual

clothes, t h e high h e e l s s e e m e d t o o f o r m a l to m e Vicki t o o k off

h e r s h o e s and w a s o n t h e point of discarding t h e m a l t o g e t h e r

w h e n I had t h e idea of u s i n g t h e m a s a f r a m e I a s k e d Vicki to

p u t h e r hair u p t o r e v e a l m o r e of h e r face and t o give a

s m o o t h e r line I like t o b e mobile, s o I did n o t u s e t h e tripod,

p r e f e r r i n g t h e floor a s a solid b a s e f o r m y c a m e r a T h e film w a s

Fuji 4 0 0 to give m e t h e d e p t h of field I n e e d e d I w a s also a w a r e

of a lot of blue in t h e p i c t u r e and positioned t h e m o d e l n e a r t h e

wall to t a k e a d v a n t a g e of t h e w a r m t h of t h e b r i c k s "

T h e l i n e s of t h e

window-help lead the eye to the model's

face The camera was

positioned near the glass, and

the strong but soft light through

frosted glass emphasizes her

facial features The swept-'

hair shows off the cheekbones

A creative use of space positioned the model well to the left in the frame Light falling

on the wall throws the head into strong relief

A good u s e of p e r s p e c t i v e

leads the eye immediately to

the model's face via shoes

and floor

Model a n d l e n s are at the same level, emphasizing her direct eye contact with the camera Her pose is relaxed with head on hands The hairstyle draws attention to her cheekbones

V i c k i ' s v i e w : "Patrick adapted quickly to what was obviously

an unusual environment for him He found the combination

of jeans and high heels incompatible, but he seized the opportunity of using the shoes

in an unusual way They became the principal ingredient

of the picture even though I was not wearing them Patrick was a good communicator and it was easy for me to know what

he wanted in the shot."

THE STILL-LIFE PHOTOGRAPHER

T h e u s e of s p a c e here creates the mood The picture

is simple, yet strongly designed, to keep the viewer's attention There is a haunting quality about it

J u l i a n N i e m a n is a commercial and advertising photographer who specializes in interiors and still-life Most of his work is carefully thought out in advance and just as carefully lit before he starts

Although much of his work is done on 35mm, he often uses large-format cameras backed up with big lighting setups

angles of the roof girders

mirror the lines of the curtains

on the floor The picture makes

good use of light-fall from the

windows and is well balanced,

with a strong focal point This

time w e s e e the model's face

S o f t l i g h t flaring in from the windows gives a bright, lively feel to the picture, accentuating the dark symmetrical drapes

V i c k i ' s v i e w : "Julian works much more slowly than the others and is obviously a great thinker He communicates well, and 1 was able to relax into the interior landscape he was creating."

T h e m o d e l ' s s h a p e

complements the line of the

curtains, forming a still-life with

a strong design The pose is

relaxed The deliberate

cutting-off of the head provokes the

viewer into speculating who she

may be and adds an air of mystery

TAKE SIX CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHERS

THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER

"I did n o t w a n t a p o s e d p h o t o g r a p h , s o I a s k e d Vicki to t a k e off h e r m a k e - u p , m e s s up h e r hair and w e a r t h e T - s h i r t and

m o v i n g a r o u n d until I found a place that s e e m e d suitable

M a y b e I should h a v e m a d e m o r e of t h e r o o m , b u t it did not

s e e m r e l e v a n t at t h e time 1 u s e d Fuji 1 0 0 film."

A p e n s i v e m o o d is caught in this beautiful, relaxed study There is a good modeling on the face from the soft side-light, and the floor is thrown out of focus so that it does not detract from the subject

J e n n i f e r B e e s t o n is an editorial photographer working mainly for magazines She lias developed a simple,

straightforward style in portraiture and likes to observe people rather than to pose them She works mainly with 35mm cameras and available light wherever possible

T h e r e l a x e d , n a t u r a l p o s e is

the key to the mood of the

picture By both photographer

and model thinking of the room

a s a home, rather than a

warehouse, the mood was

enhanced

V i c k i ' s c r o s s e d a r m s , hugging herself, add a comfortable warmth and counteract the barren atmosphere of the warehouse

T h e m o d e l ' s c h a r a c t e r

e m e r g e s best with a simple approach She is not overshadowed by her surroundings The mood is reflective, the natural light from the windows soft and warm

V i c k i ' s v i e w : "I found this session the most difficult of all The result is beautiful and relaxed, but at first Jennifer's approach threw me off balance

1 had to be natural and ignore the lens, which does not come easy to someone trained to be acutely aware of a camera I had to force myself not to pose and I had to concentrate hard to relax."

