I was invited to do photography workshop – Shooting People in Location – by Camera Club Aboca from Turku. Workshop was held in in Hostel Tuorla, Kaarina.
On Saturday we began photography workshop in classroom and I demonstrated basics of shooting people in location, and basics of lighting. In first lighting demo I showed how to use window light as main light. We had cloudy day so lighting condition stayed quite the same all the time, and it helped to demonstrate how to place model in relation to window that light creates light and shadow side to model’s face and how her tone values separate enough from background’s tone values.
Petteri Mäntysaari (Kappas Valokuvaamo) took some funny images while I was teaching, kind of “horror gallery” how strange faces one does while speaking… I think he didn’t even show me the worst ones… 😀 After lighting demo participants split all over the building to practice and shoot.
Sunday morning was misty but by the time workshop began it was all clear and direct sunlight. Because participants had very different amount and sort of lighting equipment, I demonstrated lighting people in different kind of available light conditions, and I used also different kind of lighting equipment. It’s easiest to begin in shade if you don’t have that much lighting equipment, so that’s were we began.
… and before I used any reflector or additional light sources, I used black fabric…
After I demonstrated how to use black fabric as screen and some reflectors, I showed how to use one flashlight as additional light source. I used Canon Speedlite 600 EX-RT with radio transmitter, and as light modifier white translucent umbrella (Elinchrome 105 cm). In shade nature of light is soft, and white translucent umbrella modifies light source’s light more soft. This ways additional light source produces same kind of light than available light is, and lighting doesn’t show in final image. Image appears like it’s done only with available light.
Then we headed to direct sunlight. And we began with black fabric once again… I’m sure participants remember after workshop that you always need some black fabric when you shoot people in location… you just need to block light from those spots you don’t want to have it.
… and then of course you need to be able to modify available light. Classical disposable sheet is cheap light modifier to soften direct sunlight. And it’s usable in many other ways too…
Next image shows two of my homemade light modifiers, aluminum frames in which you can attach different kind of materials to modify available light. I’ve built frame from aluminum pipes and plastic adapters bought from hardware store. You can find DIY- instructions from my Light & Lighting Guidebook.
Here I demonstrate how to soften direct sunlight with factory-made diffuser. This one is Lastolite Collapsible Reflector.
Next lighting demonstration I prevented available light to hit model’s face with black fabric attached to aluminum frame. And then we created light side to model’s face with Lastolite TriGrip –reflector. I find this particular product useful in many cases because it includes eight different surfaces: black/white, diffuser, sunlite/soft silver, silver/white, sunfire/silver, gold/white.
In last lighting demo I used two Canon Speedlite 600 EX-RT:s as additional light sources.
Direct sunlight is hard light and that’s why I used glossy umbrellas as light modifiers because it spreads out light in wider area. In main light there was glossy, silver umbrella (Elinchrome, 105 cm).
In fill light I used glossy gold-silver umbrella (Elinchrome, 105 cm) because it creates a bit warmer light that silver one. I prefer that model’s faces has a bit warmer tone on shadow side.
After lighting demos participants headed to shoot all around the area of Hostel Tuorla to shoot. I can imagine now everyone knows how bright direct sunlight is, and how powerful additional light sources you need to beat that!
Participants practicing… Our hostess in Hostel Tuorla was Marja Vaiste, who voluntary participated as model. Thank you Marja for everything 🙂
At the end of the day we gathered again in classroom to see results. Two days went by fast, but it was fun to begin shooting people in location photography workshops for this summer 🙂
Thank you Aboca for organizing course, Thank you Johanna Ahonen, Petteri Mäntysaari ja Tuula Kalima for great action shots and THANK YOU FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS. It was great to see all old and new people who share same passion for photography 🙂