I’ve been a Portrait Photographer for 23 years. Lara Jade is 23 years old. What could she possibly teach me. Ha sound like lots of Grumpy Old think they know everything photographers in our industry. Last June I met Lara Jade Fashion Photographer, at a combined workshop in the Gold Coast of Australia. We were both teaching a one day. Her on Fashion Photography and me on Photography business. My rule, whenever I speak at a convention, is to stay and listen to as many speakers as I can. A: because I want to learn B: I want to stay current and C: I’m not a headlining Rockstar thats there to sing a few numbers and leave. I want to KNOW my industry.
However . . . there are a few things I wont sit through. Lighting (Ignorant over exaggerated yawn) Posing! because It’s my thing and it frustrates me to watch people do it badly (not saying every one does, just being blighted and one eyed . . . hey its MY THING, I’m a little protective OKAY) and a few others, anyway. So what made me feel compelled to sit through a Fashion one day, easy answer Lara. I liked her immediately. As we were shooting, I was enjoying watching the students see and experience. I enjoyed watching the models & stylists work and I jumped in everywhere I could. Then Lara set up this shot. She set up the model and walked outside and shot back through the window. I love it, Loved shooting it and loved the result. wow so simple so beautiful.
This image is unretouched. I am on the balcony, using sign language to the model and the reflection is The Gold Coast of Australia, beautiful.
This was my favourite so I finished this in Post. You know I love the look at camera and close crop. I cleaned up the glass and then added some colour sprays (YES, I will demonstrate this Nov 27th on my shooting day on creativeLIVE)
The lesson here is this. How do I use it in my Portrait work? How do I make it my own? and a thank you to Lara Jade. You uplifted me and inspired me to try something new. You taught me something. An old Photographer, a new skill. You reminded me that you must be humble to learn and I am both thankful and proud of you. Your future is going to be very bright indeed.
A few months later I found myself leaning back over a fourth story balcony on my hotel room in Paris. The most beautiful city in the world is wrapped all around me. I shooting through the glass window to Jill who is sitting on the edge of the bed inside. The reason you can see Jill is that is my shadow covering her. It took quite a few goes to get my body in the right position, but then I got it. In post I softened the edge of my black shadow so it’s like a halo around her. I sprayed colour into the reflection and cleaned up the glass.
Don’t stop Playing, don’t stop learning.
