Words of Wisdom: article layout in Digital Photographer magazine

About 6 months ago i got an email from writer/photographer Lisa Perkovic asking if i’d be interested in talking to her about my work for a story in Digital Photographer magazine. I’m always happy to talk photography, so over email i answered some of her questions, and now they’re in print in the current issue of the magazine.

The words are a little hard to read in the print layouts here, so i’ve reproduced the article, along with photos and commentary below.

Daniel Boud shares his secrets on shooting from the soul – on stage and in the studio.

Setting up boudist.com in 2003 was a life-changing move for then web designer Daniel Boud. A passion for photography, a knack for shooting live music gigs and a space for sharing his shots was a winning combination. Named as one of The Music Network’s Top 30 Under 30 in 2010, and currently Time Out Sydney’s chief photographer, Boud is living the dream – but hasn’t let it go to his head.

“A positive reaction to your work is always encouraging,” he says. “It reminds you that you’re on the right path. I’m always so critical of my work and see all of its flaws, so an outside boost can be welcome. But I don’t ever rest on my laurels, I’m always striving to do better.”

The self-taught photographer puts down practice as the key to success. “I bought a digital camera in 2001 and it just set off a switch in my brain where I became obsessed with documenting every little inane thing in my life. It wasn’t consciously a training exercise but the systematic process of shooting tens of thousands of pictures. And striving to get better each time meant I got many hours of experience under my belt.”

Tonight Alive: I’d just shot this band neck deep in Sydney Harbour, so they were all soaking wet. After hopping out of the water, I wanted to get a shot of them shaking off like a dog would, while letting the front woman look more composed in the middle. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 16-35mm Specs: ISO 100, f/10, 1/200 sec, 32mm

With an instinctual style, Boud draws inspiration from everything around him – other photographers’ work, blogs, magazines, movies, cinematographers. Being creative is an important part of the job, but it’s also important his subjects are willing to be a part of that vision.

“My most recent subject was a musician named Devendra Banhart and he was awesome to work with. I had an idea to have him lie on the ground, surrounded by food and lollies. He was up for it and then amped it up by asking to have hundreds and thousands poured all over his face.

It’s really fun working with people who collaborate and aren’t afraid to experiment with things. I’ve photographed several drag queens and transgender people and that can be quite outrageous. Being in drag is an excuse to exercise parts of your personality you wouldn’t normally reveal, so drag performers can be very uninhibited.”

Amanda Lepore: I shot the famous transexual and muse of David LaChappelle in the lobby of the Sheraton hotel. I brought along my own wall paper to tape to the wall to add a classic vintage feel. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 85mm 1.8 ISO 100, f11, 1/160sec, 85mm

Boud photographs a diverse range of subjects – everything from Sydney’s best burgers to some of the world’s best performers – but portraits still have a big pull.

“My first love was shooting live music but these days I find more satisfaction shooting portraits. There’s more of me in a staged portrait: I control the lighting, the location and can give the subject direction.”

Here he answers our questions on portraits, performances and post-production:

You do a lot of music photography: what are the issues when shooting musicians performing live?

There are several limitations when shooting live, which I actually find helpful. You only get to photograph three songs, so you have to have your wits about you. There’s little time to make mistakes. You have zero control over the lighting and zero control of your subjects. So it’s simply a matter of best documenting what’s presented in front of you.

Israeli punk band Monotonix performing at the Annandale Hotel in Sydney. They had such a crazy live show, with the singer spending most of his time in the crowd. I held my camera above my head to shoot this above the crowd. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 16-35mm Settings: ISO 1000, f5, 1/160 sec, 16mm Lit by a Canon 580ex II on camera

How do you get your subjects to relax in front of the camera?

