Seventeen years ago I left Canada to pursue my dream of backpacking throughout New Zealand. I am still here, and it will take a lifetime to see, experience and portray all of its magnificence by air, land and sea.
My passion is showcasing the diversity of New Zealand’s people amongst its stunning landscapes. To me, studio portraits are technically the easiest because I don’t have to deal with the elements. I have total control.
I find landscape photography much harder because of the lack of control over the lighting and weather. But at least I don’t have to concern myself with people in the shots as well. But in a land that can have four seasons in one day, creating flattering portraits creates particular challenges. In this article I will address these challenges as a set of tips. We will cover planning, on-shoot, post-production and progress into more in-depth examples.
Above: Photographing happy babies in country's rainiest region of Fiordland National Park is a challenge.
WHAT ARE YOUR CREATIVE GOALS?
As an art director working for many years in New Zealand’s creative industry, I always divide my creative process into strategy and tactics. Your strategy sets your goals and the why you want to do this. So my first tip is: Have a creative strategy and understand why you set these goals. My personal strategy and goal is to be known for and do the type of photography that showcases the diversity of New Zealand’s people amongst its stunning landscapes. When I’m asked WHY this is my goal, I’m crystal clear on the answer. It is because I want to give New Zealanders from all walks of life a voice through my lens and show the world that there is more to New Zealand than beautiful landscapes.
Above: The Indigenous Maori are a proud people - respect and understand them if you want to earn their respect.
HOW WILL YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS?
There are many ways you can accomplish what you set out to do. You can throw money at it. You can throw time at it. Or both. Take the time to brain storm different tactics and solutions to HOW you will achieve your goals. My second tip is: Choose solutions that are all three of these things; desirable, feasible and viable. For example, test to see if your photography is desirable by posting it online, then observe the feedback from people you do not know. I believe that taking portraits of people in the great outdoors is definitely feasible. It’s not easy work, but I have proven I can do it. The third ingredient to creative success is measuring how viable it is to do something. A photographer can do almost anything if they throw enough money and time at it. But for most of us, time and money are not in infinite supply. So, find the most cost-effective and productive ways to do what you love and make sure your audience loves it, too.
Above: On this shoot I stood in freezing water up to my hips to get the perfect shot, but it was worth it.
RESEARCH, REACH OUT, RESPECTFULLY
One of the things I had to put the most work into was get people to let me photograph them. Maori in particular. I will never forget what a Maori elder told me once when I presented a creative concept to an entire board of trustees of an Iwi (tribe). She told me, "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I want to make sure you portray our tribe in a way that shows we know our past, but we’re very much looking into the future. So, when the aim is to photograph any people who are not models, research them well. They will respect and trust you if you show them that you cared to really understand them.
Above: New Zealand is famous for four seasons in one day. I often start a shoot in good weather and end in a gale.
TRAVEL LIGHT AND BE NIMBLE
My advice is carry the least amount of gear possible and critically think about yours and your subjects’ clothing and comfort. So pack and travel light. You will get better images if you aren’t out of breath or shaking from carrying yourself and your gear up a mountain or bashing through a rainforest. Bring a camera with the best full sensor and the fastest lens. This will eliminate the need for a tripod, lighting or a reflector. And you likely will not have room in a rainforest or in high winds on a mountain to negotiate a reflector and a tripod. My second tip: wear appropriate clothing to keep you and your subject warm, dry and comfortable. Any discomfort your subject experiences will manifest in the photos on their face and body language. You will also want a very comfortable pair of hiking boots to give you the most manoeuvrability. Stiff leather brown alpine boots with red laces look cool on Instagram and old stamps, but they won’t give you any flexibility for crouching low or climbing a tree to get interesting camera angles.
Above: Take the time to figure out what sort of photography you want to do and be known for.
MASTER IMAGE EDITING SOFTWARE
You cannot control the weather, or the subject, unless they are a trained professional model. But you will have more fun out there if you have the confidence and peace of mind that once you’re back at your computer, you will be able to get the best out of your photos because you’ve mastered some editing software. Some people say their images are “natural” or “unfiltered.” Technically speaking, the dynamic range of even the best camera sensors is much more narrow than the human eye. This means that no matter how expensive your camera body is, it never actually captures the “natural” colour, detail and depth that you saw. So my final tip is: the photo is merely your canvas and it’s your obligation as an artist to bring that canvas to life. •
For more on Eddie's commercial photography: http://www.pixipic.com
Instagram: instagram.com/eddieberla
LinkedIn: nz.linkedin.com/in/eddieberla