Kiss Cafe

I took these photographs in hope that they could be used to help advertise this up and coming 'Cafe Kiss.'  The cafe features local artwork on its walls so I thought it might support its photographers as well.  I thought if they were a new buisness they might be looking for ways to advertise.  I was trying to explain to the manager that I could take photos of his food looking perfect to be printed on menus or cards for him but he explained that he already has a photographer and graphic designer for that.  On the bright side he did say he liked the photos!

Saturation and contrast makes the image stand out and is what you need for good advertisement. Its a shame he already has someone to do it for him. It was still beneficial to get out and try find work. 

Guild Hall - Plymouth

These three images are ones I have taken for the Guild Hall in Plymouth.  I spoke to security and they let me take photos from right at the front which was good experience to feel like an official photographer.   

Where does my inspiration come from?

MATT STUART.

A man who "exposes everything, shoots people, and catches cops"

His photographs are so unique and are timed so perfectly that they appeal to any audience.  Everyone can appreciate the irony or humour in his photography it is just genius. 

Bellow is my photograph inspired by Matt Stuart's street photography that I took in 2011. 

WILLIAM KLEIN.
Photos that are real, in your face and in the moment.

I've always appreciated contrasts within images; the way Klein has captured the innocence on the young boys face and the explosive rage on the other is either amazing or a repetitive fluke.  He knows what he is doing and has some really unique work. 

GREG CREWDSON.

His work doesn't clearly shine through in mine, however it does if you look closely.  I am inspired by his use of light on specific areas  that he wants to draw your attention to.  He has an amazing sense of narrative and knows how to create some really tense and dramatic moods. 

Fish and Chip Shop Work

I was walking along the Barbican and saw a quite new looking fish and chip shop so went in to have a look and bought some chips to take photos of with the boats in the background.  Not really thinking too much of it, I took them home to see how they came out and I was pleasantly surprised! 

I printed them out on A4 and went in to show the manager but he wasn't there.  I left him a note and one of my buisness cards along with the set of three photos. 

The other employees were really nice as well and complimented my photographs which was nice!  I've been back since and just missed the manager because he was in a rush but the girl on the left let me know that he really liked the photos and will get back to me shortly to sort something out. 

This has been a really enjoyable little extra client that has really inspired me to get more of my work out there and make some dollar! ...or at least some free fish and chips!

Professional Statement.

 Taking photographs is my way of framing memories.  Simply capturing a single moment in time and making it last for ever.  In my stills I try and capture something real;  an emotion, a feeling, and an atmosphere.  I photograph people at their very best and their very worst.  I show the beauty in things the eye cant see and show the reality of the world we're blind to. 

I try to be versatile with my photography; I enjoy learning new techniques of how to create different atmospheres and like to see how peoples reactions to my work differ. 

Here is a perfect example of the range of things I like to photograph.  Where above you are likely to feel threatened and isolated, the image below you feel a level of intimacy with something so pure.

"Daddy's Girl."

The picture below symbolises the relationship between a father and daughter.  I like this photo because its subtle, its not as obvious as a hug or hand on hand.  The size difference resembles the power difference and how safe she feels in her fathers arms.  This is my new born baby cousin... I am going to print this and frame it for my uncle on his birthday because he has never seen this photo before, I think he will like it.

Work Experience

I managed to arrange another shoot for Collin Hanson in another one of his properties.  This shoot was definitely more successful though as I knew what I was trying to do.  I have used fill flash to brighten up shadowed areas and have only slightly edited contrast and saturation.   The rooms look bright and inviting from angles that really show off the best features. I probably took around 20 photos for each room and selected the best ones from them. 

Natural lighting is best for getting some nice warm colours so I shot these at about 4 in the afternoon on a sunny but slightly cloudy day.  This type of light really helped my photos look soft and eye pleasing. The shadows looked a bit too dark originally, so I filled them in by bouncing a flash off of the ceiling.  I was crouched underneath a banister at the top of the stairs looking down in a really awkward position but it seemed to pay off! The room looks its best from this angle.  You can see all of its features and it feels bigger with this angle and a slightly wide angle lens.

