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Claire Gillo

Claire Gillo is AP's acting technique editor, a freelance writer, and a photographer based in Devon. During the past decade she has worked across a number of photography magazines. Find out more about her work at www.clairegillo.com 

Action portraits

Claire Gillo shows you how to freeze a ballerina action using minimal kit

Using the light

I got asked if this image had been taken using flash and the answer is 'no'! Using the natural sunlight as it begins to soften and drop in the sky creates amazing opportunities for striking portraits. The shadows cast over one side of the dancer's body create a more sculptural look.

Timed to perfection 

With action portraiture it's tricky to capture the optimum moment, so I set my camera up to make the job easier. First I put my focus setting to the tracking feature, then the camera into the burst mode (for the jumps, this is vital) and always count the model in to the jumps. Take a test shot before they start any movement to check light direction, exposure and overall effect. Don't be afraid to keep your model waiting while you perfect these aspects, because if you have something like the exposure or light direction wrong you won't have a usable image. 

Clothing

Clothing, hair and make-up are all big considerations to take into account when planning a portrait shoot. Carry a number of outfits so you can experiment and match your subject's outfit to the setting. In this instance the ruffled skirt mimics the grey rocks. Touches like this give your images that extra depth. 

Dance with the setting

One of the key elements to shooting portraits on location is getting the right location. Be prepared to do some research, recces and forward planning so when the conditions are right you can just jump (excuse the pun) right into it. For this shoot we headed down to an isolated beach in Devon, and had it to ourselves. It would have been a real pain to clone people out of the background.  

Platypuses are some of the strangest mammals on Earth. Their fur, webbed feet, duck-like bills, and beaver-like rails led native peoples to conclude that they were the offspring of a duck and a water rat. The reality is no less bizarre, as they are one of only two egg-laying mammals in the world. This makes them something of an evolutionary link between reptiles and mammals. Male platypuses also have a spur behind one of their hind feet, which releases a venom that is not lethal to humans but has no cure and can cause pain for months. Platypus milk even has a unique protein that may be able to help create cures for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Unfortunately, despite their one-of-a-kind biology, platypuses are also on the verge of extinction. 

Platypuses are native to the eastern coast of Australia, which happens to be the epicenter of one of the worst ongoing climate disasters in the world. After two years of severe drought, 2019 was Australia's hottest and driest year ever recorded. This is bad news for the platypuses, which live in and around water. To make matters worse, the year-long drought amplified seasonal wildfires, allowing them to quickly grow out of control. All along the east coast, which is also home to most of Australia's human population, fires are destroying the houses and habitats of the people are making an attempt to rescue the platypuses by catching them and sending them to zoos. However, the zoos are becoming too crowded as more and more animals are rescued. 

Thanks in part to these climate change events, the International Union for Conservation of Nature now lists platypuses as a "near-threatened" species. Last month, a collaborative study by a team of scientists from the University of New South Wales and the University of Melbourne calculated that climate change may shrink the platypus population by more than 70 percent over the next 50 years. A few months earlier, another study found that platypuses had completely disappeared from more than 40 percent of their previous range. 

Extinction is not new to Australia, which has seen at least 29 mammals go extinct since the arrival of European colonists, including three in the last 10 years. Australia is already the driest inhabited continent in the world, and manmade irrigation systems divert water grows, so will the demand for more water. Unless drastic changes take place soon, it certainly seems like the platypus' days are numbered. 

Chris Bailey

Chris Bailey is a professional portrait photographer based in South West England. Chris loves both the technical and visual challenge of capturing people, as every face is unique. Check out his portfolio of work at www.chrisbaileyphotography.co.uk. 

Headshots

Professional photographer Chris Bailey reveals his top tips for capturing headshots using only natural light.

Background

When selecting a background for your headshots, bear in mind that our eyes are drawn to the brightest part of an image. Try not to choose a background with too much highlight as it takes attention away from the face. Ideally you want to aim for the face to be the brightest part of your image. I find that placing my subjects against a wall or in an alleyway helps to create depth and perspective in my image. 

Background separation and bokeh

Bokeh is a term photographers use to describe the softness of a background while the foreground stays sharp and in focus. Bokeh is achieved by using a low f-stop such as f/2.8 or f/4 to help make your headshot 'pop' from the image and separate your subject from the background. After all, we are trying to make a two-dimensional image look as three dimensional as possible.

