Monday 25 June 2018

Before You Press The Button

Before you press the button you should know what the subject should look like. And at the very least or perhaps in companion to before you press.. when you hit the editing desk you really really should know what you want the picture to look like.

I'm not even thinking about old school Ansel Adams visualisation of the subject. I'm talking - look at what you are looking at, what do you see, is it how you think it should look?

This may be at the heart of problem with people using the digital TV screen on the back of the phone/camera. What problem? The device shows what's there right. Well, er yes and well kind of no; and yes but.. Even though the screen shows what and more importantly how the scene will be rendered(ish) in 2D. The photographer - the person using the camera needs to have an understanding of what they are looking at and how the elements work together - on that front, even with digital, nothing has changed.

In that video in the link above Adams talks about that moment when he realised how he could take a picture the way he saw it, not just how it looked, how he could create a picture to tell the story of his vision (visualisation) of how it looked.
This is very important.

That is a landscape picture; but if you look at the contemporary landscape of fashion photography. You can see we are being swamped by pictures of a dress. But no understanding of how a dress looks at its best, no story, no vision. And while people may like the pictures with a, Thumbs Up or little Hearts. It doesn't mean they really love it. People love stories, they love something, with a photographers vision. If your pictures haven't got that, they have very little at all.

Telling Stories in Pictures all over the world..
Kent Johnson, Sydney, Australia.
0433 796 863

Friday 22 June 2018

Photographing Men's Fashion On-Location in New York at Night

I loved shooting this capsule range in New York for local NY label Mario & Lee. We started the shoot on a penthouse terrace at The Roger Hotel (thank you White Caviar Life). Then headed over to the Empire State Building making shots at locations I had scouted over the previous days, informed by the behaviour of people I had noted too. I wanted that classic New York by night mood; but with a little more edge than the safer NYC of today.. Huge thanks to Mario&Lee our model Lionel Nichols and assistant Vivienne Shui.
Menswear photoshoot at at The Roger Hotel NYC in black and white for fashion label Mario&Lee. Photography by Kent Johnson.
Terrace balcony Manhattan - Menswear photoshoot at at The Roger Hotel NYC in black and white for fashion label Mario&Lee. Photography by Kent Johnson.
On dusk, penthouse terrace Manhattan, Empire State building in the background - Menswear photoshoot at at The Roger Hotel NYC for fashion label Mario&Lee. Photography by Kent Johnson.
Leaving the hotel, Mens fashion night photoshoot, chevron coat, photo in black and white. Photography by Kent Johnson.
Mens fashion night photoshoot, man's chevron coat with contrasting NY streetscape. Photography by Kent Johnson.
Night shot, man's chevron coat on the stree, mid shot. Image paired with amber ice on road. Menswear photographed in New York City by Kent Johnson.
Men's fashion photoshoot at night - Asymmetrical turtle neck, black leather overnight bag, photographed in a wash of red neon light at Empire State. Photography by Kent Johnson.
Asymmetrical turtle neck in red neon light at Empire State - image paired with a fashion parade crowd also in red light. Menswear photographed in New York City by Kent Johnson." alt="Asymmetrical turtle neck in red neon light at Empire State - image paired with a fashion parade crowd also in red light. Menswear photographed in New York City by Kent Johnson.
Mid shot - Men's fashion photoshoot at night - Asymmetrical turtle neck, black leather overnight bag, photographed in a wash of red neon light at Empire State NYC. Photography by Kent Johnson.
Longsleeve tee from the versed capsule collection, street scene with road steam and neon signs. Image paired with NY fire stairs and Korean signage. Menswear photographed in New York City by Kent Johnson.

Longsleeve tee from the versed capsule collection, street scene with road steam and neon signs, NYC Yellow Cab. Menswear photographed in New York City by Kent Johnson.

Photographed on location in New York City
Photography and Art Direction by Kent Johnson
Model Lionel Nichols
Label Mario&Lee
Photography assistant Vivienne Shui

Special thanks to White Caviar Life.

Telling Stories in Pictures all over the world..
Kent Johnson, Sydney, Australia.
0433 796 863

Wednesday 6 June 2018

Have you ever wondered what a Photographer brings to a Photoshoot?

Have you have ever wondered what a photographer brings to the shoot (it's not just their camera).. The internet has great ways to see how different people/photographers approach their subjects - lets take one famous location - Pont Alexandre III, Paris - on Google Maps you can see hundreds of pictures of what everyone thought was a good shot of the spot. Then with an Image Search you can compare FASHION photographers ideas and techniques at the same location too! And I seem to have a few pictures in the results.. Nice!
Have you ever wondered what a Photographer brings to a Photoshoot? Day, fashion shoot on Pont Alexandre III, Paris by Kent Johnson

We did two shoots at Pont Alexandre III for White Caviar Life last June, a day shoot and an evening photoshoot. During the day, Vivienne said the bridge was the busiest she had ever seen it (more about that another time).

The process of seeing what different photographers do is easy - just click the two links below and scroll through the photos. Easy, informative and great fun too! Of course now you know how it's done, check out your own special places and compare.
Have you ever wondered what a Photographer brings to a Photoshoot? Night, fashion shoot on Pont Alexandre III, Paris by Kent Johnson
See the whole Envy Green photoshoot here.

Google Maps pictures for - Pont Alexandre III

Google Images Search - Pont Alexandre III Fashion shoots

Special thanks to luxury travel and lifestyle website White Caviar Life!

Telling Stories in Pictures all over the world..
Kent Johnson, Sydney, Australia.
0433 796 863