Life Observed

Well, I was asked to do a load of portraits for our church PCC recently. This involves creating mug shots for all committee members quickly and efficiently before one of the meetings. This sounds like a job for Strobist Man, so I took along my three old Sunpak flashes, a home made lighting stand, two home made lighting modifiers and a light tripod to act as a second lighting stand. The home made modifiers are folded matt mylar with velcro, as shown below. They spread the light a bit more, they fold flat and they make it look like you know what you are doing... OK, so I do use flash occasionally for set piece images like these two: I have a set of cheap radio triggers already, and I have read portrait lighting theory carefully :-)   However I don't generally photograph people , and portraits shots are even more challenging. Astute readers will know I have done a fashion shoot a few months ago. The outdoor shots with key and fill flash were OK, but the ...

If you avoid using tradesmen , then perhaps you do it yourself? I am the house electrician, carpenter, plumber and painter. Judging by the crowds at the local DIY hardware store, it's a popular money saving gambit these days. Of course it only saves money if you can do a good job . My colleague was describing his neighbours attempts at DIY. In what should have been the quote of the week he said "I don't think much of his DIY skills. His house is full of corners he has cut"