Skip to main content

The Spice of Life


They say that variety is the spice of life, and I couldn't agree more.  I thrive on variety.  The truth is, I get bored without it.  Doing the same thing day in and day out is what drove me away from the nine to five office job I once had and steered me torward what I do today.  What I do today, thankfully, is different virtually every day.  And what I did last weekend was so completely different to what I normally do that it alone added enough spice to last me a month.


My latest project is something that has inspired me to explore this subject further.  Some may say 'well of course, we're talking about a nude man'.  But it is so much more than that.  What I love about this subject is all about the light.  What most non-photographers don't realise is that the best photographs don't come from the best equipment (although good equipment does help).  Its an understanding of lighting patterns.  What makes a photographer a good photographer is their ability to see light and to understand where it needs to be and possibly more importantly where it shouldn't be, in order to make an attractive image. 


Now I am not saying I have mastered this art because that is far from the truth.  This is the sort of thing that will take years to master.  But the variety in my subjects is helping me to get there.  This project involving the male form has got me doing more with light than I have done since I began using studio lights.  I now feel hugely inspired and ready for more.  This project is far from finished.  In fact, this is hopefully just the beginning.

Comments

Derek Barrett said…
I couldn't agree more. I've just come back to studio work after a long gap and I'm constantly trying to improve and modify my lighting skills.

One thing that people often don't appreciate is that it is the absence of light that shapes the subject. i.e the shadows are more important than the light.

Like you, I've recently been doing some sessions with partially clothed male and female subjects and the interplay of light and shade is what makes the images.

I too, relish the variety that photography can throw at you. No two days are alike and I just love to spend hours improving my craft skills.

Popular posts from this blog

Its a Dog's Life

When life gets tough I always look at dogs or my cats and think how lucky they are. I know not all are treated well but those lucky enough to be in a good home, like the ones who come into my studio, have a really great life. They look so happy and its a wonderful thing to see.  I honestly love photographing dogs. They are a joy to work with and its almost impossible to produce a bad portrait of a dog which does of course make my life a little easier. I am someone who really needs to love the work I create. I can't help but love the portraits I've created of all the dogs I've photographed over the years. And this shoot was certainly no exception. I found it a real pleasure using a lighter background this time too. I do often gravitate towards darker looks but seeing as this dog had a light coloured coat I thought I'd produce lighter images. This gave me the chance to use a canvas I painted a couple of years ago but never really used and I absolutely love it

Never Work With Children or Animals

Or so the saying goes. But I have to say that working with dogs has been so lovely. They have been almost entirely a dream to work with. I say almost entirely because we have had a few moments where a dog has needed to settle. And one moment where the dog had settled but one of my cats decided to have a look through the glass door which, as you can imagine, rather quickly unsettled the dog. Still, that didn't stop us from creating incredible work. In fact it was during that shoot with the cat instance when I created two of my favourite pieces, shown below. (It was while sitting on the couch here when he noticed the cat peering through the curtain) I don't know if I've just been lucky or all dogs are just easy to work with. I photographed a french bull dog puppy and I thought that would be tough as he hadn't had time to be properly trained yet. But he did everything we wanted in no time at all. And this included the props we used here (below), which to me

Teen Portraits - Prom Season is Just Around the Corner

If your child is heading to prom in the next couple of months I'd say there is probably no better time than now to have portraits created of your growing teen. With the purchase of a new (and probably expensive) outfit wouldn't it be nice to capture this milestone with a portrait created by a professional. Across the pond this is a hugely popular time to create portraits, and although I am not American (I'm Canadian) I wholeheartedly agree that this is a special moment to record. My prom was a key memory in my teen years and in fact I myself had professional portraits created also. I think I'll go dig them up if I can, though admittedly I think my mother has them back in Canada. I wonder if I can get her to scan one for me. My daughter is currently making plans for college and in the running is one that will move her away from home, as many others are probably experiencing for themselves, particularly those who are 18. This makes it all the more important to

Headshots and Portfolio Shoots: Here's What we Offer

Headshot requests are becoming more frequent so I thought I'd put together a post to share some recent work and explain the packages I offer in greater detail. Headshots are typically a simpler and quicker session so my packages are also a little simpler than what I offer in my full studio sessions. If headshots are what you or your child need its really important that you get good quality headshots that can stand out amongst the crowd. A headshot is a representation of you and often the first impression you are giving out to your audience, whether its casting directors, agents or college officials considering your application. A good headshot is more likely to get you noticed and ultimately get you further along your path. Making your headshots the best they can be should go a long way in helping you progress in your chosen path. I offer 2 different levels of service in order to make it as affordable and appropriate as possible. The first is a simple straightforwa

London in Spring, Whats Not to Love?

Well I know there is still a lot not to love but I'm choosing to see the great things about London at the moment. I am having a ball this year visiting London as often as I can. Which is unusual for me since I usually prefer the comfort of my own home, in rural old Leicestershire. Staying home and avoiding people has always been the easy option. But this year, possibly due to the wonderful weather we keep having, has me longing for venturing out. Again, just like my last trip, I headed out with my good friend Panikos Hajistilly . Living in North London he finds it easy to meet up for our shoots. This time though I had more of an idea of the sights I wanted to use as the backdrops for my portraits. With it being spring I was in search of colour, preferably flowers. Admittedly. I didn't quite get what I was looking for. The white fronted terraced houses with pink magnolia trees we did not find unfortunately. But I did make it to Peggy Porchen's which was a must see on m