Kitographer

This is a job I was digi assistant on in late 2009 with Photographer Jason Capobianco for Myer. He is one of AU best Fashion togs based in Sydney.

FInal Myer Catalogue Cover 09-09

The lighting setup is very basic here. See below. This is partly due to the large soft  light source. Here is an example: Bowens Oct 150cm. Lots of white in studio bounced more light around creating more of a soft look. A black wall on the models right created shadow on models right giving dimension and shape. The light source is large thus shadows behind subjects are soft. These lights can be focused rather accurately controlling the shape of the shadows. You really need a small ladder to get into the light to adjust.

Camera height was usual fashion level (around waist). We shot with H1 Body with p25 digi back using capture one pro.

Even thought the lighting setup is very basic, Jason is very meticulous about detail and all togs are at this level. He tweaked the lights, moved the models for about 20 mins before he was happy. He is great at giving instructions to models and even easier if you are shooting the likes of Jen Hawkins.

Basic Lighting Setup

Below is a lighting setup that Jason used for a beauty shot /jewelry shot with Jen Hawkins. Sorry I dont have the final art work.

Jason's Lighting Setup 2

Share on Facebook

The Production Company Shoot – with Photographer Colin Page

This was 2.5 day shoot that I assisted photographer Colin Page. It was a hi end portrait shoot of individuals and group shots for the Production Companies new season of shows. It was a big photography production involving, many assistants, hair & makeup, choreographers, wardrobe stylists, producers and more. It was photographed at Decent Exposure in a large cyclorama.

Colin is a lighting genius and spends lots of time perfecting the light. Every set up was major and required tweaking/adjusting to light our subjects perfectly. The lighting setup gives  us a hi detail, glamorous, show look.

We used Bowens gear, about 7 flash heads and 4-5 packs. Having the large cyclorama (cyc) was great giving use plenty of room. We blacked out much of the white to give us edges on our subject. We used medium format digi to give us large files destined for large format printing (billboards).

Final Art Work 1

Main Ligting setup:

KEY: Black Poly (polystyrene) aka foam board  - used as large white/black walls, to cut ligth out or reflect it in;

detailed lighting setup from Colin Page

Behind the scenes:

Behind Colin - hear you can see all the black cutters. Top: Can you see the leg stripe lights? To our right we can see a stand with a cutter to prevent flare in lens. Bottom: We can see the head spot lights

Behind subject. Here we can see the ceiling light - bounce flash.

More Final artwork works:

Final art work 2

Final art work 3

ASSISTING on a project like this is an amazing opportunity. It teaches you many things. The energy involved on the shoot is hi and requires an assistant to be on there feet for 10 + hours a day. Always be ready for instruction from your photographer, try think ahead and use initiative. Have your assistant kit handy (bag of goodies: gaffer, pins etc) Pay total attention to client needs, regularly check if you can do anything for them: coffee, food, phone, parking etc. They need to be comfortable.

Be ready: to change lens for your photographer. Make sure they are clean ; be ready with cutters; have a pen and tape to measure tripod if need be, check that camera batteries are fully charged, pre check that comp-camera tethering is working good.

Share on Facebook

Assisting Commercial Photographer Jorge DeAraujo.

Client = a large event hire company. They were having a xmas party and invited their clients along. Location was the Price of Wales Hotel Rooftop bar on Fitzroy St, St Kilda.

Even though the brief required just one shot, Jorge quoted 2 hours for this job. We got there 2 hours before people arrived to set up and looked at lighting conditions.

Ideally he wanted to use available light, by the time the 100 people arrived the sun was to far down. So we set up 4 lights with umbrellas.

Jorge up the ladder. There are 2 more umbrellas' behind me.

Communcation with group:

Its always good to have some help organising people. The MC at this function was willing to organise everyone and gave good instructions to people to put them into place. Then Jorge while on top of a 6 foot ladder gave final instructions to the group.

