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behind the scenes

Business of photography behind the scenes

85% of Photographers Fail, Why? and What You Can Do Different!

by James Nader December 2, 2023

A MAP FOR IDEAS

85% of Photographers Fail, Why? and What You Can Do Different!

Hello there, photography students! Is photography something you’re interested in pursuing as a career? Prepare to encounter challenges and relish in successes as you go. Everyone is surprised to hear that 85% of photographers manage to overcome the initial difficulties. If you want to be one of the top 15% achievers, what should you do to change this?

A Dive into the Realm of Working Photographers
So many photographers ask themselves, “What am I doing wrong?” when they have trouble getting clients. You can’t expect to start receiving clients simply because you own a camera, upload some photos, and wish to make it as a professional photographer.

Embark on a Photo Adventure
I did not always work as a photographer. The dream of being my boss has always been there since I was in school, but not necessarily as a photographer. I was an illustrator initially at uni and later migrated into a photo option at uni in year 2.

I decided to pursue fashion and advertising photography despite not having a camera since I knew those fields would be the most competitive.

Overcoming First Challenges
At first, it was tough for me to handle rejection and discover possibilities. But using my imagination, I was able to find a solution. At first, I had the piss taken out of me by agency creatives who allowed me to underquote on many jobs by mistake; my loss but their gain. Through word of mouth, I could land my first few low-paid jobs and then steadily grow my clientele, but not without the hassle and any financial and creative problems. You believe you are the one and only; everyone needs only to gain low-paid scraps from the creative table and have no kudos for working and work done for a few years.

THE 12 MASTER STEPS
Emphasis on Product Quality:

Put the customer’s needs and the quality of your images first. Making constant progress is essential.
Profit from People’s Positive Recommendations: Get your foot in the door with big bookings, even at discounted prices, to start earning rave reviews and referrals.

Maintain Contact:

Spread the news to all your friends and family that you offer photography services. Relationships with people are invaluable.
Saturate the Market: Beating out the competition is essential if you wish to make it big in the photography industry.
Response to Changes in the Market: Be adaptable enough to react to client feedback while setting prices that represent the present state of the market.

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Social Media Marketing

That Works: Simply relying on social media will not suffice. Join the conversation where your target demographic already resides.

Recognise the Effort:

Consistent effort, persistence, and a strong will are necessary for success.
You can differentiate yourself from the competition in a variety of ways; one of them could be your strategy or customer service.

Team Up with Your Competitors:

Collaboration between companies can lead to mutual success and word-of-mouth advertising from happy clients.
Being well-prepared is essential for professional photographers who want to create a favourable impression.

Make an Authentic First Impression:

People will be interacting with your business online for the first time, so it’s crucial to establish a positive first impression.
Mastering the Art of Working Smarter, Not Harder, Will Help You Save Time and Energy.
In summary
Instead of dampening your spirits, this journey is crafted to empower you to confront the challenges that await you. Through dedication and strategic preparation, your passion for photography has the potential to blossom into a prosperous profession.

Whether photography is a hobby or a profession, the most important thing is to have fun and be committed to it.

Resources and Support
Joining my newsletter, ”

“The Click Chronicles,”

Link above and also below will put you in touch with me and my insider expertise gained from twenty years of professional photography in Europe. Join a community of people who share your passion for skill development and gain access to webinars, courses, and more. Explore resources that can facilitate the development of websites, the rapid editing of images, and the production of high-quality promotional materials.

Trust me when I say that I understand the feelings of doubt and difficulty. Perseverance and hard work, however, pay off. Hopefully, this all-inclusive book will provide you with the inspiration and knowledge to start a successful photography business.

Believe in Yourself as No One Else Will!

Way to go! It means a lot to me that you read this.

December 2, 2023 0 comment

behind the scenes

Ibiza Fashions – Shooting a swimwear Campaign in November

by Team Nader September 27, 2023

How to shoot a swimwear campaign in November in the UK!

Last November, just before we went back into lockdown I picked up a small commission for a new swimwear brand right out of Ibiza. Our main problem being swimwear in November and in the UK, not necessarily a great mix?

Sometimes a client’s wishes often can exceed their expectations, giving you the creative photographer or Videographer a major headache. You want the work and so you can be quite open to their ideas but in my experience, this can sometimes really come back to bite you in your heel.

%photographers blog — Setting up for the first shot of the day and how to get all of the elements looking real for an Ibiza shoot!