Find the direction of light

The beauty of working with daylight is that it's one of the best qualities of light available and it's absolutely free! You don't need to invest in expensive studio lights, after all, those studio strobes are just trying to imitate daylight. When the sun is high, the light will be harder and produce strong shadows, but when the sun is low, the light will be softer and will produce more even results. The direction of light matters, and placing your subject in relation to the sun is crucial. I find this position by placing my hand out in front of me and turning around in a full circle. This may sound silly and look odd but look at how the quality of light changes on your hand as you move it. Magic 

Shadows are your friend

Creating shadows on the face adds character, shape and dimension. You can completely change the look of a person's face by where you allow the shadows and highlights to fall. Try placing the side of your subject's face near a wall and watch their face gently fall into shadow. 

Tiree Dawson

Tiree is a self-taught photographer who has now been a professional for over 10 years. She currently shoots around 80 weddings a year and produces images for over 40 clients. Go to www.tireedawson.co.uk or follow her on Instagram at @tireedawson 

Wedding portraits

Tiree Dawson shares her six top tips for capturing cracking shots on a couple's special day

Experiment

For each section of the wedding day I will always get the 'safe' shots first, as these are essential in documenting the event. If I do this efficiently, however, I know that I'll get to use any remaining time to up the creativity levels. Don't be afraid to tell you client when you're experimenting. If you're behaving oddly holding things up in front of the lens or rolling around on the floor then it's much better to communicate why rather than to lose their trust. If they know you've got the safe shots in the bag then they are usually happy to play along in the name of creativity and the chance of something unique.

Study composition and color 

Invest time in gaining an understanding of the rules of composition and color theory - even if it's just to play around with breaking them! When you see an image you should note how the photographer used form and color and to what effect.

Look for the best light 

Posed wedding portraits of the bride and groom are one of the few parts of the day where you have a choice over the lighting and location of the shots you are taking. Make the most of this freedom by picking an area where the light is flattering and suits the mood of the couple and the wedding. It couple be soft, playful or dramatic but you should have a sense of what will work well for them and for you. Use quieter times of the day to efficiently scope out locations and light (these may change at any time, so keep this at the back of your mind.) Even if you are quite familiar with a venue and work at it frequently, it's important to do this as conditions can change dramatically from one day to the next, so be fully prepared to keep adapting to the conditions. 

Think about the background

Ask yourself about the purpose of the background in each image you are making. Will you choose to have it in focus to give a sense of the environment and surroundings? Or do you want a shallow depth of field to give creamy colors and make the couple stand out as the main subject? There is no right or wrong here, but intentionality always pays off. I always carry a wide range of lense to keep my options open and find that working on a couple of bodies allows me to shoot a broad range of compositions in a short amount of time. 

Create feeling and mood

Being able to build a rapport and trust quickly with your couple is something that comes with experience. But even after 400 weddings there are times when it can feel a little tricky. Make sure you have a memorized collection of simple prompts and games that you can use to help them feel more at ease, and encourage them to focus on each other rather than the distractions of wedding-day details. Increase the sense of intimacy by ensuring that hands are always occupied. 

Don't neglect your post-processing

Used with skill, your camera will record the scene with great accuracy. What it can rarely do though is truthfully capture the whole feeling of the moment. For me the editing process is my way of bringing the emotion back. This is why I never outsource any of my post-processing; I believe it is best done by the person who took the image. Your experience of the moment far exceeds what you see through the viewfinder, and careful editing can help recreate how it felt. Keep up to date with editing techniques and make a habit of frequently comparing your finished products and raw files. Try to shoot with a post-editing process in mind, so that when you work on it afterwards it will be all part of the plan!

Documentary portraits

Photographer Maarten Mellemans reveals his top shooting tips for capturing portraits at events and in daily life using only natural light

'I think the magic is in the small moments, those subtle interactions. A quick look, a gesture...'

Look for the small moment

It's tempting to go for the low-hanging fruit and only shoot obvious situations. Dancing and smiling people are often found at events but I think the magic is in the small moments, those subtle interactions. A quick look, a gesture... these intimate glances provide do much more depth to an image and are also more interesting to look at for viewers. 

