I really appreciate the work I am currently doing.

Being a part of something, especially something that potentially effects so many people, then being good enough at it to pass muster gives me a greater sense of completeness than I have felt in a long time.

One of the things that excites me so much is the variety of work on offer. I cannot think of any other environment or line of photographic employment other than maybe newspaper work, that gives you the opportunity to do so many different types of photography, all under the one umbrella.

Of course the onus is then on the practitioner to be all of those photographers, but that is the challenge that makes it worth while.

*

Today I did a quick portrait of a work colleague and friend*, needed for her winning entry in a graphic design competition. This shoot and another I did recently for the school leadership group, reminded me of two things;

Firstly, I need to remember that even with all of my newly re-kindled artificial light technique, natural light is always the best starting point for a successful portrait.

I have shot with natural light only for the majority of my time behind cameras. This entire site is the product of a “no artificial preservatives added” ethos, but the reality is, when working in a semi commercial environment, you need to be able to use lights, because you cannot control everything. The trick is knowing when not to.

The second point is that being prepared makes the work seem like fun, which in turn increases everyone’s feeling of success.

Portrait sessions can be huge fun, or they can be a strain for all involved. The main things the photographer can do to help things run smoothly are nailing the technical side (know your processes and keep them simple) and location control, which often go hand in hand.

When things come together, it just goes to prove the point.

The shot above was pre-visualised in the days before the shoot. The location was scouted** as the best place to get depth, a clean enough, yet interesting background and reliable light. On the day, we had plenty of light, but near gale force winds to deal with (hair, what hair?).

The first location tried was outside on the sheltered and shady side of the building and worked well enough. We could have walked away, but I felt there was an element missing.

Two minutes later and the gantry of a new student building had that element.

Light.

A large window lighting a dark indoor space, especially on an overcast day, offers gentle and controllable contrast.

This could have been manufactured using artificial light by underexposing the ambient light and using strobes for fake side-sunlight, but if it can be pulled off without, all the better.

I need to remember that the choice to use artificial light must make a shot better, or it should not be used at all. The habit of going to lighting gear first, outside of a studio situation, is a trap. After-all aren’t strobes simply trying to replace natural light?

This does not mean a wholesale reversal away from artificial lighting for me. It just means that my process has been better defined, first falling back on reliable old techniques, but keeping a mind to newer ones.

*Thanks Kate for letting me use these images.

**A few weeks ago, I took a walk around the campus and made a photographic record of any possible locations. This then has notes made about best light or as importantly light and times of day to avoid. When Kate asked for this image, I went to my location bank and chose three spots, one for each possible circumstance we might encounter. This has been a godsend for me, as I am personally so much more relaxed when this side of things is taken care of.