Shooting Drama on Location

by John Baikie

I love a bit of drama, so the story goes. Well, living in Scotland you have to work with the weather, which often means dramatic, moody skies. I love to bring out the emotion and drama in my images by using off-camera flash and underexposing my backgrounds. This has become something which my clients love and always ask for when we discuss the type of images they like. So how do you add mood and emotion to your images?

Shooting Drama on Location image 1

Contrary to opinion, I don’t tend to use any really fancy lighting set-ups when I’m shooting weddings or fashion work. I tend to stick with one light and keep it very simple. At a wedding it’s very tricky trying to work with complicated lighting set-ups, so one portable Quantum flash on a light stand is what I use for 90% of my off-camera flash work. The rest of the time it’s available light and a basic silver reflector.

My clients love the dramatic off-camera flash images, so almost all of them want this type of shot for their big day. Likewise, when I shoot portraits or fashion, it’s what people expect, so you need to know how to get a powerful image, no matter what the weather does.

The most important thing is to choose the right locations and backgrounds for this type of work, as not everything works. I find skies and scenery are the best for off-camera flash work, whereas architecture is brilliant when using available light. So if I’m needing drama I tend to search for open skies.

Shooting Drama on Location image 2

When I arrive at a wedding venue for the first time I quickly build up a plan in my head of which locations will be used, and how they will be lit, so that, when the pressure is on, I can quickly work my way around. My average wedding usually consists of 30 minutes with the bride and groom. I rarely need more than that, and this means you’re not using up their entire day for photography and they get to enjoy themselves. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard ‘about the photographer at the last wedding people went to’, taking the couple away for hours and spoiling the day.

So, how to add the drama? These were bridal fashion images I was commissioned to shoot in the summer.

Shooting Drama on Location image 3

This first shoot I did, was at a very remote island off the west coast of Scotland. Tanera Mor is part of the Summer Isles, and is the only inhabited island in the group. I was looking for a location to shoot some images for a local bridal shop, and wanted something a bit different, so after trawling the internet I found a boat trip to the islands and booked myself and model, Natalie. On the day, it looked like it was going to be miserable – dull and grey throughout the entire three-hour journey to Achiltibuie, and add to that, a travel-sick model, and things weren’t looking good.

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