Off The Hip

Do you ever accidentally press the shutter when you are getting yourself together to go and shoot? I always always always do it. But sometimes I like the shot that I accidentally took. 

This is one of those accidental shots that I really like. I really like the hints of colour in a very black and white shot, filled with contrast.

Flat 47

In case you haven't already heard I've started to do a documentary, one I can work on in my spare time. Title, "Flat 47".

I want it to be a black and white documentary, and whilst I've started it on digital a few shots here and there could end up being done in film. Maybe. I can't decide yet. Probably not due to expense though.

Anyway, I started some shooting for it this weekend...

Thursday 8th November.

This was my most successful shot of the night and I'm still not overly fond of it. However it does demonstrate the style I was originally out aiming for. I've since sacked off the square format. 

Saturday 10th November.

I believe this collection of bottles (and cans) has been growing since the start of term and I haven't even captured it all yet.

Family shot? I like this shot. Turns out once you get the hang of a Metz Flashgun they can be quite useful. I'm still practising though.

Something was funny. 

Now this shot would be easy to turn in to a Square format image which I intend to do at a later date. However it isn't one I want to turn Black and White because I love the burst of colour in it. 

Another group image, it's just a shame one person wasn't paying attention.

This project is definitely going to be a long one as it keeps going. And I think it's definitely going to take a while before my camera becomes ignorable. I mean ...

Clearly not appreciated! Sadly the photo didn't turn out or this would be quite a mugshot.

New Idea

Today has been a productive one, this morning I was out shooting in Pittville Park with the lovely Ellie Reed-Mumford on a Mamiya camera. I adore shooting film and we saw some really pretty shots, shame we were setting out to shoot portraits and not landscapes. I think we both got at least one landscape though… I shall scan in my shots one day next week and upload.

On another topic though I have decided to set myself a new documentary project, one to do in my spare times and weekends when I’m out and about in Birmingham.

My current project for uni is all about housing and how wealth determines your environment. That’s all outside. What’s inside? Even more interesting what goes on inside four walls when you’ve not long moved in to a new place with people you have never ever met before? Well, my story “Flat 47” should hopefully help me to show you.

I’ve decided to document James Phillips and his flatmates. I think they’ve gotten used to me being around now so they just have to get used to me having my camera glued to my face for a lot of the time. Something I started tonight.

It isn’t exactly a brilliant photo but it’s Black and White and that’s how I’m hoping to style this story. I quite like but not as much as I want to.

My photos should improve later on, as both sides get more used to the idea. The above image is also missing a person. Only four out of the five were in the flat earlier.

A Cheeky Edit

Photoshop is not my strong point and nor has it ever been. Today though I spent some time playing around on CS6. I spent most of the time stressing out because I couldn't get the image how I want it. It still isn't how I want it. However, I am still liking what I have managed to get.

As you can see, contrast has been whacked up to emphasise the shadows on the stones and some of the saturation has been taken out as well. Ideally, I'd like to be able to pump some of the yellow back in to the photo. 

I'm not usually a fan of hugely edited images (although, this isn't thaaaat huge), what are your thoughts?

To be able to get my head round this newer version of photoshop, I'm going to have to play around a lot more, so expect more posts like this one. Maybe. 

Pittville - Test Shots

A project I've recently started involves exposing Cheltenhams grotty side. Everybody thinks it's such a posh place and all lahh de dahh but I don't. I'm not sure if it's because of where I'm living in Pittville halls or if I'm just so used to the cute little village of Davenham it all seems so big and I've become aware of everything.

Anyway, to start my project off and help me to determine the style of images I want to use I headed out, round my campus to start taking photos. These are some of what I got.

This is my favourite shot from the shoot yesterday, I love the slight vignette around it. It took me ages to get and I probably looked like a bit of a fool sat on the floor by the smoking shelter/bike rack taking photos of the bottom of the bin. 

Look at this great dirty stain, this is what I can see out my window, just below the pigeon spikes. It looks even worse here on a close up photograph. 

How did that chair get up there? I would love to know. 

I'd prefer this image if I cropped the top a little, it's a bit too overexposed for me, that or a black line to mark where the image starts and ends if it was being printed. 

Spare scaffolding? I think that's what this is. I think this image is quite peaceful somehow, all the smooth lines with only a few rougher textures. 

This shoot went much better than I expected and I got a whole range of images from it. I don't think there is going to be a specific something I look for in my shoots, I'm just going to see what I find and shoot. Lots.