subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 7 September 2019 21
Be adaptable
Fresh from an early breakfast and some
strong coffee, I headed towards London
Bridge and Borough Market to make
the most of the bright light and deep
shadows. At 7am on a Saturday the city
centre is remarkably still and quiet, but
I knew that the traders would be setting
up by now ready to open at 8am. The
streets around the market are colourful
and interesting, with many old buildings,
vibrant store fronts and fabulous street
art. You could easily spend all day
shooting this location alone.
Always tailor your images to suit the
conditions you have, rather than stick
with some preconceived idea you
decided upon days ago. In this instance
my goal was to produce a set of images
in a cinematic style, exposing for the
highlights and not particularly worrying
about the detail in the shadows. This
would produce contrasty images with
the eye being drawn towards the brightest
part of the shot, where I would aim to
place my point of interest.
This shot is so much more interesting
because of the creative use of the
shadows, which both frame and
complement the wall art and passer-by
perfectly. You have to have patience
and wait for the perfect moment.7.15am
By 6am the sun was already high and bright,
making it almost impossible to shoot out in
the open. Using the tree canopy to block the
brightest elements helps here, and the backlit
foliage frames the impressive London skyline
perfectly across the river.
8.40am
Different building materials react to the strong
light in varying ways. High-gloss surfaces
reflect it and textured ones stand out much
better as the shadows contrast with the
highlights. A location with a mix of surfaces
can be great when shooting street images.9.30am
It was the light on the cobbles and symmetrical
gates that first drew me to this scene. An ‘easy
shot’ I thought, until I tried to shoot a moving
taxi perfectly in the middle of the frame
created by the archway. The streets are quiet
at 9.30am, but the traffic is still fast.