Siobhan In The Forest
FUN PHOTOSHOOT IN EPPING FOREST
Wow, I can't believe how time flies. This took place 3 Junes ago, in 2017. I was at Epping Forest with Siobhan, my model/actress friend for a casual photo shoot to be used for her social media and website.
It was an incredible day and a very fun shoot despite the fact that half of my equipment failed and the light wasn't 100%. We managed to squeeze out as much as we could from what we had.
I mentioned in another post that I enjoyed going to Epping Forest, including for photography. It's the perfect place for it. There are various spots that are quiet enough where you won't be disturbed by people or dogs. There are also various photography props like logs of wood to sit on or stand next to. There are also many easy-to-climb trees.
One thing I like to do when photographing people is make some video clips as well. I enjoy making compilations of these clips to complement the photographs. They're perfect for websites and Instagram (IG TV) for instance. Besides, social media is more and more about video nowadays.
Another reason that I make the clips, which might not be obvious, is the fact that it helps my subjects relax and get into the vibe. We would normally joke around and "practice" poses, before the shoot actually began. These fun videos are a great way to get the correct vibe.
Video/
As mentioned above, the main lens I took to use failed, so I had to use a backup lens which was a vintage manual lens from one of my film cameras. This video is straight out of camera with no colour grading, presets, LUTS or "filters" used. The cinematic look is from the vintage lens.
Photos/
All photos were taken with a half-broken Sony A6000 and a vintage soviet-era lens, the Helios 44-2. The lens is a 50mm F2 lens and is known for creating that swirly background, seen in some of the photos, when the conditions are right.
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Another great thing about Epping Forest is that it's got some thick bushes to hide behind. Siobhan brought a small suitcase of different clothes to change into. While she's a kind of expert at changing in public without showing anything, lol, the bush curtains were a welcome convenience on the day.
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I mentioned that the light wasn't the best on the day. Towards the end, we did get some good light, low and warm. The quality of light was also affected in some areas by the fact that the trees blocked the sky light. In those cases, we resorted to some black and white shots (that I haven't shared here). As it happens, black and white photos may be great for street photography, but they're not that effective for casual lifestyle social media photos - which was what we were going for.
Peace & Love,
Adé