This was the first time ever that a client who has been in the business for a while working with other campaigns had really tried to launch their own brand. They asked me as I had previously worked with them on a few shoots. I thought that it would have run very smoothly considering. It started off quite slow and without much momentum, which I can normally bring to a shoot without a problem but for some reason, the client was a little moody and subdued. In fact, many of my ideas were being shut down or simply not listened to.As a photographer, you learn to understand and interpret a client brief but on occasion, this is quite a complicated process as really they have no real idea on the production or what they really want and this creates a tension which is felt with the team throughout and this was one of those types of shoots.

For the location, we were at a fabulous house in Ambleside Hatfield London which has been used for many TV shows. It was a beautiful house with a pool, gardens etc but in November we had the chance of rain at any time. The team was an eclectic mix of people who had never worked together before. The biggest change for me was that this time the client didn’t really engage with me which was slightly strange. Normally I would take the client and representatives around the location verbalising the potential shoot areas and how I could interpret their vision and mood boards but this didn’t happen. My job, therefore, became tricky as I not only had o get on with the team, the social media guys but work with the model to get an idea of what the client liked even though they had no idea.

For this shoot, I was using the Nikon but had just purchased the Profoto B1X TTL lights and so wanted to give them a run for their money. I have used the Profoto battery packs for major campaign shoots but had upgraded to these for their sheer power and portability but also the fact that I can use High Sync Mode on the camera to overpower the sunshine and use shutter speeds up to 1/4000 and 1/8000th of a second. I would also be shooting the e-commerce pictures on the day which was additional.

Being honest, I have not done a swimwear shoot for a long time. mainly as avantgarde photographers are not usually in the mix for this style of work. I also like good preparation in advance so I know exactly what I need to capture. The number of looks, outfits and the time we have to accomplish this. If you don’t know in advance the day can sometimes get drawn out.

Casing The Joint

Before we had started I was sent a link for viewing the house in general and there was a recce done but not by me. This is important really as it allows me when doing a recce on the day to see the model and how they fit within the location but normally everything can change from the original concepts and whilst the recce had given an overall perspective I had to work it out for myself i.e. working out lighting and how to work with the weather which was pretty grey and overcast. This was not a sunny Ibiza day by a long shot.

Working Out The Lighting

I worked out that overexposing using the ISO of the camera would lighten the images enough overall and give a punchy sunny look but outside the light was very cool and blue especially in November. Even by increasing the ISO it still looked very cold and so I used the colour balance module within the camera setting menu in the Nikon interface. I used this to push the colour balance to a warmer redder tone to take out the blue. The flashlights themselves were giving a flash which was quite balanced overall and so the mix of lighting, colour and ISO settings were giving me the correct look to take into my shoot production workflow. Knowing your final output potential from your settings is often crucial if you are controlling the output and retouching for the client.

Kit Used on the Shoot

When doing production on a smaller scale such as this then I use my Nikon D850. I use this as right now I am not really invested in the Nikon or Canon Mirrorless lenses at the moment as this would be a major shift as I have many of the Nikon lenses. I also think that moving forward as the price of medium format Fuji is so good that I could potentially move this was, especially after my Lambertz Campaign Trip to Iceland where I predominantly shot it all on the Fuji GFX50S.

My kit therefore for this was the Nikon and the use of the 24-70mm lens and the 105mm Prime lens. These were the only lenses that I utilised on the day. To trigger the flash I used the Profoto wireless trigger for Nikon. All images were captured directly to card which was the Sony XQD card which is super fast and reliable. The actual lighting control I used for both heads was not the Profoto recommended softboxes, only because I could not locate them in time and therefore purchased some prosumer styled softboxes which were so good and sturdy for less than £100 each, I will stick with them now and save £400 as they seem to do the job just as well just less the branding! It’s not always about the kit but how you utilise what you have.

September 27, 2023 0 comment

behind the scenes Creative Photography & Process

Ring Lighting – What it is and How to Use it.

by Team Nader August 25, 2021

Using a ring light as another lighting tool in your technique bag.

Ring lighting in photography has its place I feel. I have used it on occasion over the years and really do like its effect, but it most definitely has its place and should not be overused. and have a flash powered version by Bowens (no longer around) and a couple of LED ring lights which are relatively inexpensive. They offer a new dimension in how you take pictures and how the light plays with your subject both in portraiture and within fashion and people photography.

A ring light is a simple, relatively inexpensive way to get started with studio photography – and with the right approach, it can look excellent. I have a few examples below, which I will share to show you which ones I use. To be honest the flash-based one I have is quite heavy and powered by a studio battery pack and needs a strong hand to get some good shots but with some simple adjustments to how you shoot and how you set up your camera and exposure, the LED versions are very good and can be used in a variety of ways.

