Caroline Paris. Partner in Crime.
Tamara Webb. Photographer.
Bojana, Supernova Model Management
Suncica, Supernova Model Management
Valentina Rossi, Modelle Internazionale
Henry, Makeup Artist & Model, Supernova Model Management
Milan Day #2 - Streetstyle and Shows
Milan Fashion Week Day #1 - Genny, Les Copains, Fay and Francesco Scognamiglio
London Fashion Week - Days #4 & #5
London Fashion Week Day 3 #LFW
London Fashion Week Day 2 #LFW
London Fashion Week Day 1 #LFW
Street-style
Ong oaj Pairam Catwalk
Backstage
Manuel Facchini Presentation
Le Kilt
Toni & Guy at JP Braganza Backstage
Grunge Black & White Editorial Shoot
Story Title: I want to run away. It's Quiet here.
Model: Gabriella @ Supernova Model Management
Fashion Direction: Caroline Paris
Hair: Christian Galea
Clothing: River Island
LUKEAZZOPARDI - ‘If You Ask Me, I’m Yours’ Transseasonal Artisan Collection 2015/16
Credits
Photography: Kurt Paris
Models: Amy & Gabriella @ Supernova Model Management
Make Up: Roberta Portelli
Lighting Setup
Since a lookbook is designed to show off all the detail in the outfits, the lighting setup chosen was a clean & even one. 2 Bowens Gemini 500pro were used on either side of the model: One was set up at head height with a beauty dish, and the other was set up on the opposite side with a 1m x 1m softbox. The softbox and beauty dish provided a good balance of focused and soft lighting - which ensured even lighting, with a bit of shadow for the texture in the clothing to show.
In outfits where a lot of texture was present, a 3rd light was placed on the side of the model. This was modified simply, using a grid and barn-doors (to keep it off the model's face and the floor) and it created some highlights to further accentuate the outfit's texture.
You can check out the complete lookbook on here: LUKEAZZOPARDI Facebook
Reveu.me - Connecting creatives with industry professionals
The most difficult part of the creative process (in my humble opinion) is choosing. If the shoot went well, there are usually many good choices... and if the shoot didn't go so well, there are what *look* like good choices. The reason is that as though they were our children, we look at our creative works with biased eyes.
A little while ago I had signed up for the beta of Revue.me. The label on the can promised to allow an easy way for an industry professional (Photographers, Agents, Editors etc) to take a look at a body of work and to provide constructive criticism. Like all things on the internet I assumed this would be free, however there is a cost per review. This cost, combined with the fact that (at the time) most of the reviewers were photographers, led me to put this website aside and continue using photography forums (or my trusty sidekick Caroline) for this sort of advice.
Fast forward a month or two - I received an email with some personal responses to some comments I had made in a site survey a little while back, and an offer for a complimentary review by Jerris Madison, editor-in-chief at Obvious magazine. The first thing I noticed on my return was that the site has grown a lot. The reviewers available are more varied and many are industry professionals that would not be easily accessible.
The submission process is very straightforward and the site worked well both on my computer and mobile. You select some images, describe the shoot from a creative and technical point of view, add any specific questions and voila! Done. A day (or less) later I receive a notification that this was done. I was very happy to receive some very kind words, but also the reviewer pointed out something that I normally took for granted and that would be very easy to fix going forward.
Apart from the review, you may opt to ask advice or questions to a reviewer that are decoupled from any one shoot - and the cherry on the cake - you can even have a 1-on-1 video call with the reviewer.
A sample submission is available here: https://beta.reveu.me/Submission/rh84ni2haWpxrt9ER
As you can see, the reviewer tackled technical issues related to the photography aesthetic and also tackled issues specific to the industry.
Based on the cost of the review i think this would be great to get a feel of how your work competes on a global scale. It also provides a good insight into concerns and challenges which you might not even be aware of.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with reveu.me and have not been commissioned to write this article
Editorial Shoot: Castaways
Story Title: Castaways
Models: Gabriella & Henry @ supernovamodel.com
Stylist: Marisa Grima
Hair: Aura hairstylist Robert Agius
Makeup: Elaine Galea
Lighting Setup
Since we shot as the sun was setting, the lovely directional light was enough for most of the shots. A YongNuo YN-600 LED Light was used to add fill.
