Working in the studio

The first thing you have to think about before you start working in the studio is the health and safety aspect.

-Do not run around, there are wires around and expensive equipment.
-No food and drink allowed in the studio, in case of damage to equipment.
-Do not leave lighting plugged in when not in use, in case they overheat.
-Bags are not to be left lying around, people could trip over the straps.
-Keep all wires wrapped around the legs of the lighting to keep them from being loose around the room.
-Warn whoever is in the room before you set off a flash gun or flash the beauty dish, it could really damage their eyes.
-Hoods and bulbs get very hot after use and should not be touched. The caps should not be put on over the lights after use because they will melt with the heat.


Characteristics of studio photography


The lighting and backdrops are a large part of studio photography. There are many different types and techniques to using them.
-Soft box: The soft box is great for adding a soft glow to a model or object, they are very easy and light to move around.
-Beauty Dish: This is quite a bright lamp that gets very hot and flashes when you turn it off, to dump all the pent up light.
-The diffuser: This is a large circle shape that has a cloudy white coloured material on it. It is positioned to the side of lighting or a model to help the brightness of the light dull down and turns it into a soft glow so that it is not as harsh.
-The reflector: This is a large circle with shiny gold material on it and it is used to help the light bounce around and shine more onto the model or object.
-Remote Flash: These are devises that connect to the lighting (That you want to flash) and then a separate devise goes on your camera. Then you have to change the settings on your camera to connect to the devise and then when you take a picture the soft box, beauty dish or any light that your connected, will flash giving you a greater amount of light.
-Umbrellas: These are used to create a well rounded amount of light. There is a lamp facing the inside of an umbrella (The inside has been painted silver so that the light bounces off it) and then a burst of light bounces from out of the umbrella and hits the model or object.
-Tripod: This helps prevent camera shake and is very useful when you want to use a slower shutter speed because the camera is held still.
-Backdrops: Used as a background for a photoshoot. The main colours you get in a studio are large pieces of black and white material that hang over a bar against a wall.



I did a photoshoot for this project, in the studio, and I had a friend pose as a singer for me.
I used one softbox light because I only wanted it lit from one side to create shadows. Next I borrowed a microphone and stand from the music department and set it up how I wanted in the studio. Then I showed Heather, my friend, how I wanted her to stand and pose. I set my camera up on a tripod and plugged in my remote shutter. I tipped my camera so that it was portrait and started taking pictures.

Afterwards we turned all the lights off and unplugged them and left the studio.

These are some of the best shots:

I was thinking of using one of these for the poster I have to make, since many of the best ones are in portrait.

The Still Life Music Themed Shot


As part of the brief we have to set up and capture something that is music related in a studio. I chose to do a guitar. I used the same soft box to light it up from one angle.

I like this one the best.

This one is very abstract.

CD dimensions

I had a look on the internet for the dimensions of a CD cover. I found this website, http://www.mixonic.com/templates-disc/

It gives you a range of downloadable files to add into photoshop.

I downloaded a CD template and the front, back, and both of the insides of a CD case to design.

This is the front and back covers.

Blue Line: 11.52" x 5.2" (Required artwork size, including bleed)

Black Line: 11.27" x 4.95" (Final cut size)

Green Line: Text should not go beyond this line.

This is the inside of the case.

Same dimensions for the inside of the case.

This is the CD cover.

Green Line: Text should not go beyond this point.

Artwork Size: 4.723" x 4.723"

This is the templates after I deleted the info that was in the way:

The layers were locked so I had to google how to unlock a layer.

This is how to do it:

-Layer----->New----->Layer From Background.

Research on studio photography.

Because this project is based around studio photography, I will be researching some photographers that use studios in their work.

I will be looking at 3 photographers for each of these categories:

-Portrait

-Still Life

-Advertising

Still life Photographers

Michael Kay

Most of Michael's work is of food. He has his own kitchen studio for preparing and photographing food.

I love the precision and crispness of his photos. There is a fine art to setting out food and making it look stunning.

He has also done a bit of advertising in his studio.

The way his has used the lighting to highlight the shapes of the vegetables. The black backdrop really makes the bright colours stand out. 

Marcel Christ

I love how effective this is on drawing you in. It is so imaginative.

Jonathan Knowles

This is a genius idea and I think it works so well. It is so simple.

I love the patterns in this photo, they really draw your eye to it.

Advertising Photographers

Dennis Pedersen 

This plastic bag looks like a horses head, it is an amazing photo.

Advertising adverts and posters have to stand out so much from the crowd these day because there are so many companies trying to get people to buy their product. I think these photos really stand out because they are really creative and really bring out a different side to the product.

I love beautiful colours and the way he has set out the nail varnish in such an arty way. It really makes it stand out.

I think it is genius having sun care products photographed on the beach.

I love the patterns he has created with all this make up, with the different shapes and textures.

I love how simple this idea is. It looks so amazing.

These are screen shots of all the clients he has.

Jonathan Knowles

I am using Jonathan Knowles again because he also does advertising photography so I thought I would look at that too.

James King

I love the colour and fun he adds to these adverts.

This makes me hungry just looking at it.

Portrait Photographers


Adam Ficek

I thought that Adam Ficek was a great choice for part of my photographer research because not only does he do portraits in a studio environment, he also does band/solo artist portraits which is perfect for my current brief since I will be photographing a band in a studio or off site somewhere.

I love that is each of these pictures and with each band, that there is a uniqueness about them all. Each band has their own style in the photographs that really makes them stand out.

The lighting in these photos is very well thought out. Not too much but enough to highlight the artist and pick up all the tiny details in their faces.

Mary Beth

This is such a beautiful shot. It has so much emotion captured in it. I love how just the hands are in focus and their bodies aren't I think it adds depth to the photo.

I love the way that she captures people. They are all so individual and full of life.

Mat Roberts

I love the soft lighting that he uses for all his head shots. It is really simple but very effective and it creates a lovely sharpness on there face and then a blur around the rest of their body.

I like how you are drawn in by their eyes. The black and white effect helps to soften the focus even more.