taking pictures

Photoshoot struggles...To start with I should admit that I realize I could make my life easier by designating an area of my studio as the photoshoot corner. I could install the correct backdrops, buy the right lighting lamps, display tables etc. and poof, I would be good to go regardless of the time of day or the state of the weather. But I don't do this.

Why? Maybe I am  a bit too stubborn for my own good but I really like my studio the way it is and I simply don't want to make a part of it a photoshoot area. Plain and simple. I might have to give up my couch or my fountain or some of my plants :-) ...not going to happen. My heels are dug in and I resort to other options, okay option  - singular.

My other option is of course taking pictures outdoors. What's not to like about natural light? Absolutely nothing! But there are a couple of wee problems - one can only photograph in daylight and during the right light conditions. The tulips above were photographed on a sunny day but there were a few clouds and it was getting quite late in the afternoon. Suddenly the conditions were not good, too dark.

The next day I am back outside, see picture below. First, I had to shovel snow so I could set up my table, a pop up table that I had to get out of my studio closet and lug downstairs. Yet conducting a photoshoot sounds glamorous, no? Humm...

You might recall me mentioning these apples in a previous post. I am planning a simple piece, five apples lined up in a row. And this is where I go off into goofy land...I am taking photos outside, in certain lighting conditions in order to obtain the shadow angles I want and yet I fully expect to not put shadows in my drawing.

So why am I doing this? Simply to hedge my bets. I do not want to get into my piece only to discover that my desire to not use shadows wasn't a good idea after all and I change my mind.The big plus here of course is that the colours of the apples do look their best outside and having a great photo reference will help when I am working in the studio at night and when my real life apples don't look their best.

I have corrected the lighting on this tulip with Photoshop and it helps but as I type the sun is shining, my tulips are still looking fresh enough for a redo and the table is still outside...so time to go grab the camera.

Fortunately it is above freezing today as you can't photograph delicate flowers outside in winter. When it is really cold, your blossoms get killed!

But, no I am not converting an area of my studio. I am simply not going to.  :-)