ASSIGNMENT 5: PEOPLE AND PLACE ON ASSIGNMENT: Update

Off to a good start. After a rec shoot at the Walker's shop on 9/10 with my compact camera,
I returned on 13/10 to take pictures of the mechanics and Susan Walker. I used my 50mm prime lens and a borrowed flashgun for the first time. Having read up on how to use a flashgun I used a diffuser and adjusted the power setting to try to keep the lighting natural, while adding fill-in detail to the subjects faces. I will probably need to invest in a flashgun sooner rather than later.

The mechanics Dan and Mike were very friendly and happy to be photographed while they worked. I tried not to pose them too much and as a result the shots look natural but some are not suitable because elements of the image are not right, be it lighting, pose or background clutter. The prime lens worked really well by defocusing the busy background of the workshop setting.

I forgot to take model release forms so must get these done next visit, which will be on Nov 8th. I am really pleased because the client has asked me to design their promotional brochure, featuring my photography.

On Oct 17th I took photos of Walker's Cycling club members participating in a round of the Scottish Cyclo-cross championships at Strathclyde Park. The weather was blustery and it was very difficult to take pictures in the trees due to the poor light conditions. I was quite successful working with shutter priority to freeze the action and to try some panning shots. I used my zoom lens with a shallow depth of field to get some candid shots of the riders at the startline. There are more events in the coming weeks so I plan to attend a few to try to improve my shots.