To see more images from the day click on this link.
About Me
- John Slaytor
- I specialise in photographing moments of tenderness so I tend not to do posed portraiture and instead prefer to work unobtrusively at family gatherings
Saturday, April 30, 2011
John's christening at St Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, Paddington on 30 April 2011
Despite the gloomy weather, John's christening was a joy to photograph.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Japanese windflowers
Japanese windflowers in my garden this morning. They can only be photographed in situ on windless days.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Sangria shots
I recently photographed a sangria dispenser for Toros Restaurant in Darling Harbour, Sydney.
Time was short, about twenty minutes, and at first I was a little daunted by the look of the dispenser whose designer seemed to have been inspired by 1970's disco balls.
This is the first shot - the dispenser is in sharp focus but isn't inviting as the light is 'cold'. The background isn't blurred enough and detracts from the dispenser. There is also little in the background to add value to the dispenser. The dispenser itself also doesn't look good - given how dark the liquid in the column, it could be coffee. Similarly, the glasses of sangria are dull. In short, this photo isn't going to bring customers to Toros and it won't get me repeat business.
To make the dispenser's column appear interesting, I got the chef to fire a flash into it.
I then did the same for the two glasses. Next I used a wide aperture to blur the background which was too distracting. I waited until a diner at an adjoining table was drinking and then took the photo - this is because the diner acts a cue as to what to do with the dispenser and thus enriches the image.
Finally, I bathed the image in warm tones, again reinforcing the pleasant mellowness of an afternoon drinking sangria.
Below is the final image which merges four images.
Finally, this is an example of how the image was used by the restaurant.
Time was short, about twenty minutes, and at first I was a little daunted by the look of the dispenser whose designer seemed to have been inspired by 1970's disco balls.
This is the first shot - the dispenser is in sharp focus but isn't inviting as the light is 'cold'. The background isn't blurred enough and detracts from the dispenser. There is also little in the background to add value to the dispenser. The dispenser itself also doesn't look good - given how dark the liquid in the column, it could be coffee. Similarly, the glasses of sangria are dull. In short, this photo isn't going to bring customers to Toros and it won't get me repeat business.
To make the dispenser's column appear interesting, I got the chef to fire a flash into it.
I then did the same for the two glasses. Next I used a wide aperture to blur the background which was too distracting. I waited until a diner at an adjoining table was drinking and then took the photo - this is because the diner acts a cue as to what to do with the dispenser and thus enriches the image.
Finally, I bathed the image in warm tones, again reinforcing the pleasant mellowness of an afternoon drinking sangria.
Below is the final image which merges four images.
Finally, this is an example of how the image was used by the restaurant.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Angled portraits
When the face is at an angle, the portrait can be more flattering.
I am mulling over why this is - perhaps it is because we feel the subject is more relaxed. Then again, a head planted squarely on shoulders is a little like an oak tree in a field, strong to be sure but sometimes strength detracts from beauty.
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