What camera should I buy?
You should always buy the best camera in the world ...and the best camera in the world, is the one you have with you :) Of course some camera models will give you a better result, but if they aren't with you they are useless.
Many people equate buying a camera with choosing one of two options - either buying an SLR or buying a cheap compact if price is a factor. The truth is that cameras have evolved not just in how good either one is, but also, new technologies have bred entirely new categories of cameras.
Another complication is that many of us have capable camera phones with us at all times. Do keep your phone in mind when making a decision of what camera to buy since the camera should give you something that your phone doesn't. Otherwise, what's the point of carrying another device?
"The Digital SLR" - a photographer's choice
So lets start off talking about the white elephant in the room - The venerable Digital SLR. This is the most misunderstood camera on the planet, and yet the obvious choice if you are intending to take up photography as a serious hobby, or start working as a professional photographer. SLRs tend to have a better build than other cameras and can suffer a bit more use and abuse. Since they have a large sensor (roughly the size of an SD card) they take beautiful photos, and they have one feature you won't find on any other consumer camera type: an optical viewfinder that shows you exactly what the lens is seeing. This last point is the reason an SLR is so important for photographers: instead of looking at a screen, you are looking into the scene with your eye and the experience is completely different. Top dogs in the SLR world are Canon and Nikon, pop over to the respective dealers and see which one feels best in your hands and go for it. The most important things to keep in mind when buying an SLR:
Do not buy anything except the camera and a lens. Ignore the 99-in-1 super duper thingy that does everything and the double kit magic zoom etc. Many times you are only saving a small amount and ending up buying a lot of useless doodads that you don't really need. Buy the camera, with the kit lens and take some pictures - once you figure out what you enjoy shooting you'll have a sea of other things you can buy.
I personally shoot Canon, and if you are aspiring to become a working photographer - the Canon 5D Series of cameras are (in my humble opinion) the perfect sweet-spot of price-ruggedness-reliability and specs
"NOT a dSLR" - everyone else's choice
If you are not aspiring to become the next Helmut Newton, there is a high chance that you won't even use this lovely viewfinder. Even worse than that, you will start to leave your camera at home because of the worst characteristic of an SLR: they are huge and heavy, even I don't like running around with one when I'm not working. Don't underestimate how many people buy one of these cameras and then never use it once the novelty has worn off.
Beautiful Photos - Small Camera - Changeable Lenses
Great image quality (and I mean the kind of quality that can be printed in a magazine, ie as good as an SLR, sometimes better) can be found on 2 other types of cameras, high end compact cameras and my personal favourite, mirrorless Cameras.
These cameras have great image quality for a very good reason, some of them use the exact same sensor as the ones that can be found in great SLRs. For example, the Sony NEX 5n (~600 Euro), which is a rather old mirrorless camera, had the same sensor found on the Nikon D7000 (~1000 Euro). That means that these cameras produced images which are very very very similar.
The only difference is that the NEX is much smaller and only around a third of the weight of the D7000. Oh, and it's around 400 euros cheaper too. This particular mirrorless camera is missing the viewfinder, but for many people this is a useless feature anyway. If you dont particularly care about a viewfinder, Canon has just launched the new M100 camera which is getting great reviews: https://www.dpreview.com/products/canon/slrs/canon_eosm100
Mirrorless SLRs are basically SLRs that have had their mirror and optical viewfinder removed. The light hits the sensor at all times and the back screen (or in some models a digital viewfinder) is used to take the shot. I personally have a mirrorless SLR that i use when not carrying my 5D, however not everyone has the same tastes and new models come out yearly. Www.dpreview.com has a great buying guide for mirrorless cameras here: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/6428641287/mid-range-mirrorless-camera-roundup .
If the latest models are outside your budget, find one that's a year or two old, this class of camera depreciates quite quickly.
