This Sunday round noon, I quickly passed by this street to check out on Sunny and to my utter delight he was there. We exchanged a few pleasantries as usual, however today Sunny specifically asked me if he could look at me whilst I shot. How could I say no, especially when he was wearing his Sunday best! :)
St Joseph & Clouds
I finished a photo job round 4 this afternoon. Walking out of Mdina, I was mesmerized by the clouds and also how the clouds played a great role in creating a heavenly background for the statue of St Joseph.
November Clouds
It's rain season, within a couple of days the temperature dropped considerably that now we wear jackets, and finally the clouds are giving us their annual show up in the sky. However I am attracted to the soft clouds rather than the big fluffy ones.
Apologies to the cumulus and cumulonimbus...I am a fan of the strato and altostrato clouds. The soft wispy ones which add a touch of lightness to the whole drama of the fluffy big cumulus.
Yesterday morning I had a field day shooting soft patches of clouds at around 6:20am, just before the heavens decided to open up and pour down on us.
It can be tricky to shoot these type of clouds above. More often than not there isn't enough contrast in the clouds for the camera to be able to read and focus properly, so in such cases I ditch the autofocus and focus manually.
I keep my ISO low, depending on the time of day, sometimes I have to push it to 250, however I work with a medium aperture of 4-5.6. Even though I am a fan of the open wide apertures, I always keep in mind that I might need to print them one day so a little bit of depth would be ideal.
Look up at the skies...and follow your own cloud...
The City waking up
To say I love Valletta, is an understatement. The city is the stage and the people are the performers on this stage. This morning I was early in Valletta, so the following shots are witness of the city waking up.
The people were slow in waking up I felt. The only real noise was coming from trucks and delivery people rushing to make it out of the city by the stipulated time allowed.
So I was interested in the people sitting quietly alone at a usually busy cafeteria. At the lone men sitting on shop or door steps checking their mobiles out, and otheres who did that but seated on benches for more comfort. People buying pastizzi for breakfast and another who was already eating them at that early hour...
The man opening his shop and the milkman rushing past to deliver milk to a cafeteria...the list is endless.
Browse through and witness the city coming to live on stage...
Under dramatic skies
Sometimes the skies are so dramatic that you just have to stop and shoot. For once after a lot of cloud shots without a horizon I thought that Mdina actually deserved to be part of this dramatic scene in front of me.
However below are my cloud selections minus a context...just like John Constable used to do in his cloud studies. By all means I do not fancy myself as good as John Constable, however to say he is an inspiration is an understatement.
And the camera is just a great and versatile tool to make some quick 'sketches' of cloud studies. Next time I will upload some photos inspired by Alfred Stieglitz's 'Equivalent Series'.
Keep tuned!
Abandoned Beauty
This summer I finally had the opportunity of taking photos of a place that was uninhabited and to a certain extent abandoned. Beautiful photos of tastefully done interiors are just amazing, however what has always intrigued me was the 'before' photos. Since in the past I was a draughtsman, I have visited numerous places and residences to measure up and draft out. Nothing can shake off those years of experience, and to a certain extent neither do I want to loose that training. Nowadays my tool of choice is a camera over a measuring tape.
I was not briefed about the current owners nor about its past. I was given a set of keys, and it was up to me to open and discover what's inside Pandora's box. Upon entering the space I immediately felt drawn to the upstairs over the downstairs areas. The rooms upstairs are grander, and more colourful. The only light coming through was from the louvers, so I opened them to allow the rooms to get bathed in natural light. I walked from one room to another, carefully setting my tripod and looking around for the best shots that could narrate the story of this Palazzo.
The rooms varied in colour from dark mustard yellow to bright yellow onto reds. Those were the three main rooms upstairs. Dust, pigeons and emptiness resided in this place, however it was full of stories waiting to be shot.
