subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 21 September 2019 25
Fine-tune your style
It’s essential to create and fine-tune your style if you want
to produce work that’s consistent while also standing out
from the crowd. One way of doing this is to use a
fixed-focal-length lens. For weddings and family shoots I
opt for a 50mm – although I do use a wideangle now and
again. Using one lens has allowed my style to develop and
has become a part of the way I see things.Get out of
the rut
A lot of photographers
come on my courses
because they feel stuck
creatively. We all go
through this at certain
times in our careers. So
if you have been using a
certain focal length for
a long time, maybe it’s
time for a change. This
simple shift can alter
the way you ‘see’
through the camera and
be quite liberating.Create a true
representation
When I used the 70-200mm as my
main lens (which I did for more than
six years) I would shoot tight on my
subject, usually in the vertical (or
portrait) orientation. This meant that
I often forgot about the environment
around the subject. Later I realised
that including what is around the
bride, groom and guests makes a
client look back on their images as a
true representation of the event. Now
I would say it’s a 60/40 split. There
is an ideal distance from which to
photograph the face – any closer or
farther away and it can look distorted,
so bear that in mind when you are
using a 50mm lens.Keep interacting
with your subject
Some photographers might argue that
it’s boring to shoot with the same lens
all day, but I find the opposite to be
true – it allows me to concentrate on
interacting with my subjects, enabling
me to get more out of them and the
situation. I am a great believer that if
you can keep the amount of equipment
between you and your subject minimal,
you will get the best from the moment
and the person in front of you.Move in close
I accidentally left my zoom lens at home
one day and had to shoot a wedding
with my Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
because it was all I had on me! That was
more than eight years ago, and this lens
has now become my go-to. Instead of
hiding in the bushes with a 70-200mm
lens I am in the thick of the action, and
often in people’s personal space. This is
where the magic happens, and it allows
me to capture moments that might
otherwise remain unseen. It takes
confidence to move in close, but be
brave and go for it.