Beautiful Photos - Smaller Camera - Integrated Lenses
The last type of camera i'll recommend is the premium compact camera. When these guys were getting shrunk, the boffins doing the shrinking reasoned that if they remove the ability for the user to change lenses, it will result in an even smaller camera... and that's exactly what they did.
Some of these cameras use a sensor that's the same size as that found on an SLR, image quality will be great. The lens you get with these type of cameras can vary from "meh" to "OMG". For example, if you look at the 24-70mm f1.8-2.8 lens that you get on the Sony RX100 (mk3 & mk4) it's much better than anything bundled with an SLR (or mirrorless camera for that matter). A good 24-70mm f2.8 lens (the one above is even better since it has f1.8 - which means it can work in much darker environments) can cost upwards of 2000 Euros. Just the lens. Really. The Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II is also a great choice
The only downside to premium compact cameras is that some have a sensor that's a tiny bit smaller than an SLR and their handling and responsiveness may suffer due to the small size. These areas are constantly being improved on, however it's best to see how a particular camera handles (by reading reviews) before pulling the trigger. A great guide for buying a high end pocket camera is available on dpreview.com: https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/2017-roundup-compact-enthusiast-zoom-cameras
Around the Amalfi Coast
A few weeks ago we visited the Amalfi coast. As always, the Italian hospitality was as amazing as the place itself and I discovered quite possibly, my favourite white wine ever (link).
Positano at dusk
View of Capri from Villa San Michele
Duomo Amalfi
Pier, Sorrento Port
Old Vineyard, Ravello
Amalfi
Amalfi
How to fit into the Selfie Generation
"Selfie" was declared the oxford dictionary word of the year in 2013 and the world as a whole continues to take millions of good (and bad!) selfies every day. The best way to look good in a selfie is of course to have supermodel looks, however, failing that, there are a couple of simple photographic techniques you can do to make the best of your mug.
Tips & Tricks
Location, Location, Location
The location you choose to shoot your selfie in will determine two very important things - the background and the lighting. Before pressing the trigger, give a good look at what's behind you and pick an angle without clutter or dirt (P.S. beware of any mirrors which might reveal more than you intended ;)). Whenever there are too many useless/dirty items in a photo (crumpled clothes/packaging/empty food vessels/etc), they will divert attention away from your face and give the photo an unpolished/dirty feel. If you are sitting at table, take a second or two to straighten out any crockery.
Outdoor Selfies
Be aware of the position of the sun since it's going to be your main light-source. As always, try to pick an area in the shade - this will always produce even tones & beautiful skin. Otherwise, if you are going for a bright summer selfie, tilt your head upwards to avoid panda eyes (shadows in the eye sockets caused by the high and bright sun). When shooting in direct sunlight, your skin may look a bit plasticy - so choose a filter that will counteract this effect. I personally like toning/cross-processing these style of shots since it will also help remove any dark black shadows you might have.
Indoor Selfies
Depending on the layout of the room, indoor selfies allow for more control over the way we use light. First of all, use natural light wherever you can - this will produce a much better photo than any bulb in the room (especially since these are generally going to be high above you!). If there is a window (or even better a window covered with a thin/sheer curtain) then this should be your light-source.
If you take the photo facing the window, this will produce even lighting across your entire face. If you've had one too many drinks the night before and are feeling a bit bloated then use Short-Lighting (below) to make your face appear thinner.
Short Lighting
Short lighting is a technique used in portrait photography that can be used to add texture to a photo or two to make a subject appear a bit slimmer. To apply this technique you simply need to light up the area of your face which is facing away from the camera. So, assuming we have a window in a room, place that window at 45 degrees to your left/right and look into the window. Next, grab your camera/phone in your other hand which is not pointed at the window and use that to take your selfie.
Angle
You should take a selfie either at eye level or a bit higher up - higher angles usually flatter the face and you DON'T END UP SHOOTING UP YOUR NOSE! :) There may be things lurking in the dark that you just don't want people to see. Keep your camera as far away as possible from your face. IFor closer shots, crop the photo using whatever app you're using to filter. (See my post AnyCamera Tips#2 for more tips in this area)
Make it Interesting
Whist having a pretty face is usually good enough, the actions you do whilst taking your selfie will add huge layers of interest to the photo. A cheeky smile, a funny face or simply doing something different (for example taking a selfie on a carousel ride... whilst you're riding it) will raise the selfie from the Just-Another-Shot-Of-My-Face to a photo that can be truly memorable.
