Going Back to Move Forward...

Going Back to Move Forward.

A long long time ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth....well, not quite, but we were all still shooting on film, Adobe had just given birth to Photoshop and I had no real desire to be a Photographer. That's right, no real desire to be a Photographer. I wanted to make special effects for film, as a result, I studied Film and Media, what I should have realised was Adobe had just given birth to Photoshop and this world was about to change. Anyway, to cut the story short I moved into photography, away from film and photography, and then back into photography again full time, and that brings us almost up to date.

I say almost as there has been a development. We all watch and view images on our phones, tablets and computers these days, print media, although some of it is still lovely, is mostly falling behind now. Soon I believe there will be animated paper and magazines will live again, but this time with moving images on the pages. I don't think for one second that photography has had it's day, it is evolving and continuing to grow, but I am adding film making to my skill set, something more to offer my clients, and something I have been asked for.

So a while back we made a fashion shoot I asked my then assistant if he would shoot some video, he is an award winning DP and so I figured he would be the guy. The other thing is that he is familiar with my work, I thought he would shoot close to my style. I learned two things, number one concentrate on either making a photo shoot or a video shoot. Number two, if you want a shot composed a certain way, you have to do it yourself or direct it more closely and make sure you get exactly what you are thinking. I could say a third lesson, but it is knowledge I already understand, people don't see through your eyes. This last point is why I get picked to shoot certain things and another photographer gets chosen for something else. We are unique and that is what makes a photographer worth hiring, create and develop your own style.

First of all have a look at my photographs from the days shooting...

The shoot was fun, and the results made me fairly happy. A couple of blogs back I posted a before and after, so you can see the amount of work I put in on these.

I was given the RAW rushes of the video and they had been sitting on my desktop ever since. In the meantime I have practised a bit with video editing in Photoshop, no I don't have premiere pro yet, but I am sure it will come soon enough. 

I went through the rushes, embarked on a very steep learning curve and finally produced something half passable. I know it isn't perfect and I know where I went wrong, next time I need to direct closely, if not film it myself. I have to story board it and employ the techniques I learned at college between dodging Raptors and the occasional T-Rex. I know my image making voice more now and am confident to apply this to film, with that I feel I have grown from just a Photographer and can refer to myself, should anyone ask, as "Image Maker" now.

Here it is, my first real effort at a fashion film, there will be more and they can only really get better. I hope you enjoy this, let me know either way, comments and criticism are all welcome.

Next time I am hoping the November issue of Nat Geo Traveller UK will be in the shops, inside is an eleven page article featuring my photography, and I can tell you more about my wonderful China assignment for them.

Until then, check out my Website, Instagram , Tumblr, Twitter and Linkedin. Remember to LIKE COMMENT and FOLLOW.

Feel free to get in touch, if you have a questions, bookings, assignments etc..

Love to all...