There are a few variations of lighting such as on-camera or around the camera and off camera

lighting this way can offer some super lighting effects and give out a uniform style of light which can be so beautiful on the skin if controlled well but can also be quite stark in their output and can have a harsh overall effect but can be used creatively in fashion to achieve an edgy look to the images you are crafting. Ring lighting also offers a unique highlight profile when seen in the eye, you can see the reflection of the ring light which creates an interest to the viewer.

So what does a ring light actually do to your images?

The light on a ring flash tends to be even and can be super on fashion headshots but it also creates its own unique styled shadows around the model, and look like a halo around the subject especially when close to a background when the effect is more pronounced and often creates a better effect r style, however the skin and clothing all fall flat and stark and much resembles a Speedlight effect with strong light and strong shadows. bearing in mind we are only talking about portraiture, fashion and fashion looks here and nothing else.

How Does a Ring Light Work?

A ring light produces soft, direct light on a subject, minimizing shadows. When you take a photo using a ring light, place the camera lens in the centre of the ring; this ensures that your subject is lit evenly from the direction of the camera. Other light sources may produce brilliant lighting on some parts of a subject while leaving others in harsh shadow. By contrast, a ring light that’s properly set up on its light stand provides uniformity to the way surfaces are lit.

Ring lights can also be used as secondary lights or fill lights or even main soft light as my examples below, I have used ring lighting only for the effect it produces and for no other reason because of its light form and shadow identity. The signature of the light really needs to be understood as its form can simply lure you into wanting to use it many times but don’t get fooled by it and treat It with respect to ensure you have additional lighting techniques in your light kit.

LED Ring Light – How to use it.

Using the LED version is quite straightforward as when you switch it on, you get what you see essentially and you can see how the light is falling on your subject and background. The LED lights are mainly available on lone and come in a variety of sizes but my own is the 18 inch and has both dimmer and bio light control. This allows you to light with daylight effect or with warm effect (Tungsten) based on your preference or the subject and location it is in.

Using LED ring lighting needs a little more attention, getting the correct exposure is about the power of course but also the positioning of the light. If you want the halo shadow then you must move the model closer to the background as well as the light. The LED light is continuous lighting and so you will get a good idea of your result whilst setting up your model. The settings on your camera will be different and you might need to slow down the shutter a little to allow better exposure or like I do, push up the ISO and let your dynamic range keep the highlights muted and full of detail.

Flash Ring Lighting – How to use it.

The Flash version I have is heavy and cumbersome and needs to be powered by power or battery but is very powerful and really does work well on location to overcome lighting such as direct sunshine. You can get ring flash convertors for normal flash heads and could set up with other brands to achieve location and. battery power if needed, but I don’t!

Working with the flash ring light is ok really, and can be worked in the same way as a studio flash, as that’s really what it is. It is a heavy beast to hold. Work your f-stops, aperture and ISo o get the overall density of capture and of course, you will need to use a flash meter to control the light and capture, Also be aware that the model has eyes and these can. get very tired from the flashing of the head over time.

August 25, 2021 0 comment

fashion photographers blog silvergumtype james nader

behind the scenes Business of photography

Photographers are the New Art Directors

by Team Nader September 18, 2020

A creative director is typically the head of the creative team and usually have the final say on what goes to the client and make important upper-level creative direction decisions.

The art director typically executes the details of the clients brief to the photographer. They see the project through the phases of production, edits and final execution. Photographers now seem to move slightly towards being what is known as a DOP, or Director Of Photography as know in the film industry. Its the way forward. Boundaries and job roles are almost merging into a hybrid creative photographer who now has to add into is tools, not only creative direction but an understanding of everything else. Photographers are cinematographers and vice versa.

fashion photogrpahers blog silvergumtype james nader — Photographers are the New Art Directors 36

Driving forces behind tighter creative collaborations in advertising are more noticeable these days. Agency staff are strapped for time, smaller companies and startups working directly with photographers wish to control their budgets!

In recent times it has been apparent that some brands are establishing their control for a shoot. For Lookbooks especially, they are booking directly to cut cost and have more power in the finished looks and look book design. More so for online brands where content quickly becomes old. Social media means a faster pace is required to feed the hungry Tiger of the internet and its insatiable appetite for images and content daily.

Photographers have or are becoming more directors rather than just photographers and required to have more knowledge about shoots, production, post-production and now video. If you can shoot and direct video, then this gives you an edge.

Volpe Satoriale, a Pimlico based fashionable men’s brand, has been one of my clients who like the fact that I can direct their campaign, shoot the images and video production for their online presence.

