continued…
‘I am a trial and error person, I’ll see what it looks like as I go and see which I prefer’
While she snapped the product shots in the workshop she minimised her time needed post-production by:
- pre-setting a 4x5 crop in capture one (due to that being the format for social media platforms, which is her main clientele).
- Cleaning the product to minimise retouching, as when using a macro lens with a wider aperture all fine details illuminate.
- Using the software, capture one Sophie applied tools to alter the highlights, shadows, and clarity, enhancing detail’s and texture’s.
All of the in software adjustments Sophie applied were not only time saving, but they're expected at industry standard, so this will be techniques that I ensure to apply to my own practice now to get into the habit for post-course life.
‘Another skill to have is set design/layout, it’s good to be able to do it yourself and make it look good’
‘There’s no right prop to use as long as the final looks how you want it to be that’s fine’
Throughout the whole demonstration Sophie reiterated how there is no right and wrong, but there are more professional approaches. By experimenting in personal practice you have time to discover tips and tricks to enhance your own photography.
For her portrait demonstration she altered the set to two soft light sources, a hard bounced light and a reflector, with her aperture at F8 and lens at 24mm. As stated before Sophie is always keeping up with the trends of photography, so using a 24mm lens made the limbs or parts at the edge of the frame elongated, which is what a lot of fashion companies look for right now. Following all of the same tips she slowly built up the set, making the model feel comfortable to start, then directing them specifically to gain the right outcome.
At the end of her demonstrations I asked Sophie how she feels on set with everyone watching. Her response Is words that I will forever keep in mind for my current work and my future career, as it is pressure that everyone always feels.
‘You get used to it, everyone is a normal person at the end of the day and they never overthink about what you’re doing. It’s hard to get around at first but just forget that everyone is watching. Be polite and do your job’
Website ~
https://www.sophietraynor.com
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