Shawn kemp hi-res stock photography and images – Alamy
Photography
Steve francis hi-res stock photography and images – Alamy
Photography project casts staff in new light while King’s Theatre is closed for revamp
Portraits capture backstage workers in favourite spots at historic venue
Published 7th Jan 2024, 04:55 GMT
A visit there is usually one of the focal points of the festive season in Edinburgh for thousands of families.
But “The Grand Old Lady of Leven Street” is very much the city’s sleeping beauty at the moment.
The King’s Theatre, which is usually packed out for its annual Christmas panto for weeks on end, is out of the picture for the second successive festive season while a long-awaited overhaul is being carried out.
However a new light has been cast upon the historic venue which has played host to the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier, Dame Margot Fonteyn, Maria Callas, Sir Ian McKellen, Juliette Binoche and Dame Maggie Smith since it opened its doors in 1906.
The lid has been lifted on a major photography project created to explore the “flamboyant character” of the King’s at a key turning point her history, as well as honour the “huge supporting cast” of backstage and behind-the-scenes staff who were working in the venue in the venue in the run-up to its revamp getting underway – and those involved in the biggest refurbishment in its history.
Previously unseen images by Edinburgh-based photographer Anneleen Lindsay, who has been given special access to the King’s for the last two years, have been released.
Ms Lindsay said: “My husband Chris has worked on the stage door at the King’s over the years, so I had been backstage before and knew that it had a lot of character.
“I knew there was a plan for the King’s to be renovated so I asked if I could have access to the backstage areas. They realised it would work well for the King’s to have it documented prior to the work getting underway. I wanted to approach the project as if the building was a character itself and to try to get a real sense of the atmosphere of the place, but also document all the people backstage who are not normally seen.
“I did a series of 29 portraits and asked each person to choose a particular spot that either meant something to them or was a favourite. They all chose different places, which was amazing.
“I got to spend a bit of time with each of them. They were full of anecdotes – some of them had literally worked there for decades.”
Ms Lindsay’s images show staff working at the venue as it emerged from pandemic restrictions and staged its final run of shows before the start of work on the long-awaited revamp, which was delayed for several months during an eleventh-hour campaign to bridge an £8.9 million funding gap caused by the rising cost of the revamp.
She said: “I started doing photos in January 2022 and was in several times when the final shows were there, until the Edinburgh International Festival show in August, and came in to do some of the final portraits after the theatre had closed to the public, when there were fewer and fewer people working there. The project was initially just about the lead up to the work starting on the renovation, but it wasn’t actually certain that the King’s would be reopening.
“It was only a couple of days before the keys were due to be handed over to the council that they got the final funding. It was such a relief. There was definitely a sense when I was taking some of the photos that it could all have been lost forever. They started the work quite quickly after that and I was able to watch things being gradually dismantled.”
The stage and backstage areas at the King’s have been completely removed to make way for new facilities which will allow the venue to attract and stage more shows in future.
Behind its facade, the upper level of the venue is being completely revamped, with the back of the upper circle removed to create a new space for school groups, activities, workshops and events.
Elsewhere, historic fire exits are being replaced with new stairwells and lifts, which will open up access to every level of the King’s, which is expected to open to the public every day for the first time with the addition of an extension for a new cafe-bar.
Ms Lindsay added: “It’s felt like a real privilege to get the opportunity to work on the project because I’ve had time to really explore and get under the skin of the King’s. But it’s very strange for taking photographs now, as every time I go in something has changed.
“I’m very conscious of the fact that a lot of the staff I took photographs of, who had worked there for years, aren’t getting to see it at the moment. Everything is obviously very tightly-controlled and safety conscious.
“The first few times I went in after the work started I was a bit sad. Although the backstage areas were in dire need of being updated, they had so much character. But, having been back a few more times, I have not really felt as emotional about it in that way because the changes are so interesting.
