Graduation

SO I am no longer a student, my three year exploration into the art of photography has come to an end and I must go into the real world with these skills it seems.

First thing first, i got a 2.1 :)

I also must announce i won the Speedo competition :D

I am waiting to hear how this will move forward but it is very exciting.

Free range went really well and i must now work and updating my website, editing my latest shoots and preparing my kit for my Asia tour. How very exciting it is to be free....

Free Range

So the shows over and the wait for results begins. But the 17th of June is set to be a very exciting day no matter what. I along with several other have been selected to be part of the FREE RANGE Exhibition in London :)

Only problem is that I go on holiday the day after it starts and wont be able to take it down :s SO I'm looking into options about hiring the equipment so that I don't miss out. But its looking doubtful.

I'm just doing some research for my photo shoots. most of my inspiration comes from magazines but there does seem to be a lacking in men's fashion photography magazines at uni and Ro happens to be away at the moment and she has a huge amount of Esquire following her placement there.

Anyway I'm Looking at L'Uomo and i found loads in Dazed and Confused so i might just take more of them. We don't have vanity fair which is annoying but i want the shoot to look good. i need a theme and I need to see their wardrobes!

Must get researching....

RAW

This month has been beyond hectic and full of photographic excitement.

1. I have my show up and running as the RAW Degree show has begun. Its going well with only a few technical issues. I have hopefully sorted those out now by replacing the DVD player that was there.

2. I was offered a role at boohoo and although i couldn't accept i know have my foot in the door and i believe that I can get at least some work/experience with them.

3. I have booked the studio to shoot some new prints for my portfolio and just utilise it whilst i have it.Ive begun working on a seven deadly sins project as its something ive wanted to do for a while and it wil be nice to make work thats just to look good and not be under pressure.

I'm still in the research stage atm but unless i think of soemthing better, perhops a colour sheme then i feel it could be a great theme...although coloyur may be more original and fun actually. As i get the impression that the sins are a little overused.


I will do my best to blog some more!

Enliven Notts

This week I took photos at a fantastic fashion event in assosiation with Rivr Island. They had local artists, both musical and artistic with a fashion show too. The venue was escucha and it was on Tuesday 27th April. I was working with my fellow Tilllate.com photographers Tim and Jamie. Its great to get involved with some different events and the girls did such a great job we really enjoyed it. They used different local stores and designers so there was a good range of clothing for both males and females. They made a catwalk down the middle of the bar we had photographers positioned throughout. Plus we took some shots with a pre made background as they walked in.

The ful report - please copy and paste the URL - http://uk.tilllate.com/en/event/10194158?ref=home-photos

the IMPOSSIBLE project

I went to manchester on Thursday and found this amazing second hand camera shop by accident. The camera choice was amazing and they had so much specialist equipment & lenes. I bourght a book on black & white developing book and got their card for future reference.

The staff were telling me about the impossible project which has bourght the rights to make poloroid and ive had a little look into their work. It's very interesting & great to see people who care about the product taking it back to basics.

http://www.the-impossible-project.com/projects/about


The same day i had my interview with boohoo.com and I really really hope i get the role as it seems like an amazing company thats expanding and has opportunities. So fingers crossed!

This weeks Work

I've produced a lot of material over the last two weeks having done four shoots and collating all the imagery I'm really pleased. I emailed Max to see him today but had no reply, in fact i emailed him yesterday with no reply!

I have videod the whole pool and just sections. the best portrait was when the swimmer was really pushing it so i thought i could ask them to do 5 lengths so they are genuinel tired. There faces were not portraying enough for me!

I'm pleased with the black and white though and getting them printed properly saves time and worry as I know they will work! Andy gave me some really good feedback and suggested i take a look at Bill Viola, Reflecting Pool, video. Its a way of making it about art and not swimming and i can consider incorporating both I guess.

I have my interview with Boohoo tommorrow in Manchester and then my lesson on Friday Morning. I will go and see the video technician after as i cant really do anything on my work over the weekend. Saying that Im working this weekend so i doubt I'd get much done.


