Beyond the obvious

Leanne, actor and dancer, UK (click image to see large version). In every walk of life the way you deal with people is incredibly important and can determine how successful you become. Photography is a people business. Even if you primarily take pictures of inanimate subjects – cars, food and architecture – you will still be dealing with a lot of people to make your shoots work. When it comes to photographing actors and models your people skills are even more important. I’d like to share a story with you that made me quite sad and inspired writing this blog. We’ve recently been doing headshots for actors, like Leanne above, and I kept hearing the same thing. Most actors wanting headshots need them for a casting, for their book and their headshots have to be regularly updated. This means they experience different photographers. Sometimes they work with a photographer provided by an agency and other times they search for a specialist headshot or portrait photographer who knows what agent...

Spotted by Magda and friend Marleen who became aware of me taking a candid shot of them as they as were chatting in the street. David Toyne has written an informative piece on the recent verdict in the British courts which supports the freedom of street photographers to take candid pictures of people in public places. Read the full story here . Cheers, Paul www.indigo2photography.co.uk

A grandmother sits on a wall at the Canal Gardens in Leeds, patiently waiting for her family. She looks like a strong and determined woman and I wanted to bring this aspect out in the photographs I took of her. As photographers we touch on many people's lives, our images a testimony to the passing moment we bear witness too. But the images can be so much more. They can be a metaphor and a symbol of someone's life, a tribute to them. I for one do not treat this responsibility lightly. I hope this image also bears witness to the respect I feel for the people who's portraits I make. More soon... Paul