Running from the Runway

Once in awhile, I get new and "interesting" offers to photograph "New" things.

Once in awhile, I get this opportunity to see what on earth it takes to shoot such events.

This was my first ever runway shoot and gosh, I never felt so mess up shooting with all the professional runway photographers around me. 

Being a person who rarely shoots with the flash on,  I was really uncomfortable seeing all the flashes at the runway. Thankfully, a Professional Runway Photographer cared to explain. 

This is exactly why, even though "Photography" seems so simple and generic. Its not.

" Basically, due to the runway lights it might cast a harsh light on the models face. As a result, due to the contrast created from that, the flash is needed as a fill in on the other side of the model face to even out the lighting." 

These Runway Photographers aim is to capture the beauty in the clothes.

In other to do so, they need to make sure the clothes are well lit and visible each in each crooks and cranny.

Everyone thinks that the basics is all you need. 

But then again there are reasons why photographers can be paid either Thousands or mere dollars per hour.

Another learning step of how big this world of  "Photography" is . . .

36 Frames

Moving Back to Move Forward.
After So many months of yearning and procrastinating, finally gotten my hand on a Manual SLR. And my I've to say I'm loving every part of it.


While what seems to be the whole world moving towards the Digital Era, I choose to move a little back into the 1970s.


I'm not an old middle age man and neither am I a Hipster. I can't fit in skinnies anyways for that matter of fact. But, a good man/photographer once said, 36 frames forces you to focus on the necessary and shoot only the best. Besides that, $7.50 per roll and $6 developing fee also does the job of making sure I have only the best shots possible in that 36 frames.

Previously shooting on a Canon N series I had the ease of Auto Focus to ensure my shots are sharp. With this Manual SLR, its a WHOLE other story. 


Working on a film makes you respect all those photographers pre-DSLR. All the amazing street photographers that truly had to frame, compose and make changes within seconds to get the shot they wanted. 

With reference to one of my favorite Vietnam War photojournalist Nick Ut who shot one of the most famous photos that is iconic to the War. "The Napalm Girl " It really makes you shiver at the thought of "what if he didn't frame it well." The whole world wouldn't have seem the painful innocence of a civilian casualty. 


Then again, with the whole idea of film comes the problems.
Nothing hurts more then have a roll of film accidentally exposed or damaged.....
Its hurts just as much as realising that your CF card is corrupted after an amazing photo shoot.


Time to return to my Susan Sontag.
My goodness, they should give her articles as "A" Level examination scripts. 
Surely, there will be a uprising of disgruntled students. Then "Ways of Seeing" the next year. That would scare the living day lights of students....

The First Block

1 Corinthians 13:12 
Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely


Every journey has it's short comings.
Every short comings has it's lessons.


The First Block:
When I first started using my shooting back then, it was simply with a Canon Ixis.

As time progress, I got my first DSLR 450D which started my full on commitment to this hobby. 

As I started, I found myself buying more of those “Photo Magazines” with loads of “How to Shoot Fantastic Photos” or “How Photoshop can help you make Fantastic Photos”. Without a doubt, Photoshop made my initial stages of photography “Simple”.

How to make photos look good:

1. Increase Contrast ( Details coming out now! )
2. Add a artsy vignette ( Woah suddenly everything seems so well composed )
3. Mask out the colours leaving one item in colour ( AWESOME PHOTO! )

In many ways, these was where I had a "self discovery". Even then, I felt that my photos were telling a story in one way or another. At least that was what I thought. Even looking at a local Photo Forum was inspiring to me. However, somehow I felt something was just lacking in my photos that did not click.

As time passed, I began looking more towards 

"HOW PHOTOSHOP makes my Photo looks good"

I explored everything from verto-rama, panorama, HDR and digitial double exposure.

During which it felt good cause all my photos were of... "STANDARD".

At least by that standards of local forums...

Furthermore, Facebook helped boasted my ego. Making me assume more of what I was.

At this point, I sincerely felt like a true blue photographer with skills despite the reality that showed I was merely a novice. All those likes and comments drove me to assume I was going somewhere with my photography. 

In reality, I felt really blocked. Nothing was moving.

My photos were stagnant.

The Critque-tical Point

December 2009 was most probably the changing point of my photo journey.

In summary, it humbled me.

During which, I was given the chance to serve in my Church Media Ministry as a photographer. December of 2009 was the first time I served as one. 

Furthermore, it was at a church camp with the band leading Praise and Worship.

It was a whole new experience for me photographing such subject matter.

So back then, my photography head was still serving the nation as a photographer.

Even back then, he proved to be a force to be meddled with.