“I think when people first come in off the street they might not notice many changes, but they will make an amazing difference in how the King’s can be used in future.”
The annual panto at the King’s is in a temporary home at the Festival Theatre for the second of three years away. Its last full run at the King’s was in 2019-20 due to the impact of Covid restrictions, which brought an early halt to the comeback run of the show.
Ms Lindsay said: “I was a bit gutted as I had hoped to get backstage during the last panto before the King’s shut, but I didn’t manage to, as the show was shut down early. I hope to keep going in over the next couple of years and would love to get backstage when the panto is back in there again.”
Kobe bryant death hi-res stock photography and images – Alamy
Photography exhibition looks beyond the mundane
BHUBANESWAR: Many shades of nature, childhood, everyday life and much more, captured by six artists from different parts of the country and varied backgrounds, were showcased through a photography exhibition ‘Diverse Fragrance’ at New Delhi this week.
The artists comprised national photo editor of The New Indian Express Shiba Prasad Sahu, printmaker Ramahari Jena, painters Tribhuvan Kumar Deo and Biranchi Sahu, photographer Ashis Dhir and surgeon Sanjoy Basu.
One of the highlights of the exhibition were Shiba’s photographs of children and their playfulness. The photographs were in black-and-white with a pinch of colour added to them to enhance their character. His pictures also beautifully captured ash-smeared Naga Sadhus on a ghat during Kumbh Mela.
Although primarily wildlife photographers, Ashis and Biranchi exhibited tribal portraits and playful images of children from Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Sanjoy’s landscapes were mesmerising in the way he captured the natural light beams at Bryce Canyon, Utah, or the twilight at Atlas Mountain, Morocco.
Tribhuvan’s set of close-up images of the Spiti valley were some of the other striking captures. Ramahari, on the other hand, showcased his series on ‘ jaalis’, the traditional cast iron viewers with their luminous presence.The exhibition concluded on Saturday.
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Axel’s to feature Photography Shoot-Out winner’s images
Knudsen’s contest-winning photo is a closeup of a sunflower. “I’m drawn to tight shots and details, to black and white photography, and to images that tell a story – a glimpse into other people’s lives and experiences,” she said. “If there’s such a thing as a ‘next life,’ I would want to pursue a career as a documentary or photo journalist.”
After years of working with film, Knudsen said she’s now enjoying creating digital photos. “I enjoy the challenge of composing and creating photos with my camera precisely as I want them to be, with minimal editing. My process stems from many years of using a manual OM1 film camera – sometimes making prints in my basement darkroom. However, I am learning to embrace the creative opportunities of digital photography,” she said.
Raised in Northfield, Knudsen lives in Waterbury Center. After earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Bates College, she spent 10 years with an international airline. She eventually returned to Vermont and worked for 35 years in nonprofit fundraising.
An opening reception will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. Knudsen will give a short talk and will announce the theme for this year’s Photography Shoot-Out. The free event will include light snacks and refreshments.
More information online at axelsgallery.com.
4 Accessories to Gear Up Your Smartphone Into the Ultimate
Even if you take out the cameras on your smartphone, it can still play a huge role in making life easier for you when you shoot. In every step of your creative process, your phone can be a tool to make everything easier.
Smartphones really have become very useful tools for photographers and creators. And no, this does not only pertain to taking photos with your smartphone. With all of the multiple camera features aside, there are so many other ways that your smartphone can aid you in your workflow whether it be directly during the process of shooting, in other parts of the creative process, or even the business side of the craft. While the included video and the examples seen in this article are specific to iPhones, these tools and accessories have applicable variants for any kind of smartphone.
1. Multi-Functional Cases
Cases are perhaps the most obvious and most universal accessories that anyone gets for smartphones. Most people consider style and protection when choosing them, and they don’t necessarily prioritize in that order. But for a photographer, there are some additional features that we might want to consider when choosing cases, especially when they can help us in any step of the creative process.
