I had the pleasure of doing a personal shoot with Hannah sometime back as the first part of a series of shoots that provide a glimpse of her journey as a musical artiste.

This was shot when she was putting the finishing touches to her debut album, Crossing Bridges.

Some scenes around the recording studio…

Moving forward, some shots of the songstress in action…

Many people have often approached me and asked me how I do my product and close-up studio shots. In actuality, I use a very simple DIY solution…

You can put one or two layers of tracing paper on the cartons and also line the insides of it with foil. For light source, you can use strong daylight (4200K) lamps or flashguns (if you have the budget). I use 2 flashguns commanded wirelessly via an infrared commander which I can control the lighting ratio. For backdrops, you can buy fancy artboards from the artshops or use satin from Kamdar. The white board on top is to ensure there are no light leaks through and from above.

Some results with this setup (with some variations)…

We love to shoot beautiful women… many of us were inspired to take up the art when we first saw how gorgeous photos turned out when the subjects were attractive women. Is there a specific technique? Well, having shot many models in the past, let me share a bit some of the tips off the top of my head.

1) Keep a scrapbook of poses/stances handy
2) Try not to point the fingers to the camera
3) Watch the background and ensure nothing sticks out of or cuts through the back of her head/neck
4) Remind your model to watch her posture
5) Try not to pose the models in awkward positions
6) Keep the light soft (window light or under the shade). Overhead light is not good. Direct sunlight will cause her to squint.
7) Use a reflector (car shade will do) to balance out the shadows under the nose/chin. This reflector is also good to create a small reflection in the eye called the catchlight
Talk to the model to form a rapport and ensure that she remains relaxed
9) Leaning hard against the wrists/shoulders will create unsightly bone jutting situations
10) For make-up, heavier and contrastier make up can make the person look better
11) Ensure that the hair is controlled… watch for baby hair and stray strands
12) Mop up the sweat and always do touch ups to also allow the model to have a bit of rest
13) Model must have enough sleep the night before
14) Keep the clothes and accessories simple
15) Watch where your photo crops off the model’s features like forehead, elbow, bustline etc

Some examples…

Since we are on the topic of saxophones, here’s a shot of Greg Lyon’s talented hands on his favourite instrument

Stage/performance photography is all about capturing the emotion and giving the feeling of being there (as Chris and ST demonstrated below).

Parting shot…

I took this picture while I was on holiday last year in Ottawa, Canada. It was during the Tulip Festival, where the whole city is practically covered with beautiful tulips. This shot was taken in a park where a school band was playing, as people sat in the sun, enjoyed the view and ate hotdogs.

I was practically orbiting the stage and snapping these kids from all possible angles, which would explain why they look somewhat amused.

This shot was taken with a Nikon D70s and an AF-Nikkor 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED lens @ 125mm, f/7.1