Camera Equipment

Very often I find photographers hankering after the latest and greatest camera equipment; frequently trading in their gear every 12 months or so as each new model is announced, even when there are only very small real differences.

At one time during the early days of digital, the image quality was only borderline acceptable in most cases and there was genuine progress between each new model, but for the last five years the real world differences have become far more subtle. The megapixel war is fairly pointless now, especially for shooting nudes or glamour that don’t require the kind of definition that might be desirable in a landscape for example.

A quick look at many web forums will quickly reveal that most of their members are far more interested in camera equipment than in taking pictures. In fact, discussions about light quality and composition etc. rarely get a mention. Perhaps it would be more accurate to call them “camera owners” rather than photographers. Next year they will probably own a new camera but their photography is unlikely to have improved much.

I have a simple rule of thumb with camera equipment. When I stop thinking about it, I know it’s right. When I use the Hasselblad for example it just feels right. That is partly down to years of use but also the knowledge that it is a well thought out piece of equipment, which has been tested in the field and proven to be right for the job. When a new Hasselblad is introduced I don’t automatically want to abandon the camera I already have.

Going back several years ago I remember struggling along with a Canon Eos 100 SLR and there were times when I was exasperated by the functional limitations of the camera. For example there was a dial on the back, which was far too easy to move in manual mode and had to be taped down to avoid accidentally moving to the wrong setting. The need for a PC adaptor to work with studio flash was also awkward and unreliable.

At the time I wasn’t earning much money as a photographer, so I persisted with that camera for longer than I would have liked, but one day I finished a shoot in utter frustration and walked down the road to a camera dealer where I immediately bought a used Eos 1. This wasn’t the latest model that Canon were making at the time but it was a solid well made camera and it was a complete revelation compared to what I had been using before.

Many photographers are convinced that more options is always better when it comes to cameras and yet as I started to look closely at that Eos 1 I was struck by the shear lack of features and modes compared to some of the less professional cameras. It was clearly a much better designed camera for picture taking because they had eliminated distractions so that I could concentrate on the actual photography rather than the flashing lights. Probably the best example of this approach is found with the Leica rangefinder cameras. With camera equipment less is more sometimes when taking pictures.

At the time of writing I am working with a 1DsII, which I have had since 2005 and it’s a very good camera. There are a few points in the design ergonomics which could be improved, however it’s a thoroughly professional camera that inspires confidence and does exactly what I need. The real point about a professional camera like this is that they are built for hard daily use in all kinds of conditions and you are less likely to make errors in a moment of distraction because of the way they operate.

Looking at the various 35mm digital cameras, I feel we are reaching a point where differences in print will be largely impossible to see and left only to the pixel peepers. In practice this means that if you buy a professional DSLR it will still be a perfectly valid tool for your photography in several years time from a quality perspective but you will have also gained in the meanwhile from the general handling compared to lower end alternatives. You will also suffer less financial loss in the long run as you stop trading in your cameras every 12 months, so choosing professional equipment makes sense on a financial level as well.

For anybody shooting nudes or glamour photography there is a happy medium in terms of resolution because excessive detail is not terribly flattering to the model and will generally just result in many more hours spent in retouching. In real terms it may also lead to deterioration in overall image quality, since most modern lenses are already at their limit with the higher end 35mm DSLRs available today. Significantly higher resolution may also come at the price of compromises in other areas, so try to remember that the total megapixel count is not the only way to measure the usefulness of a camera.

In practical terms any recently made professional camera will do it all for commercial work from internet right through to billboards. It’s better to buy one good professional camera (even used) with just a couple of excellent lenses than to spend all your time and money constantly upgrading consumer level cameras and lenses.

One last piece of advice. Something I recommend in my book is that you “stress test” all your equipment to see where problems can occur during a shoot and take steps to avoid it in advance. This doesn’t just mean your cameras but also your lenses, lighting, cables, camera bags and the rest. Everything. That way you really learn how your equipment works and avoid costly errors. Look for dials that can accidentally be moved or batteries that run down too quickly.

In summary, search in detail for any areas of weakness in your camera equipment or workflow and then take action to make sure it doesn’t become a problem during the shoot.

Nude Photography by Ben Heys – Artofimagery.com

Last week I found myself in touch with another photographer by the name of Ben Heys who is based in Australia and shoots quite a lot of nude photography. We starting talking about the business and during that conversation Ben told me about a site he has recently launched at artofimagery.com which includes a selection of his beautiful images.

The site is the basis of a new business he is starting aimed at showcasing some stunning nudes that will be of particular interest to photographers who are interested in shooting nudes and also includes some tutorials as well as additional information targeted at photographers who want to shoot nudes and improve their photography.