Volpe is in the high street, but clients are often from the media and TV with some very high profile clients who wish to remain anonymous.

Our production for the Volpe campaign included location finding and shoot planning and our locations for the three-day shoot were, Blackpool, Manchester and London in and around Piccadilly and Pimlico. I was a photographer and video director or D.O.P for the days.

Budgets a relatively tight these days and the more discerning client requires so much more for their money. I don’t have a problem with this, as long as I get what I need from the shoot and that isn’t always just the money. A shoot can sometimes inspire me because of a location, subject or even opportunities.

We shall see how it all maps out after COVID 19. I suspect many changes are ahead in terms of agencies and how they do business but also how photographers cope with current difficulties.

The Video Below is my first attempt at Directing

September 18, 2020 0 comment

behind the scenes

Tips for Shooting Behind the Scenes

by Team Nader September 2, 2020

Many photographers have the misconception that shooting behind the scenes documentaries, videos and production photography is relatively easy and accessible. Sometimes shooting BTS doesn’t require the regular polish that photographers are used to when in terms of video work, production photography, Its still des require some format and work around with a correct workflow to get authentic behind the scenes photography or behind the scenes video. To help reduce any risks involved in this process and give anyone an upper hand, there are several things that people should remember to shoot behind the scenes effectively.

1. Know what you are about to capture and plan it.
2. Communicate the story of the day
3. Tell a Story – Lots of angles and content, lens ranges and crops
4. Know Your Style – Try to be Photojournalistic
5.Capture Moments, Not Equipment
6. Get a Lot of Coverage or – B Roll which is really essential to a classy BTS story
7. Throw in a few one to one interviews and opinions.

Interestingly many people express an opinion which Is, behind the scenes work doesn’t have to be too crafted and is quite a rough easy process. For me, this can’t is further from the truth. I always require good quality pictures and video content from which I can keep diving into and using for various reasons. Recently I was asked to do a complete story about an image I had crafted whilst on location in Austria and the Ice Cave at 12500ft (Ice Queen) The BTS crew had captured such magnificent content which was still fresh and usable to help tell my story about the shoot

B – ROLL Video behind the scenes content

Capturing as much interest and part of the action is essential, but B – Roll is necessary to really convey the story, photographers shooting behind the scenes photography should get plenty of coverage but at the same time be creative with the B – Roll capturing Interesting things happen around the space that they are shooting. It could be the boiling kettle, application of makeup, unloading the car, setting up of equipment and the feet and hands etc. It helps the editors when they are putting the final video together and creates a more decadent feel to the production for BTS.

Finding a good BTS crew is essential

I find this very important they understand the flow of the shoot. The team are following your lead, tracking you and your shoot and how you work and interact not just with the model but the crew and the location if the unit has not much of an insight into what they are doing. Or not that good with their kit, there will be a problem. For me, on a trip to Iceland, production had assigned a BTS crew who were cheap and utterly useless at the task. The final result was trashy footage and stills for which I had no use. The crew had also been paid handsomely for the footage by the production team

Be observant as a BTS shooter – Dita Von Teese

Photographic skill and a photojournalistic style as well as being observant are crucial. Subtle things happen and well as the large interactions and many things will be happening around you at the same time. You have to spot the nuances and how the shoot is moving forward but never guide or interfere with the shoot.

Working on location with Dita Von Teese

Intimate moments captured tell it how it was!

Interaction of the crew and moment like this emphasise how good the process, workflow and interactions were. A good BTS crew will anticipate those and weave them into some believable content which expresses a good feeling. This footage may also be used to send back to the main client who is paying the bills but also trusting the production team to deliver the content.

Some clients rely on a few interviews at the locations, and the reason is it can help preempt the final production launch date and build anticipation. I always have a few Sennheiser Lav Mic’s packed away and a Rode boom mic just in case. Used both for the clients and your social media.

Below shot in Iceland

Behind the scenes, photography and video is part of my own marketing goals and used to attract more interested, customers, clients or photographers. BTS is only one of the ways I achieve this, and by showing a little bit of the effort that goes into a photoshoot.

It can also help you as the photographer to get discovered, by showing the behind the scenes can help answer a client’s potential question, “Why would I want to book you and does your process fit our own and our clients?” It helps allow a potential client to see you and how you work and work out if you fit their mould and can get on with an existing team from previous shoots.

