Hi All
Just as the weather is changing, I am using every opportunity to update my infrared photography in Scotland collection of photographs. As a professional corporate and event photographer, with my main income generated from events and conferences, its good to have something totally unrelated to focus (pardon the pun) on. I have three very big corporate photography commissions coming up, one of them at Edinburgh Castle for a corporate workshop event, so I am using the last few free days to shoot some infrared, especially since the weather seems to be better here than in the med, surprisingly enough. Today I am going to look at specific qualities for infrared photographers and here are my tips:
1. The ability to pre-visualise. Whilst this is true for all photography, it is particularly relevant for infrared photographers, as the image they see on camera is often very different to the final image, unless you are using a full spectrum converted camera with a red filter, but that's a story for another blog. This tends to favour people who were brought up on film, as pre-visualising the scene was vital, as we never had the facility to check on the image on the back of the camera.
2. I think infrared photographers need to see things in an alternative universe ie to be able to visualise how the image will look in a mystical world.
3. You need to be very dedicated. The weather and seasons make it very difficult to plan any infrared photoshoot, even more so than landscape photography. For instance, even with the sun, I am not really that interested in shooting infrared unless I have some blue sky and clouds, which is why Scotland is a great country for infrared.
4. Always carry your camera with you, true for all types of photography, but very much so for infrared.
5. Study and understand infrared photography inside out. There aren't many books but there is plenty of info on the net, especially from the companies that convert the cameras.
Anyway, that's it. Hope that was helpful, happy shooting.
Kind Regards
Colin
Colin Wright Photography
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
www.edinburghphotographer.com
Hi Everyone
As the outdoor sports and event photography season is in full swing, as a professional event and corporate photographer from Edinburgh, who is regularly involved in event and sports photography around Scotland, I am going to use this blog to provide some general tips on sports photography. Whilst every sport has its own set of tips, there are some general rules and stipulations and here they are below:
1. Make sure you are in as good a position as you can get, this is the most important tip of the lot. if you are standing in the wrong place, you will get the wrong shot
2. Don't get in the way of the performers ie no flash. in golf don't click until the ball has been struck
3. You will need a long lens, but not as long as you may think ie up to 300mm or 400mm is ok for most sports
4. Try and tell a story, ie it is not always about action shots. This will often involve using a shorter focal length, so its not always about long lenses. One of my best sports shots involves the fans - see attached photo
5. Keep trying new angles, kneel down, tilt your camera etc
6. In most cases you will need to use a fast shutter speed, as least 500th, sometimes up to 2000th for fast action
7 Just to contradict this, try panning at a slower speed, for a creative blurred background and some motion effects
8. Learn the sport inside out, this will help your photography and positioning
9. Always prepare for bad weather
10. Take back up gear, but don't over burden yourself with equipment, especially if you are moving about
Hope that helps.
Anyway, until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin Wright
https://www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk/
https://edinburghphotographer.com/
Hi All
As a professional freelance event and corporate photographer operating in Edinburgh, I like to keep my eye out for new challenges and different genres of photography and after a bit of a break, I am about to embark on some food photography in a week or two, so I thought it would be a good time to give you some top tips for food photography. Although food photography can very complex, I have decided to keep it simple for this blog and will concentrate on basic photographic set-ups.
1. Try to use natural light and a reflector. For instance in my Just Eat photoshoots, they don't want you to use flash, so I position the food at the best location using natural light, and or the internal tungsten lighting. If you use studio flash keep it small an portable and try and use one light, you are often photographing in kitchens and there is not much room.
2. Take different angles. Directly above lighting is always a good one, but take shots from all angles.
3. The cutlery, plates etc are also very important for authentic shots.
4. Make sure the plates/surface etc are spotless.
5. Try to get some steam showing with hot foods and pay attention to the layout of the food.
6. Use a macro lens for some of the shots to get that level of detail.
7. If time permits, you can cheat a little ie spray the fruit and veg to give it that shine.
8. Use a tripod, the slightest bit of camera shake will ruin a food shot.
9. Try and get some shots with people in them ie chef or diners enjoying the food.
10. Suggest that you eat the food afterwards, otherwise it is just going to get chucked out. This one is just a bit of a joke but nevertheless it is a waste if nobody eats it.
Hope that helps.
Until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin Wright
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
www.edinburghphotographer.com
Hi All
As you may know the Supercar photography season is upon us and I recently photographed a very enjoyable two day event in Fife. What I am going to talk about today, is the ability to mix genres in photography. I do a lot of day to day event photography for supercars, in addition to weddings and corporate conference events in Edinburgh and throughout Scotland. I always keep an open mind, especially for outdoor commissions. At all times I carry my infrared camera, usually the small Lumix. If the sun comes out there will always be a quick opportunity for an infrared photo. This also means I am approaching the infrared photography genre from a different point of view, a more unconventional angle for instance. Infrared is not all about white or coloured trees. I have taken a lot of infrared photos at supercar events and the outcome is a unique contrasty photograph of the cars, with that infrared look on the metallic car surfaces. I have also taken my infrared camera to football games, with trips to the park with my children, on architecture photoshoots, the scope is endless. You just need to keep an open mind and be aware that there are no limits. Photography is about being different as much as it is about being very good. As long as the sun shines and I am still alive, I will take infrared photos.
Anyway, until next time.
Kind Regards.
Colin Wright
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
www.edinburghphotographer.com
Hi All
I will be getting my gear ready for another supercar motorsport photography event before friday. As a professional photographer operating in a number of different specialist areas, I am often asked whether to specialise or to photograph a number of different genres. I am a specialist event and corporate photographer, operating around Edinburgh, but I also sell fine art infrared photography prints and I photograph sport and weddings. Now I never really intended to photograph so many different types of photographic subjects, it just kind of happened and the opportunity was presented to me and I went with the flow. I am not really a studio photographer, preferring uncontrolled environment photography but if I was presented with the opportunity to do studio photography - who knows. I never regarded myself as a motor sport photographer, but having photographed Supercar events for around 3 years now, i am regularly contacted by the operators of these events. What you do tend to do is move toward areas you enjoy. I love photographing conferences and fine art infrared and landscape and it is in these areas that I have most success and tend to gravitate towards. At the same time it is OK to have a regular bread and butter income from an area of photography which is very different from your main specialism - hence the Supercars for me. Of course you may also get the opportunity to mix two different genres, like in this infrared photograph I took at Fife Airport during a Supercar event.
Anyway, the message is just go with the flow.
Until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
www.edinburghphotographer.com