Right best do some more preparation for my interview and heres a sneak peak at my video....

the start of it....

www.wix.com/natalietheobald/natalietheobald

My Website

Im just working on my website through www.wix.com and its going really well. Im using a template but I love it and Im really pleased with it so far. I have an interview this week and I just want it finished. I'll post a link once its finished and im going to add some more imagery from old work once I have it. Thats the problem with having an old PC a lot of the work is on there and I want to use the Images with the ring flash that I took in my first year.

I had a callback from my application to Bohoo.com tonight and I'm so excited for it. Need to book my train and no matter what the outcome Its experience and good interview skills too. Im happy to work in Leeds if It falls through but fingers crossed. My team leader was more than happy to give me a reference so we are going to fill that in tommorrow. I may email zone 3 to see if they can too.

How exciting!!

List of To do...

Degree show Plan – 09 to the 16/april
Fri – Sat- Sun
1. Find CV on E.H or re-write it
2. Find annotated version of CV and re-edit in American and work experience
3. Find swim negatives and contacts sheet-circle usable
4. Start website set up
5. Make folder for portfolio and start collating images
6. Message make up artist about shoot
7. Cover letters for three jobs- get address
8. Research cost of screen
Mon – Work 9-2 – Swim 9-10
1. Work
2. See if space in uni is available
3. Buy Gaffa tape for Shoot – Dictaphone?
4. Go to estore and get Film SLR or at least with auto focus
5. Mac Suite- download and Edit SCR images-use guidelines
6. Re upload to web albums and email james – ask for reference
Swim Preparation
1. Get bag with camera, film X2 digital SLR, Films, Tripod, Chair, Tape and white sheet.
2. Make marks on floor for tripod and chair and hang white sheet.
STAGE 1
Film Images
1. Potrait of them sat on chair directly at camera zoomed out so white hits the side.
2. Stood up and zoom into face and sections
3. Full body portrait
Digital Images
1. Video of 20 second physicing themselves up
2. Interview with question and answer like a monologue – What is your personal best? Are you feeling fit? DO you think you are racing to the best of your ability at University? What else is on your mind when you are trainin? What about when you are racing? Are you struggling to focus? DO you feel pressured to perform well at the university or by your peers?

STAGE 2
Digital Images
1. Record 50m sprint from each end of the pool in tight focus.
Film Images
2. Portrait in pool as they finish
3. Get them to jump out and stand and sit after they’ve swum
Repeat for each swimmer.
Tuesday –( Work – 9-2) Swim 9-10
1. Work
2. Upload footage onto Laptop and back up on external Hard drive. Take this to uni
3. Develop film at uni – need scissors, developer an paper and negative carrier.
4. When drying go to Mac Suite and organise prints from last night into editable.
5. Once dried make contact sheet and go back and eat
Swim Session
1. Record interview with coach (DIGITAL)
2. Portrait of coach (FILM)
3. Reshoot anything or anyone that wasn’t yesterday
Wednesday – (Work 9-2) (Hospital at 3)
1. Work
2. Hospital
3. Upload images from Tuesday Session and bck up on E.HD

Thursday – (Work – 9-2)
1. Develop Tuesdays film
2. Make contact sheet
3. Make prints from contact sheets to show Andy and Max
4. Review all footage and make a plan from swim session.
Friday
1. Meet with andy for feedback
2. Make new plan for next week

Zone 3 Images,Job Hunting and a Plan

Its frustrating that I don't have photoshop on my laptop. All the pictures are ready to edit so i have uploaded the specified files to web albums so I can download them at uni and edit them on the Macs. Then if I need assistance I have the technicians and I'm going to take my notes from my photoshop classes too.

I really want to enhance the imagery so I will go in after work on Monday and get cracking. Its a shame that the weather conditions are not better and I wonder if it would be worth re shooting them in better weather. However Photoshop is an amazing programme so I should be able to make them a lot brighter.

