I simplified and gave you the structure for easy editorial lighting of an Image in part one. However this goes into the meat of it. Yup the true desi can't live without their meat and neither can the photographer. It's the same reason Ceaser Salad has chicken strips in all the restaurants in Pakistan. I remember offfering to a friend (yes you Yellu) and the prompt reply was "I'm sorry, mujhe yeh ghaas nahi khaya jata". Yes, the grilled chicken strips weren't sufficient.Anyways back to the Lighting.
This Teach Tumbler includes:
Posing.
Positioning.
A)Posing the shoes. This is how I posed them. Yeah crazy right? Much like I would direct my subject I posed the shoes the way I wanted to see them. Notice the details are enhanced.
From the diamontes to the texture of the frill- you can almost feel the velvety texture of the soft frills. Also enhancing the image is detail of the silver insole which has jagged edges.
This is a great segway into Positioning. As I wanted to position my self in such a way that the insole right beneath the titled frill (shoe on it's side ) was hidden. However realizing that it would've made it look unnatural as the design continued on the entire insole I left it as it was.
Positioning my self : Now the shoes were backlight as discussed in the previous Lighting Teach Tumbler. Usually when flat lighting the photographer is on the same side as the reflector.
However I was shooting to the left of the shoes. So the shoes are backlit, and the reflector bounces back the light while I shoot from the side. ( Interesting fact : the reflector rested against my knee, in this Behind The Scenes photo I placed another cushion behind it.)
So I'm a writer & a photographer- but I cant draw:p
As a wedding photographer who shoots editorially I'm thinking previsualization to post process. Even Uncle Bob with his camera would know that in weddings moments pass quicker than you can say 'Bob'. All the steps I just broke down for you has to be second nature because there is no luxury of getting hours to shoot details- it's not a product shoot where you ample time for perfecting each shot.. Have a look through the Details Album.This is why you hire a pro. And when they tell you each image has value of their time and skill, it's not rhetoric. There is too much in every "digital image' for it to be free . Alizeh.
After the positive feedback on my First Teach Tumbler about how to incorporate your passion & experience into your photography to take it the next level of Editorial Images I thought it was time to do another. This time I focus on something all photographers face daily, from beginners to pros :LIGHTING. The Process:
Deciding Ambient Light or strobes.
Deciding the artistic vision.
Finding the Light.
Choosing the settings.
Enhancing the Light.
Post Process.
A : Deciding the light.
I decided I wanted to shoot it ambient light. What is ambient light? It is natural sources of light available in the place you're shooting. It could be the sun, the moon or the overhead lights in your room.
B. (Yup. Step one is that easy, decide the light and move on.) Deciding the artistic vision.Sounds hard right? All it means is pre-visualising how you want the image to look.
Are you going for a clean, light editorial image? Almost flat lighting it? Flat lighting is when something is lit directly and the light is diffused.
Or is it going to be a photo that is moody ? Something which is 3 dimensional is usually created by contrast and shadows.
C) Finding the Light.
Where is the light best according to the mood of the photo you've decided. I decided I liked the back lighting shot. What is that? It's as easy as it sounds. Backlighting is when the lightsource is behind the subject. For which in this case I had to just position my self so the shoes were backlight. (More in Part II).
D) Choosing the settings.
This depends on if it's a Human Subject or not and the basic settings. Also includes deciding the white balance. And for you guys I actually went through alot of them from Auto White Balance- Daylight- Shade-Cloudy.
E) Enhancing the light easily. So no fancy shamncy gear could be used keeping in mind the tutorial was to make it easy. So I trudged the couple of feet to my drawing room, grabbed the cushion with the lightest colour, a warm creamish tone. I Used the cushion as a reflector, to bounce back light which was falling off from the subject.
And that's how we got the Editorial Image .
This portraiture session was a blast and I decided to break the mold and translate the awesomeness in the Andy Warhol inspired post process.
I knew I had to shoot the container juxtaposed against rustic nature .
I fell in love with words surrounding me.I'm a writer and therefore words are all I have sometimes.