Ever since I started using iPhones again roughly around two years ago (after being an Android user for over a decade), the first accessory that I purchased was the Peak Design Everyday Case, which, to be honest, was only because of the minimalist design (and this new one because of the new colors for the iPhone 15 series). However, after two years of using it, I can say that it is very durable for everyday use. Of course with the PD Everyday case came the compatibility with the PD mobile tripod, the creator kit which allows the user to mount it on a tripod (or a GoPro mount) using the Slimlink port, bicycle, motorcycle, and car mounts, as well as lifestyle accessories like the magnetically attached wallet. More than anything, it is the selection of accessories that make the Peak Design case a more functional choice for iPhone, Google Pixel, and Samsung Galaxy users.
Another notable smartphone case would be the ones from Magbak that make use of stronger magnets than the usual MagSafe compatible cases along with slim and versatile magnetic mounting plates. While their cases don’t necessarily have photography-centric accessories, the magnetic mounting plates allow the user to get creative when it comes to mounting their phones on necessary surfaces.
2. Smart(er) Chargers
iPhones don’t come with chargers anymore, and other brands have also followed suit. While this makes sense for some users who already own chargers from their older phones, there will inevitably be people who will need to purchase chargers separately. While you may be thinking that this is such an obvious point, it is also an opportunity to make more practical and more functional choices.
GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers offer more efficient, safer, and faster charging while also usually being more compact than the more common silicon-based chargers. Simply put, this technology now allows us to use chargers that are more powerful but also more compact, more efficient because of the possibility of charging multiple devices at once, and also more protective of the batteries that we use that can result in longer-lasting devices.
For anyone who only uses a smartphone, obviously a single 30 W GaN charger would be enough. However, for photographers who need to charge their phones along with camera batteries and/or tablets, 65 W GaN chargers with multiple ports offer a more efficient and easy-to-carry option. At the same time, for users who’d like to charge larger devices such as laptops and multi-slot camera battery hubs along with their mobile devices a more powerful 140 W charger would be a practical option.
For iPhone users, this 100 W MagSafe desk stand/charger can charge your phone without cables while maintaining comfortable viewing angle with the tilting MagSafe mount while also charging other devices like your laptop, tablet, or camera batteries while you work on your desk.
3. Smartphone Cages
Cages have been very popular for cameras because of how they allow the user to mount a multitude of accessories onto the camera for more functionality. This can be applicable to flash accessories or small continuous lights, handles that allow for better stability especially for video, external batteries, and even external monitors. These smartphone cages from SmallRig offer the same functionality for photographers and videographers who would like to maximize the cameras on their smartphones.
They come with a range of 1/4” and 3/8” threads for any accessory that you might want to attach, a pair of cold shoe ports for compact light sources and other compatible tools, as well as ways to mount external lenses and filters for the smartphone’s cameras.
The cages for the iPhone 15 Pro even includes handles with a remote shutter and the cage for the iPhone 15 Pro Max (Brandon Li edition) that comes with a unique innovative design even includes a 1-5 stop magnetic variable ND filter for taking mobile filmmaking to the next level.
While I personally don’t substitute my larger cameras with that on my phone, I find the smartphone cages useful for turning the phone into a convenient tool alongside my camera. Whenever I’m shooting anything that requires constant monitoring for framing and placement, my smartphone (and sometimes my tablet) become a crucial part of my workflow. By using apps such as Sony’s Imaging Edge mobile app or Creators’ app or alternatively, this app called Monitor+, I can turn my phone into a larger screen for my camera that I can bring around me while I adjust and rearrange certain parts of the setup. These apps function wirelessly through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth which makes it convenient for controlling the camera remotely.
However, you can also optimize the functionality using Monitor+ through a wired connection via USB-C which would give you little-to-no latency that is good for faster paced shooting. The smartphone cage acts as a way to securely attach the phone-monitor onto the camera when not shooting remotely, it can also be a way to keep the screen visible even in trickier angles, or it can be mounted onto the tripod using a more versatile friction arm for whatever purpose it offers.
