First Published May 22nd 2018
You’ve been out to many locations, trampled through fields, mud, over rocks and spinneys, contended with farmers and locals to get the shot you want. There is satisfaction in getting that shot, but knowing that someone else likes your work is a huge bonus.
I do my landscapes and star trails primarily for myself. I go out with the intention of capturing the scene i want, with a certain feeling and story in the back of my head of how i want it to look at the end.
I’ve been to a location and looked at it and thought, ‘i really like the idea of that’ and promised to go back later. The subject of todays blog is a location i looked at time and time again over about a year.
It started a few weeks ago when there was a request for photographs for a small exhibition at a pop up pub.
Anstey Ale Brewery were holding a small pop up pub along with Charnwood Cider, and the gallery side organised by Viewfinder Photography.
The first problem for me was choosing what photo to work with. Whether to go local, or go with a shot i felt was one of my favourites of last year.
This one didn’t make the cut this time
In the end i went for my last years favourite shot.
To get the shot there were a number of factors to consider, and i have been back on a few occasions to the site to try some different methods.
This one was the pick of the crop
I looked at it. i tried to wrap my head around how i should light the scene, how i should block out the ambient light from the rest of the scene and how to finish the shot.
It was a challenging one to work with and i’m happy to say i think it worked out.
This took a total of 70 photos to achieve the star trail and 3 for the foreground.
I used a flash to bring out the colours of the box in a pitch black environment, and the ambient light from the box itself added to the scene.
I then needed to cut out the light from inside the box so i could expose for the stars.
One of the Raw Exposures for the Stars
After this shot i was unhappy with the amount of light leak from the box itself, so had to improvise with the gear i had.
Usually a lightstand and softbox is to project light and maximise it. This time i used a lightstand and square softbox facing straight up to block out the light coming through the windows.
It did a pretty good job. There was still some ambient coming through, but the exposure was a lot better. Controlling the light really helped.
Shots taken, edited finalised and printed.
I went for a professional framer to do the work for me for this specific exhibition. This is something i’m looking at learning and understanding how to do to cut my costs for everyday work, but for exhibiting, professional every time.
This is the bit that every photographer wants to see. You have your image up for everyone to pour over and look at closely. The public being able to critically view a printed version of your work. It’s nerve wracking. Even though you do your work for yourself, and for your tastes it’s always nice when someone else thinks your image is good enough to adorn the walls of their house.
This is a good feeling.
This is what makes me feel like those hours and hours, stood in the middle of a damp muddy field aren’t for nothing. I love that my image made someone feel like they wanted it.
Some of the proceeds of this image are going to charity as well. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/curtis-jacques
Also until the 31st May, any sales through my site, 10% will go to Curtis as well.
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As always, have fun, stay safe, and enjoy shooting.
Any suggestions for future blog posts, drop me an email. I will at some point be going into more detail on future posts.