I have started applying for a few jobs and am going to spend tomorrow afternoon re writing my CV and getting some covering letters written for a few positions that I'm really interested in. One is an internship in London which would be great and mean that I'm in the city. I'd probably have to work full hours through the day and get a night time job but it would be worth it if it means i get an intense course.

I'm going to go plan Monday and Tuesdays Photo shoots now. Just write a word for word of what I'm going to do as I'll only have the hour and i need to utilise it. I need myself and the models to know exactly what i expect. Although a little acting may be needed! I will have to ask for the starting blocks too. SO on Monday I will go and check out available film equipment and then go edit the SCR Zone 3 images. Go home eat and then go take photos at swimming. On Tuesday I can develop the film after work and then do a test sheet and prints if i have time before re shooting on the Tuesday night. I will take both Film and digital so its all backed up. Sounds like a plan to me!!

Look Book Fashion Images

I Did some work for some lovely textiles students before going to spain and didn't get chance to pop them on here.I was really pleased with the imagery and their garnments were very impressive. I had very limited time but got the shots quickly and used the natural light coming through the windows above. We enchanced them on photoshop and they will be used in their lookbooks which is great exposure for me too.

SportsVest Photography

I had a great Time photographing the sports out in Spain. Joe had a brilliant fisheye lens which i loved using. I have an old Yashica lens 28mm and im gong to see if its compatible with my digital SLR. He was telling me about The london camera exchange and I really want to have a look there and see if I can find myself a bargain.




With the events being in much better light or outside my images were so much better and I love the hockey shots especially. The sun was bright the sky was clear and the pitch was in great condition. I used the fisheye , the 200mm and teh 18-105mm to get a range of images that I'm really pleased with. It definietly shown what I am capable of and I do need to invest in more equipment, but now doesn't feel like the right time. I have thought about my degree show a lot an no one can say that my ideas have not developed!

I love taking photos and I need to keep that passion and drive and put it into the right project.Ive written a to do list too. I just need to make my way through it.


1. Email four photos and text to Sean
2. Decide which 5 swimmers to photograph
3. Contact them by making a letter stating what my aim is
4. Look through old negatives of swimmers
5. Go through kit to see if equipment works on digital camera
6. Check with Uni if they have Film SLR
7. Get Black and White films and check paper supply order more if needed
8. Get Big piece of cotton and figure out how to use it as back drop
9. Bring back dads Projector and screen
10. Take photos at swimming
11. Video swimmers doing 50m
12. Write questions for interview
13. Do a prep video of myself
14. Make a mock up with flashing images
15. Ask them to do a 20sec video of preparation
16. Get audio from other events or creative commons sites
17. Print a portrait of each swimmer in dark room
18. Create a sequence for each swimmer and put them in sequence and loop
19. Get headphones for added audio( if necessary?)

Degree show
Business cards- moo cards?
Website- look more into hosting sites and get domain name
Space- Call the uni regarding the space i want.
Portfolio imagery – start looking at printers and the book


Lets get cracking!!

Work Experience

My List is getting ever longer and any experience in any area is valuable. I took photos for Zone 3 triathlon suites and its amazing to see my work on their site



Not all of them are mine but I went back last week and re shot the new range so I'm looking forward to seeing them on the website.









Today I'm photographing some pieces for a knitwear student. I've done my own fashion work but not much for other people so it should be exciting. I'm intrigued by what pieces they'll have and I might borrow a macro lens. I was thinking of doing an intense close up and then a further out shot to show the detail and overall effect. I found something similar in a Sunday magazine article. You couldn't make out what the subject was until you zoomed out making you consider the viewpoint. But I'll see what ideas they have hopefully considered!

So how do i brand myself??!

I need to advertise my skills, to gain work to advertise myself and network. I therefore need to brand myself and have this consistant through my blog, website(which im building) and then business cards. Ive had cards before, my image on one side my details on another. I feel a range of images will be appropriate, depending on the client or the reason im giving them a card. I ask to see peoples cards to get inspiration and look at quality which is also important. You can get them free but you compromise on quality. Ive found a website that seems perfect,


photographic cards....great stuff!!

