“I enjoy unearthing people’s potential”

It’s a glorious, sunny Easter Friday here on the Isle of Wight, balmy days like these put a spring in my step with brilliant sunshine glancing off the Solent.

In today’s portrait session at Studio 2, Ryde I was getting to grips with working with a new lighting set up and feeling like a beginner all over again. Meeting with an aspiring model like Esme fires me up with inspiration and I’d like to share my top tips right now.

Whether you’re still trying to pick up the courage to book your own portrait session or you’re super giddy with inspiration about your own photography, I have three blog posts that might help.

• What happens on a photoshoot in Ryde
• What makes this Isle of Wight photographer different
• Mentoring for photographers
  

Flicking through Instagram I chanced upon Esme’s profile, she’d ‘liked’ one of my photographs and I wondered if she’d like to recreate something similar.

My inspiration? The number of young women who get in touch asking for beautiful photographs and not daring to believe they’ll photograph well.

“Will I be able to capture her graceful looks?” I fretted, “Her styling is perfect, will I create something that makes her heart sing?”

It all started as we walked up the hill from the bus station, Studio 2 is just five minutes away and perfect for anyone using public transport. I made a silent promise, this portrait session will be fun, bright, cheerful and easy (whilst capturing portraits that cause a stir). After just one photograph was posted on-line, a fellow colleague gets in touch asking me how I create such sophisticated lighting (and who is this beautiful new model)!

Whilst I always get wrapped up in posing, lighting and styling the one secret ingredient to all my photoshoots are the models. Take Esme, with her generous spirit, light-hearted joy and maturity that comes from the steady love and guidance of a family. Reading the ‘ooos’ and ‘awwws’ is lovely, but helping people is deeply satisfying. Knowing I’ve made a difference makes helps me understand that my passion for photography is really a secret weapon: translating Esme’s beautiful spirit into photographs that her family will love.

Esme’s transformation during this portrait session is quite astonishing and I hope it provides food for thought for those of you who are curious about booking a portrait session. If you’d like to look naturally beautiful in your photographs like Esme, do take a look at my pricing page …you’ll get so much from the session, I promise.   

“I love seeing my portraits empower women”

I hate being late. And for my last studio session with Miss Deadly Red I was horrendously late. So this time I made sure I was right on time. With a heavy bag and busy mind bursting with ideas, I walked in the sunshine towards my first photoshoot of Easter.

Mark, the owner of Studio 2 is always unfazed by my frantic efforts, a single hour to photograph a professional model can fly if you’re not careful.

As soon as I met Rachelle Summers, mug in hand and a broad smile on her face, I knew my day was off to a good start.

I plopped my bag on the floor watching clothes spill out haphazardly. “So, what are we shooting today?” asks Mark as I fuss with choosing soft boxes and modifiers. To make matters worse, I’m caught between the fear that I’ll not be able to use my beautiful gold dress that I’ve been saving for that special someone and wanting to recreate some fine art portraits that I find so inspirational.

But Rachelle and Mark seemed quietly confident I’d be able to achieve my goals. And for that I’m thankful.

Working in Studio 2 always fills me with conviction. It’s small and cozy, just up from the hovercraft and a five minute drive from town. Each visit reveals more new goodies to play with and a monthly social brings the creative community together.

My mind was elsewhere as I discussed the shoot plan with Rachelle, lost in a self-imposed cycle of self-doubt. Then I picked up the camera, Rachelle gazed confidently towards the lens and l gasped looking straight through the viewfinder. The magic was starting to happen.

With intense joy, the shoot flew by and I’m even more in love with the gold dress (thanks to the superb modelling by Rachelle). I’m really hoping she’ll visit us again sometime.

If there’s one thing we can take away from today’s session – it’s that we’re all doing our best. Made it to work on time, yeah. Finally got that appointment with the dentist, thank goodness. Avoided a fine at the library or that parking ticket, yesss!

Time and time again, when you’re at your lowest it just needs one step in the right direction to restart your day, your shoot plan and even your blog.

A recent post on IG reminded me that ‘we’re not in competition with each other, so help each other to reach the finish line’.  Life is a better, happier and more joyful place if we remember to uplift each other and cross that finish line together. If you’re feeling down and out on your luck, remember to reach out to someone you love and take their hand, it’ll make reaching your goals that little bit easier.

You are much more than your insecurities and you deserve to treat yourself with kindness. Get in touch if this resonates with you, I’d love to work with you.

Join my vision – Luxurious photography for everyone.

Today’s post is all about fun – playing in Studio 2 with a new model. There are so many ways to capture a portrait today and a recent popular movement in the ‘painterly’ approach. Now, these photos make my heart sing because I’ve been moving towards creating a new body of work for a quite some time.

