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Monday, 27 May 2019

Weekend portrait photography workshop

Sadly I don't seem to have much of an opportunity to do portrait photography (a willing model is essential!), and in truth, I don't feel I really have the skills necessary, and certainly haven't had the practice I would like.  

So I jumped at the chance when the Photography Group of Bunbury advertised a portrait workshop with portrait photographer Seng Mah from Venture Photography, though in truth Seng is much more than a portrait photographer.  

The workshop is one of a series of workshops that the photography group is offering this year through a grant allocation. 

The workshop was held at the historic Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, and after an introduction on the basics of portrait photography we were lead through a series of settings using fixed and strobe lighting in a studio setting, and then out onto the street to photograph in natural light in shadow (street art in an alleyway was a perfect backdrop for this), and natural sunlit situations.  

 Here are some of my pics from the day.

Participants getting in close in the dance room of the art gallery. 


The beautiful faces of Hal who was a pleasure to work with. I really love the bottom one changed to black and white. 





Dino, who is quite new to portrait modelling 


 All these photos were taken with my 50mm lens, on full manual mode.

 A few basic tips:
Connect with your subject - communication and collaboration with your model is the key
Expose for the face but focus on the eyes
Turn face towards the light 
A portrait should be a story about the whole person
Lighting can evoke different moods - shadows can sculpt the form and create drama 
Do you want your background blurred, or included to tell help tell the story?
                                       .................................

Last August I had the opportunity to join a 20s style glamour photo shoot with the Photography Group of Bunbury, also using fixed lighting in a studio type setting. This was totally different to anything I had ever done before. These workshops are helping to build on my skills and make me feel more confident. 
 
Here is Sammy and Veronica. 




I really love these opportunities, but I also like candid family or travel shots too. These require a different set of skills. Talking to the subject is very important, ask them about themselves, what they are doing. Show them the photo, offer to send them a copy.

This was taken last year in Spain. As we were on a walking tour I was very sorry I didn't have time to stop and talk to this guy playing his guitar on steps in the old town of Albaicin in Grenada. I should have gone back and dropped some money in his hat. 


 Do you like portrait photography? Do you have any tips for better images? Perhaps you would like to share in your comments. 

 Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.  

Live in Bunbury and want to join a photography group?: Photography Group of Bunbury

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

 
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Monday, 20 May 2019

Autumn colour in Western Australia - Balingup

Hi everyone, how is life treating you? Life is busy here for me. In our little south west corner of Western Australia winter is showing its presence with cold mornings and evenings, and we have been lighting our fire each night to warm up our house and ourselves.  The clear warm days of autumn are beautiful, but we really do need rain as it is very dry out there in the paddocks and the farmers are desperately needing rain to get their grain crops going and are having to hand feed stock. 

 A week or so ago we took advantage of the beautiful weather (beautiful for us at least) to visit the Golden Valley Tree Park in Balingup, which is undoubtedly one of the best places to see autumn colour.


Only about an hour south of our home, it makes for a perfect day out. The park features a collection of deciduous trees which are showing off their autumn colour right now. But you need to get there before the leaves have all fallen. To see this colour is amazing for us Western Australians as our native trees are all ever-green, so we don't get the full flush of autumn colour like people living in the northern hemisphere do. So visiting the Golden Valley Tree Park is very special. 

I've blogged about the Golden Valley Tree Park before - you can click on the links to revisit
Autumn - Season of Change
Autumn in the Golden Valley Tree Park

Despite the drying paddocks and the smoke haze from burning off when we visited this year, the park was still beautiful.


 So different to when we visited the year before when the paddocks were green.



Leaves flutter down

    golden, orange, red, purples and dusky browns,

reflecting the hues of the late afternoon autumn light

   as it breaks through the sky's thin grey winter cloak,

and leafless branches

   stretch up toward the sun, shivering, 

stripped bare of their summer clothing. 
                                                                                                            by Jill, June 2017
Red Oak
I really love this avenue of Chinese Pistachios planted in 1999. 

Chinese Pistachio

Pomegranate

I couldn't resist picking up some leaves to take home and print on paper. These are Red Maple and Bradford Pear

The Golden Valley Tree Park is a sixty hectare landscaped park set in the picturesque hills of Balingup. The heritage listed site has a collection of trees that was begun over one hundred years ago, and is now the largest arboretum in Western Australia. Many of the trees are labeled.
The Park is managed on a voluntary basis by a not for profit incorporated association, Golden Valley Tree Park Inc., (GVTP Inc.) in partnership with the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
 Entry is free but a donation will help the work of our volunteers.

 To find out more information on the Golden Valley Tree Park, please click here - Golden Valley Tree Park

  Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.


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Tuesday, 7 May 2019

Art in Dardanup and the Ferguson Valley

This last weekend I have been a part of the Dardanup Art Spectacular Art Show and Art Trail. I was exhibiting with other artists at Lyndendale Art and Antiques, and I thank Denise and Lynton for once again opening up their gallery and garden for this event over the weekend of the art trail.

 Thank you to all the lovely people - friends and new friends - who braved the changeable weather over the weekend to come to Lyndendale Art and Antiques during the Dardanup Art Trail. To those stopped to chat with me and those who purchased from me, THANK YOU! Your support and encouragement means so much to me. 

We had sunshine and drizzly rain over the weekend, but managed to keep warm and dry. 
And it was a great weekend for visitors to come out to the beautiful Ferguson Valley for a weekend of art, food, music and wine! 


Some of my fellow artists at Lyndendale

 Elizabeth Royce - Printmaker


Terry Madgwick - artist


Jackie MacFarlane - printmaker


Tracie Anderson - ceramics



 Lyne Mitchell and Denise Gillies - printmakers

 Thank you everyone for stopping by. Hopefully I will be back on track with my regular blogging soon! 

 And thank you to my dear husband for carting me and my stuff around the country and encouraging me in my artistic pursuits.


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