4. Storage Solutions
Since smartphones are now more capable not just in terms of shooting better photos and videos but also in terms of post-processing on the go, it is very likely that we would have to deal with larger files altogether. That’s why even though smartphones now come in 512 GB or even 1 TB, the versatility of USB-C connectivity now allows us to use storage tools more efficiently.
Following Apple’s switch to USB-C, iPhones can now (just like Android devices always have) access portable hard drives and solid state drives (SSDs). Some devices can now shoot and write directly onto a portable drive to spare the on-board storage from heavier files. In particular, this Transcend portable SSD that comes in the familiar form of a thumb drive offers the most compact and easy-to-use storage expansion for such phones. As mentioned, most portable storage devices are compatible with such features, but this particular one is the easiest to keep mounted while the phone is in use, whether it be recording videos or while editing on a mobile app.
Smartphones have now become both viable portable imaging devices and multi-functional accessories. These compact computers aid us not just in shooting but in every step of the creative process. With the universality of USB-C connectivity and the expansive capabilities offered by innovative software developers, the humble smartphone has now become more like a digital Swiss Army knife.
Photographer Ordered to Pay Over $1,000 After Almost Crashing Drone
A photographer narrowly avoided a drone collision with famed DJ Fatboy Slim, as reported in court proceedings, and has been ordered to pay over $1,000 in penalties.
Giles Dalby, 39, was attempting to capture a video of DJ Norman Cook’s (known as Fatboy Slim) performance when he lost control of his drone, causing it to crash onto the stage near Cook.
Dalby faced charges this week for his careless or negligent operation of the drone, endangering both Mr. Cook and the audience of 8,500 people at the event. Speaking at Brighton Magistrates Court recently, the security designer expressed remorse, insisting he had no harmful intentions and was striving for a dramatic aerial shot of the concert when he confused the controls after turning on sport mode, which disabled some of the collision sensors. Dalby added that he had subsequently obtained a drone pilot’s license and acknowledged his error in flying the drone over a populated area. On the other hand, prosecutor Megan Attree noted that the drone’s flight data showed Dalby had ignored multiple warnings.
Dalby was accused of recklessly or negligently allowing a drone to endanger people or property, violating the Air Navigation Order of 2016. The court, recognizing Dalby’s clean record and early guilty plea, imposed a fine of £576, along with a £230 victim surcharge and £85 in costs, totaling £891.
Level up your skills in 2024 with a weekly photo challenge
Have you made a photo-related resolution for 2024 yet? Why not try a fun photo challenge to level up your skills?
Every sports coach in the world has said, “practice makes perfect” to their players. The same is also true for photographers. Consistent practice, coupled with honest feedback from peers and professional judges, can help you grow immensely in ways that you might not imagine otherwise.
The idea of taking photos every week might seem daunting at first, However, one way of thinking about it is, it’s a simple way to give yourself permission to consistently do something you love!
It’s a commitment that will pay off in spades. But how to get started?
Oh sure, you could make this a personal resolution and do it all yourself. After all, a tool like ChatGPT could generate a list of topics, and off you go. However, I think a better approach might be to join a cohort of like-minded photographers where you can all support and learn from one another.
SlickPic Photo Challenge
SlickPic just announced their FREE 52-week Photo Challenge. This is one you might consider joining since a wide variety of fun topics have been developed. Plus, viewing galleries, judging and prizes are all in place. Click here to view some of the first submissions for the Challenge.
Two things I like about the SlickPic Photo Challenge:
- You can draw from your back catalog as well as take new photos per week. This flexibility can be important for some as the year ebbs and flows. Plus, it also gives you a chance to re-imagine older images and potentially reprocess them using software like Radiant Photo or Luminar Neo.
- The team at SlickPic is passionate about image review, positive feedback and constructive criticism as a way to enhance your photography skills, both in capture and post-processing. This feedback loop is invaluable for improvement.