Is it something Megan will like? Probably not. Which is why I’m grateful for her generous spirit.

Growing up on the Isle of Wight is a tricky learning process. Worrying about whether we are wearing the right clothes, overhearing a cutting comment dropped casually into the conversation, dwelling on minor mistakes that seems to haunt our day. Life can seem prone to embarrassments and I was certainly an insecure, clumsy and self-conscious teenager.

I think it’s something every young woman feels as they start to discover who they are and make conscious decisions about who they want to be. Finding our own voice, whether through photography, styling our wardrobe or creating makeup tutorials for YouTube is something we all remember. Right now I’m enjoying Jane Fonda workouts because they take me right back to a point in time. One to when I was trying too hard to be thin and attractive. The first tentative steps we take to find our own voice is exhilarating (and devastatingly confusing).

Trying new things, like becoming a model for the day, takes a leap of faith. Social media, where your self-styled image is emblazoned on the internet for, well, forever, is something I never had to navigate. Megan inspires me because she is able to overcome her natural fears and follow her curiosity about model photography. Megan is incredible in so many ways: refusing to be held back by self-doubt and supported by a loving mother, who was invaluable during our shoot, Megan finished our shoot triumphantly.  

I find great hope when working with new models like Megan because her generation are speaking out, they are happy to challenge old stereotypes and with her family’s support, there is no telling what Megan might try next. The world is truly her oyster.

I hope these photographs explain why I love to photograph teenagers. If you have any questions, just ask!

Amanda Herbert | Isle of Wight
Email: info@amandaherbert.com

Chilly Isle of Wight Weather

“I’m free tomorrow, do you want to meet up?” said my message.

In the lethargic days between Christmas day and New Year. A stolen hour away from home. Avoiding the frenetic activity in the kitchen. Hunting for the right outfit. Tidying the cupboard. Taking out the rubbish.

Charlotte opted to meet for her portrait session, 90 minutes of excited giggling.

The weather wasn’t ideal. Chilly with a bitter wind, easterly breezes off the Isle of Wight coast. What was perfect was Charlotte’s styling, using my favourite colours – red with denim. A new friend to play with, someone who could smile through the wintery weather.

Charlotte is fun to get along with and is hands down the easiest person to photograph. Laughing easily and giggling at the weather, she’s an avid reader and loyal friend. Charlotte has a confident grace in front of the camera and I worked hard to make sure she had fun. Her model-like ability to gaze straight into the lens, smiling and self-assured is something to be admired. She is undoubtedly happy, loved and able to stand her ground. Charmingly confident and humble in her outlook on life.

I had no idea Charlotte was interested in working with me after seeing this portrait session in Puckpool Park, we found our small circle of friends was inspired by a fellow photographer (someone I admire for his classic photographs captured honestly).

Most portrait sessions start with the same conversation: I need to lose weight first, after I get my hair done, work is too busy maybe later, I’m not sure I’ll take a good picture.

We lie to ourselves all the time. The truth is that we are scared. Scared of what happens on a photoshoot, worried about what to wear, doubting our ability to smile to the camera and destroying ourselves by comparing ourselves to the women on this website.

Life isn’t perfect; there’ll never be a right time. So, don’t hold back.

Everyone is nervous before a photoshoot, even me. But with a little planning and coordination with the outfits, I can take care of every detail during the session.

Meeting Charlotte created a little magic, more so because she trusted me to play, explore and have fun. Charlotte is experienced with the camera and often lends a hand with her boyfriend who is also a photographer. So she was happy to smile, laugh, twirl and walk along the pathways.

Despite the winter’s cruel fingers chilling our bones. I’m driven to support my clients – guiding, supporting and massaging those first time nerves transforming them into giggles and smiles.

Whilst carrying the small, black camera in my hand, another voice will whisper encouraging comments, sharing a joke, even singing little ditties and asking about your life story. To create the enviously-glamourous-effortlessly-beautiful portraits of Charlotte I simply had to reflect back the modern women I saw through her mum’s eyes. Someone with integrity who has been raised to be true to herself.

I hope these photographs show Charlotte all that I see – a beautiful, confident and engaging person. One with a story that shines with fun, laughter and loyalty. You are strong. You work hard. You focus the things you love: catching up with your boyfriend, supporting your mother and reading books late into the night.

Believe your boyfriend when he tells you how proud he is of you – he’s right.

I hope these photographs explain why I love to photograph women. If you have any questions.

