So before the start of the shoot, I did some test shots and adjusted the white balance to give it a warmer tone. I also mounted an external flash and have the flash bounce off the ceiling so that it will not be too harsh on the subject.
Some pointers that I have in my mind when shooting.
1) Know what you want to shoot before you start. Have a concept in your mind.
- For me, I prefer action shots and shots whereby the subjects are not looking straight into the camera (do not want them to appear to posed). I would like to take my subjects in their most natural self.
2) Make my subjects feel comfortable. Many a times, though I might be hiding at one corner of the room trying to steal some shots, but once the students realise that my lens is aiming at them, they can get quite uncomfortable and awkward. When the students are uncomfortable with my presence, the shots will turn out lifeless since they are very cautious and mindful of my camera.
3) Do not try incorporate too many details in a photo unless it is meant to be a general wide angle shot. A large aperature actually does the job quite well since it is able to blur out the background of the subject in focus.
4) Take from a variety of angles. Some people look better at certain angles and I think as a photographer, it is crucial that you bring the beauty out of your subject and make them look their best. The last thing I want to know is the subject getting angry with me because I made him/her look bad in a magazine (if the pictures are published).
5) Be ready, informed and alert at all times. Before the start of the lesson, I actually had small chats with some students in the class to find out from them how the class discussion actually goes about during tutorials. When I am better informed, I can better guage what to expect and be ready to capture the moment.
In this photo, the subjects are limited to 2 person. From this picture, we can see the gentleman in green explaining something to his tutorial mate. The eye contact between the two subject is also vital to show the interaction and connection between them.
There is a varied number of actions from the 3 ladies as shown in this picture, depicting a sense of "busy`ness", adding a level of 'excitement' to this picture. The varied expressions on the ladies' faces also added a certain sense of varied emotions experienced by the 3 ladies.
This photo was taken with a screenshot of the CNM webpage in the forground. I think it adds a sense of self-explanation to the viewer that this is a CNM lesson and that a student is giving a presentation on her work.
When the students are making their presentation, I think it is also important to incorporate the audience into the photo so that they do not appear to be talking to a empty class or even talking to themselves. Since the main focus of the picture is on the lady making her presentation, the forground (showing the heads of the audience) is not in focus to minimise the attention grabbing conflict between the lady and the audience. However, the incorporation of the audience into the photo actually shows that she is making a presentation to a group of people.
Having the subjects all look in a specific direction actually suggests something is going on at that particular direction (in this case, the left side of the picture).
In this photo showing the tutor offering her suggestions and advices to the students, I have actually incorporated the overhead projector screen into the background. If the tutor had been shot against a white background, it might not be reflective of the situation that she is tutoring in a class.
During critic session, the students actually get to walk around the class to view their friends work and to share their opinions. In this picture, I particular like the fact that the lady on the left has some sort of gestures, adding a touch of action to the picture.
Acknowledgements or enjoyments can be expresses through smiles and laughter and I think this image above has conveyed the idea that they enjoyed the lesson/sharing session.
Lastly, this close up shot above actually conveys a idea of the cosiness to the viewer and the camera caught in shot actually adds a touch of glamour to the picture. Every CNM student should feel special.
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