It's so awesome when you get to shoot with people who trust the vision you have in your mind (regardless of how crazy they think you are at the time. Now you see why I had to have the jacket inverted,regardless of the fact that it wasn't meant to be inverted).Thank you for being so incredibly patient throughout the entire process.
Editorially,
Alizeh.
Loving the Pearl ring and lights like scattered pearls at the back...
And the clapping to traditional tunes inside....
And the din of rejoicing outside.....
Bokehlicious at my fingertips....
The groom surrounded by friends and family...
Moment frozen in time .
The memories in between the moments ..
The freedom to be the ultimate storyteller....
Editorial Wedding Photojournalism...
And this is why I lead with my perspective of photojournalism rather then following the lead of any one else.
The words of the client at the meet up :"Complete Creative Freedom ". Love it when clients know exactly what they want & select me for my unique editorial perspective.
Lights like stars under the gorgeous worked canopy ...
Sibling Whispering....
The groom trying to resist being draped under the duppata....
This image captures the essence of the two brothers different personalities.And in black and white it's poetry.
Yeh Kis Ka Lahu
Yeh Kaun Mara
Qatil Hukumat Bol Zara
Bano Ka Yeh Armaan Tha Abaad Maqaan Hoga
Aik Roz Woh Ayega Asghar Bhi Jawan Hoga
Jub koi jawan lash nazar ati hay mehshar
Aik yad soye karbobala jati hay mehshar
Haye haye Ali akbar.
Armaan tha Pehnaogi Poshak Shahani
Afsos K Raaz Ayi Na Tujh Ko Yeh Jawani
Kaysa tha Muqadar
Haye Haye Ali Akbar...
Pakistan Hamara Hay.
"Haye Haath Minaz Zilla - Far removed are we from Disgrace" . Imam Hussain (a.s)
And the way she touched "ME" and glanced down - poetic photojournalism.
Tweeting @ the protest.
More Than A Thousand Words . I'd Say A Thousand Verses Of Poetry :
And the awakening of our conscience led to sleepless nights of the rulers in their fortresses of indifference to human life.
Labaik Ya Hussain (a.s) -Ab batao Fatah Kis ki huwi ?
Faceless: I am neither Shia nor Sunni . I am Pakistani and I deserve to live.
Shia Sunni Bhai Bhai , Hukumat K Maut Aye.
Where were you when my brothers were being slain in Chilas? And where was the imposing armor when mangled bodies with shrapnel lay on the streets of Quetta?
You are created to protect citizens. Not to protect the rulers from the citizens.
You have shields and bullet proof vests. Batons and tear gas canons -and we only have the love of Hussain(a.s).
And our voice of truth and standing against oppression is an old tradition: you won't understand till the dust sweeps over your eyes & then it will be too late to to realize: many "mighty" have trembled and fallen at this voice.
One gorgeous Gujrati Bride's Metamorphosis session .The following verse was what stayed with me:
"You Know It;s True
Everything I do , I do it for You".
You're the closest to heaven I'll ever be.
Personalities & Poetry.
In this teach Tumbler I let you know how my experience & practice effects my work .Being in extreme situations like flood hit areas and protests with thousands of people, where you have seconds to make decisions of the mechanics & how to further that knowledge to make it look like poetry. It's the translation of what the naked eye can see to what I'm feeling in that moment, through my view finder and the seamless execution of it all.
The picture above was cropped in camera & not during post process.
Hope you all liked the Teach Tumbler & learn something -even if it is what you would apply differently :)
Zooming Out,
Alizeh.
Terrorism has no religion but it masks it's self as the ultimate devotee.As this week brings us towards another Independence day, I implore the collective conscience of the nation to awaken and say NO to sectarian violence,however loudly they can and in any way possible so that those committing massacres and genocide like in Chilas, know their ruse is transparent and their reign of terror is over.
Let it not just be the clattering of a meaningless rejoicing, let's contemplate & change something.Even if that's just a whisper in your heart that protests ethnic cleansing and genocide.Hopefully one day it will be a voice strong enough to crumble the feeble facade of these cowardly masked men.
Zooming Out,
Alizeh.
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