Fairfax Battalia at Mapledurham House

e6filmuser · December 27, 2014

This was a re-enactment of the taking of the house during the English Civil War. Here are some of the first images processed.

Olympus EM-1, Olympus M4/3 14-42mm, hand-held.

Harold

D3Sshooter · December 27, 2014

Nice set, a bit flat on the light. However a lot can be improved.

I miss the atmosphere, mainly because of the flat light. Try to put some variation in the lighting of the objects, use a flash, reflector or whatever to create that atmosphere. You have all the other elements. Secondly , if you shoot at such a location try to work with the people, seek contact ask them to perform certain actions. Yes stage them, they will be more then happy. Let them make contact with the lens. Get in the scene instead from shooting from the sideline (always ask). Did you notice that not a single character is looking at the camera, no facial expressions and in most cases they look down. With the exception of the guard in the first picture, but he rather looks annoyed with the fact that you are shooting.
In short " be part of the scene, engage with the actors, create light and shadows and the pictures will be magnificent. Don't be one out of a thousand spectators."

The last picture is for me the best, besides the rope (i would have cloned that out). It has a certain atmosphere because of the smoke.

Thanks for showing.

e6filmuser · December 27, 2014

D3Sshooter wrote: »

Nice set, a bit flat on the light. However a lot can be improved.

I miss the atmosphere, mainly because of the flat light. Try to put some variation in the lighting of the objects, use a flash, reflector or whatever to create that atmosphere. You have all the other elements. Secondly , if you shoot at such a location try to work with the people, seek contact ask them to perform certain actions. Yes stage them, they will be more then happy. Let them make contact with the lens. Get in the scene instead from shooting from the sideline (always ask). Did you notice that not a single character is looking at the camera, no facial expressions and in most cases they look down. With the exception of the guard in the first picture, but he rather looks annoyed with the fact that you are shooting.
In short " be part of the scene, engage with the actors, create light and shadows and the pictures will be magnificent. Don't be one out of a thousand spectators."

The last picture is for me the best, besides the rope (i would have cloned that out). It has a certain atmosphere because of the smoke.

Thanks for showing.

I agree that the light could have been better but what you suggest would not be practical, or welcome, when there are hundreds of the paying public milling around in modern dress. Keeping them out of the picture was difficult enough.

I don't shoot posed scenes. They were people enjoying a (real) meal and looking at the camera would have spoiled the story.

Studio (type) shots are another matter and another photographer.

Your comments are appreciated but I am reasonably satisfied with the image as it is. I could have added lighting effects digitally but decided against it. I like saturated colours.

Harold

D3Sshooter · December 27, 2014

e6filmuser wrote: »

I agree that the light could have been better but what you suggest would not be practical, or welcome, when there are hundreds of the paying public milling around in modern dress. Keeping them out of the picture was difficult enough.

I don't shoot posed scenes. They were people enjoying a (real) meal and looking at the camera would have spoiled the story.

Studio (type) shots are another matter and another photographer.

Your comments are appreciated but I am reasonably satisfied with the image as it is. I could have added lighting effects digitally but decided against it. I like saturated colours.

Harold

All what matters is that you are happy with your work.

I understand that it is not easy with hundreds of people around. Yet it is still possible to get more interaction and that is part of being a photographer (interaction with people) . It will make your pictures standing out.

As to the meal, they did not need to look into the camera. But another pose/composition maybe closer on a low angle might have strengthened the shot.

I was referring to light in the actual life scene, why fake it if you can make it .

What I take from this : This is rather a documentary / event photography then actual People.

In each case Harold , well done.

e6filmuser · December 27, 2014

D3Sshooter wrote: »

All what matters is that you are happy with your work. I understand that it is not easy with hundreds of people around. Yet it is still possible to get more interaction and that is part of being a photographer (interaction with people) . It will make your pictures standing out.

As to the meal, they did not need to look into the camera. But another pose/composition maybe closer on a low angle might have strengthened the shot.

I was referring to light in the actual life scene, why fake it if you can make it .

What I take from this : This is rather a documentary / event photography then actual People.

In each case Harold , well done.

Thanks. Yes, documentary, but with extraneous material excluded. I would not bother with anything of journalistic interest.

My normal reply, when asked to define my photographic interests is "non- sport and non-people, un-posed". That extends to macro, where I use live subjects in their natural surroundings not dead, re-arranged ones.

Fairfax Battalia at Mapledurham House

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