Penang Portraiture Workshop

This is a series of workshops planned for this year......a series of many planned around Malaysia.

Communicating thru your subject

As photographers we frown and sometimes complaint of the pictures that we took. We complaint about the light, weather, the model. Yes, up to a certain extent I would agree. But in retrospect, if one is shooting human subjects and then frowns at how the picture looks like after wards.....hmmmmmm I would say improve on our communication with them.....it'll work wonders. Tell them what you want........heck tell them a sad story if you have to. If the mood that you want is sad that is....

One thing we need to remember, we are the one who see it all thru the camera's viewfinder not our subject.

Photography in economic turmoil

I was asked by fellow wedding photographers....on how to sustain their photo income in these current economic situations. Well, I simply answered....either u give more added value to your products/services or increase your asking price....however to do that one has to increase their skills as well. The other way is to lower down one's cost without affecting both quality of services and output.

One of the ways that I suggested to them is to shoot indoor (studio) shots using natural light. This in turn will reduce the overall cost in renting a studio. However, the trick to this is to firstly identify the right light to do so. Not all light will replicate studio shots. The angle, time of day, color, temperature etc plays a part as well.

Here's another sample of a shot using natural light to make it looked like a studio shot.

Quality of lights....the importance of.

Having to shoot outdoors in a variety of lights and shooting conditions posed every bit of a challenge to every photographer. Having to identify good light is another. Angle, time of day and strength of ambient light plays a part into every pic. How to blend and mix them to our own advantage takes time getting use to. For me every single lighting conditions (as long as its not totally dark, without the use of a strobe)......will have its own complementing way of using it to our subject. Type of skin, theme etc all takes planning to get it in tune.

For people on a budget, shooting outdoors does not mean that it has to be boring. One can turn it into indoors feel...with some recce-ing and proper planning, this can be achieved.

Here is an example of an outdoor shot trying to make it look indoors.

What I did on the first day of the year........

Went out with Shazly Khan and Jim Manan for a shoot with the ever sultry Evon T on the very first day of 2009. Didn't shoot much.....was still slow on the take.

Have not been shooting much lately......lost my appetite after my assignment with the H3D. Somehow compared to it....everything seemed less.

However....Evon managed to make our day and made me forget about the 3D for a while.

Thanks Evon, Shazly and Jim for accompanying me that day.

Portraiture.......its in the eyes.

I truly believe that a portraiture has to hve that connection with the viewer thru the eyes. It just make the pic just more compelling....but that does not mean that a portrait with the model not looking straight into the lens is not though. What I meant is that....it has to have that feel that connects with us. But speaking of eyes..........catch lights are a nice touch to have though.

Hari Raya & kids

These are the time to capture your kids....donning new dresses with bright and cheerful colors. Just love them when they go out with their parents for Raya open houses with their smiling and cheerful faces.

Of Raya open houses, new houses & new born

Hari Raya means a new meaning to all Muslims....but to some it is a celebration of life. Welcoming a new addition to the family. Well......to Dr Asyraf & Dr Suraya.....congatulations on your new baby boy and Selamat Hari Raya....Maaf Zahir & Batin.

Sometimes less is more

I feel that whatever we do on camera, has to be in harmony with whatever we'll do on PP (Post-Process). I learn it thru the hard way.....but here are some of my principles when I shoot portraiture:

1. GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out)....IMHO no matter how good ur PP skill is.....it is always good to capture them true to what u want first time around in camera.

2. Always shoot the Object & BG in mind. There are always cases whereby photogs will be so immersed with the model (in cases of leng lui) that they forgot to mind the BG.

3. Mind the lighting......when PP always mind the angle of the natural light when it falls onto their faces. So as not to emulate them on PP it in an unnatural manner.

4. Blemishes............too much of anything is not good. Too much PP of the blemishes is also not good & vice versa.

5. A little of everything will go a long way in PP.

These are all the minor/minute details that I look out for in my portraiture. But it all comes to a lot when it matters most....the final outcome.

Hope you guys benefit. Tq.

Oh...Beautiful Maria........

Just like the song by Los Lobos featured in the movie Mambo Kings. Maria was so captivating in front of the camera.....she really is a gem. Love the song a lot....but now got the girl to match it. These pics were taken during the workshop I conducted to show the participants the different lighting set ups indoors and getting catch lights outdoors.

Had an enjoyable time conducting the workshops and of course with Maria.

Of workshops and more workshops......

These few months was quite hectic for me.....being asked to conduct a few workshops, week in and week out. I believe a good workshop has to have the elements of 'humanness' to it......what I meant by this is simply.....one cannot learn without first to unlearn what they've learned previously. Then and only then one can absorb this new knowledge in. Absorb and blend with what you know once it has been digested whole. Take in what's useful and throw away what's not. But empty your mind first and take this new info with open arms....

Make mistakes...and you will learn. Teach and pass this knowledge through and the process of learning will accelerate even more.

To err is human.

Portraits....the learning of people

I was always asked this question.....how did I manage to come out with strong and powerful portraits? The answer to this is to get that connection with your subject...as quickly as one can. It's a study of the human character....your subject. One can't produce strong images if there aren't any connection between yourself and the object. Create that bond....make them comfortable. Ask them questions..let them know you. Be their pals...NO be their best pals.

Only then you can concentrate on angle, timing, composition, lighting etc etc.

I believe that this is true in my case.

Photography is about sharing your knowledge. This month I'll be conducting workshops for newbies just for the fun of it. My specialty...portraiture.

Dr. HIsham & Dr. Ixora

Been wanting to do their portraiture for quite some time now...just couldn't match their time. Hey...medical doctors are busy, u can't just drag them out of their OTs....there are patients to attend to. However, this time around we did manage to squeeze and find time during a seminar in Malacca. Well here they are....cheerful n all. Let me extend my thanks to both of them who has been a sport during the entire shoot....n to both Dr Hisham & Dr Ixora, who r proud parents to be.....my advance congratulations. Hope to see you soon.

Animal Portraiture

Animals? What can I say? They can look cute sometimes......with their antics, their cute looks, each with their own unique character. But to me, some of them mimic us humans in one way or the other. I just love how they look on camera.

Portraiture........and capturing the moments.

Each one of us are not created equal.........a good portraiture needs to capture the essence of the subject so that it will show the character through. It needs skill & experience to make them connect. That extra something. A beauty shot needs to amplify the beautiful side of a person. Only then will the true beauty shines through the photos. For example, eyes tells a lot about the character of a person, they'll tell you whether they are sad, happy or lonely. But above all, a great portraiture will let you feel what they are feeling through it.