Here I was using a fisheye lens... as far as composition goes, this image works well because you can see all the main parts of the room; the tilted windows, the bed, the en suite and the study area, however the lens does have a very soft focus which is a bit too soft for my liking.  I feel that although the image isn't perfectly sharp, it works better than my sharp photos where I used a standard kit lens.  These photos dont need to be the highest of quality because they are going to be compressed anyway to go online and will only be a small photo on the website, probably no bigger than shown below.

Photography seems to be a lot about making choices like that at the moment.  Weighing up sharpness with composition and usage.  The good thing is that im learning along the way so next time I can use a better lens which is both wide and sharp. 

Panoramas

I got really into making these in 2011, I hope to get on and make some more this summer! 

I really like the idea of taking a photo exactly how we see things.  Panoramas allow you to remember exact places at exact times clearer than our memories ever could.  With panoramas, even our peripheral vision becomes clear.

This Panorama is going to be the most real memory I'l have when Im all old and looking back on what life was like 'back in my day!'  The amount of time I spend just listening to music in there is unreal! Weird to think that this is where I am for around 16 hours a day. You grow attached to whatever you make your own and thats whats happened here..  Its a big deal moving away from home and living independently.  Its nice to be proud of where things are at right now and enjoy it.  A photo is a perfect way of keeping the memory real for ever. 

Working on a CV

For so long now I have had the same CV that I wrote in school that was terrible!  It was so out of date and irrelevant I couldn't believe it.. so I decided to do a new one.  Short and concise, This im my first draft of my general CV that I can adjust to suit each job I apply for in the future.

Portraits

Here are some of my portraits I have taken this year.  I feel that studying at Plymouth Collage of Art has really helped me to learn the more advanced methods of taking a good portrait.

  

I have learned how lighting techniques can dramatically change the mood of your photo so it always needs to be carefully considered for each subject.  

These skills can now be pliable for future jobs.  In the summer I may look around for work experience in portraiture.  Being a photographers assistant for a few days would give me a really good taster of what it would be like to start my own buisness. These techniques can be applied into wedding photography, family portraits, baby portraits, events photography and many more...

Click the images to view larger.)

I have learned that portraits are all about the emotion.  It sounds obvious, but its all about a genuine thought or emotion crossing the models mind and sent through to the lens.  You cant fake a good pose, so taking portraits is all about making the sitter feel comfortable.  Lighting is also essential and will make or break a portrait.  Focus on the eyes, consider deapth of field, rule of thirds, golden section, props, lenses, poses, backgrounds and the mood you are trying to create. 

Forms and Insurance

Selling my Photography

I wanted to try a new technique of how to find a client.  The thought came to me that I could take the pictures, then show small prints to the companies to see if they wanted to buy it.  You do loose a little on the printing of the photos but hopefully you will make that back easily if the company wants to buy the photo.

I was inspired by a night club photographer in plymouth who was Printing off small photos of the people in the nightclub on the night then making key rings for them for £5.  So simple but he was selling quite a few.

I thought I would try and do a similar thing to find a client locally in a place of intrest so it could be potentially beneficial in the future too.

I targeted small pubs in less busy parts of plymouth because they are in the most need of some advertising help...

Within that I have also focused on live music and other live events as that is what I am interested in capturing in the style of Adam Scarborough.

"Black Jacks - Barbican - March 2012"

"Live Lounge - Barbican - March 2012"

                                                    "Barbican Accomadation - May 2012"

"Cafe Kiss Night - Plymouth - May 2012"

"Cafe Kiss Night - Plymouth - May 2012"

"Cafe Kiss Daytime - Plymouth - May 2012"

"Howard Marks Live - Plymouth Guild Hall - April 2012" 

"Howard Marks Live - Plymouth Guild Hall - April 2012" 

"Cafe Kiss Daytime - Plymouth - May 2012"