Just remember my productions sometimes are a little bigger hence some extensive BTS, but not always and in this shot below we did our own BTS as we do on a number of our productions. Not all behind the scenes need to be a big production, but they do need to be captured with quality and style to make it all interesting

VOLPE BTS SHOOT

More Behind the Scenes Photography Stories Here

September 2, 2020 0 comment

blog behind the scenes

Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath

by admin January 16, 2020

“This I not a pub, when you sit in the presence of Lord Bath you must adhere to what is called etiquette. I don’t suppose you know much about this but you must follow this when you are in front of me and eating at mine and the Marquess’s lunch table! I am his wife or as you may know this term, his wifelet and I look after him when I am in town!!! “[/perfectpullquote] Poor old paddy who was assisting me. He got both barrels from Lord Baths’ wifelet for not sitting and eating at the same time as the crew. He was late and Lord baths wifelet was NOT happy. The opportunity to shoot TV Celebrity is something that sometimes happens a little more frequently nowadays. These days are after drought with anxiety and speed for the very reason of time management and the time which a celebrity and their PR will allocate to a photoshoot.

Every now and then a great opportunity happens within your daily photographic week. Celebrity photography is not always how you imagine. Times allotted to work with them are quite a short turnaround.

One such opportunity was when I was asked to work on a commission photographing the Queen’s Cousin the 7th marquess of Bath, or as we really know him, Lord Bath. The commission was for a book cover and his personal website for the Marquess. It would involve traveling down at his substantial house at Longleat which is also a very famous animal sanctuary.

I was only allowed to bring very minimal equipment such as single flashlight such as Profoto B1X and my Nikon camera. We were not allowed to video any material at all. We were also not allowed to photograph in and around the great house as it was open to the public. I of course was a little worried about the amount of work we needed to cover in the day and if Lord bath would be up for this? The lighting in the apartment was fairly dark in general and had to use a slight timed exposure to balance out ambient lighting and flash.

Below is a screengrab from the elements for the official composite image. The images were all shot on the day by me ready to composite in Photoshop on my return. I have shown some of the processes it takes to create one of these composite images. The picture of Lord Bath was designed to emulate one of the master paintings of landed gentry so famous in the great houses of Britain. When combined, the final image was a very powerful version that was used on the book cover and of course on ALEXANDER THYNN, 7TH MARQUESS OF BATH website.

The Composite Image in the Raw

To photograph someone with such a closeness to royalty, there is a certain protocol that you must follow and criteria that you must first pass. It was an honour to be considered to get so close to a royal celebrity. When I was introduced to Lord Bath he was very gracious and patient with me and the team and was a very easy-going subject willing to work with us. At no time did he make us feel that we were in the way. We were there for the day to capture all his wonderfully bright waistcoat for his book and shoot images for his new website.

Lord Baths stylist for the day had provided an extensive wardrobe for him but of course, it was all about his waistcoats. I was, of course, a little concerned about his age and how he would manage the whole day with 60 outfits! We were initially thinking that working around his large house would give us ample shoot spaces, however, it was clear we would not be allowed into the public areas of the house and were to be restricted to his apartment in the house.

Having done a Recce on the apartment we had settled on a few key areas that may work but these would be very tight because the main living area was exactly that, a living area. Main areas were cramped so after a consultation with Phil & Paddy, it was decided that one simple light diffused would be just perfect, add in a white reflector and the look was complete.

The team Photographing the Eccentric Queens Cousin

Lord Bath Shoot – James Nader

January 16, 2020 0 comment

behind the scenes

ICELAND PHOTOGRAPHIC TRIP

by admin July 4, 2019

FujiFilm GFX50S – Medium Format Camera – 24 locations in Iceland

So we found over 24 fabulous shooting locations in Iceland, We know this as I was given the task to create 24 spectacular stand-alone images for the Lambertz Calendar and we visited these plus many more. Some of the locations we visited are listed below and if you are going to Iceland make sure to visit

1. Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck
2. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
3. Skógafoss Waterfall
4.Westfjords
5. Dynjandi Waterfall
6. Rauðisandur Beach
7. Hornstrandir National Park
8. Vatnajökull National Park
9.Snæfellsjökull National Park
10.Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall

Working on location in Iceland with the Fuji Camera for an Iceland Photoshoot was a challenge but when you have one of the best Cameras for location work then it was not too much of a problem. This article is an interview by Fuji UK about my epic adventure shoot over three weeks in one of the worlds most famous Northern Polar regions

Working on location in Iceland with the Fuji Camera GFX50s for an Iceland Photoshoot was a challenge but when you have one of the best Cameras for location work then it was not too much of a problem.

