Don't Be Camera Shy part 2

Last month I touched on styling your photos and telling a story through your image. Selling your idea to the viewer is key to creating a great shot, but idea’s and styling alone won’t always be enough. Photography is a creative process in its self and we are using it to express our own art. Ultimately we need to invest in a professional photographer and studio time, to get the best shots we can, but there are some simple tricks you can start with to creating illusions and enhancing your subject with light and colour.

Using Colour to enhance your photo
Colours affect moods, and you can use it creatively in your images to add tension or relax the viewer. Colours will affect the emotional impact of your photos so be aware of what message you’re trying to convey, for example yellow is associated with happiness but orange can move us to sadness.
Warm up the image with a redder pallet, blues and greens are cooler. Red is also the universal colour of warning so use it with caution, small amounts in a photo can be very effective. To add tension and drama use contrasting colours like reds and greens or yellow and purples, alternatively using the shades of the same colour will give a sense of harmony.
Black and white can be used to create more atmospheric shots as they are more dependent on shape and form to create the interest. You can experiment with the high and low contrasts to increase the drama, adding more black or white changes the feel of your image.

MOODS AND COLOURS

Blue - peace, tranquility, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, cleanliness, order, sky, water, cold, Peaceful, tranquil.

Black - power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, anonymity, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, anger, technical color.

Green - nature, environment, health, good luck, renewal, youth, vigor, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy and misfortune.

Purple - royalty, exotic, wealth spirituality, nobility, ceremony, mystery, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, mourning.

Red - with love, valentines, danger, desire, speed, strength, violence, anger, emergency, blood and excitement.

White - reverence, purity, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, sterility, and marriage.

Brown- Solid, reliable, sad, wistful. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather.

Yellow - joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, betrayal.

Lighting and using your flash
Digital photography is easy when you have plenty of light and conditions are ideal. To avoid disappointing results it is wise to use the light available to us in each shot.
So what happens when we don’t have the natural light? Flash photography is a wonderful thing as it allows you to take photos in all manner of places adding artificial light, but there are advantages and disadvantages of doing this. The most common problems are the harsh shadows on or behind the subject produced by over exposure to unnatural light, the atmosphere and emotion of your shot is tainted and your digital image can flatten out. 99% of compact digital cameras come with a built in flash which lights the subject from the front therefore compressing the depth of the photo. You need to start watching how light falls on your surroundings and you will learn what works with a flash and what doesn’t.
Professionals generally have flashes which are detached from the camera on a hotshoe or flash bracket, they can position the flash in the correct place utilizing and benefiting from this function, however we are not professionals and just want to take a simple shot to show off our nails. Here are some top tips to making your flash work for you;

Get in close - the main limitations of the built in flash units is the power they use, external flash units have a dedicated power source giving you a bigger and brighter light, however the compact cameras share its flash power with the other components. If you’re going to use the flash get in really close and let the flash have an impact. This will also eliminate the additional shadow you will see, if you’re taking a picture from some distance turn the flash off and let the camera adjust its shutter speed to compensate for the light.
Diffusing the light – another limitation of the built in flash unit is the harsh results they produce, and the ambient scene is lost, this is because the light which is produced by the flash can’t be directed and it bounces off the surface of the subject. You can soften the light the flash produces by diffusing it. Using white card in front of the flash so that it bounces up or sideways, or placing a small amount of semi opaque sticky tape over the flash light which will softening it. Stuart Dibben from SJD photography says “ when I first started out I would use plastic take away boxes and make an elaborate diffuser with tissue and cellophane”.
Don’t just use the flash when it is dark, flash is great outdoors and can really lift the image, especially if your subject has strong backlight or harsh downlight. It will light up the shadowy areas.
Reflect the light – while the diffuser sits directly over your flash the reflector is usually some kind of white object (card paper or plastic) that will bounce your flash in order to spread the effects, making your flash light a little less direct. This
will go some ways to eliminate harsh light, shadows and help to soften the picture. Using something as obvious as a white t shirt will double the natural light.
Be aware that if you use anything with a colour the image will be tinged with that colour. Again this can work in your favor, for example gold will give a natural sunny effect.

Using Macro
While using your compact camera on the standard setting you can see much more detail by using the macro, this changes the focus of the camera and you will be able to take an image just a few inches away. Using the macro setting will improve your ability to see small details and virtually all digital cameras today have this setting which is usually denoted by a symbol of a flower. Taking a close up of an image is simple but light can be an issue. You can avoid casting shadow and restricting light by using the zoom. It is important also to keep the camera steady, as the slightest movement will show up on the shot. You can take some am1azing close ups with the help of some simple items you have at home. With a bit of ingenuity you can create some really professional looking photographs without spending a fortune on complicated equipment.

Geoff Brown from Blue Light Media tells me that “The secret to a good macro shot is lighting”. Although you can buy special macro photography kits you can also achieve superb results using two desk lamps. You need at least two for even illumination, causing minimum glare and shadow to your nails. Both lamps should have the same wattage and be positioned at equally on either side of the subject, make sure the lamps and your camera do not cast shadow over the area your shooting.
If the object you’re shooting is reflective, like shiny nails, jewels and gems stones, then angle the lamps so that they are low, around 30 degrees from the horizon, any higher could result in glare being reflected into the camera.
The trick about taking a good macro shot is choosing the right subject in the right environment. It is best if you keep it simple an uncluttered background won’t detract, or make it difficult for the camera to focus and expose the picture correctly. The macro setting maximizes your camera’s exposure control and helps ensure the image is captured with the right amount of light so that it doesn’t appear too dark, or light.

