The Photography Show 2019: Studio shooting with Amanda Thomas | Profoto (UK)

The Photography Show 2019: Studio shooting with Amanda Thomas

11 March, 2019

Written by: Ailish Cook

Someone who is no stranger to getting the shot is Amanda Thomas, who will be joining us at this year's photography show on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th of March to show how to shoot creative portraits using one light in three ways. Before presenting at The Photography Show, we spoke to Amanda about her photography and a recent shoot with Capsule Wardrobe and Pure Luv Organic, a sleepwear brand.

Could you please tell us about your journey into photography?

"I got into photography when I was a teenager, my Dad was a musician so would regularly be in and out of photography studios. On one occasion, I went with him to the studio to view the contact sheets and the photographer had just wrapped a shoot, the lights were still on and there was a sense of magic in the air. I was hypnotised and totally captivated…from then on I was hooked and wanted to learn more. As a photographer, I’m motivated by making my clients happy through a collaborative process of ideas and exploration, to help elevate their brand and connect to their clients."

What are the most important considerations for fashion photography?

"Firstly, the aim of the shoot is to make the clothes look amazing so you need flattering lighting. You have to capture the line of garment, the drape of the fabric and to shoot it in the right context, whether that is in a studio or on location. The whole look has to be appropriate for the brand and it needs to look realistic and amazing at the same time."

How do you prepare for a shoot?

"I wrote a blog piece about 'the process of a photoshoot in 10  easy steps’ in which I cover everything from the initial idea of a shoot to the final delivery of the images. I send it to each new client as it’s good to recap. In essence though, I prepare for a shoot by having lots of conversations with the client to find out what they want, how they perceive their brand, what they want from me and where do they want to go in the future.

The way I see it, is that a shoot in one part of the process but a very important one as the images will be live for a few years and they have to stand the test of time, be current yet still be on trend and on brand. It’s a lot to get across so it’s important to ask lots of questions and back it up with mood boards to gain pin sharp targeting for the feel of the shoot."

In your recent shoot you cultivated a book, could you please tell us about this?

"The book is called creating a capsule wardrobe, the basic essentials on which you can build a number of outfits and looks.

My role as the photographer was to create a clean yet atmospheric look and feel to the shots, capturing the detail of the fabrics, the drape of the cloth yet create a mood with the lighting. I wanted to shoot in a simple way so the garments  stood out.

The lighting was soft yet sharp and we used pastel colours for the background to gently accuentuate the form of the clothing and the model."

How did you vary the compositipons and lighting?

"With the fashion book I kept the lighitng consistent across the three days to maintain the continuity. But we did shoot a few months apart and in different studios so that in itself was a small technical challenge to keep the look consistent.

I shoot with the D1 Air as they are a good powerful studio mono block light, yet they pack down into a roller case so I can take my studio with me on the road. I have three lights which I tend to take with me everywhere for all my shoots."

The Photography Show 2019

Thank you to Amanda for featuring in our Profoto Stories! You can visit us and Amanda at The Photography Show 2019, where she will be talking about her fashion and studio lighting tips and techniques alongside a variety of other amazing photographers. More information can be found here. To follow Amanda and see more of her work, visit her website or follow her on Instagram.

 

 

Written by: Ailish Cook