Portrait Photography

The Falkirk Wheel

07.21.10

Last weekend I finally visited the Falkirk Wheel. This amazing and unique structure uses clever engineering and counterbalancing to lift barges between the Forth and Clyde and Union Canals. It is so well constructed it achieves this amazing feat using the kind of energy that you or I use to boil a kettle. Since each gondola and barge weighs about 250 metric tonnes, this is cool!

Photographically, it was overcast and the light was anything but magical; once again I have sold my soul to the demons of monochrome to help me focus on the form and majesty of the boat lift. Often, strong shapes look better defined in black and white as distracting colour elements are removed.

Here’s the lift from the front. (Sigma 10-20)

If the light is dull, it’s nice to pick out interesting details of the structure. It’s kind of like macro photography on a grand scale.

For this angle on the boat lift, the clouds parted enough to allow a brief use of colour; don’t be deceived into thinking the light made an honest photographer of me, the blue saturation has been thrashed to within an inch of its life here to force some colour drama. The yellow and orange has also been pushed to add warmth to the steel structure, emphasising the hints of rust.

These ones show the aqueduct that carries barges from the Union Canal to the boat lift. They are classic Falkirk Wheel views, and I’m sure the world has plenty of them already; its fun for a portrait guy like me to reproduce the standard landscape stuff for a bit of practice. Humour me please. The second and third using my 17-85 on telephoto to compress the upright supports.

I would certainly urge a look if you are in Central Scotland; beautiful engineering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkirk_Wheel

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Anne at Craigendoran Pier

07.01.10

You might remember Anne from my recent posting of some pictures at her home. Anne needed some pictures for a magazine article about her, (she is a highly regarded psychologist), and wanted them to place her at her home town by the Clyde. I was delighted to be asked as Anne had some pictures taken by the journal in question but wasn’t keen on them, it does rather ramp up the pressure on my pictures however.

The setting we chose was the old ruined pier near Anne’s home. Helensburgh, the Gareloch and the hills of Argyll are in the background. This picture was a candid one before we started photographing in earnest.

Anne doesn’t particularly like standing close to the waters edge, despite swimming being her favourite activity, so the post is a genuinely comforting prop. The old pier seems to scream out for an “antique” treatment;

This time a different angle, looking across the Clyde to Greenock. Once again I couldn’t resist a faded look, to match the mood of this other part of the old pier. This is possibly my favourite picture from the session, it shows Anne being strong and confident, which is something I love in her.

I know, duotone again, it’s the pier, I can’t help it. No portraitist could dislike the juxtaposition of Anne’s lovely expression against the softly blurred, faded pier. If I’m not mistaken, there’s that confidence again!

This is an unusual one, and while I love it, it wasn’t the look that I was trying to achieve. Sometimes the accidents reveal something surprising or fun, so I have included this one. When we looked at the file on the camera back, I joked that we had accidentally produced a “Russian Bride” look; I’m not sure she’ll ever forgive me for that. It’s something about the downward cast of her head, that isn’t her usual mode.

Anyway, it’s a great portrait in my view, the light on the water and the interplay of the piers, with the stunning Argyll backdrop; Anne very much in her place.

As always, I hope Anne likes these.

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The Vampire Parade

06.23.10

Last Saturday I was at the Drymen fair in the evening to photograph my new friends the “Viper Parade” as seen in my previous post. I hoped for some lovely lighting to get some magnificent pictures; ha, the portraitists lot is never so easy:-) I believe the problem is that I haven’t actually sold my soul to the devil yet. Truth be told the devil hasn’t actually made a concrete offer, but when the time comes you can believe that permanent nice light will be my basic position soul-wise.

I started by checking my 70-300 mm lens to ensure I could get close without getting in the audience’s way. This fine waiting telecaster seemed a good victim.

When the music started, I realised that a tent with the sun almost down but behind the band was a recipe for dark faces.

It must be further observed that the marquee was a bit stained and blotchy as well.

So the old black and white was largely my fall-back again to introduce some atmosphere.

And the other last refuge of a photographic scoundrel, added grain!

But all this is irrelevant when a jangly telecaster features in the pictures.

Oops, two telecasters!

I feel sure there is a bassist in among all that camouflage.

In colour this photo of the band in full flight was a mess of clashing shades, so black and white again.

The band had a minor setback too, as the programme for the day listed them as the “Vampire Parade” instead of the actual name of the “Viper Parade”.

But none of this was troubling them at all.

Nothing would throw “Breeks” of his stride.