Now that you have the basic knowledge to achieve your photo’s in the right light, follow these simple exercises and send the images to info@sambiddle.co.uk for feedback. Stuart Dibbon from SJD Photography will also look at your images.
Set up your shot using the steps in last month’s tutorial and take 4 photo’s using the following methods to light up your nails.
Candle light
Day light
Desk light
Flash light
Watch how shadow effects your image, how the mood changes and how this effects the design of your shot.

EXERCISE 2 – Lighting

Using the method outlined above take a close up shot of one nail.EXERCISE 3 – Macro

Based on Sam Biddle’s photographic workshop this tutorial will help technicians who want to illustrate their designs and share them with others. The workshop offers an in-depth and practical solution to learning some simple techniques and skills, utilizing the expertise of Stuart Dibben from SJD Photography, Stuart is based in South West England. http://sjdphotography.photium.com/. List of workshops are available on http://www.sambiddle.co.uk/ or contact Sam on info@sambiddle.co.uk.

This two part master class was published in Scratch Magazine 2008

make your mark...

With a range of new styles and shapes of nails seen sporting the covers of the nail magazines of late, I ask my self, "is the divide between what the industry produce for them selves and the salon's churn out for their clients to great"?
Stilettos, lip stick, almond and square, each of these alone are amazing feats of engineering, getting the structure and shape perfect to show off your talent as a nail tech isn't an easy job. But do we afford the same care to our clients.

I can't imagine Mrs Mary Major (names have been changed) sporting long black stilettos while she chops the carrots and peels the potatoes, or Val White happy utilizing her lip stick tips to leaver the pull ring off a can of Diet coke. But still we as Techs still sport these extravagant talons in the hope that some die hard client will happily allow you to adorn her pinkies with multi coloured acrylic steeples.

Don't get me wrong, After spending 10 mins at the checkout at my local super market, I have been stopped no less than 4 times with gasps of delight as strangers grab my hands and stroke my fingers, 'wow how do you wear these' and 'aren't they amazing', has not only brought me 2 new appointments but made an impression no newspaper ad could.
So carry on wearing your talons and make your mark on the local community, it will only do your business good, but don't for one moment expect Mrs Pearce from number 3 to wear anything else but her pretty pink ovals.

another sneak preview

I just can't wait to bring to you my new Design DVD next March, so as a little Christmas treat here is another sneak preview. I hope you enjoy! Sx

North East Roadshow - Update

Lying in bed with my eyes tight shut, I was trying to ignore the shrill alarm going off by my ear, telling me I have to get up....NOW! 5 O'clock on a Sunday morning is not meant to be seen! Slipping my legs out from under the duvet to test the temperature in the room, they didn't stay bare for long, oooooooh I must love what I do!

Jumping into the shower I spend the next 10 minutes recovering from the cold hike across the bedroom to the en-suite, standing there letting the hot water wash away the zzzzzzz, my brain started to wake up and I began to think about the day ahead. Vicki was going to arrive in 40 minutes to drive me up to Rotherham, some 4 hours away. I had to get a wriggle on!

Arriving at Hellaby Hall we were greeted with a large banner welcoming us, Jo Shirley from Red 10 had certainly thought of everything. The competitions had already started, but I still had time to grab a cuppa before I was needed to judge the fantasy category.The main event was to start at 1.00, and the room was decked with Christmas cheer. Beautifully done the chairs would soon be filled with the 100 invited guests, ready to listen and learn.

The competition had three categories, fantasy, pink and white judged by Jane Cook and Antony Buckley and encapsulation by Georgie Smedley. The entrants where amazing, I love to see all the ideas and creativity displayed in glorious acrylic colour. Judging was difficult though and a very close call with only 1 or 2 points separating 1, 2 and 3rd. Here is the run down all the competitors and how they placed.

Fantasy:1st - Laura Tagg, 2nd - Nichola Garland, 3rd - Catherine Taylor, 4th - Vikki Taylor-Dodds

Pink & White:1st - Lindsay Bland, 2nd - Natasha Hemingway, 3rd - Claire Woodcock, 4th - Saria Edwards, 5th - April Gibbs, 6th - Melissa Shovelton, 7th - Kate McCrossan, 8th - Carla Rogerson

Design:1st - Louise Huggard, 2nd - Rebecca Abernathy, 3rd - Michelle Brooks, 4th - Jane Pilkington

After lunch we were entertained with a warm up game, a fantastic idea to get everyone in the mood, then Antony wowed us all with yet another pink and white nail, showing how to get the perfect competition nail, we learnt some top tips and trade secrets. Jane Cook spoke a little about how to plan and prepare for a competition, Georgie Smedley was on hand to help out with the narrating, and did a lash be long demonstration at the end of the day. I was invited to show some of my fantasy work, which I brought along and Vicki Smith was on hand to talk about the classes available through Be inspired, she also explained how the nails had been made.

After the break it my turn to stand on stage and show everyone a design nail. I wanted to show an easy design nail which was 'different' but quick enough to utilize as a salon nail, helping to increase profit before Christmas. While I was 'playing' at home I couldn't find the colours I wanted, even with all the Ez flow range available to be, I was stumped. Then I remembered that originally Ez flow developed their powders so techs could mix and match But with the new powder collections being introduced so regularly. We forget that this option is available and means we can expand the range to cover the whole colour spectrum. I came up with two great recipes which I shared with the group and showed them a sparkly design nail utilizing gold leaf and a different way to achieve texture and depth to your design. I will post a step by step here later on in the month.

Finally it was time to come home; all in all I had a great time, and was pleased to be part of this event. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves on the day, and I look forward to the next one.