Photography

Andros chat

14/01/13 22:47 Filed in: Transcript

If you're not on Facebook, the transcript of the posts that sparked a discussion about the practice of modern professional photography is here. Read More...

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The Queen

18/12/12 00:47 Filed in: Technique

Athaliah Samuel, photographed on December 15, 2012.

I've had an opportunity to photograph a beauty queen or two, beginning my career with a photograph of Janelle "Penny" Commissiong and doing a photo or two of Giselle La Ronde-West and Wendy Fitzwilliam.

The high-stakes fashion and beauty world isn't something I've spent too much time considering professionally generally and no time at all contemplating since returning to full-time photography seven years ago.

There are far too many enthusiastic photographers running around and way too many keen young women posing for them for that whole scene to look like anything other than bees in a particularly sweet flowering field. I leave the pollination allusions up to you.
A few months ago, though, I stepped into some particularly noxious discussions on Facebook about Athaliah Samuel, this country's 2012 Miss World candidate.

Triggering this discussion were some particularly awful photographs of the young woman which I saw as an indictment of the photographer's skill and judgement, not the model's.
Many people don't realize the power that a photographer has over a photography session and how pliable a young model can be when the person behind the camera exercises that authority.
Add inexperience into the mix and truly awful things can result.

Athaliah had trusted her photographer, her makeup artist and her stylist on that shoot and they had all failed her terribly. While I was railing about all this, Damian Luk Pat stepped up to the challenge and provided the young model with photographs that were more in keeping with her role and her beauty.
Imagine my surprise then to realize that Athaliah had been in touch with me via Facebook private message politely and quite flatteringly asking for a photo session.

As with all such requests, I'd deferred the opportunity, suggesting that other young photographers might be keen to photograph her. By now I was basically appalled that I'd had a hand in throwing the young woman to the photographic wolves and vowed to make good at the first opportunity.

That chance came along this weekend when I needed someone to be photographed for a lighting talk and demonstration. Multiple birds were lined up to be brained with a single artful throw on this one.
Athaliah proved to be everything I'd expected from her interviews and responses to the many cruel comments that had been made about her.

This is a young woman who has had no silver spoon opportunities who intends to upgrade her life's cutlery and is doing so with energy, enthusiasm and a remarkably positive outlook. I was mightily impressed by her and I hope the photographs we did nudge her along on her life's journey.

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Photography as a vocation

26/11/12 23:19 Filed in: Opinion

Why do we photograph? It's not a question that seems to come up very often, but it's one that's worth asking ourselves constantly.
Some thoughts about my own motivations and considerations on the matter are here... Read More...

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Asked, answered

19/11/12 23:45 Filed in: Business

Two young photographers put some interesting questions to me. With their permission, I answer publicly in the hope that the responses might be of use to some one else. Read More...

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On shooting for free

09/07/12 22:15 Filed in: Business

Should we take pictures for free? Should we charge for every picture we take? Here are my experiences with deciding when to charge and when a fee is inadequate payment for a photographic experience. Read More...

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The TNT Mirror's resource reallocations

16/04/12 20:45 Filed in: Business

You can find the original post and discussion on Facebook here. This facsimile of the post (I have resisted the temptation to correct spellings) and the ensuing thread, begun on March 30, 2012, is posted for the convenience of those who aren't on that social media service.
For the full, rather long thread click here to... Read More...

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