23.02.10
Shooting motion creatively with Levon Biss
Professional photographer Levon Biss is a master of capturing movement. Here he reveals how to shoot motion creatively and find beauty in the human form.
Preparation
Generally, I plan out the image I wish to create in detail before I arrive at the shoot, making sure I have a clear picture in my head of what I’m looking to achieve. Then, when the time comes to take the shots, everything should fall into place, from the lighting to the camera angles.
Understand your subject
It’s much easier to shoot something that you can predict. This can only come with experience, but being able to ‘read’ the players’ movements will ensure you are in the correct position when the body is in its optimal position for the shot.
Be flexible
As much as it’s good to prepare for a shoot, it is also essential to build in flexibility should things not go quite as intended. Usually, I will have a mental image of the picture I want to create, but every now and again it is not possible for the athlete to create the movement without it looking forced. This is when you have to listen to the advice of the athlete, understand what is possible, and then adjust your picture accordingly.
Keep it natural
Try not to ask your subjects to perform moves that feel unnatural — I promise it will always look awkward. This follows on from the previous tip. It’s far better to have a natural-looking shot that projects some kind of beauty, than an image that has dynamic body movement but is essentially unbelievable.
Predict movement
Don't just follow your subject with your eye, think about where they may end their movement and make sure you are there waiting for the key moment. For example, if I am shooting a sport such as football, I will always try to anticipate where the ball will be going next so my lens is already there when the ball arrives – that way I’m giving myself more of a chance of capturing that unique moment and avoid chasing the action.
Get the light right
Make sure you have the necessary amount of light that you will need to achieve the correct shutter speed. Shooting the body in motion generally involves the subject moving at fairly high speeds, therefore if the location is dark you will have to bring your own light. To achieve a sharp image of a moving subject, I will generally look for a shutter speed of at least 350th of a second with an aperture no less than f8.
Fast flash
If you decide to work with strobe lighting, make sure it has fast flash duration. Broncolor Grafit packs are ideal for this as they have the option to control the speed of the flash duration. The shorter the flash duration, the greater chance you have of freezing your subject and having a pin-sharp image. To freeze an image, try to keep flash duration to at least 1000th of a second, particularly if you are balancing flash light with ambient light.
Don’t try to shoot too much
When shooting the body in motion it, is not physically possible for the subject to repeat the same action again and again. I generally find the best shot will come in the first 15 frames, after that the shot becomes repetitious and stale. You need to know when you have your shot and when to move onto the next set-up. There’s no point in wasting the subject’s energy on a shot you already have in the bag.
Shout freeze
If you are shooting in poor light and struggling to get a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action, try asking your subject to try movements where the body hangs in the air. For example, when you jump up in the air, there will be a split second where the body will be almost still, just before it falls back down to the ground. This is your chance to get the picture.
Be safe
When shooting the body in motion, it is always important to remember that there is a risk that something may go wrong and the subject may get hurt. It is important to understand the limit of what your subject is capable of and not push them over the edge, even though they may be very willing to do so! You cannot get any pictures if your subject is exhausted or injured.
On the Shoot
“When working with athletes you are under 101 constraints, especially time. They have very little time to give. Sometimes I have just 10 minutes to work with them and I have to create a whole season of advertising from this short period. This means the picture needs to be produced and shot before the person even turns up. So I’ll have my assistant jump around like a lunatic in all manner of ways in the light so I know exactly how the images will look. So that when the athlete walks onto the set, all I need to do is choreograph what I want them to do. The best way to do that is do it yourself and get them to copy it. It’s much easier for them to see the movement rather than have me tell them. It’s all about preparation. If we are going to a location, we’ll get there a day before the shoot day so we’ll set up everything and test everything and keep testing until we are happy. So when the player walks in, we are confident all we need to do is control the player and their movements.”
What’s your creative process?
“Generally, this type of photography is all controlled. You have an image in your head you want to create and then you work out how to achieve it technically. For me, the human form in sport can be very beautiful. The shapes you can create are amazing. I don’t like to see or create images that are awkward – I like my characters to be graceful. I think this is important, especially when shooting professional athletes. These guys are at the pinnacle of their world and I want to show them in their best light. If you are into the subject you are shooting, you have won half the battle. It makes the job pleasurable rather than hard work.”
Most successful image
“I shot a global campaign for Adidas that was particularly satisfying. We shot the company’s 30 top global soccer players around the world over a month and the technicalities of the shoot were particularly difficult. We ended up using around 15 strobes in each shot, and when you try to mix that number of lights with ambient light, things can get quite tricky very quickly. The final results looked great, though, and the client was very happy.”
kit bag
- Canon 1Ds MkIII
- Canon 1Ds MkII
- Canon 5D MkII
- Canon 16-35mm
- Canon 70-200mm
- Canon 28-70mm
- Quantum T5D strobes
- Quantum Turbo Batteries
Levon's words of wisdom
“It’s hugely important that you enjoy your photography. This comes through shooting subjects that you are enthusiastic about. If you are passionate about your subject, then you will find that it is far easier to create inspiring and creative images. Don’t try to force your work to look like that of other photographers — be confident that your own photographic style will develop over time. It is something that cannot be rushed.”
Biography: Levon Bliss
Professional photographer Levon Biss is 34 years old. He trained as an illustrator, and it was not until his late teens that he picked up a camera. He has always loved sport and now concentrates on shooting dynamic action portraits. His advertising clients include Nike, Puma, Umbro, Adidas and Reebok. He has shot editorial work for GQ, The New York Times and Sports Illustrated.
www.levonbiss.com
This feature is from the February 2010 issue
Back issues can be ordered by calling 01858 438840 or by sending an email to photographymonthly@subscription.co.uk
- Average Article Rating 0 Stars
-
Your Rating
Login Required!
Sorry - You must be a registered user & logged in to rate this.
Login | Register
Back to Categories