Time for a workout...!

Like most people I try and get to the gym and work off the excesses of the weekend... But when I was approached by Liam to shoot him on a workout for his portfolio, I realised I probably haven't been working hard enough!

It was certainly a different kind of shoot for me, but still fun.  It was great that Liam had a very definite idea of what he wanted from his shoot and the look and feel of the images were clearly understood.

I think the end results are much better for the fact that the client (Liam) understood what he wanted and really understood the power of good photography and the value of it.  I believe that taking pictures, in a studio, at a wedding or in the gym(!) can be greatly improved if both parties respect each other and come to the 'party' with ideas and a willingness to participate.

I really enjoyed the shoot in the gym and I'm looking forward to working with Liam again, but in more familiar surroundings of a studio.  But wherever or whenever it happens, the emphasis is going to be on working together  to get everything right.

Pre shoot with Gemma and Simon

I met with Gemma and Simon last week for a pre-wedding shoot at their venue in Leeds. Finally, we had great weather and the grounds looked amazing.

Oulton Hall is a beautiful location so Gemma and Simon will be looking forward to a fantastic special day and some amazing photos too.

By the time we finished Simon was really enjoying the pre-shoot! So with a couple of glasses of Champagne on their wedding, I'm sure it'll be even more fun! :-)

For more details go to http://www.garyhibberd.co.uk

Wedding Fayres

I’m often asked if I ‘do’ wedding fayres and as a wedding and portrait photographer  I suppose the correct answer should be “Yes and I love them!”  but the honest answer is “Not often... and they’re ok.”  Let me explain. 

I love meeting new people and wedding fayres certainly give you that opportunity, but of the few I’ve attended I feel they don’t offer you the 1-2-1 time that a couple looking for a photographer truly deserves. 

I attended one recently where I watched as a busy photographer constantly looked around at the people passing by her stall as she chatted to the couple in front of her.  You could see the fear in her eyes as all these potential clients walked by, not wishing to disturb them.  I know how this feels, because I work alone at these fayres so I have to be very much ‘on the ball’, but more importantly I try to focus on one client at a time.  If people are interested and want to talk to me, then they’ll return when I’m not talking to anyone or they’ll take a leaflet and give me a call (well, that’ the hope anyway).

Wedding fayres are great for couples to meet the people who will offer them some great services and make their day special, but I wouldn’t rely totally on what you see at the fayre.  I’d always suggest a follow up meeting in more relaxed circumstances where you can ask the all important probing questions about the packages and the style of photography.

I feel the initial meeting should be enough to make you relaxed and confident that person in front of you is someone you can get along with and work with to deliver what you want for your big day.

If you’ve any experiences (funny or otherwise) then feel free to share them below.

Family Photo Shoot

I was really pleased to shoot a lovely (large!) family yesterday and have some fun along the way with props...

Photo shoots should be fun and whenever possible I like to get people laughing and enjoying themselves, even if it's at my expense sometimes!  But the emphasis has to be on 'fun'.  I'm pleased to say it was fun for everyone and I think the results can be seen in the eyes and the smiles... Priceless.

Photography.. it's not easy you know! :)

With the amount of camera's out there and people taking pictures, it's easy to think that taking photo's and photography is easy. Well, it is.. Sort of.  Let me explain...

Cameras have reached a place now that the vast majority have high pixel ratings (quality of image) with sensitive lenses that can work in varying light conditions.  Even the shutter and aperture are taken care of if you set the camera to 'A' (Auto).  So, taking a picture is easy... But does this make you a photographer?

Does buying a Nikon, Canon, Sanyo make you a photographer?  No, it simply means you are several hundred pounds lighter and the owner of a new camera.

Being a photographer (in my humble opinion) means you are someone who tries to look beyond the picture and into the emotion or 'feeling' of what the image is providing.  It's about capturing the values that the picture is trying to convey and holding that up for the world to see.  It's not easy and I practice every day to perfect the art.  I personally believe this can only be achieved through love, passion, hard work, commitment and honesty. I'm not a hobbyist, this is what I do.

I can honestly say that if I were to win the National Lottery tomorrow, this is what I would do for the rest of my life.  Photography is easy... you just have to want it and love it enough.

When I meet with couples and talk to them about their photography needs it's in a bid to understand them and what they're looking for.  I'm not simply after another commission. That would be easy and I'd soon get bored.  No, what I'm after is to understand why the pictures are important to them and to try and get to know them a little better.