THE EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHER

S o f t f r a m i n g f o r t h e f a c e was created by Vicki holding up her denim jacket A soft-focus effect was produced by breathing on the lens and shooting as the mist cleared

The slightly grainy quality of the fast film adds to the feeling

of softness in this atmospheric photograph T h e model's direct gaze into the camera creates impact

C l o s e c r o p p i n g prevents the

room intruding This intimate

moment could have been

captured anywhere, at

any-time

S o f t c r o s s - l i g h t creates modeling on the face and adds

lovely-to the tranquillity, while at the same time giving just a hint of mystery

M a r t y n G o d d a r d is a working editorial photographer whose illustrative work is in constant demand by magazines

fast-He also does much work for the record industry and specializes

in automotive photography His pictures cover the whole spectrum of photojournalism

" T h i s w a s a limiting situation, and b e c a u s e of t h a t I felt that t h e

p i c t u r e should b e quick and d i r e c t It w a s i m m e d i a t e l y obvious that Vicki w a s an a c t r e s s , and I felt that 1 should take a d v a n -

t a g e of that So, with acting t h e k e y w o r d for m e h e r e , 1 w e n t for a p i c t u r e with a s t r o n g f r a m e Initially I i g n o r e d t h e r o o m ,

u s i n g t h e m o d e l ' s a r m s t o c r e a t e a f r a m e for h e r face T h e r e

w a s a beautiful, soft cross-light, and I a s k e d h e r t o hold up t h e blue d e n i m j a c k e t t o m a k e a f r a m e for t h e picture I u s e d Fuji

4 0 0 film to t a k e a d v a n t a g e of t h e slightly grainy quality and

w o r k e d with t h e lens a p e r t u r e wide o p e n to minimize t h e d e p t h

of field."

A b l a c k a n d w h i t e image was the original idea behind this shot The model threw her head from side to side during a long, one-second exposure so the hair had soft edges A Hash lired during the exposure

"froze" the face The wall in the background creates the

"madonna" effect of this stark portrait by contrasting the rough texture of the bricks with the bleached-out skin tones

V i c k i ' s v i e w : "Working with

Martyn was similar to working

with Ian Bradshaw He was

fast, positive and decided right

away what he wanted to do;

another good communicator

who explained the picture he

wanted It was a real strain on

my arms holding them over my head, but knowing what he was trying to achieve made it easier."

THE ADVERTISING PHOTOGRAPHER

Nigel M a c i n t y r e works in advertising and is at home with large-format cameras Most of his photographs are shot with large format cameras He does not even own a 35mm camera

or an exposure meter He uses Polaroid film to work out his exposure readings He uses large amounts of electronic flash, and often has two or three assistants

" T h i s , for m e , w a s totally o u t of t h e ordinary T h e s m a l l e s t

c a m e r a that I normally w o r k with is a 4 x 5-inch v i e w c a m e r a

I do a lot of m u l t i e x p o s u r e w o r k in m y a d v e r t i s i n g a s s i g n

-m e n t s , and I like to play t r i c k s with t h e c a -m e r a and t h e light

I s e l d o m j u s t s h o o t M y p i c t u r e s a r e usually built up t h r o u g h

a s e r i e s of Polaroid t e s t s h o t s until I g e t w h a t I want In this

i n s t a n c e I u s e d t h e 3 5 m m c a m e r a like a plate c a m e r a , blacking

o u t t h e r o o m a s m u c h a s p o s s i b l e and opening t h e s h u t t e r while

t h e m o d e l m o v e d a r o u n d I ' p a i n t e d ' h e r with light, following

h e r and firing t h e flash on an o p e n s e t t i n g t o c r e a t e a g h o s t l y

s e n s e of m o v e m e n t within t h e f r a m e I like to build up a s t o r y

on o n e f r a m e of film, leaving t h e v i e w e r to i n t e r p r e t it a s h e or

s h e w a n t s to T h e film w a s E k t a c h r o m e 6 4 "

T h e s t o r y b u i l d s a s the model walks from left to right with the photographer trailing her, firing the flash at her back T h e camera shutter was open all the time

M o v i n g t h e light, as well as the model and the camera, is a technique that helps create a mood or effect

V i c k i ' s v i e w : "I found this

session difficult to understand,

since it obviously involved a

technical trick, and I could not

visualize the finished picture

1 lowever, Nigel directed me

clearly and 1 imagined that I

was making a film I therefore

did as I was told without ever

fully knowing what mood to

generate 1 found it hard to feel

a part of this picture "

A s t h e m o d e l t u r n e d to the camera at the end of her walk, the flash was fired to illuminate her face Another print-through this time of the pillar, adds to the ghostly feeling

T h e c u r t a i n s w e r e w h i s k e d

a s i d e at the end of the exposure to add print-through and create a further air of mystery within this ghostly image