My previous ballerina asked me, will I be able to help her on one of the college projects. It actually a simple fashion magazine that she intended to pull up, but very tight and ambitious schedule. With some help from Brian, www.brianchoong.com we manage to get a few shots. I kind of late to submit to her, so she had taken most of Brian shots on the assignment, and without further due.
Here is my shots. Taken with A300 and single flash.
I did a shooting with a group of young ballerina in Ipoh, by Crystal Ballet. It was exciting with all the preparation and adhoc stuff. For starter, I forgot to bring my radio trigger and alpha adapter. Basically, it screw up everything, at least, the plan to shoot with my A300 is basically gone. We got 3 of us, Nikon user d60, Canon user D500, 2 sb600, 1 Canon flash, 1 nikon ttl cabel, PT-II radio triger 2 receiver + 1 trigger, and my A300 + flash. As for strobing, we got a large DIY screen reflector, light stand, umbrella, reflector, reflective cloth, and bunch of ducktape.
It all started around 11pm the day before the actual shooting, we start testing the lights, get use to the studio, and basically marking and setting. It takes so much time as we are too new in this, which took us almost 2 hours, then Ivan continue on his FIFA pursue, and leaving me and greg to try the Joe McNally ballerina testing… (which not successful, anyway)
The testing is done, we wrapped it up and go back to sleep but it already 5:00 am, and we need to wake up at 7:00am and shooting start at 8. Well, it is tiring, but we make it somehow. Shooting went quite well except it was very rush as we would only had 3 hours for shooting and setting.
Anyway, here is something we learned.
-Shoot in studio, look in histogram, don’t trust your LCD unless you used to it.
-Shoot in raw.
-Beware of background.
-Bring your gear and dont leave them at home.
-Radio trigger PTII are not really good for full power usage, since we always need to test before shooting.
-Ducktape is hero…
-PTII is no good for canon flash… too troublesome… Nikon flash are better in this. Not to mention… extremely troublesome for sony… even if it work…
Kuala Sepetang,
Place where it famous for it charcoal factory, is indeed another good location to explore on portraiture. It is quite, less crowded, and peaceful place, with a lots of good natural lights and a scent of feel on charcoal factory . Of course, it is actually a private properties and always bear in mind that the owner had every rights not to allow anyone to take photo. Most important is to respect and not disturbing their working routine , not to mention courteously ask for photo shooting.
We are so glad that we are able to take some shots there, and the best time of the shooting will be on early morning, 1-2 hours after sun rise and the worker aren’t yet started working and place are less crowded with people.
These series aren’t really focus on posing, but rather application of natural lights, so there are a lot of room for improvement.
Really thanks for the model for posing for us….(* she been refusing to photograph for years…..)
This is a very interesting, I always thought I never like B&W, as if it was something I never enjoy. Well, I always believe colour is beautiful and black and white is so lame, as I only use it because I want to save some pictures that either white balance is out, over/under exposed or superly noisy. But the true fact is that, I never really did shoot in pure black and white. So I give it a try, and to my suprise, I just love it… I reveal my shots, and revert to colour, it still pretty tasteless compare to the black and white version. It felt like, you been drinking coffee with ice, but never really take a nice sip of hot coffee…. Some cool fact shooting in black and white…
#1, Your worried is lesser, no need to think about PP, as what u see in the Viewfinder, will be ur outcome… so rely more to the composition, and camera setting rather expect to PP after which.(assuming u r very good with PP). Since you already catch a glimps of what ur final outcome, so you can retake more better, and recompose.
#2, Black and White, it reduce distraction and at the same time, it also reduce attraction. This is an interesting key point for the composition. You background will be less distracted, so with your subject but again, how your make your subject more interesting or highlighted will bring so much impact to the picture…
#3, Noise.This is the first time, I don’t mind a noisy camera, as ISO 800 noise is something I can tolerate now. Noisy Black and White had it own attitude, it make nostalgic impression but again, you can make use of noise where it now, an intended element…
Here is some humble shots
The planning was quite adhoc, here is the conversation.
(2 days before the shooting)
Me: Yo, cousin. How are you?
Freda: Fine,
Me: Since you work in Singapore and hardly come back, why not we go and take some picture?
Freda: Want meh? (not so convincing looks)…
Me: Come lar, trust me… the next time we meet might be another year… no worry… just some simple shots… you be happy for sure..
(after 10 minutes of convincing her)
Freda: Ok lar, but dont be too late… I got another gathering after that time…
(1 day before the shooting)
Me : Yo!, got portraiture session again…
Greg: OK , Who, What, Where, When …
…….
Greg: Set….
(3 photographer sign up for it)
(Actual shooting day…)
Me: Gong Xi Fa Cai…. Boss, where we going to start shooting… I was thinking about Old town
Ivan: I had an abandon place in mind nearby the “Yee Lai Hong”, Wanna give a try..
Me: No need, just go there…
…..
That is how we planned the shoots…
Here is some photo …
Shooting is always fun, even when you shoot your close friends. It actually 50% hiking and 50% photo shooting as most of my close buddy are serious photographer. I couldn’t had complete this without the help of 2 buddy of mine that I had known for for 10 year.
My ex-roommate as my tall, and sturdy lighting assistant , and my travel-kaki as my legendary male model who hardly gain weight, hyperactive with adrenaline pumping with whatever he do . With both of them, shooting could never be boring, and we just keep getting new idea..untill the point I had to stop the flow of idea due to tight schedule.
Nevertheless, here is the shots.
When we talk about dont forget to shoot, what will the first thing come into your mind…
The first things pop up into my mind, it would be even that big event that usually happen to someone once in a lifetimes.
For example,
A very simple shooting with a newly met friend, Belinda. She is a very passionate girl with a lot of interest in photoshooting. Well, the location ain’t too fancy as it was her friend’s condominium swimming pools, but it was a very quite place. I think I could do better next time.
This is the 2nd post process, my first 88% Black and white
My shooting session is getting really scarce… as my weekends are too ocupy by everything except photoshooting. Out of the blue, Greg ask me to borrow him my umbrella and he wanted to shoot for a pre-weddin, and it happen to be a weekend where I was abandonned and let alone. Without much hessitation, I asked him, could I join, and he agrees to it. So that is how I got to know this beautiful couple, Jhavaan and Madi….
They are really intimate, coorperative, never question and hesitate when I try to direct them. This just make the shooting so much easier and natural. I would say, they are the most fun and daring couples to shoot with.
Here is some shots.
A simple adhoc session, too rush to plan something new, as our model just finish her exam at 12th and we do not really had much time to plan. It was fun shooting with her and we had good time photoshooting… 
Our model Nishi, was a first timer in portraits shooting and I already believe she did a great job as her eye contact was so sharp and always listen to our direction. It is kind of fun to shoot with her.
