Why Planning Is Essential In Photography

As a photographer you will be competing with millions of other photographers. How many of us take the time to really reflect on the imagery we are bombarded with everyday?

Imagine you have a blank frame, its easier to close your eyes for this one to avoid distractions!

Now imagine that you have taken a portrait of a person of interest, say, a footballer, baseball player or perhaps a movie star. Are they sitting down or they standing? Where are they looking? How are their eyes expressing themselves? Do they look happy or sad? 

Sometimes taking a step back and switching off, and going within you,  will help you to find what really resonates with you. And what you would like to capture with your photography. 

Whoever you may be photographing, whether it's a bride and groom or a model, for your photo to stand out, you will need to be aware of what you would like to create before you even pick up the camera. 

The advantage of working with a professional model is that when you communicate with them what you are looking for, they will flow with effortless ease into that state. No doubt, someone who has been before a camera thousands of times, will by experience, allow you to create and capture some dynamic images. 

Next comes lighting. 

Having some basic knowledge of studio lighting can help you to create some well lit images but often distractions abound in such scenarios. And if there is one approach to lighting that perhaps is the best it would certainly be the simplest. 

How many times have you been amazed by a portrait taken with a singular light source, up high, directed downward towards the subject. Or perhaps even natural light pouring in through the window illuminating just enough to really emphasize those cheekbones? 

As you can see through these images, shooting portraits requires motion! It’s not about simply dropping someone in one position and shooting directly at them. Feel your surroundings and communicate how you would like your subject to express themselves. Watch them carefully as they move from one pose to the next, how is the light changing, how is the shadow changing as they move their head or neck? 

Going on a portrait shoot?

Prepare by planning what you would like to capture. Keep it simple, communicate with your subject in advance if you can, if not be present. Keep a keen eye on how light is falling on the face for it can dramatically change like the passing of the clouds can change the light on a landscape. 

Choosing the favourite image can be tricky too, no? Which one was your favourite from the shoot? 

Do go ahead and subscribe and turn on the bell icon so you'll know exactly when the next video of this series of videos is gonna drop and I look forward to seeing you in a workshop with me very, very soon.

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How to Frame Amazing Portraits on Bronica Zenza ETRS

How to shoot Kodak Portra 400 in the morning: https://youtu.be/I6M_i4YA_G0

Framing and capturing amazing portraits on Kodak Portra 400 Fashion & Portraits in late afternoon with Bronica Zenza ETRS. If you haven't gone back and watched the first, second and third one, go back and watch those because it will show you how to use Kodak Portra 400 in early morning, mid morning and early afternoon circumstances.

This final set is from a late afternoon set that we did, right at the end we thought, oh, we have got to get another session in and this set is having a bit more of a bohemian theme. We decided to again, change up the location zone a bit, walk down, bit further away to see what we could capture in the environment to match the theme that we were shooting in and I can tell you now, some of the images are absolutely stunning.

It was a brilliant day shooting and I hope you can take away some real key pointers on how to shoot this beautiful film in different circumstances. Also, go ahead and tell me which one is your favourite image! Which one stood out for you? Which was the absolute best shot for you and tell me why you liked it?

If you have any questions about Kodak Portra 400, or the Bronica ETRS, which I shot with, or any other types of film cameras, do get in touch, tell me what you wanna learn more about. Do go ahead and subscribe and turn the bell icon on so you get the next video. I hope to see you in a workshop with me very soon.

Which one was your favourite picture? Make sure you let me know, and oh, I've got a little bonus video coming up. See you in the next one!

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Capturing Stunning Vintage Portraits on Kodak Portra 400

Capturing Stunning Vintage Portraits on Kodak Portra 400 with Bronica Zenza ETRS fashion and portraits third video in a series of videos that I'm dropping on how to shoot this wonderful film stock. If you're interested in shooting portraits in fashion on a bright summer's day, then this is the perfect set for you.

If you haven't seen the first two videos, strongly recommend you go back and see those because they will show you what kind of images you could get in the early morning to mid morning. Check that out and then come back here and watch this video here.

In this video, we're gonna look at an early afternoon shoot and we changed it up, so we changed our location and we changed the theme to a more vintage 60's, 70's look.

We decided to walk around and see what we could capture in the streets. Enjoy the images that are gonna be coming up. Go ahead and tell me which one's your favourite images, which one really stood out for you in the comments section below!

Do go ahead and subscribe and turn on the bell icon so you'll know exactly when the next video of this series of videos is gonna drop and I look forward to seeing you in a workshop with me very, very soon.

For more Subscribe and turn on the notifications for your weekly video drop!

Follow: IG @analogueahsan

Prints: https://stilljourneying.smugmug.com

Support my work here and get your hands on my prints: https://www.patreon.com/ahsanabbas

Website: www.ahsanabbas.com

Portraits on Bronica Zenza ETRS with Kodak TMax 400

One of the first times I shot with the Bronica Zenza ETRS was at a portrait photography workshop I was running in London.

I had a bunch of wonderful photographers who came out and got some amazing pictures on the day. After a little bit of hesitation whether to take my Bronica Zenza ETRS with me, I was so glad I took the chance!

The Bronica Zenza captures more medium format negatives, up to 15 images per roll, on 6 by 4.5. I was hesitant to shoot with the camera due to the pressures of leading a group and getting some quick shots in between.

The shots came out so good! I rolled up some Kodak TMax 400 and the grain and the quality that came out was absolutely stunning. I loved every shot I got on it!

A little background on the Kodak Tri X. It first appeared in the 1940s before being upgraded to TriX in 1954 available in 320ISO and 400 ISO. It was probably the go to film for photojournalists and could be pushed with ease to 800 ISO, pushing it any further would require a little more delicate work in the lab.

We walked to different locations, assessed the options work collaboratively to capture some fun shots in each location. The workshop started quite late in the summer afternoon and we started to lose the light. I was quite concerned about shooting with ISO 400 film knowing the variability in summer light we get in England. Top tip: In these circumstances, its best to find locations where you can maximise your light output!

Working the camera is quite a lot of fun, as well as, getting you to think more about the images you take. The waist level viewfinder encourages you to move and create new angles and shapes before you take the shot. Choosing Kodak TX was probably the best decision I made on the day. The images came out with so much character. The clarity of the images came out superb along with just the right amount of grain to go with it.

When I get a chance to get out and shoot a similar style shoot again there are some things, I will take into account more carefully. Here in the UK, we typically have to really make the most of the lighting conditions. The best thing to do is try and get an update on the weather and then base your decision on where to shoot thereafter.

If it is your first time shooting with an analogue camera, then be prepared to factor in a bit more time. The other thing to think carefully about is the type of film you will be using. Be mindful of the potential conditions you will be in as you want the film that will best perform under those conditions. Most importantly, think about what you want to communicate with your camera audience. That will probably be the most important factor in choosing your film, so choose wisely!