In Their Own Words
And now a message from two people who (in my humble opinion) take awesome selfies. Maxine Pace & Sarah Zerafa
First off, I think you're a real selfie queen. Do you have any tips for taking a good one?
Sarah> When taking a good selfie one has to keep in mind 3 very important points: Lighting, Camera angle, Filter
Maxine> awh haha selfie queen? :) So first of all to take a good selfie there has to be good lighting. I usually try to take my selfies facing the light cause you have a better chance to look better and the filters look amazing with good lighting. Secondly, i try not to take my selfies really close to my face cause my face ends up looking too big and any blemishes end up showing a lot.
Maxine's Tip> When I take a selfie I try not to hold my phone with two hands cause my shoulders look big haha.
Do you have a favourite app you use to shoot/filter them?
Sarah> My all time favorite app has to be my beloved Instagram!!! After downloading tons and tons of filter applications, nothing competes with instagranm’s choice of colour tones, contrasts, sharpness and more.
Maxine> Before the new instagram filters came out i used to use an app called VSCOcam but lately i’m loving the new instagram ones.
Sarah’s TIP: if you want to keep your full photo while editing on instagram, just download the app ‘’InstaCrop’’ for iPhone (or Square InstaPic for Android) . This allows you to edit your photo without having to crop it
Group selfies (or Us-ies?) yay or nay? (why? :))
Sarah> I simply love love love group selfies, especially during a wedding or behind the scenes of a photoshoot. These Us-ies capture memorable experiences along side your friends or family.
Sarah’s TIP: If you don’t own a selfie stick, the best way to take a group selfie is, that one of you holding the phone stays on a side, and the whole group scatters behind him/her.
What puts you in a selfie-taking mood?
Sarah> Hahaha I’m always in a selfie-taking mood!!!! Whether I have just woken up or just got ready to go out, there is always time to stop and pose for my daily selfie.
Maxine> I usually end up taking loads of selfies when I’m done from getting ready and I’m waiting for my parents or friends to get ready or else when I go somewhere and they have the perfect selfie lighting. People probably think I’m a huge weirdo cause I’ll just be there taking loads of selfies alone haha :).
Head-and-shoulders vs Half Body?
Sarah> Hmmm.. my answer has to depend on what I am focusing on that day. On some days I like to focus my selfies on my make up looks or different hair styles, while on other days I like to focus on ‘’My Style, My Look’’ , a series of photos with different outfits.
Maxine> Half body! because Head-and-shoulders means that I have to take the selfie from a close distance, so nay.
Crazy Angles vs straight-on?
Sarah> Crazy angles are sometimes hard to pull off… so I definitely have to choose straight on!
Maxine> Crazy angles and straight-on..... according to the state my hair is in haha :) :)
Plain background vs Interesting Location?
Sarah> Funnily enough this answer has to depend on the type of outfit I am wearing that day. If my outfit consists of busy patterns, I normally turn to plain backgrounds to balance out the picture. On the other hand, interesting locations come very handy when my outfit is plain and simple.
Maxine> Depends on my look :)
Smiling or Serious?
Sarah> Smiling, serious, pouting, duck facing…. I do them all hahaha!!
Maxine> Both! :) When I’m taking a seflie I usually take 3-5 from each expression and then I'll choose the best one haha :)
What's your favourite selfie style?
Sarah> Winged eyeliner, red lipstick, good lighting, a sweet "smize" (smiling with your eyes) and to top it all off… my all time favourite instagram filter Valencia!!
Maxine> My favourite selfie style is a mirror selfie before a night out with friends so I’m usually dressed up with makeup and hair done :)
and lastly... Selfie stick: Awesome or Menace to society?
Sarah> Believe it or not I am still without a selfie stick myself!!!! I am still not sure about this latest trend. I think I’ll just stick to my roots.. and remain taking selfies in the original way.
