24 PRACTICALPHOTOGRAPHY
EXPANDINGYOURPORTFOLIOOF
photographiclocationshas itsadvantages
when honingyourskills,butsometimes
choosing familiar surroundings can
prove more beneficial, particularly when
shooting portraits. A key characteristic of
portrait photographers is an ability to put
their subjects at ease, and having to work
with unfamiliar or unpredictable
locations can oftenresultin
unwanted challengesthat
have a negative impact
on your shots. Portrait
photographer Laura
Pearce (instagram.com/
lapearce) explainshow,
on this occasion,
the love and prior
knowledge of a particular
se tting was key in helping
to realise her visionof
capturing vintage-inspired
beach portraits.
“There were threeelementsof
in spiration for this shot – a straw hat,
a vintage robe and West Wittering beach
on England’s south coast. I had visited
the location many years before, instantly
falling in love with the beach huts lining
the West Sussex coastline. When I then
booked a holiday close by, I knew it was
theperfectopportunityforme to revisit
th e areawithmy inspirationalpropsand
beach-lovinglocalmodelMolly-Mae.
“My knowledge of the location proved
instantly advantageous as the beach was
extremely busy on the day of the shoot.
I knew that achieving a vintage look would
be problematic if there were other people
in the shot, so I sought out a secluded
sectionof beach, which included
thebeloved beach huts that
I was so desperate to
feature in my scene.
“The combination of
the overhanging canopy
of the hut and the low
sun helped the process,
as it meant that I was
able to avoid the harsh
light and shadows that
usually accompany a high
summer sun. I positioned
Molly-Maein the shade of the canopy
and,insteadof using flash for lighting,
I directed the sunlight onto her face from
beneath with a gold reflector to create an
appealing golden glow effect.
“The image required basic edits in
Lightroom and, by using the Photoshop
plug-in Greater than Gatsby, I was able
to achieve the vintage look I was after.”
Above The muted tones of the beach
provided the ideal setting for a vintage
portrait shoot.
Above An alternative composition
showing the beach huts that provided
inspiration for the photos.
TIP
TAKEA
REFLECTOR
Reflectorsarea morenatural
alternativeto flashandallow
youto bouncea subtle,
evenlightontoyour
subject.
# 4 Use location to your advantage
PORTRAITS
Nikon D800 | 75mm | 1/1250sec | f/4 | ISO 400
