2021 - A New Year....???

2021 arrived with a bit of a splutter and became a non event, no celebrations, no get togethers, the day just rolled into another year. So what do we do? Do we make New Years resolutions? In these uncertain times, maybe not as none of us know how long this will go on, so long term goals, aims, and plans have to be put on hold. Short term is probably more realistic.

So with another Lockdown we are faced with huge challenges in how to keep maintaining our creativity. I am busy planning future shoots, judging camera club comps via Zoom and doing talks to clubs via Zoom. I have also embraced technology and found new ways of doing things and I have recently completed my first remote shoot.

These have been around since the first Lockdown in March and over the last few months things have become more refined and the process easier.

So how does it work?

Well it relies on a good internet connection, the power of Zoom and a model who has the right equipment and know how to pull it off.

For my first remote shoot my model Kate was in Hull and I was at my desk in Somerset. She sets up a Zoom session which we log into and discuss my shoot plan and ideas. (I had sent her a moodboard previously; she had sent me images of her shooting space, which in this case was her bedroom.) She then connects her camera (a canon) to her computer and selects through camera software , the remote shoot option, she then shares her screen with me via Zoom. I then see what you would see on the back of the camera if you were shooting in Live Mode. I have full control of all of the camera settings and the shutter. So in respect of copyright - I own that as I press the shutter button as copyright is with whomever presses the shutter. So we did a quick light test and ran through the controls. In her bedroom there was a large window which provided lots of natural light, but we both felt that we still needed to fill in the shadows with a light and soft box. After a few test shots to check everything was working we got going on my ideas and my moodboard.

The whole process was easy and good fun and we chatted and laughed the whole way through. It does rely on the model having to move the camera and tripod as necessary and the lights.

That said though and as good as it was, it is something you need to get your head around. You can see her as though you were looking through the viewfinder, but you also get another image of her as the computer sees her through Zoom. So in effect you get 2 perspectives. You do have to rely on the person the other end to relate to you the light in the room and the overall feeling of space and they have to have an understanding of what you expect from the shoot.

Once you get to grips with it all, the possibilities are endless. You can be in the comfort of your own home but connect to someone anywhere in the world. You do have to relinquish some of the control of the shoot over to the model.

The advantages are there is no travelling for either, she has her whole wardrobe to hand but you do need someone who knows how to operate the camera and the lighting equipment as well as the intricacies of the technology used. The next day she then sends all RAW files to me via Wetransfer and depending on your internet connection this can take some time.

I don’t think it will ever replace ‘real’ shooting, but it is a good alternative in these challenging times and we can continue to be creative.

Would I do it again?

Yes- definitely…..

It is a great way to get new content for your portfolio, keep editing and keep your skills up to date. You can meet new people and challenge yourself.

So it gets a thumbs up from me and I am sure as technology improves it will continue, with the method becoming more refined and easier to use.

So as they say the world is your oyster and the possibilities are huge…….If you haven’t tried it then give it a go. The quality of the images will be as good as the camera and lenses that she uses so again there is huge potential.