Maxine> Awesome, awesome, awesome. Enough said haha i love it.
You can check out more from Sarah on her FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.zerafa.1 and Maxine on her FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/Maxine.Pace.Official
Film vs Digital. What's Missing?
A few weeks ago i shot Ritienne Zammit's look-book (if you don't know who she is by now.. check out her website! http://www.ritiennezammit.com/) and on the shoot I had 2 bodies - One digital 35mm and one film Medium-format 60x60mm.
Even though Digital has evolved from Film photography, the reality is that there is very little in common between them.
Starting from the way we approach shoots, Digital will produce a more 'perfect' photo - simply because it allows us to take hundreds of photos and see the results in real time. This encourages a machine-gun approach and allows minute corrections as we shoot. We can take the same picture over and over again until it's as perfect as it can be. Film photographers claim that this is "wrong" but the truth is that previous tools did not allow for this approach.
For each film, you have exactly 12 shots in this particular case - and knowing that you have to make them count changes the way you shoot. You start to pay infinitely more attention to the model's eyes and the rate at which she is blinking, her breathing, etc.
Once the shoot is done, the process to be able to see the photos is also miles apart. With Digital, I put my card in the computer, clicked a few times and voila Lightroom chirped happily that my photos are now loaded and can be used. Film on the other hand required me to extract the film from the reel (in a changing bag or pitch darkness), and bathe it in a bunch of chemicals. Behind the scenes little tiny crystals in the film are reacting to these chemicals and transforming them into a photo. Once this process is complete, then I can either print or scan these photos into the digital world.
The quality of the finished film is not only dependant on how well you can light the scene, but also on the type of film chosen, the chemicals chosen, how well you can develop a film, and how careful you are not to get dust/scratches everywhere :)
Lastly, a major difference this time was that i was shooting in black and white - so to see the colour version... you're going to have to wait a few days until Ritienne's look-book is released :) Hair & Make-up for the shoot was done by Krista Paris. (http://www.kristaparis.com/)
To conclude, I think that digital gives photographers (especially working photographers) tools that reach levels film could never aspire to in terms of flexibility and ultimate "perfectness". But, there is something about film, that is not quantifiable or measurable that makes it special.
Film has soul.
Editorial Shoot : A Silent Encounter
in photoshoot, editorial
Story Title: A Silent Encounter
Models: Matthew & Stefan @ supernovamodel.com
Stylist: Caroline Paris
Makeup: Elaine Galea
Clothing & Accessories: River Island & New Look
Stylist Says
"Modern gentlemen" using a mix of tailored suits and different shirts and blazers. Hats were also used as style accessories for each look. For more styling tips, advice and news check out her website http://www.carolinefashionstyling.com
Lighting Setup
Since we shot in black and white, the yellow light found in the streets becomes a hard but very useful light source. To allow more lighting control and to get more detail and texture from the clothes, we used an simple light source:The GoDox AR400 ring flash.
This provides an interesting effect when used off camera: It's not going to be as great or as soft as a soft-box, beauty dish or large LED panel, however it's still large enough so that the light it makes is just soft enough to be usable as the sole light source. The reason I went for this light is that due to the nature of the shoot, soft/smooth lighting will not be hard enough to create shadows/drama that add detail and mood to the shoot.
Backstage Updates: Pink & Fashion for a Cause
Here's a dose of the latest backstage work i've done. Shot at the Pink Fashion Show, and Fashion for a Cause
AnyCamera Tips #3: Lighting
The Shade is your friend.
This is probably going to be the simplest tip ever. Don't shoot people in bright sunlight. You will invariably get plasticy skin and very deep black shadows all over the place, courtesy of our nice, strong sun.
All you need to do is to walk your friend to the nearest spot of shade and voila - instant beauty. Do keep inmind that both your subject and your background must be shaded, if you put your subject in the shade but behind him is roasted in sunlight then the camera's sensor will be overwhelmed.
The left image is shot in the shade of a nearby building, whereas the image on the right is not in direct sunlight
If you *HAVE* to have sun-roasted background in the shot (for example because it's a tourist attraction you want a photo with) then asking your subject to wear sunglasses will minimise the worst areas of shadow (the eyes).
