22 22 February 2020I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113CLAIRE’S TOP KIT▲▲
▲Getcreative
Youdon’tneedrainto getouttheumbrella
foryourportraits.Fakeit likeI didusinga
hosepipe,a darkbackgroundandtwo
flashgunsin thegarden.Keepyour
flashgunsprotectedbyplacingclearplastic
bagsoverthetop,andlightyoursubject
frombehindaswellasin fronttomake
the water drops ‘ping’ from the scene!ClaireGillo
ClaireGillois a photographerandwriter
basedin thesouthwestoftheUKand
writesformanydifferentphotography
publications.Clairecanbefoundat
http://www.clairegillo.comorfollowheron
Instagram@clairegillophotography.ClaireGillosharesherbesttipsfor
capturingpeopleand water together
in the same framePortraits & waterTechnique PHOTOGRAPHING WATERPlastic
bags
Clearresealable
plasticbagsare
versatileandcan
beusedasa cheap
alternativerain
cover for your kit.Towel
Itmayseemobvioustobringa towelfor
your model,howeverit canoftenget
overlookedwhenthinking
aboutwhatelseyou
needtopack.You
mayalsoneedone
foryourselfif youdip
your toes in too deep!Hot
chocolate
If you’reonlocationand
yourmodelgetscold
fromthewater,a nice
mugofhotchocolate
fromtheThermoswill
go down well.Documentbythesea
Thisimage,above,wastakenona
familydayoutona steamtrainthat
runsalongsidetheRiverDart.I
madethecreativedecisiontokeep
theboatsandwaterin focuswhilst
blurringthepeople– turningthem
almostintosilhouettes.Bybringing
twosettings(indoorsandoutdoors)
togetheryoucancreateinteresting
juxtapositionsthatrelatetoeach
otherbutarealsoseparate.The
conversiontoblack& whitemakes
thisimagemoreaboutshapeand
textureratherthangetting
distractedbycolour.Again,in bright
conditionsit’seasytooverexpose
thewaterin a shotlikethisso
exposeforthewaterin the
backgroundratherthan the people
in the foreground.Dramaticwater
A portraitframedagainsta dramaticseascapewillworkreally
wellif youtaketherightapproach.Whenshootinglocation
portraituretherearemanythingstothinkaboutsoplanwellto
getthebestpossibleresult.TogetthisimageI usedonesingle
flashgunsettothesideof themodel,whichI thenhadto
removein Photoshopat theeditingstage.Underexposethe
backgroundbya stoptobringoutthetexturesin thecloudsand
sea.Timeyourshotsothewaveslookarchedandformed– it’s
amazinghowa roughseacan look fl at when you get your
images up on the screen.Inthewater
Thisimage,above,hasbeentakenfroma seriesshot
withballerinaLydiaBrayshawaimedto blendthedancer’s
movementswiththebeautyof thebeachsetting.Here
Lydiaholdsa strongposturebeingaidedbytherock.
Despiteit beinga calmdayyoucanseethesea’spower
bythefactsheappearssosmall.Froma technicalside,
keepin mindtheseacaneasilyoverexposein themidday
sunsoshootlaterin thedaywhenthelightis softerto
avoidunwantedglare.Alsoknockyourexposuredownon
the scale to make sure the highlights aren’t overexposed.ALL IMAGES ON PAGE 22 © CL AIRE GILLO