You can find more work here: Palazzo Rabat
Hamrun round Noon
Today I had an errand in Hamrun, that pleased me immensely because I had to walk the main road of foot. I have been trying to plan and walk this road up and down for a while. The shops always fascinated me. The old doors are lost due to the bombastically clad aluminium shop facades, however people still use the doorsteps to take a rest, wait for the bus or generally hand out.
I even managed to get a shot of the shop front below that has been closed since I could remember. The "British Army & Navy Bar". I am surprised it is still untouched considering everyone is trying to 'develop' all places into tasteless and soulless concrete buildings.
Then I looked up and this lady met my lens....obviously I snapped, how could I resist.
Further along the street I heard some commotion and wondered who was quarreling. Turns out it was this lady in light blue (below) speaking to someone on the phone. I wondered what was the problem but probably it is just us Maltese making a mountain out of a molehile. I was also intrigued by this lady waiting at this narrow street...who was she waiting for. What was her final destination?
I walked on and realised the woman on the doorsteps was still there waiting, or looking at passers by. She surely looked at me as you can see below.
A short 20 min walk and all these snaps in my bag...
The character of a place
Today we went exploring. I used to sit at this chapel's doorway (pictured above) chatting away with my friend Karen joined sometimes by Celine, nearly every Sunday morning.
Then I looked out to the right, and I saw my hometown's rural charm still relatively intact from any destructive interventions.
As we walked away, a light breeze picked up, and suddenly I looked at the street and felt the spirit of the place welcoming me. My current research is about the documentation of the spirit of a place through the photographic medium....can it be done I ask.
Photos shot in Haz-Zebbug, Malta.
Featured Project on First Magazine
I would like to thank Joanna Demarco from First Magazine (Malta Independent) for featuring my project titled 'Maltese Interiors'. The great Ann Dingli described my work perfectly!
Read full article here:
Shooting a photographer's family
Ian and myself have been toying with the idea of having a family shoot of his own family from the beginning of summer, but you know life happens with numerous weddings to shoot together and independently, and we never found the time.
However last weekend Ian asked me to find a date that following week, so we meet and we finally do these images. We met and as soon as I said hello, all his four kids ran around me and then away from me spreading in all directions. Josann, Ian's wife, gave me a warm smile as always, and Ian is Ian, we are colleagues, we say hi without uttering the word really.
Off we went for 'a walk' with the kids. A walk with kids is never a leisurely walk. We were altering between, walking, running, jumping and well trying to keep everyone in sight and out of danger. Suddenly everything is a hazard...and I might be a bit too relaxed with kids since I don't have any of my own, so I am not exactly alert of any dangers. We reached a nice plateau where there was some shade, and off the kids went...and myself as the photographer was left behind. My only alternative was to run, engage with them and also take shots!
They ran, screamed, fell, got up, continued running...and somehow I got the shots. We even managed some family shots....and the beauty of kids offers a vibrant set of various photos were the kids are being kids and the adults well...are being parents, trying to look good whilst scolding their kids. It was exquisite to shoot such a lovely family. All individual kids had their unique character and expressions.
Paolo the eldest and only male amongst his siblings, was the shy but not so quite one. He collected sticks whilst we were doing this shoot, however he also wanted a photo for school so at one point he did look at the camera.
Francesca the first eldest girl, was so sweet and loving, and she showered me with hugs and kisses, such a warm loving child. Then in came Laura, who is different from all her siblings, a mind of her own, who willingly gave me wide smiles in between falling and running to her mum to put her shoe back on.
And last but not least there was tiny Federica who ran so fast that the only way to get her close to us was by telling her that soon we were gonna get ice cream. We even managed some photos of the lovely mum, Josann and also a few of Ian.
I admit that I was a bit overwhelmed by the kids, and nervous because I was not shooting just any family, but I was shooting a photographer's family! So all sort of thoughts were coming up in my head such as was the exposure right, did I frame this correctly...however as one point, the kids won me over, that I forgot about all the doubts and just was myself; a photographer taking photos of a loving family who's father just happens to be an awesome photographer.