This article is an interview by Fuji UK about my epic adventure shoot over three weeks in one of the worlds most famous Northern Polar regions

I was invited to shoot the Fine Art Calendar 2019 for the prestigious German biscuit manufacturers, Lambertz, in Iceland – the land of fire and ice. It was a fantastic opportunity to explore the country (something I had long wanted to do for my workshops) and it was a great honour to be invited to shoot for a second time for the brand. The high quality, limited edition calendar entitled ‘PURE’, was Lambertz’s means to express their concerns around global warming, especially in the North Polar Regions.

24 images were required for the calendar, shot over a 14-day period with a multi-national production team of 24 people. The models were mainly Bulgarian but two key models were celebrities: Nena who is a famous German singer, and Rurik Gislason who is a leading Icelandic national football team player who also plays in Germany (pictured below).

SEE MORE: CLICK BELOW

http://silvergumtype.com/2019/06/14/retouch-rurik-gislason/

For me, the FUJI CAMERA GFX50S system was my first camera of choice and really offered me the quality I am familiar with and needed for this challenging shoot. The files were to be enlarged for exhibition quality but also the calendar is A2 size and would need to stand up to close scrutiny not just to the fine art community in Germany but also to the German PR machine.

The quality of the images from the Fuji Camera GFX 50S, with the image size and the dynamic range, gave me the flexibility to process the final images into works of art. Whilst I am shooting, I am always pushing the camera to its limits, capturing at very high ISO’s and in extreme weather conditions. If you would like to see more of this shot then please read this blog post which shows behind the scenes from the shoot

Iceland offers great landscapes and opportunities to shoot

The medium format camera GFX50S was perfect for my style and the ergonomics of the controls meant that I had complete control over the camera. The extreme weather conditions meant that I had to change the exposure very quickly. Some other systems I’ve used in the past haven’t been flexible enough for this quick way of working, with me often losing valuable time going through menus and sub-menus to change the most simple of settings. The Fuji Camera GFX 50S was so easy to use, so I felt comfortable using the camera from the get-go.

CRASHED DC3 – 2 MILE WALK BUT WORTH IT

The art of photography is about light, shape, and form and I like to move quickly to capture the moment. I’m not keen on tripods or shooting tethered – I don’t like anything that holds the creative process back. Here, the Fuji Camera GFX50S really stepped up to the plate and not only offered the best capture and processing but it was also quick and easy to pack away in a backpack and go.

I wasn’t hindered by the size as it is very compact for a medium format camera. I found the rear screen preview awesome and rendered pretty much as I saw it, at the moment of shooting. It allowed me to quickly evaluate the light reading, location and overall balance of the images on the fly that I could instantly relay back to the team, lighting, model, and makeup.

As a fashion photographer, I obviously like shooting with a longer lens and a shallow depth of field, to make the subject pop from the background. But in this instance, I didn’t want the beautiful Icelandic backdrop to be too soft; it was important to make the images pop but also include the scenery. So although I had a full lens selection to work with, the main lens I used with the Fuji Camera GFX50S was the zoom lens GF32-64mmF4. This was my lens of choice as it allowed a quick crop but also it allowed me to be flexible with my composition, whilst still making the most of the model in the scenery, as was my brief. The lenses overall were great, sturdy and bright and performed superbly well in low light and challenging weather conditions.

Every location offered a new set of challenges and I am pretty hands-on when working with the models, so editorially we would shoot an idea and then run with it. However with this shoot, many of the images were static so much more crafting with light, shape, and form was required. The direction was very important to get the idea from initial concept to the capture. Most ideas really changed on the fly as we worked the location and composition into the shot.

July 4, 2019 0 comment

behind the scenes Life

Shooting fashion On Location – be a Location Photographer

by admin March 14, 2019

MY 9 TOP TIPS FOR WORKING AS A LOCATION FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER

Working as a Fashion Photographer for the best part of my photographic life. I love in particular working on location and the more extreme the more I enjoy. Many fashion photographers in the UK feel working on location is just a little too much to manage, but I thrive in location fashion photography. It takes a certain type of person to get involved in the production of a location fashion shoot production also, but having my own small production company helps supports me in the production of various fashion shoots.

My Guide For a Fashion Photographer on Location

The biggest location fashion shoot In which I was the photographer, happened a few years ago and involved me being away from the UK for a total of 27 days and working on 24 looks and other supporting content in over 12 countries. See more in this link here.

