Continuing his photo shoot of the craftsman, Philip Dunn explain why it is important to look for more than just a portrait of your subject – still-life for instance
With a set of portraits and action photographs of the sailmaker in the camera, it was time to look around the location to gather still-life photographs that will tell more about the story and help set the scene. Gathering these still-life pictures can be easily overlooked in the heat of the moment and the desire to get good portraits.
photograph 1
Certainly if you hope to sell a set of photographs to a magazine, these pictures are vital. They will bring pace and interest to the magazine page, and help the deigner to create a lively, more interesting layout.
So keep you eyes open for interesting objects and colours – and don’t be afraid to move something if it will help make a better photograph or tidy up a composition – if in doubt, ask. It is a perfectly normal thing for a photographer to do, and the usually craftsman will be only too happy to help
Photograph 1
My final still life picture was of the electric wall clock and the old chair surrounded by various discarded bits and pieces. The wall was lit almost entirely by florescent light and the AWB setting has coped extremely well in producing a natural result
Photograph 2
I was really spoiled for choice, but was attracted to the jumble of cloth and tapes next to the old Singer sewing machine
Photograph 3
One of a sailmaker’s most vital tools is a tape measure, and I spotted this one on the wooden floor. I liked the colour of the reel of purple thread and placed this next to the yellow tape measure. Don’t be afraid to move things in order to improve your composition – the world is your studio
photograph 2
photograph 3
I’ll post part three of this article very soon.
