Digital SLR Photographer feature

Was contacted by Digital SLR Photographer magazine back in February to see if I would like to write an article on studio still life lighting.  Well in my previous life I spent twenty years locked away in a dark studio lighting products and things, so I thought why not.

The features editor challenged me to light a guitar with minimal equipment, and only using two lights, I could do better than that as I often only use one light on much of my studio work.  Whilst I do have a studio full of Elinchrom studio lighting, I still like to keep the shots simple, not too many shadows etc.

The idea is to invest time in ways to bounce that light back at the subject, could be tin foil or white card, the devices that hold that card in a particular spot are readily available from photographic equipment suppliers.

The article was published last week and I was pleased to get a few emails from readers who had liked the article and were inspired to attempt to photograph their own guitars.
I was impressed that someone had read the article, let alone wanted to have a go at the technique themselves.

I found the whole process quite rewarding and look forward to doing it again. 

'30 Days in September'

http://vimeo.com/21430137

‘30 Days in September’ a trailer for a road trip film where we meet just a handful of the people of real America.  Traveling over 4000 miles through 9 States in September 2010, the film gives you a peek at the lives we came across along the way.

Monkey Business

This shoot was commissioned last year to shoot some press shots for Twycross Zoo in the Midlands.  They were launching the new building and it was a fantastic feature.  I had to shoot models on a white background and also some lifestyle shots in and then around the zoo to promote the restaurant etc.

Once the day was over and I was back at my base, I had to edit the thousand images I had taken and  then email lo-res files for the client to make a selection of which images he wanted for the campaign.  Having finished a 1.30am  I was able to rest.  This can be a typical day on a shoot like that.

Please enjoy the video that Stuart produced form the behind the scenes...

New Website Launch

Decided to celebrate the launch of www.vernonclarke.com with a good old fashioned cuppa, the beers can hold until later.   

Once again, a huge thank you to Paul Connop at Liberty Creative for all of his time, patience and showing me the way forward.

                                                          www.vernonclarke.com                                                    

"If you can't stand the heat"

Last year, during the Summer, I was commissioned to shoot lifestyle images at a holiday village near Cork in Ireland.  Shooting models on the golf course and generally having fun etc, “hard work, but someone has to do it.”

Then one evening, the client suggested that I shoot some food prep shots in the kitchen. Having seen Gordon Ramsay in Hells Kitchen, I was eagerly waiting for the smile on their faces to indicate that it was a belated April fools joke, and I could stay comfortably seated with my well earned pint of Guinness.  Ten minutes later, with some persuasion, I entered the world of the kitchen during a very busy service.

The noise was intense, the bustling energy with everyone  doing their thing and manning each station.  However, I was able to blend in and adopt “Steve’s stealth approach”  to photography.

I have been asked to shoot food photography on many occasions over the years.  The aspect of lighting is just like any other subject. It’s the organisation that matters. Luckily, I spent some of my early years assisting some of the very best food and still life photographers in London.  I can recall on this experience from the past and also employ the services of the very best food stylists. They know what food to prepare and how to ensure that it looks at its best for the camera. So it’s all about team work.

I managed to escape the kitchen in Cork unscathed after twenty minutes, with some great images.  All the crew in the kitchen did in fact make me feel very welcome, and as usual in these situations, after a few minutes people tend to forget you’re there and this is how you can get the natural reportage feel in the images.

Finally, it helps to know your subject very well.  But in this case, as anyone who knows me, 

I burn everything, even soup...

New Years Day.

Meet the Hunt.

As a keen and new enthusiast to photography at the age of 14, I went along to The Atherstone New Years Day Hunt to capture and record the events in the town.  I remember the bright red jackets worn by the huntsmen, all the hounds barking as the hunt gathered to go out into the local country side to do their thing.

I clicked away with my Prinzflex 35mm camera and solitary 50mm lens and enjoyed capturing some great images.   Got back home and headed straight to the family darkroom to process the film.  Whilst in the dark, I could only imagine the images that I had gathered that day, I would be able to parade them at the school camera club later that month.

Excitedly I flicked the light on to hang the film to dry.   The horror before me, was a totally empty film, not one image, just clear acetate.  I had not loaded the camera correctly and therefore had exposed nothing during the event!

At this point I decided it would be preferable to pursue photography as a hobby and not professionally.

Now after 30 years as a professional photographer (I didn't let it put me off) on New Years Eve I decided it would be a great idea to pop along to the hunt again the following day.  Armed with the latest and trusted cameras and no film to let me down, how could it go wrong again?

Checked out the time that the hunt would meet in the market square, I duly charged my batteries and thought it would be great to shoot moving image as well as stills, even packed my trusty sound recording equipment to record the ambience of the day.

Upon arrival at the Market Square I was greeted with total silence, not one horse, not one hound.  I did wonder if I had got the day wrong, but there is only one January 1st each year isn’t there? I guess this hunt shoot may be doomed for me, but I will try next time for sure.

As this was the first post on my blog, I specifically wanted this to be a great story behind some great pictures, but as you may see, sometimes things happen and some shoots don’t always work out as they should.

But this is going to be a great year regardless, I  have some more documentary work both here and in the States, I have some good shoots coming up and also some commercial jobs happening that can give a peek at what goes on behind the lens...

Warmest wishes for 2011 to everyone.

Steve

                                           Atherstone Hunt.

                                                          Market Street.