pagespicsPhotography and Covid-19
Posted on March 10, 2020
Wow – what a click-bait title, obviously designed to create panic purchases of memory cards and lens cleaning wipes. Like it or not, the Corona Virus is now having an impact on many people, and it may be time to think about keeping yourself safe when out taking photos. Obviously, I am not writing as a medical expert, so don’t take anything too seriously!
My home in Bangalore is now affected and primary schools have been closed. India is obviously not immune and new cases are popping up daily. Looking further afield, Sony has reported that it is struggling to make new sensors. Fujifilm are having issues manufacturing parts for its new camera line up, and Canon are unable to fulfil orders for some of their latest lenses. Finally, numerous photography conventions have been cancelled. It looks like 2020 could be a year not to purchase new gear.
On a personal note
I was due a trip to Bangkok for a convention this month. This has now been cancelled. My plan was to photograph the iconic Central Train Station, which would have been a progression from the Bruce Gilden style of photography I usually practice along Soi Cowboy and the like (getting over that phase now…). At home, the advice has been to avoid crowds, so I will not be heading to the downtown markets for the foreseeable future.
Covid-19 is no reason to quash our passion for photography, so without final ado, here are 5 ways we can survive the Corona Virus.
5 Alternative Photography Ideas
- Work on a home studio.
If you already have a flash for your camera, then it does not cost much to build a home studio. A simple backdrop, light stand, softbox and umbrella will cost less than $100. Stay at home and work on getting photos of your family. The photo below was created using one speedlight and a softbox. When I finish with my studio it all packs away and fits under the bed.
- Head out of town, not into town.
This is my current plan. Heading out of town means less crowds and more space. In Bangalore there are 100’s of locations within an hour drive. My market project is now on hold. The image below is of a Holy Bull Walker. The bull was born in a temple, it will be dressed and decorated, then used to collect offerings.
- Product and Macro Photography
This has never been on high on my list of priorities. One exception is the classic photo of a piece of fruit splashing into water. I may go for a strawberry splashing into milk if I get quarantined for long enough. This option is for when boredom seriously sets in. I also need to create a new selfie for my social media sites.
- Enter competitions.
Every cloud has a silver lining, and not going out is going to save lots of money. This money could be spent on competition entries. Is this an opportunity to focus on winning an award or photography grant? F Stop magazine features a comprehensive list of available challenges for various photographic genres.
- Work on a blog site
I cannot help but notice my own blog site is starting to look dated. In the next few weeks I may get time to delete older, and out of date posts. There are photos in my project collections which need to be re-sized. I still need to move my site from wordpress.com to wordrpess.org (which I tried with Bluehost, who were a huge pain in the bum). Blogging is a rewarding experience, and something I believe all photographers should try. Most sites will have a free, or very cheap option to get you started.
Bonus Idea – Read Books!
Stuck for reading? Here are three books that may get your photographic juices flowing…
- Photography Masterclass. Creative Techniques of 100 Great Photographers, Paul Lowe, Thames & Hudson
- Fifty Paths to Creative Photography, Michael Freeman, Octopus Publishing Group
- Larry Fink, On Composition and Improvisation, Larry Fink, aperture
Are you affected by the Covid-19, and if so, how are you keeping sane? Feel free to drop me a note below.
Take care and keep clicking, Chris
Photographic Marinade
Posted on December 5, 2019
Incase you have not noticed, Christmas is approaching fast. This is the time of year when it is good to take a look at the photos captured over the previous 12 months. This task involves deleting an awful lot of rubbish, but also helps uncover a few forgotten, or overlooked gems. This year’s annual cull started over the weekend and I found a batch of photos that had not been published. The images accompanying this article were all captured around the Bangla Road area of Phuket, and yes, I had forgotten about them!
10 Tips for Better Travel Photography
Posted on August 28, 2019
Part One
Everybody has a camera and can call themselves a photographer. Last year over a trillion photos were captured, that is a one with 12 zero’s on the end. If you can’t image just how large this number is, think of it in seconds. A trillion seconds is the same as 31 thousand years. Travel is also becoming cheaper and more people are escaping to exotic destinations than ever before. If everyone is a travel photographer, then what can you do to differentiate yourself, and give your images a professional touch?
Tell a Story of Place
Often more that one photo is required to tell a story of place. Look out for roadsigns and displays as well as people involved in day-to-day activities. If you have a travel zoom make sure you take a wide shot that includes the landscape, then zoom in to capture significant details. If you shoot with primes, don’t be afraid to change lenses, or use your feet to get the wider view!
Tell a Story of People
It is hard to think how a photographer could succeed in travel or street photography without some skill in capturing people. If time allows aim to get more than just a head shot. Hands, feet, wrinkles, muscles and lines all tell a story.
The Environmental Portrait
I was taught the environmental portrait by my friend Glenn Guy, who runs the wonderful website www.travelphotographyguru.com. I kicked and fought against this style of imagery, preferring the candid image. However, the style has slowly won me over. The environmental portrait is a collaborative image between the photographer and the subject. Permission must be sought from the subject for this photo. The image should capture the person in his or her environment (duh!), which could be work, home or play. As the photographer has gained permission, they can take a little more time over composition and light.
Composition and Light
Is there any genre of photography that cannot benefit from a stronger understanding of composition and light? Most successful photos will adhere to one guideline or another, even when you are trying to break the rules! When traveling take into account the time of day and the direction of the sun. Mornings and evenings are obviously the prime times for photography. However, the harsh shadows of mid-day can also create effective photos.
Capture the Vernacular
When traveling it is easy to focus on the major tourist attractions. Yet is is often the smaller, domestic buildings that tell a story with greater clarity. The vernacular deals with the functional, domestic architecture. These buildings will reflect the environment and cultures of a surrounding area. Weather will play an important role in the construction of these buildings, as well as the materials they are made from. In many countries religion will play an important part in the design of a house, look for symbols to ward off spirits, or shrines used for worship.
Well that is all today folks. It WILL be a 10 part tip sheet when I have written part 2. What can a say, life happens.
Take care and keep clicking, Chris
A Photographer’s Rant
Posted on March 7, 2019
This week I rant about what I am up to, plus I share some thoughts on gear, social media and a few current projects. It is going to be a wild ride, pour yourself a coffee and hang on! This post features some older photos, which I have submitted for screening with the Royal Photography Society (RPS), more abut that later…
3 Tips to Stretch Your Street Photography
Posted on February 6, 2018
Weekly Roundup!
There are a couple of noteworthy things that have happened this last week. I have been published in Linklens, a site run by my friend Renaud. Linklens is a fantastic site and features many talented photographers. Go check it out and follow.
https://www.linklens.net/project/chris-page_bangalore/
Secondly, I have started my own Youtube channel, and I am planning to Vlog once a week. Here is the link to my first ever pagespics Youtube post!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNcze55c-Ko&t=6s
These achievements are helping me to move from my safe zone, speaking of which.
Lady Grabs Lunch. Yelahanka, Bangalore.
Speed up your workflow in Lightroom. Plus, I’ve got fat, and written a survey.
Posted on January 9, 2018
Survey – Click Here!
The Bad. I got fat over the holiday.
I got into shape over the holiday. Round. For the New Year I had planned to write about my photographic resolutions, but really they’re on track. Instead, my focus for 2018 is going to be health. Photography is a powerful tool, for New Years I was cast in the role of Brandy Pusskins, and sported a tight yellow crop top for the evening (don’t ask). The resulting photo was horrific. The photo has served a purpose and I am back on my pushbike and watching calories. While on the topic of slimming down, this is also the time I slim down my photo library. Read More
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