His improvements were exponential.

Leading our team, he offered to sit down with us and critique us on the shots we took during these events.

To my surprise only ONE was selected out of the hundreds I took.

Sitting down, I really had a shock to hear how Bad my shots were.

The Compositions were bad

The Exposure was off

The Timing was a Disaster

Out of the thousands that I ended up shooting, only two made the cut.

Now to the important point of matter.

How this cleared my First Block.

Over a period of time, I was shooting unguided.

I learnt everything from scratch, from books and from magazines.

But there was no former knowledge on what works and what doesn't.

It took people who really cared and dared to humble you and make you realize where you are.

This December of 2009 taught be many things.

1. Photo Magazines can only teach you techniques but it will never push you further and better

2. It takes someone to tell you you SUCK before you realise it.

3. When someone says you SUCK. You LISTEN and change

4. Novice will remain a Novice until you are guided by someone better.

5. Good enough is never good enough

6. Moments are vital 

Photography is more then just taking photos of nice sceneries and items around us.

Its also the extension of the eye. As John Berger writes, its also a re-creation; a copy of the reality frozen in time and space.

My First Block ended with me realizing I was fooling myself into thinking I was good. 

In reality I was so far from where I can be....

Smitten Photo Shoot @ Jipaban

I'm still amazed how some bloggers can update their blogs on such regular basis.

With the final week of work with "Jipaban": A Online Shopping Boutique based in Singapore, I finally got a chance to have my own go at editing the photos I took for their recent "fashion shoot". 

Basically, it was for a new line of clothes called "Smitten" which follows after this cuts-y look.

MAIN TAKEAWAY:

MODELS ARE PAID FOR A REASON!

Comparing the Blog shop photos taken for friends with their friends as models it was a WHOLE other story with "Professional" Model. Of course, there was no budget for runway strutting models so we had to settle for two models who had quite some experience modeling for blogshops and others.

However, the difference was set apart immediately.

1. They have no problem posing

Considering that they are paid to, its only expected for them. 

Difference comes from how they have no qualms or worries on how they are needed to pose.

2. They know their weakness

Lets face it, everyone has some part which always looks bigger on camera. 

(Unless you are speaking about me then, its just me and not the camera)

They know it, and they hide it.

3. Professionalism

Just like how friends would comment that a photographers job is "Easy" without doing your Job.

Models do get tired posing too. There are reasons why they are paid doing what they do, because they can do what they do well. Just like photographers, we are paid because we can do what others can't do with the same camera. Experience counts.

Overall, this was quite an enriching opportunity.

I had quite a good time photographing the models however still have much to learn over direction.

Looking into how posing can help bring out the appeal of the clothes.

Still wondering if the shots are worthy of portfolio.

Regardlessly, thanks for reading and do leave a comment :)

Cheers 

First for Everything.

Over the past couple of years, one of the "real world" lessons in photography I've learnt was to grasp whole of any opportunity that comes your way. Sometime, it doesn't always turns out good and then again there are the really good once. 

Recently, I've started work as a temp worker at a local online shopping site. 

Despite the need for me to edited countless amounts of photo to make them look "clean" and folding of clothes. I've had my fair share of photography work done. After all, its not everyday where you get to shoot Semi Professional Models and get paid at the same time. Well to be frank, this was a God given opportunity and Le Girlfriend's introduce. 

One of the first shoots I did with them was for their monthly "Special Pick" from Guest. 

These time, it was for the owners of a wine bar.

Just a quick observation from the shoot.

1. There are reasons Models are paid and not free. It DOES take skill and talent to be one.

2. Reflectors might give extra light but it doesn't always does the model justice. (Photo 2.)

3. "Fashion Shoots" are about the model and how the clothes flow matters....ALOT

4. Every angle counts. Even if it means getting the model to pose for 5 minutes more. It might make the difference of a Portfolio worthy shot.

5. DO NOT LOOK DOWN ON A $100 50mm 1.8F lens.

It was disappointing that I wasn't able to get photos from this shoot into my portfolio. But darn it was a heck of a learning journey

New and Developed...

Like weapons, the evolution of cameras is just as quick and lethal.

From the old school FM and FEs to the multi-numbered camera series ,the technological improvements never seems to seize. The use of digital photography has definitely eased the increasing fascination in photography. With the cheaper availability of cameras, more has come forth to present their talents as photographers and artist. At the sometime,for some cameras have been cheapen to that of an accessory.

As much as I enjoy the cheap trills of owning a trigger happy digital camera.

Sometimes the need to return to the roots of film photography is needed. 

After all, for $7 you only get Thirty Six frames.

Each frames hurts.