Recently I was asked to co-produce and shoot a Calendar campaign on location in Iceland. Three weeks shooting and exploring the south and west of Iceland. A beautifully natural place and offers a challenging production opportunity. How do you get this all together and shoot 9 models with a full team of 24 people? I was offered the Fuji GFX 50S medium format camera loaned by Fuji UK to take on location with me and try it out. You can see what thought of the camera and how it performed in the Fuji Camera Global. Interview is here

1. WORKING WITH A TEAM

When working as a full team, the most I have worked with is 29 people all buzzing around creating and contributing to the overall finished pictures. Even though you will work with an Art Director, Production Director and representatives of the brand you are working for, you are really the team leader and will take responsibility for achieving the final captured images. You are the one the buck stops with. If for some reason you are not on form then the team and the pictures will suffer. I am a photographer who knows what I need from the shoot, models, and team. I direct the shoots and its important that you as the photographer are diplomatic and reasonable. You cannot afford to be prickly and bossy but happy, resourceful and energetic with a positive attitude no matter how you feel. This air of relaxed authority is what drives the team’s creativity and you are the lead.

It’s important to work with the Creative Directors’ vision for the client, however, what is created back at base in the agency’s mind doesn’t always translate to your location and indeed with the team who may have their own agendas. You have to be able to make changes quickly on the fly and bring your creative photographic team on board with your changes. Sell them the vision.

9 tips to being a fashion photographer - working on location — PLITVICE LAKES CROATIA

2. MOOD BOARDS – PLANNING – CALL SHEETS

Although the composition and landscape are important components to the overall photograph, you are working from a creative vision. These are often represented in a set of mood boards. They present the outfits from the stylist and their vision but also the overall creative vision which was presented to the client to get the commission. It’s not always easy for a client to buy into a shoot like this but with mood boards, they can also see a creative vision.

It is important to realise that the mood board is just a guide really and the guide sometimes changes with realtime fluid situations. The model doesn’t fit the look, the outfits are not good in this scene and the hair plan won’t work with that outfit, etc. The call sheet will guide the overall requirements of the shoot, who will be needed in what and where with time constraints but these in my experience really do change over time.

3. CONTINUITY WITH THE THEME AND STICKING TO A BRIEF

When working as a location fashion photographer, a theme is part of the overall content production and requirements. Wherever the pictures are taken over a three week period, they will need to fit in with the continuity of the overall shoot. They have to be seen alongside the post-production and retouching which is to be applied. Are grades to be applied, Is there any composite work to be added? The lighting may need to be similar and not mixed so possibly like me on location in Iceland we decided that a good underexposing of the subject would create a sense of drama and so many if not all had a portable battery-powered light applied to the finished look. The continuity was set and applied and it worked.

4. WORK WITH THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF A LOCATION

One of the main reasons I love working on location is the fact that you have no prior knowledge and what to expect so even though you have an overview from online research you most do a location scout or location recce. Normally we would travel out a few days in advance of the rest of the crew. This would normally be the producer and me. It allows us free time to wander and explore the location. It allows us to understand the best places and the problem places. The logistics of getting the team to the locations and really what to expect.

I take my small camera and we document everywhere that seems of interest and then later over a beer we discuss the images on the computer. I also help create an updated mood board of the locations and with a little photoshop assign models and outfits to the board which then gets sent back to the stylist, Makeup and of course the client so they can see how it all looks.

5. WORK WITH THE LIGHT – ADDING IN LOCATION LIGHTING IF NEEDED

Whichever you choose, always remember to work with the light instead of against it. Natural lighting is your friend through the photo shoot and it can play a vital role in the end result of your pictures. For natural luminescence, position your face towards the light at a 45 degree angle. To highlight just half of your face or body, turn at a 90 degree angle from the sunlight. It is usually not wise to face directly towards the sun, since you will likely squint and the light will cause shadows that make your eyes look tired.

6. WORK WITH THE STYLISTS VISION

Despite popular belief, following all of the recent fashion trends will not always result in capturing superior photographs. When you choose your outfit, it is essential to think about how it will appear with your background and overall theme. For instance, prints and patterns can be terrific statement pieces to make your pictures pop against more solid backgrounds. However, when that same print outfit is positioned in front of a more dramatic background, it can become distracting and off-putting. If possible, it is always smart to carry along several different outfits that inspire you. Consider adding in some accessories and props for some added flare too, as long as they correlate with your overall theme.

7. DONT OVERWORK THE LOCATION -THE TEAM OR THE LOOK

It’s really important that you don’t overwork firstly the model and the location. It’s possible to do this when you get your eye in on the look and when you feel it’s going well, but it’s important that you learn to recognise when you have the shot in the bag. NO COVERAGE!!!!!
I am guilty of doing this sometimes but you can soon get the feeling that the model is getting restless as are the team. You are in control, the front manhowever, you need to realise that the shot is in the bag and you can readily move on to the next location.
You should get a feeling inside tht you have the shot, if not you need to find this!