Useful information to communicate to large groups:

• Let them know that you will be taking many photos for a approx a few minutes. This prepares them that they need to concentrate and smile, keep eyes open, be visable to the camera etc.
• Let them know that they need to be able to see the camera, otherwise you (the photographer) will not be able to see them.
• Shorter people need to be at the front and taller at the back.
• Be relaxed, confident and funny – people will listen better and relax.
• Take your time, be confident and look around the group at peoples faces to see that everyone is looking (it might take 10-15 secs).
• Always take a ladder with you. Talk to client about location in detail.
• It is ideal to have an assistant as you will require a lot of gear: 4-6 lights, stands, sandbags etc.

This info can be useful also when photographing the group shot at weddings)

Final shot:

Share on Facebook

When I assist Mark Wilson I learn new things every time. Mark has been a photographer in Melbourne for 15+ years. A large part of this time he was a photographer at Coles Myer. His knowledge on film vs digital and technical lighting is some of the best I have ever seen.

Client: Dassi

Brief: advertising material, 5 shots, showing before and after scenario of dassi service.

5 shots over 1 full day @ house in Malvern.

Gear: Maymaiya RZ67 pro2 body, phase one back. Shooting teethered to latop capture one v4.

For all but one shot we used ARRI HMI lights (HMI Fresnels). These lights do not flash, rather give a constant light source.

Ari light features:

• They can be focused by a Large switch on the bottom.
• They usually have barn doors.
• Depending on side they can fit onto a normal average size stand (Manfrotto 004’s).
• An example: Arri d5 hmi 575w
• Good for outdoor and indoor lights.
• Can be easily covered with warming & cool gels (coloured film) to vary the temperature of the light.

1st shot: kitchen floor. Showing clean vs dirty.

Camera and Tripod

This is a large standard tripod from Manfrotto with a FOBA tripod head attached onto the leg to get down lower to the ground. See pic below:

foba mini superball tripod head.

Our main light was an Ari 2000 lamp. Bouncing off the ceiling from another room into the kitchen. These lights have a reasonably warm temperature (k). I covered it with an orange gel lowering the tempertaure of the lamp to match the ambient light already in the ktichen (kitchen light was shinning in from a window).

Arri HMI 2000 w - with orange gel to cool temperature down.

Look out for the final art work to be posted here when it is made public.

More info:

• Mark Wilson’s Website
• Wiki’s def on HMI
• Photo of HMI light set

and final art work of two of the photos:

final art work 2

Share on Facebook

It took me about 12 months to get regular assisting work. I was continually networking. I am fortunate enough to have had regular work while doing all these things. I did about 15-20 hours per week as a freelance retoucher & this freed up the rest of my week to make new contacts and do my own photography work.

Here are some of the things I did to get work:

• Enthusiasm and passion really rubs off on people we meet. So talk to “everybody” you meet about what you do and be this way around them. People pick up on this and wanna help or be involved.
• Have a business card that says “assistant” and one that says photographer.
• Have an assistant website.
• Have an assistant kit. This is essentially a tool box. A bag with all your goodies in it. Your ‘kit’ may include: a light meter, gray card, gaffer tape, clamps etc (Look out for a post on “The perfect Assistant kit”).
• Write a long list of photographers in your area you like and contact them. Look at their folios online first. Email them explaining why you want to. Always follow this up with a phone call.
• Join an assistant  group such as ACMP’s Trampoline and attend their monthly meetings – great way to network.
• Go to photography seminars to meet commercial photographers, hand out cards
• Find out whom the best assistants are and ask for advice and get to know how they operate.
• Network with other industry professionals. This has really worked wonders for me. People who commonly work with photographers such as makeup artists, stylists, graphic designers.
• Familiarize yourself with equipment that photographers use. Become and expert with the industry standard gear & software, for example using Capture One – version 4. Or hire/borrow a canon 1ds mark3 for a day.
• I started using Phase One digital backs on jobs, so I wanted to become an expert with this technology. As it happened I had meet the Melbourne Phase One supplier so I started developing a working relationship with him. This has been amazing as he has recommended me many times over. I also keep in regular contact with him to see what the latest advances in tech are and also catch up on local news.
• Subscribe to Capture Magazine. This is an amazing magazine, it has a wealth of information and inspiration.
• A major one though is promoting yourself as an assistant and not a photographer. This proves to photographers that you are serious about learning.
• Dedicate a period of time to assisting, depending on your skill level this may be 12 months, or as much as 4-5 years.
• Before a big assisting job do your research. Look at the photographer’s website. If an agency gave you the job ask them questions about the photographer and what is expected from you. For example: what camera and software does the photographer use? Will there be an digi operater on the shoot? etc.
• Never give up. Be ruthless in what you do. Be super confident even though you may not feel it.
• Post ads up about yourself and your services. What makes you different from the other assistants out there? One or half page ads and put them up in studios or places where photographers hang out.
• Post ads online on photography networking websites like PICA.
• Hang-out in studios. Once you make a contact at the larger studio hang out there on sets and get to know the photographers, offer to help out. With some photographers I started out as a 2nd assistant then moved up the chain.

Once you start assisting:

1. Work as hard as you can. Be really professional. Always be busy. Some of the best assistants I know spent the whole day on their feet – always moving.
2. Go to your shoots with heaps of energy and enthusiasm, ready to learn.
3. Take notes on all your shoots. When you get home draw diagrams of your lighting setups.
4. Thank everyone you meet on the shoots and even ask for their contact details to stay in touch.
5. Keep perfect records of the jobs you do and the people you come in contact with. This will give you good records to keep in contact with important people.

Brett Odgers Seminar on LIghting @ Sun Studios

Share on Facebook

Photographer = Juli Balla

Client: Holeproof Print Ad

Ad Agency: Clemener

Campaign: Woman walking along in corporate attire and she looks at herself in a window seeing her dressed in her hole-proof underwear.

Final art work:

Final art work will be posted when made public

I spent 2 days assisting Sydney based tog Juli Balla. I’ve worked with her a couple of times now and everytime is a huge learning curve. Check out her folio. You’ll see that she has worked with some of the biggest brands, mostly fashion. She expects a lot from her assistants, as most photographers at this level would. Her style is very inspiring to me. There are lots of multilayered shots, heavily themed. Some of her sexualized themes/photos are a bit disturbing but would be so much fun to do.

Both days were about 10 hours long. I spent 95% of this on my feet  and being at full alert. Her lighting and attention to detail I would say is very exact. This is a common trend with tog’s at this level. For example in this shoot, we spent about 45-60 mins setting up the first shot, (3 lights and a mirror) then 15 mins with a stand in model (assistant), then another 15 mins tweaking lighting on the actual model (in set). In summary, a lot of work, pushing, pulling, lights to get the scene perfect.

Highlights

• Shooting on a Hasselbald system, with a phase one P30 digi back.
• 3 lights, the main one being a Profoto Fresnel Spot, hired from Sun Studio.
• Juli always has lots of diffuser cloths and gels in her kit. All the lights on this campaign were softened in some manner.
• She always uses cutters to shield from (flash) flare but also expects you to put up cutters between her and any other distracting lights, such as windows.
• On location, safety is a first. Usually always there are 2 assistants on location work. This 1st location was a busy atrium in a large building on Collins st, Melb cbd. I had to gaffer lots of extention cords to the ground that ran across open spaces. The security were uneasy at first but came around. We had special permission to shoot here, which never is allowed.

This shows 3 lights - 1 out window. Juli on left with cam.

in b/g = showing model in position infront of mirror. in foreground = shows digi operator. Camera shoots straight to the computer

Lighting set up - in studio shooting reflection of model

Share on Facebook