Here are some more photographs taken in Appley Park:

• Appley Photographer
• Summery weather in Appley Park

 

Amanda Herbert | Isle of Wight
Email: info@amandaherbert.com

I’ve decided to start my first post for 2019 as a raw and unfiltered discussion about my approach to photography. Transparency is good, right?

When I started out in photography there were two types of people, I saw them as those that hid their ‘dark magic’ and refused to share their camera settings or techniques that helped to create beautiful photographs.

Then there were the generous, giving people that actively helped people. I attended ‘Anything goes’ photo walk abouts; women only meet ups; numerous free workshops held by amature enthusiasts. It was the foundation of my learning.

What’s most surprising about the above is that I was the only British person in a Singaporean community. Later, I met other British women on sponteaneous meetups and organised model shoots. But initially, I reached out and connected with a range of experts, invited myself into their homes and attended studio sessions without really knowing anyone.

It was the kindness of strangers that helped me find my feet, which is why I reach out and invit others to ask me questions.

Tann’s photographs are a good example of how I use light, so I’ve included ‘straight out of the camera’ (SOOC) previews to aid our discussion.

Initially, we started the session standing, but I immediately noticed the light falling downwards, ending in a beautiful glow just above the floor. So, I asked Tann to sit down by the edge of the window sill.

I tried to edit the first picture in the screenshot, but eventually rejected it. The brightest part of the image is her collar bone and I wanted the attention to fall on her face. Which is why picture 2 and 3 have a pose with a hand over her heart; I wanted to break up the brightness of the décolletage.

If you look at the last two pictures, where Tann is now standing, notice the light illuminating the elbows which are too bright and distract from the face. We’ll talk more about these pictures later.

Below is a triptych which helps us talk about posing, the photos have not been edited at all. Tann was wonderful to work with and flowed effortless through her repertoire making my life infinitely easier.

Learning to pose non-models is a whole series of blogs, with Tann I recognised her professionalism and confidence so I tended to follow her series of poses. Once I found one that I liked asked her to “pause and explore that pose there.” In fact, a golden rule with hands is that they don’t actually touch your face or body in case they drag skin, so I tend to ask models to, “rest your hands against your neck.”

Look again at pose 1 and 2, the hands blocking the face creates a barrier to the viewer, whilst the final pose has a more delicate feel inviting the viewer to reflect and linger on the photograph.

Getting a feel for the whole series is important to understanding the organic nature of portrait sessions. I communicate endlessly with the model throughout the shoot and tend to reveal my thought processes as they unfold, Tann knew how to create movement and expression based on my feedback. It’s a little bit like directing a movie.

Row 1 – I was concerned about the too bright chest area, so you can see I ask Tann to use different hand gestures until we found our mojo. Then I added a bit of the curtain to lower the contrast on the scene.

Row 2 – Now the poses rarely vary as I’ve found the magic light and have asked Tann to work within the tight frame because the pocket of light is beautiful.  

Row 3 – To counteract the bright chest area I ask Tann to lean against the wall. Half way through you can see that I’ve asked Tann to move her hands closer to her body so I don’t keep cropping off her limbs.

Row 4 – whilst the light was good in row 3, I’ve moved Tann right next to the window sill to create a high contrast light. My camera settings haven’t changed, but the light drop off creates a darker shadow on Tann’s face which suits the mood of mystery I was exploring.

Row 5 – now I’ve found the right light and the right frame I get to work on expressions and Tann didn’t disappoint. She really was a delight to work with.

My final discussion talks about colour. I shot the whole session on monochrome jpeg (& RAW which could be translated into colour). Tann’s styling was impeccable and the hair contrasting with the wall is what makes these photographs special. Colour theory tells us that orange / green are two colours to combine harmoniously and you can feel the punch from Tann’s styling.

Working in monochrome takes a little getting used to and a big leap of faith that the photographs are going to turn out OK. However, it is a useful approach to ensuring the shadows reveal enough of the face whilst allowing other parts of the body to recede into a mysterious backdrop.

I switched between monochrome (green filter) for smooth transitions and soft expressions with monochrome (red filter) for high contrast, punchy expressions in camera. It saves a little on editing and helps with the story telling.

Emotional impact ensures a successful photograph, the two images below are SOOC and both tell a different story. A black and white image conveys more of a narrative and suits an ‘eyes closed’ pose, whilst Tann’s beautiful eyes looking out of the frame suits a coloured variation. Both are equally valid, it just depends what story you want to tell.

I hope these photographs have helped you understand my approach to photography. As always, fire away if you have any questions.

To help you move forward I’m sharing these helpful posts from previous years:

• Goals for 2017, Isle of Wight
• 2016 a review
• Best of 2015

 

Amanda Herbert | Isle of Wight
Email: info@amandaherbert.com