Shooting Colour - strangers

Pre planning

After my first shoot that I did I wanted the subject to fill more of the frame so that the details in their face were more clearly visible and you can easily see "who they are" (play on the title of the brief). I knew from using the Hasselblad camera before that there are extension tubes available from the store so that although the person does not feel as close as they are they still fill the frame and they do not look too uncomfortable being infront of the camera.

Because of the timing of this project the weather is a vital pre-check step, I checked to see if the weather would permit me too shoot on the day I wanted and luckily it did not rain that day however it was still cold so I did not want to be out shooting for very long (I lose feeling in my hands and feet very very quickly, and working the camera with numb fingers is not very quick) I was also worried that because of the cold the models would not want to stop and have to wait in the cold for longer than necessary.

Camera

I used the Hasselblad camera with a 150 lens (which is the closest the store has available) and either the 16x or the 32x extension tube. I also took a prism viewfinder so that I was not limited to people who are smaller than me as I was shooting from the hip and trying not to shoot from down below their face line on my last shoot. I managed to load the film with no problems (thankfully, as I was halving a roll with my friend). We set up the camera onto the tripod while we were sat in the reception area of the university, this was because we wanted to make sure we could just get out and shoot straight away and we were close enough to the photography dept. still if we struggled with something (but we didn't) another reason we did this is because both our hands lose feeling quickly and we weren't sure if we would manage once we were cold). Then we took the camera, decided who was shooting first and where we wanted to be and started shooting.

Shooting

Once the camera was set up the major problem started; I have zero confidence in asking people.

I knew before the shoot I was going to struggle with asking strangers if they wouldn't mind modelling but I had hoped once I threw myself outside infront of people I would be alright with the asking part, I wasn't.

If my friend asked the model then I was comfortable talking to them about the project and directing them where to stand and to look directly into the lens.

Shoot one

This is the contact sheet from this shoot, there is only six photographs as I shared the roll with my friend. I think these images are successful and the woman and the man underneath may become my finals because of the way the colours in the background pop and their faces are characteristic and detailed.