Bright colors and contrast

People in general dress safe with dull and muted colors. When there is someone who's wearing something unique and bright, this creates a photographic opportunity. Photograph them in front of the 'dull' people so they are sure to stand out. Try to enhance the contrast by shooting them against people standing in the shade. 

Shoot against the sun

Most people try to keep the sun to their back, but I like to turn around especially in the evening when the sun starts to set. During the magic hour you can capture some great atmospheric images. Silhouettes and sun flares are your allies. 

Change your perspective

If you take all your images at eye level they'll look basic as we're all used to this perspective. To stand out, go and stand on something to gain a higher perspective or lie on the ground. You'll get used to the weird looks! Another option is to take a wide-angle lens(I like to use 24mm) and shoot without looking through the viewfinder. Just use zone focusing and hold your camera high and low. 

Gain your subject's trust

This is vital during smaller events or when I'm following someone one-on-one. I always focus on gaining their trust first. The good images will come later when they start to forget I'm there and let their guard down. This is even more important when there are kids involved, as they can take longer to adapt to a stranger invading their space. 

Always be ready

Event photography is a bit like street photography: anything can happen at any moment, so make sure you're ready. This means no 'chimping'(checking every photo on the camera display immediately after capturing the shot) because you could miss some great images while looking at your screen. My advice would be to treat your camera like an analogue one and just shoot. You'll see the results later when you get them on your computer, and can then spend time editing them. 

Technique Portrait Tips

Get the Natural Look

Professional photographers from across the globe reveal their top tips for shooting environmental portraits, 

documentary portraiture, weddings, action portraits and professional headshots.

Jonathan Bielaski

Based in Toronto, Canada, Jonathan creates cinematic portraits of real people in real places. Striving to capture as much in camera as possible, he has mastered his tools and working on location. See more at www.jonathanbielaski.com 

Environmental portraits

Portrait photographer Jonathan Bielski shares his portfolio of images as well as his insights on photographing people in their environment.

Mix the light

When using external lighting, try to make it look as natural as possible. Drag your shutter to bring in some of the ambient light and match the color temperatures. It's fine to play with different tones of light, as on this image, with some light warmer than other parts. Just make sure that it's intentional. 

Pay attention to colors

The colors in your image - both from the wardrobe to the supporting elements - are key to making a cohesive image. With this image I wanted to make sure that the tomes and richness came out in this theatre set. 

Know your subject

When you get to your location it's great to have interviewed your subject beforehand and spent time getting to know them. This will give you insight into who they are and what they do. Utilizing the props they have will add an element that can tell the visual story. 

Pull back

With my portraits I love to crop tight into a headshot, but I also enjoy seeing the full pulled-back view. Seeing the sitter's workspace of environment reveals so much about them, such as interesting detail like the tools of the trades. It enables us to peer into that subject's life. 

Find the light

Working outside in a remote location can be amazing. Using the natural light and finding the puddles of reflected light to place your subject in is key. Within this image there was a truck just to the right-hand side of the subject reflecting the natural light where I needed it. 

Find the right spot

The background or setting in an environmental portrait is just as important as the subject. Work as a team with your subject to find the right spot that will tell the story. This image, which was captured in Iceland, was a favorite spot for the diver. 

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest-quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. 

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. 

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. 

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. 

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" - one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. 

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with. 

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. 

And this will be the day - this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

   My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

   Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, 

   From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And it America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. 

   Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

   Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

   Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. 

   Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of Califonia.

But not only that:

   Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

   Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

   Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

   From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

   Free at last! Free at last!

   Thank God Almighty, we are free at last! 

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. 

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense, we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that American has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. 

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children. 

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. 

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. 

We cannot turn back. 

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

Stanford Unversity Speech 3 _Steve Jobs

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in like. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. 

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes. 

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now. 

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I ger for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors and Polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: It was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it was the words:"Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you. 

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.  

Stanford Unversity Speech 2 _Steve Jobs

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the Valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me. I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over. 

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life. 

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the world's first computer-animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought Next, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together. 

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life's gonna hit you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be  truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. And don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking. Don't settle. 

My third story is about death. When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was you last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my like, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something,