Lightroom Editing

I have been working through all the images that Ive taken at the matches. At each one im learning so much that I can't even believe how much i have improved! ALthough it is not just about the action shots they are important and I feel that my position on the pitch/court is also really important too. If i want to get there expression then I need to be in a position to get it. I have photographed the american football, swimming, netball, basketball and rugby. I have the Football next week and then Sportsvest. Furthermore I want to get some portraits of the key people that I have photographed or to go along to any other training sessions that I can go to. Hopefully then I can add the Audio, action and portraits all together to create something pretty impressive!

Plus I have some work experience planned, im taking photos for SCR Triathlon suites website tommorrow. Plus John from DE Photo emailed me back about working for them in the future which is fantastic! Its looking good!

Just a quick note, the BJP has re-released itself this month as a monthly publictation. It has most certainly improved its content and the quality of the actual magazine itself is impressive. I didn't get chance to read the weekly publication before the next one came through the door and now I have all month. I'm looking forward to the next one now.

I have also begun my search for jobs. The search is hard as although I feel I have so much to offer its knowing how to get there, I know where I want to end up. I want to work for a major picture agency but Reuters is probably my biggest aim. I just need to know how to get there.....

Degree Show

I have been considering what I shall create for my degree show for some time, it is in the back of my mind from day one. All i know is that I will make images within the genre of sport. After a 1 to 1 with my tutor I have to start editing down my research to create a pack. I have a few photographers to look at and some more photographs to take in order to be ready for the assessment..... I will be working with an array of images taken at various sporting events at the university. I am part of the universities swim team who I have regularly photographed over the last three years. Furthermore I produced a book in my second year which explored what makes a team and I intend to develop the ideas I considered in my research for it. I can develop my photographic skills and take into account sport in a wider context considering sport as spectacle and photography as art. As I have explored other ideas for my degree show, I have come to this idea quite late but have researched into a wide range of photographers who have covered sport..... to be continued

Brian Griffin

Perhaps the name is more familiar to some as a character in Family Guy but he is also one of the photographers that has been commissioned as an Olympic photographer. The NPG will commission other high-profile and emerging photographers each year before the Olympics. Each subsequent phase of the Project will be displayed at the gallery in the summers of 2010, 2011 and 2012. The final display in summer 2012 will include a larger retrospective of all the commissioned work. The NPG has partnered with British Telecom to create a collection of 100 photographic portraits of ‘the people around the UK, both high-profile and those behind the scenes, who collectively are making the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games happen,’ says the gallery. (http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=870603)

Sport Photography

... some of my own work

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/637160

If you have a look at this link you can buy my book...'theres no i in team' and see a preview which includes some of my imagery.


"Natalie Theobald is a contemporary photographer based in Nottingham, studying her practise at Nottingham Trent University. The established course has helped shape and inspire this young photographer to explore her visual culture in which we all live. Having studied photography for 4 years and counting, she is proving herself within this ever changing industry. Her work covers a multitude of areas so she can easily adapt her skills to a clients given brief. Although her most recent and noted work explores the world of sport, it is a far more in depth project than a series of action shots. She is influenced by the social aspect of sport from those who organise it, to the coaches and the competitors. Furthermore in a project in which she is currently embarking on she will be covering the universities Varsity series again the University of Nottingham"

Poras Chaudhary

I've subscribed to the British Journal of Photography and I'm never disappointed with the articles and new photographers that I'm introduced to.

The travel Photography section was so inspiring with the likes of Louis Montrose, Poras Chaudhary and Kevin Cozma having created some great pieces of work. It makes me so excited to go traveling again with my camera. To see the sights and capture the atmosphere as well as they have.

Fafi

I've always been a huge fan of Fafi's Artwork





A french female graffiti artist she gives the art world a run for their money with her sexy cartoons donning everything from street walls to Adidas clothing and Mac make-up. I'm always intrigued to see what she is working on next and her latest characters.

Welcome to my world.....

So this is my blog to post everything and everything of interest in the world of photography.

Images,
photographers,
inspiration,
exhibitions
and anything else appropriate


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