Location Drain!!! as well as overshooting the model you can easily overshoot the location. If your chosen spot is large its easy enought o finsh one look and then turn to the right and shoot another model with another look. This can work for editorial and if you are shooting an story. A productio such as the Iceland trip needs divesity from a location that in general is similar overall. Make sure you change it up and diversify the images. It cab be a little boring your photography all looks similar.

8. BE INCLUSIVE WITH YOUR IMAGES – INVOLVE YOUR TEAM

In the old days of polaroid this was easily done, pull the polaroid and then show the client then the model and then the stylist. This was a longer process than today. It for me is really important to get a buy-in from the model. Explain what I am looking for so I always show the model the test sots ion the back of my camera. I discuss options and how I wished to proceed and what I didn’t really think worked.
I always become inclusive at this stage and feel its good to get a round of feedback. I do this and then in my mind work out if there are valid comments and then I make my changes and then stick to the plan that has just changed, This works for me and being inclusive with your team and aking for feedback allows then to feel part of the shoot. The buy-in and feel that there has been a contribution. I also ask during the shoot and this ismy way of finding feedback as I go along. I don’t need it as my mind is mad up but a share of the camera back makes the photographic machine work well

9. MAKE SURE THERE IS ALWAYS A BACKUP PLAN

A contingency plan is always advised. bad weather can be a hassle. Make sure on your initial recce or location scouting that you take this into account. Find locations for an alternative look. If you think that a client has paid for 7 days photography for branded campaign capturing say 10 images then they need those 10 images regardless of the weather. There is no excuse for turning up back at the agency door with shots missing as this 7 shot makes the campaign. Plan, plan, plan and then plan some more. It can blow your credibility and your opportunity if you didn’t make a contingency

I C E L A N D – In the Field Story

WORKING WITH THE LOCATION – ICELAND FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER – CALENDAR PRODUCTION

It is always important to find a photographer that has an admiration and understanding of the theme or purpose that you are intending to capture behind the camera lens. In addition, it is crucial that you find someone that allows you to feel comfortable. Cameras have the amazing capability of clearly conveying all negative emotions, like discomfort or nervousness. If your funds do not allow you to hire a professional photographer, ask an artistic friendly or a creative family member to play photographer. Whichever fits your budget, find a photographer that you admire and enjoy being around for the most natural portraits.

JAMES NADER FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER - ICELAND WITH NENA FROM 99 RED BALLOONS — THIS IS THE LINK TO SEE THE VIDEO ON THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL

The Iceland challenge was to create 24 images for the 2019 PURE Calendar for Lambertz in Germany. I had worked with them before and that was for 29 days in 12 countries. Part of the campaign involved meeting up with Nena and Larissa Kerner for a 2 days shoot and then towards the end of the shoot to meet up with Rurik Gislason who is the Icelandic footballing legend. I was to create 6 pieces of fine art photography for the Calendar

The weather proved rather changeable at times but really it was a super place to be. In the first week it was just me and the Producer Marco from Germany. We drove around planning and searching for the best locations but to be honest little did we know that the best locations actually could appear from no where and on route to the main attractions.

I was fortunate to hook up with Fuji Film and @fujifilm_uk who loaned me a FUJI GFX50S for the whole 3 weeks and what a camera. In another post I will talk about how good the camera was and how it surpassed any other medium format that I have used.

fashion photographer london — ICELAND PHOTOSHOOT – JAMES NADER FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER – JAMES NADER WORKSHOPS

Working in the Iconic locations of Iceland was not always about stress, trials, and tribulations, I did get a chance for downtime, usually but really you are there to do a job and time soon vanished in a day shoot based on travel to and from locations. Shooting fashion in Iceland has been one of my most challenging locations and we didn’t really get much downtime. There were always stresses with the team becoming more apparent day by day and eventually it became a man-management project on most days of our Iceland trip. Important I might add not through the organisation of the trip more with the Production and the lack of from the German Production.

Below you get a feel for the way the location actually mapped out over the duration of the shoot. It gives an insight into the logistics of the locations we went to and how we went about getting the final images. I will be posting the full image review later on the Blog so you can see the final images.

A DRONE FLIGHT I DID OVER THE WATER AND BEYOND EN ROUTE TO FINAL DESTINATION

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE – I CAPTURED THIS WITH MY MAVIC PRO

March 14, 2019 0 comment