Black and white is the very thing for accentuating Mike’s manly rock and roll stubble.

It isn’t actually known whether Mike practices the “Springsteen look”, but it’s working.

Eventually, the revellers of Drymen were infected by the vibe and took to their feet. Let the dancing begin.

As you can tell I would have dearly liked to set up a flash or two for drama, or better still have the “Vipers” under a flashy lighting rig, but in the end thoroughly enjoyed making the best of the light that was there, and more importantly enjoying a brilliant gig. Flashy light shows regardless, they sounded tight and put on a great show.

Perhaps the devil might find me a tough proposition:-)

You must check these guys out, they have some great MP3’s on their site and some pictures from my last session with them.

http://www.theviperparade.co.uk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYXFhn7WKco&feature=related

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The Viper Parade Rehearsal

06.20.10

Last Monday, following on from visiting Mike Ritchie at his guitar workshop in Fintry, I visited Mike with his band in a rehearsal studio in Glasgow. The Viper Parade, like all bands rehearse in very photography unfriendly, windowless room. I used one flash on a stand which I moved around the room to introduce some drama to many of the pictures that the overhead domestic spotlights couldn’t deliver. The guys rehearsed and entertained me hugely while I tried not to get too much in their way. (Thanks for the Tom Waits cover). I have mostly gone for black and white with some grain added as the colour cast from the mixed tungsten and flourescent lighting proved ugly. It’s a good technique for a rock band when rescuing poor light folks. Hopefully you will like the effect.

http://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/The-Viper-Parade/134157649930793

http://www.theviperparade.co.uk

First the amazingly upbeat skins-man, Andy “breeks” Brand. He likes AC/DC apparently, that makes him very cool in my book.

And of course, Mike Ritchie, AKA Sean Hughes, comedian! (Anyone else think so)?

Betraying a shocking disloyalty here to the beautiful acoustic instruments he creates.

I have to admit though that telecasters are cool!

Introducing the other half of the solid-as-a-rock rythm and bass section, Andy, AKA Refugee.

Last but not least, lead guitarist Francisco Davidson. A guitar afficianado’s dream but a photographers’ nightmare. Dancing compulsively while playing guitar doesn’t lend itself to focus locking on eyes; I’m just saying…

Stick in, practice hard, and one day guys, you too might get to play in front of flourescent wall-lighters! Very hip!

Just to prove they were all in one room at the same time.

And the obligitary, the van is packed, “how about one for the road guys” shot. Identity parade anyone?

By this time I had broken their spirit and they had finally connected with the “posers within”…

I don’t think he actually smokes, the thought of that album cover just turned him into a “bad boy of rock” 🙂

Catch them somewhere if you can, watch their facebook page for gig info.

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Mike Ritchie 2

06.15.10

Regular followers of my blog will recognise this striking man as Michael Ritchie, guitar maker. Mike made my acoustic guitar, and although it is as damn near perfect an instrument as I have ever played, it wasn’t made specifically for me. Mike is remedying that now, and so I had an opportunity to visit him in his workshop. Here he is with some near-complete instruments behind him.

And again, just giving a sense of setting. Somehow Mike just fits these surroundings, he doesn’t just work with wood, he is utterly passionate about it; where else could he be but here.

A closer picture of Mike here, but critically folks, just for a change ignore the relaxed expression with the nice graduated light across the face, that’s the headstock of my new guitar.

And here it is, Indian Rosewood, Sitka Spruce and Mahogany, all assembled by Mike’s expert paws. I’m so excited!

Mike isn’t just a learn it and get in a rut luthier. He has made it his business to spend time in Spain studying with the spanish and flamenco guitar builders, and he has adapted many of their traditional techniques for use here in Scotland. Note the use of string and wedges where many might expect metal clamps. It’s a joy to watch this work happening.

And finally a detail of one of Mike’s near complete Classical instruments. Look at the hand finished detail round the soundhole. This is a pre-polished and finished guitar. Some lucky person will own this soon.

Mike’s workshop is pretty dark and presents a difficult photographic environment. I used a little offboard flash on occasion, and a couple with natural light only. The picture of mike holding my guitar neck was ISO 2000, and the picture of my guitar nearing completion was ISO 2500. No noise reduction was applied in Lightroom 3. You couldn’t say the Canon 7d has no noise, it has plenty at these settings, but it is surprisingly unobtrusive in real use.

There will be more pictures of Mike’s band posted soon, once I can process the next batch of challenging, low light pictures I took.

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