My friend Sunny
Those of you who have been following me for a while would remember Sunny. See some of the series here: Sunny & The Fair Lady
Between one thing and another, I haven't taken photos of Sunny in a while, but this week I went out on purpose just to take photos of him, and also to try shooting this regular scene with a 24mm lens.
Sunny as usual was happy to see me, and still greeted me nicely even though I interrupted his chat with this gentleman. Not one to ignore, a lady passing by did taunt him and she is pictured below looking at me. She was clearly intrigued as to why I was taking his photo. Sunny laughed away as usual :)
On the other side of the lens
As photographers, we take numerous amounts of photos.....but always of other people. We safely stay behind the camera and shoot away. We love making others feel good about themselves, and this in return makes us feel good.
However, going on the other side is a totally different experience. We tend to shy away from the camera when we are in front of it. And I am no exception. I am good with taking self portraits, because I can maybe select the ones that I like myself the most. However how does it feel when you trust another photographer to not only shoot portraits of you but to also trust him in the choice.
Last Friday I went through such an experience and trusted friend and photographer Ian Abdilla to take a few portraits of me. The exercise was mutual, since I did the same in return, but the results will be in another blog post.
I believe this exercise would benefit other photographers. Suddenly, when I was on the other side I obviously felt self conscious, but it was also an eye opener into how my clients feel when they are in front of my lens. I suppose knowing the person shooting you is a plus, so how can we make others feel comfortable with us if they would have just met us? As photographers, our job is not only that of pressing the shutter. Psychology comes in and getting to genuinely know our clients, will help us not only connect, but will make them feel comfortable enough to trust us into taking portraits of them. The results then will speak for themselves!
Another thing is that I had no idea how I looked from other angles other than those reflected back at me in the mirror. How do I look when I am not looking at the camera? How do others see you? One of the things that struck me from these photos was my height and my long arms!
So get in front of that camera, let another photographer shoot you...and have fun!
Steffi
Steffi is the youngest of the Falzon sisters. I mention the sisters Liz and Claire fondly because I know them very well not only socially but from the numerous occasions I have shot their family. When Steffi contacted me to shoot her special day I was more than honoured. And here she is pictured for my 'Brides on Beds' Project. Steffi was looking stunning in her dress but I wanted that last picture before she crosses the border from single hood to married woman.
Wishing you years of happiness and love and to growing old together with Steve!
See the whole series here: Brides on Beds
A Bientot!
Sometimes I do something different, especially when friends from abroad come for a visit. I have know Lauren for about 7 years now and I photograph her every time she comes to Malta or when I go up to Bordeaux in France. I have seen her with dark hair and also with blond hair like this time round. We had no time to shoot in the evening, however we made the best we could of the noon sun.
Pictured here at San Anton Gardens, Attard Malta. Shot on Canon Mk3 with Sigma art 85mm f/1.4 lens.
Merci Lolo pour votre patience! Bisous!
Brides on Beds
The transition from single to married
Read MoreSacristy Interior
This weekend I had a wedding to shoot, and mass was at St Agatha Church in Rabat. The sacristy at this church is very well kept, as you can see in the image above.
Once again religious icons rule, but then again this is a sacristy after all.
How I shot it: Smiles in the street
So I was walking along the street in Burmarrad, Malta, when from the other side of the street, I noticed these kids at the door of this house. I knew they would give me a good photo however I only had the wide angle 24mm lens on my camera body. In order not to disturb them I did not want to cross the street, or else they would have been too conscious. So I shot wide.
The cropping tool in Lightroom and Photoshop is a powerful tool. You can create a new and better composition out of the original photo. So I cropped the photo by putting the kids in the right third of the image by following the rule of thirds
Below is the original shot. Above is the crop. One of them still caught me shooting them. And the girl looks kinda self conscious whereas the other kid had no clue...I love these spontaneous shots!
How I got my white hair
Read on to find out how I got my white hair...
Read MorePortraits with a difference
Want to learn how I handle highlights in portraiture? Read on...
Read MoreHow I shot it?
Want to know how I shot this? Read on...
Read More