subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 24 August 2019 19
Book in advance
and be flexible
Claire Gillo,
AP Acting Technique Editor
‘If you’re flexible with travel plans and
avoid busy weekends and holidays, you
can travel to many different and exciting
locations for as little as a few quid! Bus
companies such as National Express
and Megabus are incredibly cheap
if you get the deals in advance. Also,
booking the train in advance is a much
cheaper way to travel.’Window suction cup
Ian Pack (www.packshots.biz)
‘Suction lifters are used to move
glazing panels and tiles; this one is
rated at 100kg load (and costs
only £9.99)! I’ve used one of these
three suction-cup lifters to mount
lights to windows and even a
lightweight video camera to car
hoods with the aid of additional
grip gear. They are available in
store and online from major
building suppliers.’Clean your camera
Matthew Horwood
(matt-horwood.com)
Professional news PR and
commercial photographer
Matthew Horwood buys a cheap
microfibre camping towel for
£6 and then cuts it up to make
several lens cloths.
He also advises that a make-up
brush is good for getting rid of
dust on your lens, and get a bottle
of isopropyl from Amazon, rather
than ‘lens cleaner’, because it is
much cheaper and basically does
the same thing.Bargain props
Anne Haile (annesphotos.uk)
‘Buy props from your local auction
house, junk shop or charity shop.
Save a fortune over new and
there’s a more interesting range to
be had.’ Find more of Anne’s tips at
annesphotos.uk/vintage-photo-
props-for-studio-shots/.One lens
Craig Skinner
(www.craigskinner
photography.co.uk)
Craig on our Facebook
page was full of advice
when thinking about
buying lenses. ‘When
it comes to saving
money on lenses, a
relatively cheap (less
than £100 used)
nifty-fifty goes a hell of
a long way. The image
quality, for example, of
Nikon’s budget 50mm
is outstanding for the
money.’ We also think
this is a great tip!Foam board A
Ian Pack (www.
packshots.biz)
‘Foam boards are one of
the most useful accessories
in my studio and location
kit. White makes a great
reflector, which can be
clamped to a light stand.
Cut through the card on
one side and fold to make a
self-supporting v-flat. Cut
shapes to make cookies
(cucoloris) to add patterns
to your lighting or use to
block or flag light from the
frame. It is easily available
online and from art and
craft suppliers.’© IAN PACK
© IAN PACK © CL AIRE GILLO
© IAN PACK