By approaching photography on a personal level I know I can improve my photography... As the saying goes; "Little-by-little, day-by-day, I'm getting better in every way." :)

To see my work please take a look at www.garyhibberd.co.uk

What should you look for in a photographer?

I'm sure you've seen this kind of question on many many wedding websites and blogs, offering you the answer to a question, which I think you already know.  The interesting thing for me is that you don't often see websites with articles entitled; "What should you look for in a good mechanic?" 

Let's be honest, most of us KNOW what we're looking for when we look to someone offering a service; Honesty, integrity, reliability, professionalism (i.e. do they know what they're doing?!).  All these things are 'intangible' and speak of the service you are paying for.  You should expect that the person KNOWS how to take a picture and to use their camera so you shouldn't need to see a list of their equipment and their insurance details and CV!  (If you do, do you usually ask to see the garage and interview the person working on your brakes when you take your car for a service? Why not? :) )

Photography should be a professional service, offered to you professionally and that means the person offering it should have some integrity and be able to demonstrate that.  How do you get to this?  Well, simply put, I believe in 'gut feeling' and when you're meeting and talking to your photographer, it should tell you everything you need to know about them.

Do their words and actions match up to what you expect?  i.e. Are there things that come out of the woodwork as you're talking?  Hidden 'extras' which cost more than you thought?  Do they talk about having lots of experience, but don't ask you what style or kinds of things you like? Do you get a sense this is more about THEM than it is about YOU?

Do they make you laugh and/or make you feel comfortable?  No one is saying they need to be the next Peter Kay, but at the very least they need a personality! You're going to spend your most precious day with them so PLEASE pick someone with heart and a little life about them!

When they arranged the meeting with you, did they turn up when you expected them to? Can they be relied upon to give you the due respect by being on time?!  And if they're late do they let you know and do they offer you a reasonable explanation?  It may sound like a small thing, but this screams respect!  You are busy people and they want YOUR business, so shouldn't they respect you by being on time?

Being professional, offering you a great service that makes you say "WOW" at least once during your interaction with your photographer. That's what your photographer should be aiming for.  If they're not, then they're in the wrong game and you have the wrong person sat opposite you.

So when you next meet with your photographer, please do trust your gut!  If it doesn't 'feel right', then it's probably not. Happy hunting!

Photoshop Art

Well, it's been another busy week for me and I'm looking forward to more photography and photoshop work this coming week.


Wedding requests are coming through thick and fast and I'm sorry to say there seem's to be a lot of people out there choosing the same day(s) as I've had to turn down three weddings over the past couple of days as they had selected the same date!  It's sad as I really wish I could be there for everyone, but it's just not possible (obviously!).


Anyway... Photoshop Art work this week has seen me create a couple of funky images for models I've worked with recently.  Below are the 'before and after' shots so you can see what I've done.  But let me know what you think... I love creating individual images which gives the subject that something extra.


Stacey 

Stacey's shoot was a fantastic opportunity to capture images that reflect her great, individual look but I also wanted to give her a funky mysterious look which focused on her hair and her eyes.  

Using a number of layers, brushes and lighting techniques I gave her a 'hot' look that would look great on a movie poster!  I think this really works well and makes her eyes 'pop', accentuating her lovely features.  And if you're wondering how long it takes to create an image like this... "Smouldering Stacey" took me over an hour to complete, but I believe the results are worth it, and Stacey loves it too!

Sarah
Sarah has a genuinely classic look and I wanted to give her a funky, grungy picture which would give her something out of the ordinary and would again add a different dimension to her portfolio.

 

The image required a grungy background and layers which would give it a sprayed and cracked paint feeling.  Added to this is the lighting and we end up with an image which looks 'dirty' by comparison to the clean lines of the original shot. Great fun to create which took almost an hour to complete.

Photoshop Art
Photoshop is an amazing tool which allows me to make wedding and studio photos sparkle and shine but it also gives me the opportunity to be creative and deliver something different to each person I'm lucky enough to work with.


I'm pleased to say that all the subjects I work with go away with something truly unique and I hope gives them something different to think about when looking at our work.


I'm REALLY looking forward to all the studio work I have lined up for 2011 and I hope you book me too so I can create something just for you!


I'd love to hear what you think of these images, or of PhotoShop editing in general.  Do you think PhotoShop editing has gone too far? 

Go to www.garyhibberd.co.uk to see more work and find out more about the services I offer.