I found the work that Ben is doing as well as his approach to shooting nudes as a business very interesting, so I was happy when he agreed to answer a few questions for my blog:

Q) What is your background and how did you get started in photography as a professional?

A) Basically I was fed up with working jobs that I hated, I found myself changing jobs every couple of months until it got to a point where I decided I had to find a way to make money doing something I enjoy – it was then (about 6 years ago) that I decided to teach myself photography.

Q) Have you always photographed nudes?

A) Pretty much from the get go, yes. I also like to dabble in other genres but nudes have always held the biggest fascination for me.

Q) What made you decide to start your site artofimagery.com and where do you see it going in the future?

I used to submit work to some other sites: met-art, body in mind, bluenudes etc. But a few shoot most of their own stuff now and have a tight budget, while one editor in particular was about the least respectful or polite person I have ever met and I didn’t see why I should have to deal with that kind of attitude. Art of Imagery is a site I’ve had in my mind for many years now – I sat down and thought “As a photographer, what would be my ideal site to submit to”  and the answer to that became Art of Imagery.

Q) Where do you find your models?

A) 99% of them I source online for more information see: http://artofimagery.com/2011/03/09/10-rules-to-finding-models-online/

Q) Are you working with any other photographers?

A) As the owner/editor of Art of Imagery yes, I’m actually actively seeking new submissions. But as a photographer, not really.  I’m not one for “group” shoots at all, even if the “group” of photographers is only two.

Q) What other types of work do you?

A) Stock is my bread and butter, although the last year or so has seen a real downturn in ROI, there’s definitely still money to be made  but the boom period is over and honestly if the trends we’ve seen the last couple years continue then in a couple years it wont be worth it at all. I’ve always avoided commissioned shoots, private shoots, magazine shoots etc. as I really don’t like shooting what others want me to shoot, I like the freedom of being able to shoot exactly what I want to when I want to.

Q) Do you have an favourite pieces of equipment?

In all honestly probably the single most time saving piece of “photographic” gear I’ve bought is my Wacom Cintiq tablet. I got the 12″ one so that I can travel with it and I absolutely love it. In terms of cameras & lenses not so much, whatever does the job. I think too many people get WAY too caught up on gear.

Back when I started photography I was getting published and making money with nothing more than a Canon 10D and 50m prime lens.  These days the quality of most DSLR bodies is amazing and it’s not that hard to get a couple quality lenses that cover 90% of what you need to shoot very easily.

Q) Any special advice for other photographers wishing to work as professionals?

The advice I have is more for getting GOOD at photography than being a “professional” as I personally value skill and ability much more than titles and income ranges. I’ve seen some “pros” that do very average work and also some “amateurs” that do amazing work. But back on track: my advice for getting good is this: look at lots and lots and lots of photos, and THINK about them.

Think about what you like, what you don’t, think about how the shooter achieved the effect he did, learn to reverse engineer lighting setups by looking for shadows catchlights etc. then give it a go! Intelligent trial and error in my opinion is one of the best ways to get good at photography fast and it doesn’t cost anything!

Nude Photography For Advertising

The above nude image was part of a beauty assignment I did in South Africa for an Italian cosmetics client. The team which flew out there must have been about ten people but not everybody was there to work directly on the photography.

This particular day had been extremely hectic, since we were unable to start as early as I would have liked and there had already been a shoot on the beach that morning with the same model followed by another shoot at a rented house nearby. It then took an hour or so in the mini van to reach the final location before we started the hard walk up to the waterfall.

Time was running short since the light was starting to go and to make matters worse the waterfall was hidden in an area which would soon be cast in total shadow. It was clear that some of the team would arrive more slowly, but we couldn’t afford to miss the shot, so myself, the model and the assistant pushed forward with both the assistant and I carrying fairly heavy loads. I’ve mentioned it in my book where I discuss several examples in greater detail that it helps to be fit as a photographer if you want to get certain images and this was a shoot good example.

When we arrived, there were just minutes left to grab the image before the area became shrouded in darkness, so we found a suitable rock for the model to stand on, but I couldn’t quite find the angle I needed from the side of the bank, so I had no option but to go in the water up to my chest with the Hasseblad on a tripod. Remember that Africa is Africa, so standing in water like that for very long is never a good idea. You don’t know what what else might be in the water…

I wanted just a little blur in the water for good effect but at the same time I had to ensure that the tripod and camera didn’t shake too much with the moving water or the image would be ruined. I also wanted to avoid using flash or other artificial light so that we could preserve a natural look.

A couple weights were added to the tripod to maintain stability, but it was important not to add too much or it could have collapsed and I was in no hurry to see my beloved Hasselblad fall into the water. Light readings were taken quickly with the ever reliable Gossen Sixtomat lightmeter and I managed to race through about 30 images working at a fast pace before the last useful light disappeared. It was quite an adventure and I loved it!

