Blog | 31 - (Un)Happy Snaps

September 15, 2017
bokeh photographic (Alistair Grant): Food & Drink Photographer; Commercial Photographer, Product Photographer & Packshot Photographer; Event Photographer; Portrait Photographer; Corporate Photographer & PR Photographer; Engagement Photographer & Wedding Photographer and Photography Training Courses in Cambridge, Huntingdon, Peterborough, Bedford, St Neots, St Ives and London. Freelance Photographer & Freelance Photography Services in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire and across the UK.    
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   Alistair Grant 

Freelance Photographer Cambridge & London

     
     

bokeh photographic: Blog No: 31

 Freelance Photographer Cambridge Blog Image | Blog 31 | (Un)Happy Snaps (Seascape of the stunning colours approaching the Block House sandbar on Tresco, Isles of Scilly). © bokeh photographic (Alistair Grant): Freelance Photographer; Food & Drink Photographer; Commercial Photographer, Product Photographer & Packshot Photographer; Event Photographer; Portrait Photographer; Corporate Photographer & PR Photographer; Engagement Photographer & Wedding Photographer and Photography Training Courses, St Ives, Cambridge. Blog 31 – (Un)Happy Snaps (Seascape of the stunning colours approaching the Block House sandbar on Tresco, Isles of Scilly) | bokeh photographic - Alistair Grant | Freelance Photographer in Cambridge, Huntingdon, Peterborough, Bedford, St Neots, St Ives and London. Blog 31 – (Un)Happy Snaps (Seascape of the stunning colours approaching the Block House sandbar on Tresco, Isles of Scilly) by Alistair Grant. Food & Drink Photography; Commercial Photography, Product Photography & Packshot Photography; Event Photography; Portrait Photography; Corporate Photography & PR Photography; Engagement Photography & Wedding Photography and Photography Training Courses in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire and across the UK.

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(Un)Happy Snaps 

Although I guess any photographer with the slightest bit of nous will notice this all year round we are nearing the end of the peak season for dud pictures (i.e. bad summer holiday snaps). Tellingly, I know when a dud has been taken without even seeing the image. In case you are wondering I haven’t developed a 6th sense. It’s a simple case of observing people’s reactions when they are taking photographs. There may be a frown or a puzzled expression, a sigh, a clasp of a hand to the forehead or (rather commonly) an expletive. As a professional photographer there are also the subtle clues, which may seem like a kind of supernatural sense to the uninitiated, such as picking up on a slow shutter when somebody is shooting a moving subject, noting pop-up flash when someone is attempting to photograph a landscape in low light and shooting into the sun – not a cardinal sin in itself as backlighting can produce stunning images but nonetheless is tricky to get right and judging by reactions something most people get in wrong. I’ve blogged about holiday pictures previously in terms of the fact that most adults, but interestingly not children, tend to stop dead and take a snap without exploring what is the best angle. What strikes me most about dud holiday snaps is that people don’t seem to learn. After taking a poor shot most people immediately take another shot - without changing anything - and then seem surprised that the second (and sometimes third, fourth, fifth etc.) shot is also a disappointment. I fully appreciate that mastering camera controls in addition to working out what went wrong with the initial shot can appear overwhelming: that’s why I offer the bokeh photographic Introduction to Photography training course. I don’t take pleasure in the holiday snap fails of others; particularly so when I can see the potential of the shot. It’s the repetitive behaviour without thinking that frustrates.

Clients who have never experienced a professional photo shoot are often surprised that I never accept the first shot. My underlying approach is always to consider 'can this be improved upon'. Sometimes it can, sometimes not, but at least I know that I have thoroughly explored all options to get the best shot. I adopt the same strategy when shooting non-work related photographs. This includes holiday snaps. This seascape of the stunning colours approaching the Block House sandbar on Tresco, Isles of Scilly attracted a fair few likes when I posted it on one of the Scilly Facebook forums. It wasn’t my first shot. It was the third out of four pictures I took of the scene. I changed camera angle from the first to second shot and then metering point from the second to third shot. On the fourth take I tried a different focal length but the result wasn’t as pleasing as the third shot. You may be thinking 'all very good but I simply haven’t got the time to work out what is the best shot'. Although I concede professional photographers are likely to be quicker than amateur photographers the process needn’t be time-consuming. All told, I made the four exposures in less than a minute. In case you are doubting it may be helpful to know that I was starving and that Mrs Grant had already started on her lunch!

   
     

Call Alistair Grant on 07775 365507, Email [email protected] or click Booking Enquiries if you have any questions or would like to make a booking.

   
     

bokeh: "the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image produced by a lens"


Freelance Photographer offering Food & Drink Photography Cambridge; Commercial Photography Cambridge, Product Photography Cambridge & Packshot Photography Cambridge; Event Photography Cambridge; Portrait Photography Cambridge; Corporate Photography Cambridge & PR Photography Cambridge; Engagement Photography Cambridge & Wedding Photography Cambridge and Photography Training Courses in Cambridge. Also covering: Huntingdon, St. Ives, Ramsey, St. Neots, Peterborough, Bedford, Stamford, Newmarket, Sawtry, Alconbury Weston, Brampton, Hartford, Warboys, Houghton, Wyton, Godmanchester, Hilton, Hemingford Grey, Hemingford Abbots, Fenstanton, Whittesley, Yaxley, Needingworth, Somersham, Chatteris, Ely, Bar Hill, Grafham and Buckden.

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bokeh photographic - Alistair Grant | Freelance Photographer | Cambridge, London, UK

Food & Drink Photography | Commercial Photography & Product Photography | Corporate Photography & PR Photography | Portrait Photography (inc. 'Active Portraiture', 'Naturally You' & 'Poptraits') | Event Photography | Engagement & Wedding Photography | Photography Training Courses & Camera Tuition | Videography & Film Production

Tel: 07775 365507 | Email: [email protected]