Chris Chart...

Image number four...

This week i took the time to shoot someone i've been meaning to shoot for a while. His names Chris Chart and he's the founder of a media company "Spark Engine Media". I decided to shoot him in his home office, the location he spends most of his time working. It's a pretty awesome location to shoot, really like the open brick work, and really liked the contrast with brick and technology.  Chris is a big tech fan and uses technology everyday for work, so i thought it was kind of crucial to include something into the shot (role in the iPad and Macpro).

On the tech front this wasn't the easiest shoot i've ever done. Due to most of my shoots being outside the umbrellas work well to control the light. However when shooting in a small room they give off a lot of unwanted light, constantly bouncing around the room. Think i'm going to have to look into getting an octobox i think. Simple light set-up, umbrella to the right and bare flash to the left.

Twitter : twitter.com/BenBrownPhoto
Site : www.benbrownphoto.com/

Camera set-up:

Camera info...
Canon 5D mkII - Canon 50mm L f/1.2 : iso 160 - f/1.4 - 1/60 secs
Stobist Info...
Canon 580 exII : Right of Subject - 1/32 - Shoot through umbrella
Canon 580 exII : Left of Subject - 1/64 - Full CTO gel

Outtake I kind of liked... Something a little different!

Portrait_003

Third image from the latest project...

Slightly late uploading, but had a mad busy schedule lately. This is the third image from the new portrait project. A little different to whats been so far, but i wanted to try something a little different. The image is from a set of three, the image before and the image after also belong to the set. The image is of one of my friends Sophie. We've spoken many times in the past about shooting, but never managed to get round to it. There isn't really much to these images, more a trial and error of where my photography may be going. The style is a little different to my usual work. I shot the images a few days ago now and i'm still unsure as to whether i'm liking the change. I went for very shallow depth of field and predominately used natural lighting, although i did throw the strobes into a couple, but only subtly.

Sophie is roughly the same age as me working as an accountant. The main reason i've wanted to shoot her is she's a very interesting character. Usually i'm able to tell a bit about a person instantly, but with Sophie it's a very different matter. She's a big fan of music, fashion and traditional 70's photography like the work of Richard Avedon, but this only really touches the surface of her character. I wanted to see if i could produce images with a more modern style and see if she would take a liking to them...

Blog : benbrownphotography.blogspot.com/
Twitter : twitter.com/BenBrownPhoto
Site : www.benbrownphoto.com/

Not much on the technical front, very simple camera set-up:

Camera info...
Canon 5D mkII - Canon 50mm L f/1.2 : iso 1600 - f/2 - 1/100 secs
Stobist Info...
Canon 580 exII : Right of Subject - 1/32 - 1/2 CTO Gel - Shoot through umbrella

Portrait_002

Second image from the new project...

This weeks image is of student musician Craig Shardlow. I've shot his band a couple of times in the past. His life revolves around music, generating the inspiration for the image. I decided to tie in his love for music and his need to travel due to university. The train station always gives good results for a location shoot and pretty happy with the results again.

I was going for a very natural looking image, a little similar to a film still and he's waiting for a train. At the time it seemed to work well and i'm happy with the end results, but when in post it looks far more powerful as a set with an additional two image (I'll post at a later date). The headphones and guitar where incorporated as the only real props to enforce music is his passion.

Tied in the artificial lighting in a much more natural way with this image. Didn't want anything too dramatic, just something that helped punch the subject out of the background. Worked exactly as planned when combined with the shallow depth of field. Blue gelled strobe bare to the left and a shoot through umbrella strobe to the right with a CTO gel attached.

Blog : benbrownphotography.blogspot.com/
Twitter : twitter.com/BenBrownPhoto
Site : www.benbrownphoto.com/

Tech Info :

Camera info...
Canon 5D mkII - Canon 50mm L f/1.2 : iso 800 - f/1.4 - 1/100 secs
Stobist Info...
Canon 580 exII : Right of Subject - 1/32 - CTO Gel - Shoot through umbrella
Canon 580 exII : Left of Subject - 1/16 - 1/2 CTB

Eli McFadden

Short post about a photographer i came across today on twitter, Eli McFadden. Don't know much about them, but the images speak a million words. Such natural, beautiful, clean images. Possibly the most inspiration style i've come across in a long time and just had to share...

The Sartorialist...

If you've never come across the work of Scott Schuman then you need to continue reading and visit his blog The Sartorialist, if you have then take a look at the video. In 2005 Schuman left his position as a fashion salesman to look after his daughter. This also began the amazing Sartorialist project. Carrying his 5D round the streets of New York, Scott Schuman shoots a variety of people that catch his talented eye... View the video to see what i mean, really inspiring man...

