I have always been a natural light photographer, I’ve never liked formal studio photography for people and only ever used artificial lighting for ‘fill flash’ to lift the shadows when natural light was not enough to provide a professional result.
My involvement as official photographer for the Lexus Melbourne Cup’s Tour of Boyup Brook in 2018 saw me updating my the studio equipment, softboxes and backdrops and to my surprise, I found myself really enjoying some high and low key (black or white backgrounds) work with horses and ‘treat catching’ photos with dogs.
They say a leopard never changes it spots, but I have to admit that a middle aged artist can change their opinion on working with studio lights and end up acquiring a full mobile studio set-up!
I am thoroughly enjoying the process of being able to create my own light as it fits my vision, rather than having to work with the natural light that is available (especially when its not always ideal).
I love the simple elegance of low key black background photos that emphasize the beauty and grace of my equine models. Being able to capture dramatic light on a horse or dog as well as the vibrant colour of a stunning West Australian sunset is just not possible when you photograph with natural light alone (to expose for the subject correctly often results in the sky being blown out, especially when using the sun as backlight).
Studio lights are essential for creating these dynamic images and as all my lighting equipment is portable with battery packs, I am pleased to be able to offer my clients specialized studio lighting techniques on location throughout Western Australia.
The elegance, drama and vibrancy of these photographs have inspired my creative soul in a way that perfectly marries my photography with my bold, dramatic traditional painting style, so I know these type of images will become a hallmark of my work in the future.