Situations like this where a professional photographer is working outdoors in tricky situations with a nude model but has to come back with the images that a client needs for the advertising campaign are truly the best moments in photography from my experience.

It’s the times like these when you are under pressure but you know the possibility exists to get a beautiful nude image that makes it all so worthwhile. There is more information about this shoot and many others in the book.

This morning I received a letter from the insurance company for the renewal of the policy on my camera equipment, which I always do every year, though I have never personally had to make a claim. That’s partly down to luck but mainly down to a concerted effort on my part to make sure equipment is always well looked after. Nevertheless it is because of the story below that I continue to pay the premium every year…

A photographer I used to assist many years ago once went on a trip to Scotland for a commercial assignment and needed to take a picture of a nude model in a loch with a small boat and the stunning surrounding scenery as a background. That water and the cold breeze must have been freezing for the poor girl, so she was certainly brave that day.

At the time the photographer had an assistant with him (not me) who was fairly new and fitted a wide angle lens to the Hasselblad, but didn’t quite twist it far enough to hear that precise locking sound that every Hasselblad owner knows so well.

A few moments later the photographer began focusing the lens only to find his prized wide angle unexpectedly slipping from his hands straight into the dark waters below. They were on a small wooden docking point so the water below was quite deep and there was no way of seeing the black lens in the water below. I hate to think what that conversation sounded like.

No doubt feeling somewhat distraught the photographer called the local naval base later on that day and explained what had happened, asking if they might be prepared to look for it on their next naval exercise. Following this he thought nothing more of the matter until he received a call 2 days later saying that his black Hasselblad lens had been found in a terrible state by divers, having drifted quite some distance with the flow of water and asking what would he like them to do.

He called the insurers, who demanded to his amazement that an attempt be made to repair the lens, so after being rinsed in a bucket of fresh water it was duly sent back to the factory for a repair. The lens was gone for a considerable amount of time and in the meanwhile his policy was paying for the daily rental of the equivalent lens. Eventually when his refurbished lens was returned it cost about $1 less than a new one and the rental costs for the other lens were about the same, so effectively it cost twice as much as a new lens bought from a shop.

The final chapter in the story was a letter from the insurers politely requesting that should he ever drop another lens in a Scottish loch, they’d prefer it if he left it there…

Internet Models

While writing my book recently on nude photography, it became clear that I should really search out some internet models as part of the process. This is something I had never done before, but I wanted to pass on some qualified first hand experience about how it works and what is involved.

Having spoken to a few other photographers first, it seemed clear they had mixed experiences, so I faced this challenge of looking for some internet models with an equal measure of curiosity and trepidation…

In a nutshell, it’s a free for all where each girl makes up her own rules as she goes along, either based on a whim or what she has seen somebody else do. Models found through the internet (especially for nudes and glamour) generally have no clue about how the industry works or standard business practices at established model agencies. The result can prove extremely time consuming and frustrating for many photographers who are used to working in a professional environment.

N.B In defence of the “models” it should be added that the majority of “photographers” who frequently source their models through the internet are equally unaware of how shoots should be organised and how to deal with models etc.

Here I have outlined a list of ten points which sum up what I found.

1) Very often internet models don’t turn up on the day, even if they have been pushing to have pictures taken for weeks

2) They can’t understand the difference between advertising and editorial photography, which is reflected in the rates they try to charge

3) Some of them want to bring along strange characters to act as chaperones on the day of the shoot

4) Quite often they look nothing like their pictures online. Be prepared to see a girl who has gained 30 pounds in weight

5) They seem to think that photographers only exist for the purpose of providing them with a free portfolio

6) Their online profile will invariably include a list of tattoos and piercings, which they strangely believe is normal and acceptable for a professional model

7) When they say they will shoot nudes, they generally mean “implied” nudes i.e. covered up, so not really nude…

8) Be wary of any model where half her portfolio involves self shot images using a mobile phone

9) Most internet models seem to have a strange fascination with gothic style imagery

10) Let’s face it, they aren’t really models…

Perhaps I was unlucky in my experience, so if any photographers have had better luck or want to add something feel free to comment below. At some time in the future I’ll discuss this subject in greater depth and try to offer some advice. No doubt it is possible to locate reasonable models through the internet for shooting glamour shots and nudes, but you may need some patience and persistence…

Personally I shall be sticking to established model agencies unless there is no other option. In the long run I think it saves time, money and a great deal of stress most of the time.

Working with professionals is generally a better solution than internet models.

PRESS RELEASE – For Immediate Release

United Kingdom, 17th September 2010.

A new eBook in PDF format titled “How To photograph Nudes Like A Professional” has been released; aimed at helping aspiring amateur and professional photographers who want to improve their nude photography.