Next Step...

The first image from my next project...

The intention for the project is to produce 52 portraits throughout the year. Each image will discover a new person in a different style. I'm carefully selecting my subjects all with some form of story behind them. I'm not looking to shoot 52 beautiful people, this is not the aim. I want a collection of talented, individuals with something unique about them. Each image will be accompanied with a small piece of information about the individual. Either a form of interview or a little bio, just to give a little background info on the person shot.

I've kick started the project with a self portrait. I know previously i mentioned there would be no self portraits, but i i thought it was the right way to begin. It's given me a basis in which to start and helped me adapt to the project as it's something i've been doing for the last year. I also thought it was fitting to describe a little about the person behind the project...

A small bit of info about the image...

I shot in my favourite location from my previous project (Project 365), many of you may have seen it before. It's very simple and deserted really attracting all the attention towards the subject. Many people remind me how i'm a unique character, who tends to make an effort for people. With this in mind, I dressed up in the suit and tie, making an effort for the shot. Finally the introduction of the camera... I'm sure i don't need to explain this element of the image. It's very simple, but straight to the point, how i wanted to introduce the project.

From a technical point i've incorporated one strobe to reinforce the ambient light. It really helps to create a cleaner looking image, but still stays true to how the location would look and not too artificial. The strobe is highly diffused in order to give a little more real, softer light.

A bit about the subject...

If you've not stumbled across my profile before my name is Ben. I'm a freelance photographer based in the UK. Been using a camera for about 7 years now and working as a photographer for the last 3, concentrating primarily on portraiture and lifestyle projects. I've just finished my biggest project to date, Project 365. You'll find it on my flickr page or galleries on the site. I've always tried to be as creative as possible and never really followed the crowd. From reading this you may have realised i'm not the most academic individual I never have been. I've always been very visual and love creating new work with my camera. Alongside the photography i occasionally ride my bike and go to the gym, nothing that interesting really. If you want to follow my day to day goings check out my blog and twitter.

Project 365...

The Final Two...

What can i say... This is the end of my most productive year with a camera, and it's been a pretty awesome one. I know today isn't the last day, tomorrow is, but i thought i should evaluate now cause i might not get time tomorrow.

I can't believe it's finally the end. After around 600 hours of working on this i've got a project i'm actually proud of. Looking through the images, i'm only really happy with around half of them, but this was the aim of the project. To learn and see what works. As many of you have commented I think the main skill i've managed to get to grips with is lighting. I find it's one of the most important aspects of photography and something i really enjoy playing with. The most important thing i've developed is being comfortable shooting. I can now shoot in any location or studio and be able to shoot a half decent image and that is all down to this project.

I've had many emails throughout the year asking about the 365 project and whether i recommend it to others. I'm not going to lie, it's bloody hard work. This year has been incredibly difficult at times due to the project, but at the same time I wouldn't change it for the world. It's taken up roughly 600 hours of my year (which my dad worked out to be close to a month, :) thank dad), will have cost several hundred pounds in fuel and made me go through a fair bit of camera equipment, but how proud i am of final finishing it is definitely worth it. If you want to learn how to use a camera, be more creative and just get out there and shoot, i would say start this project, but don't give up on it when it gets difficult because you really will learn a thing or two!

Now that this project is at the end there is just one thing i want to get off my chest. Throughout the year i've had a few people commenting about occasionally doing similar shots to ones i may have done in the past. All i want to say is take part in this project, then come back to me in the end and say the same. At the beginning you may have a million and one ideas of what you can shoot, but this state of mind will change, which inevitably makes the project difficult.

I would also like to take the time to thank everyone who's helped me throughout the year. Mum, dad, my bro Joe, Lauren, Tim, George, Zoe, Jay and most of all Danny G. Danny would be sure to let me know when the project started getting crap and made me make more effort, plus he's in a fair few of the images (the guy on the bike). I'd also like to thank every one of you thats commented on my project. I'm really bad at replying to comments, but if you have any questions send me a private message and i will get back to you.

Finally, i'll take this chance to explain what i'm doing next year. I'll be starting a project i'm calling "Portrait 52". Throughout my Project 365 i've learnt a lot of new skills and i think it's time to use them in some work for my portfolio. I'll be producing a portrait a week of other people. No more self portrait and no repeats of people. It will be a different portrait every week. Each image will be pre planned unlike the Project 365 where i would go to a location and make something up on the spot. I'm really looking forward to it and hope you guys enjoy it.

Thanks again to everyone who's supported me with the project, have an awesome new year...