Camera Sensor
Whatever the camera you are using, there are some physical details that you should be aware of that will make your life easier. Lets start off with the sensor - as you all know, this little bit of electronics is what replaces the film in a traditional camera. The key thing to be aware of here is the size of the sensor and simply put - big cameras like professional dSLRs have bigger sensors (conversely mobile phones have small sensors to fit in their slim body).
The size of the sensor means that the camera is able to capture more light for every photo you take. This means that smaller sensors work best when there is lots of light (for example in the middle of the day) whereas bigger sensors are able to work in darker conditions. Larger sensors are typically better at getting rich, natural colours.
What does this mean to me? When buying a camera or a mobile phone, the sensor size is not always advertised but on sites like www.gsmarena.com or www.dpreview.com you can find this detail. Larger sensors typically translate to better light handling, especially in the evening.
AnyCamera Tips #2: Taking a good portrait
The Lens
All lenses have 2 basic details - how much light they let into the sensor and how much stuff they can fit into the photo. When we look at phone cameras, since they are fixed and irreplaceable it's a good idea to check these before buying the camera. For example modern phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S6, LG G4 and iPhone 6 have lenses rated at "f2.0" or "f1.8". The lower this number is, means that their lens is able to squeeze every last drop of light available - so if you compare to an "f5.6" lens, this larger number means that the lens is not ideal to take pics in dark environments - so the camera will be forced to use the flash all the time
Aperture also effects how the picture looks - unfortunately many mobiles and pocket cameras today do not allow the user to set this manually. Either way if you want to check out the effect of varying the f-stop on the image, check out this YouTube Video
The Bobble-Head Effect
Camera/Phone lenses build their image based on how far they are from the subject. Now this is all well and good when you are taking a nice landscape with your phone, however since most phones use wide angle lenses to be more versatile they are very easy to misuse when shooting subjects close up (like people!). For example - you want to take a nice portrait using your phone.. and as you walk up to the person and fill the frame with their image, you start to wonder why your friend is somehow looking like Gollum.
The reason is that since you are now much closer to your subject, the distance between the lens and their nose and the lens and their ears is proportionally very different. What's going to happen here? since the nose is closer it will look bigger, and since the ears are far away they will look smaller or be completely hidden by the cheekbones. Big nose + no ears makes for a bad pic.
To fix this, we're going to rely on the fact that most phones nowadays have 8/13 or even 20 Megapixel cameras. That's a LOT of detail - keep in mind that Full HD equates to around 2 Megapixels. So the easiest way to get the shot is to take a couple of steps back, compose your photo leaving some extra around the subjects, and then simply crop the image using any number of simple applications.
The image on the left was shot farther away using a standard lens, the image on the right was shot very close up using a wide angle lens.
AnyCamera Tips #1: Choosing what to photograph
People think that the only way to take a good picture is to buy a dSLR.... and whilst size does matter in photography it is hardly the be all and end all.
What you decide to put in your photo is universal whether you are using a mobile phone, dSLR or pinhole camera. The nice thing about this is that there are 'rules' we can apply to the content we wish to photograph to make it look the best it possibly can. Keep in mind that all rules are there to be broken ;) and in the simple words of a wise man: "if it's pretty - it's pretty" (Joseph Jean Rolland Dube - or JJRD for any iStockers here)
The Rule of Thirds
This is the mother of all compositional rules - not because it's better than the rest, but it's the one everyone seems to want to follow. There is a good reason for that - this simple rule is very easy to apply and will give you a more powerful image.
The intersecting lines you see on the screen above can be enabled on many cameras today, sometimes referred to as grid lines. These serve as guides on where to position your subject: on the intersection of the lines.
As you can see, the face is not in the centre of the image but on the intersection of the right and top lines.
The Rule of thirds is only one of a large number of techniques that can be used. These compositional rules make for a better photo and can help guide your eye when you are composing the shot... and even better, they can be applied to an iPhone or a dSLR
For a really well written guide on compositional rules check out this: Simple guide
And some more examples of the rule of thirds:
