Three Versions Out Soon!

It won't be long until you see these three versions of my magazine, Total Image, on the shelves of your local photo retail specialty store. Total Image and Better Pictures have been around for some years now, but Photo Plus is a new version of the magazine that will be distributed around Australia by member stores of the Photo Plus Group.
It is a wonderful thing to have Photo Plus on board, and the advertisers benefit from an extra 10 000 copy circulation. I am pleased that another 10 -20 000 readers or so will benefit from my little, but powerful, publication.

When Your Little Sister is the Boss

Like her elder sister before her, my little sister, Natasha, (left) has recently become a qualified Make Up Artist. She is very good, so let me know if you need an MUA for any events, ok? To initiate her folio and have some material ready for an upcoming Expo, she called on her big brother to shoot some of her friends. I was happy to oblige. I have shot some of her friends before - in the nicest possible way of course!

So, on Saturday morning, it was up early to drive the one and a quarter hour distance to her home where the marathon shoot was to take place. We started at around ten, and finished at around ten. But it was a fun twelve hours! I used various combinations of studio lighting and the fabulous natural light that Natasha's place has plenty of. I was able to create different kinds of images in short spaces of time and with minimal need to change location or lighting. It was a great lesson for me and gave Tash the chance to see how her make-up photographed. It was a confidence boost for her and a whole bunch of opportunities to learn some new lighting techniques for me.

I am sure there will be more shoots like this one, but I know that I won't be the only photographer who sees the benefits of her art. She is a very talented woman and I am very proud.

Love your work Tash! Love you.

An article in The Age about my workshops

The Grand Illusion
by Terry Lane
February 14, 2008
Imaging motored out to Eltham last week for a one-day workshop designed to help photographers improve their people shots. The day was organised by Camera House and was run by professional photographer Shelton Muller.
Shelton loves doing wedding photos, which makes him something of a rarity among professionals, most of whom seem to do it grudgingly to make a living. But Shelton is a showman who enjoys nothing better than directing a cast in a big production.
There were 13 of us there in the chapel at Montsalvat. For $249 we had the run of the grounds, lunch, the co-operation of three models and the experience of the professional.We were a motley crew with varying degrees of expertise. One wanted to take better pictures of his bonsai. Another had been sent by his wife to learn how to take better photos of her with the camera she gave him. There were a couple of camera club enthusiasts and one chap who just wanted to recapture the pleasure he got taking photos for the school year book a long time ago.
There was a bloke who took pictures of yachts and a couple of women who wanted to take better photos of their children.
We got started with the warning: "There's no more difficult subject in the world than people." Then we learned about light - avoid the on-camera flash, use available light wherever possible and become an observer of light and how it falls. Look for the most attractive, diffused light - think Rembrandt and window light streaming in from above and to the side. When you find the light, place your subject in it.
Then attend to composition. It isn't a good idea to place the subject's face in the centre of the frame with lots of "negative space" around the head. Put the eyes of the subject a third of the distance from the top to bottom of the frame.
A medium telephoto lens, preferably a prime, is best for portraits. Shelton's in love with his 85mm Micro Nikkor. It gives a flattering perspective and keeps the background attractively out of focus.
Now comes the hard part. We all want to take spontaneous, unposed, relaxed, natural pictures. As our teacher said: "Often the spontaneity is contrived." You have to work at it. The photographer is the director, drawing a performance - an illusion of spontaneity - from the subject. Which is where we shy introverts are at a disadvantage.
Shelton has a personality somewhere between Jim Carrey and Tigger. When he pulls a face and bounces, you smile. His exuberance comes from unfeigned pleasure in his work and in making people have a good time while he is buzzing around putting them into their contrived, spontaneous poses. He is free of the embarrassment that most of us feel when pushing people around in front of a crowd.
Imaging, being a fairly dour party, is confident that we know all about the rules of lighting, composition and lens selection. But when it comes to energising the subject, we can only envy Shelton. We don't think that wedding photography is for us.
We will stick to still-life capsicums and zucchinis.
This story was found here

Make it a Hero

My client calls. That's always a good thing. You know that the conversation will lead to work, and that's a good thing, right? It also means that once again you will be called upon to create heroes. I was told we needed a double page spread and perhaps a cover image. That is a fairly daunting request considering that what I was given as a subject was not particularly visually dynamic. As I have often said, that seems to be what photographers do more than anything else. This time, I was asked to make something visually heroic from a fairly basic machine in tin shed. The machine saves tens of thousands of litres of water each day, which is a great thing in a drought ridden country. However, it in itself is a fairly basic looking piece of equipment in an even more basic context.

I think it is here that photographers earn their real keep. My client had already taken some photographs and sent them to me. Clearly they were not dynamic enough to use in their magazine, so I was called, and yes, I had to earn my keep.

So, using a combination of my personal vision, experience and equipment, I managed to create images within this context that were more visually dynamic while also keeping to the editorial. Therein is where photographers work their way into the hearts and chequebooks of their clients.

Successful professional photography is not about photographing beautiful swimsuit models on tropical beaches. Well, sometimes it is, but lets face it - you have a pretty good head start there. Photographers who can make something from nothing are valued by their clients. In this regard I know I have several clients who turn to me when this is needed.

Apparently they get the other guys to shoot the swimsuit models. Where did I go wrong?

Anthony and Tia

I had the distinct pleasure of photographing Anthony and Tia's wedding on Saturday. It was a looooong day, starting at 10am and finishing at about midnight. No, I don't normally stay for the reception but...Talk about a great couple. Tia is simply beautiful, and her very happy husband Anthony is a lovely young man. Together we all had such fun. Tia had an innate sense for posing and could quickly see what it was I was endeavouring to achieve.I have often found that 'beautiful' and 'photogenic' rarely come together in one person. But Tia was definitely both. For a photographer, that can only mean an enjoyable photo session. Anthony was also great to work with. A handsome, enthusiastic, cooperative young man who really wanted some great photographs.

I once again employed some of my favourite off camera flash techniques and by it overcame the drab nature of the light during some parts of the day. I've said it before and I will say it again -I do love that off camera flash stuff!

Our final stop before the reception was Luna Park in St Kilda. I would like to thank Rod at Luna Park for allowing us access to one of the oldest and most beautiful merry-go-rounds and for permission to photograph Anthony and Tia having fun on the ride. These photographs are not easy to get and I really appreciated being given permission and access.
So the whole, long, day was a lot of fun and a great honour. My thanks to you both!

Faking It

My assignment was to photograph a busy commercial foyer area, making sure the people in the image were blurred, moving, and many. The blurred and moving was easy. The many was the hard part.

The foyer to which I was given access was fantastic and I am grateful to the large corporation that allowed me to use it and grant me access to their security people. However, for some strange reason, it was suddenly a deserted wasteland. I don't know where all the people went! So, what to do?

Set the camera up firmly on my Manfrotto tripod, set the exposure to manual and take as many pictures as I could as various people moved through my field of view. Then, in PhotoShop, combine the images to make it look like they all happened to be there at the same time. It seemed the only option. Sometimes your images only come to fruition when you know that there is a process beyond the camera that can enable it to be what it has to be.

Last week Ben, this week Sandra...

A couple of weekends ago I walked around all day wondering who the groom reminded me of. When I finally posed the question to the bridal party they answered in unanimous shouts "Ben Affleck!"...and they were right. Jason looked like a young Ben Affleck. This Saturday past it was the bride's turn. And when she smiled she was a double fro Sandra Bullock...but with darker hair and complexion.
So, I have been shooting the secret weddings of movie stars it would appear!

It was a bright and difficult light to shoot in. Typical Aussie Summer day...hard light, not much forgiveness in it. I must admit to being thankful for the extra dynamic range in my new Fuji S5 and of course, Nikon's inimitable i-TTL off camera flash system - especially when they asked to be photographed on Mornington's rocky shores. Sure, its a lovely setting, but tough light at that time of day! The off camera flash saved the day. I love it!

Again, my thanks to Nicole and Luke for the pleasure it was to photograph their wedding.

And there it was!

As you head for Ballarat On the Western Hwy, just past the Caroline Springs estate, there is a billboard that proudly bears an image of mine..well I say 'proudly' anyway. I mean, can a billboard be proud? Well, either way, I am. Its my first Aussie Billboard. I have been shooting for twenty years and this is my first one! Its no great work of art, but just another event in my career. So, on a recent drive to Melton I thought I would just stop by and take a snapshot of my handiwork...;-)

My Last Stint?

I received an email from 3AW on Tuesday morning. With the tragic passings of members of the 3AW family during last week, everything needed to be rescheduled. I was asked if I could be there...that afternoon at 2pm. And I was!

I enjoy the thrill of being on air, my 'shy' nature coming to the fore...

But I do enjoy being able to answer questions and help people with their photography problems. There are few neutral places people can go to have their questions about photography answered. I hope I have been able to assist.

We talked about Momento and Digital DaVinci coffee table books and gave away three HP PhotoBooks from Camera Action.

I only hope Ernie Sigley allows me back on, now that he is back from holidays. I am working on it folks!

If you want to hear my broadcast and the fun we had, click here. While there, become part of the Shutters Inc family. Shutters Inc is my weekly photography tutorial podcast.

 

Jason and Sharon

It was a very hot 37 degrees Celsius on Saturday, and guess who spent ten hours in it shooting a wedding! However, let me commend my hosts, Jason and Sharon, the bride and groom, for enjoying their very warm wedding day without a single complaint.

We all had fun, despite drooping hair, melting make-up, sweaty suits - and that was just eth boys! What choice do you have? There is very little you can do to escape 37 degree heat. So the best thing to do is make of it what you can. Sharon and Jason were not going to let a little thing like hear get in the way of their wedding day.

This was my first wedding with my new Fuji S5, and I am very pleased with it. I thought I would give it its first official gig, but had my handy Nikon D200 alongside. I ended up shooting with both, which made the whole 'changing lenses' thing much easier.

I also, for this wedding, decided against using a tripod most of the day. It was just too hot! We spent most of our time in Flinders Lane in Melbourne's CBD, and Hosier Lane, the famous lane where photographers utilise the very creative graffitti that has been sprayed all over the walls. Then, off the the Botanical Gardens for some 'old standards'. It was a great day and, as always, I felt honoured to have been a part. I even got to catch up with another couple whose wedding I photographed only a year ago. They knew I was going to be there and they brought a gift for me as additional thanks for my efforts on their wedding day. Now, that's beautiful.
I love my job!

It went well indeed!

OK, maybe its just because I am excited about it that I have devoted two posts, but my radio session with Denis Walter on Melbourne radio 3AW went very well. It was great to be back in the radio saddle again. I could get very used to thisI have known Denis for several years, having photographed him for a publicity shot many years ago and then more recently at concerts. Denis is a fine performer and relates well to his audience. He replaces Ernie Sigley on the afternoon show, but in my opinion he is actually a better host. (Don't tell Ernie I said that...)

Denis and I talked about the mistaken need for more pixels, making books from your holiday photographs and the need to respect the picture taking process and the images that result more than we do in the digital age. Then, I fielded calls from listeners.There were so many we couldn't get through them all in time. If you wish to listen to it, click here.

I will be on again next week, same bat time, same bat channel. Thursday, 1pm Melbourne time. I hope you can listen in!

Its 3AW, 693 on your AM dial....

Its been a while...

I received a call this morning from Radio 3AW. I used to do a regular photo segment with Ernie Sigley which, for reasons never explained to me, was suddenly discontinued. I don't know why. It was certainly popular, and the phones lit the board with questions every time. But, that's showbiz!

But I am on air again this afternoon at 1:oo Melbourne time to discuss the subject of holiday photographs and what to do with the new cameras you've been given as gifts for Christmas.

So, http://www.mytalk.com.au/Stations/Talk/3AW/Pages/default.aspx is the site to listen live....

I will let you know how it goes!