To become better at virtually anything, you need to do it consistently. A weekly challenge featuring a wide variety of assignments will literally “force” you to grow as a photographer. That regular practice will bend your brain around the topic and get your creative juices flowing.
At the end of the year, not only will you have a solid body of work to add to your portfolio you will have matured as an artist and probably made a few new friends along the way!
Note: The SlickPic 2024 52-week Photo Challenge is absolutely FREE and open to anyone around the world! A max of 3 photos per week per participant is permitted, so registration is required in order to track the number of photos per person. Photos are always the property of the photographer.
If you don’t have a SlickPic account, just register during your first upload (it’s free) or, better yet, sign up for their 14-day trial. This will let you explore the entire platform (including creating your own galleries and website building), plus you’ll be able to use this account for the entire Challenge.
A Beginners Guide To Learning Photography
Photography is one of the most expressive art forms that allows you to freeze time, evoke emotions and narrate visual stories. It is a blend of art and science, offering endless possibilities for self-expression and storytelling.
Get started
The obvious and the most important tool you require is a camera. Today’s mobile cameras are quite advanced, but if you are interested in pursuing photography and nurturing your hobby, then you must start with a basic entry level DSLR or a mirrorless camera. Ensure you have interchangeable lenses so that you have the flexibility of changing lenses depending on what you wish to shoot.
In order to start, you need to learn the basics of photography like ‘Exposure’ which is dependent on ‘Aperture’, ‘Shutter Speed’ and ‘ISO’. All three of them control the brightness of your photo, although they do so in different ways. In other words, each brings its own “side effects” to an image. So, it is a bit of an art to know exactly how to balance all three for a given photo. Exposure is the most important basic and the first photography concept that you need to understand. Photography is about capturing light, and exposure is important because it is the amount of light collected by your camera.
What is exposure?
The photography exposure basics are composed of different elements. The fundamental thing to understand is the effect of exposure, which is to capture the image with a determined brightness. Ideally, the image should be correctly exposed. However, in photography exposure, there is no right or wrong. For now, we will focus on the elements to capture a correct exposure.
Shutter speed: The amount of time your camera sensor is exposed to while taking a picture
Aperture: Represents a ‘pupil’ in your lens that open and close to let in varied amounts of light
ISO: Technically a bit more complex behind the scenes, but similar to the sensitivity of film for taking pictures in different lighting conditions. Also similar to brightening or darkening a photo in post-processing
You also need to learn about technical elements like ‘Exposure Triangle’, ‘Depth of Field’, ‘Focal Length’, ‘Sensor Size’, ‘how to achieve sharp Focus’, ‘Metering modes’, ‘White Balance’ and ‘Histogram’.
What is composition?
It is the language of photography, and using different compositional elements and rules, you will be able to capture and shape your visual message. When you compose your image, you have to arrange the elements of the scene to make them attractive and help you represent your visual message in a impactful way.
Practice makes one perfect
Once you have understood the science and art, now is the time to practice and experiment on the field. You can specialise in any genre for instance, portraits, wildlife, sports, street, fashion, food, travel and many more. Now each of these has its ways to capturing the perfect shot. For instance, wildlife photography demands patience and a deep connection with nature. It is about capturing the beauty and behaviour of animals in their natural habitat, telling stories through images and also raising awareness about conservation and the delicate balance of ecosystems. The platform you shoot from is not steady and handling long focal length lenses is quite challenging. But, when you come up with even one compelling image, all the sweat and toil seems more than worth it.
To be a good photographer, you need to learn from your mistakes, ask for someone who understands the art to critique your images. Photography is a journey that helps you discover, create and learn from your very own experiences. By being patient you can create visual stories that fill you with a sense of fulfillment!
(Parag Bhatt is an award-winning, self-taught wildlife photographer. You can check out his work at: https://www.paragbhattphotography.com/)
