Workshop: Marden Senior College
Last week I gave a workshop to the students of Marden Senior College. Focusing on how I photograph food, but we also touched on location portraits.
The day was split into a studio food shoot, shoot in a kitchen, on location food shoot and portrait shoot.
I started off my intro by saying 'I am not a technical photographer, I go with a feeling. I care more about the story than the camera model or tech specs (although I am fully aware of how I'm shooting and why). Not everything I do is correct, but it's the way I do it.' I don't know if there is a dead set right or wrong way to do things in photography? Or life really.
We also spoke about Contra work, charity jobs, social media and how to get clients. There can be confusion and misunderstanding that there is a prescribed way of how you have to do things.
There isn't.
I accept or decline things on a case by case basis. Some things I do for love, practice, exposure or desire to help. Other things are purely business decisions.
But something I did want to 'bang on' about is the relationship building. It's so important. I have been in business since 2004 and put emphasis on networking, being friendly, doing a good job... people will talk. You know the old saying... 'It's not what you know, it's who you know.'
Studio - playing with angles, light, reflections in glass, working without a lightmeter and reading the histogram.
Kitchen - telling a story. Detail, medium and wide shots. Looking for interest. Keeping out of the way.
Food on location - light, direction, props, backgrounds, creating stories (including one here done by a student on healthy/indulgent), playing around.
People - Looking at interesting backgrounds, graphic, space, reflector or speedlight, working with your subject to make them comfortable.
I put a call out on Facebook for anyone willing to lend us some food... Kayla from Natural Naughties came to our party with some delicious, healthy food. Check out her food, recipes books and more here. http://www.naturalnaughties.com/