Like a good dentist or doctor, a photographer must have an excellent bedside manner. You have to instill confidence in your subject. If you’re having a tooth pulled, you want your dentist to act as if this is a really normal procedure that he’s done thousands of times before. It’s the same with taking a portrait. Talk to your subject about what’s going to happen, ask them questions about how they’re feeling, explain that this should be a collaborative and enjoyable experience. Use positive reinforcement. Some people are natural in front of the camera, but most people aren’t, so allow them time to warm up and realise that getting their picture taken really isn’t as bad as having a tooth pulled. And if all that fails, get them drunk.

What do you want from subjects?

I want them to relax and feel that they’re in a safe place where they can be creative, to think about what we could do together that would best represent them. I often tell people to not be afraid to act like an idiot. The worst that could happen is that the photo doesn’t work, but no-one ever need see that. They’ll only see the best shots, and to get them, you have to get some bad ones first.

Andrew WK: I shot Andrew backstage at the Sydney Big Day Out music festival. He’s got such a manic stage presence and I wanted to capture that on camera. I asked him to do a series of dramatic poses and only after the seeing the shots on my computer did I think to combine them into a shot with three of him. Lit by a profoto ring flash. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 16-35mm Specs: ISO 160, f/6.3, 1/125 sec, 31mm

How do you pull energy from subjects and convey that in your work?

It can be a challenge if you don’t have much time or your subject is very uncomfortable. But simple directions, asking people to move or do something different, can be useful. You could ask your subject to jump on the spot, walk towards the camera, tell a joke, yell down the lens. They’re all things that allow your subject to be in the moment, rather than think about having their picture taken.

How much control do you get over what the shoot will look like?

Usually a lot. Sometimes a picture editor or magazine art director will be really specific with what they’re after if it’s for a cover, but otherwise I’m usually left up to my own devices.

Do you work with stylists on your shoots?

For the bigger music shoots with a decent budget I have. It can be a real help for people to have options for clothes and accessories to wear, but some people don’t like it because it feels inauthentic

Adriano Zumbo: I shot Adriano at my home studio. We bought along some of his famous macaroons to use as a prop. I challenged him by asking how many macaroons he could fit in his mouth at once. He was such a good sport and had no problems goofing around. Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 70-200mm ISO 100, f9, 1/125sec, 200mm

The Grates: Patience the singer has a lot of manic energy and I wanted to capture that so I asked her to scream at me. This is actually a composite shot, I did shoot them together but the art director liked two different shots for each of them so combined these for the cover. Lit from the front by a beauty dish. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 50mm Specs: ISO 100, f/9, 1/125 sec, 50mm

How long does a shoot typically take?

It really depends. I’ve done shoots with stars in hotel rooms where I’ve had one minute to nail a portrait… but then I’ve also had all-day shoots with several different locations and many different set-ups.

Do you tether the camera to the computer to see the images as you’re working?

I have shot tethered but it’s not something I normally do.

Paul Dempsey: I was shooting some pictures of Paul for his record company to use as publicity, documenting his album recording process. He was recording in a country house, and sleeping in the same room as the studio. So this was a little unguarded moment as he strummed away, shot in natural light. Equipment: Canon 5D, Tamron 17-35mm Specs: ISO 800, f3.5, 23mm, 1/50 sec, 23mm

When you’re shooting on location, do you use available light?

Yes, but I will also often use lighting in addition to the natural light to give a bit more control.

What sort of lighting set-ups do you use at shoots?

All sorts. I’ve got no standard set-up, each time is different. I’ve also got a studio with all sorts of gear. If I’m going on location and the budget is amenable I’ll hire Profoto lights and modifiers.

When you’re shooting an event or a live performance, are you part of the crowd or apart from it?

Both. I shoot events best when I’ve got an emotional attachment to them, whether it’s a band I love or an event surrounded by friends.

What do you think about “party” and “gig” photographers?

It’s a real skill to capture those sorts of events well. It takes a mixture of really knowing your gear well and working in unpredictable environments, plus having the personality to be bold and interact with people to get the best possible pictures.

Are you a “get in right in-camera” or ‘fix it later on the computer” photographer?

Definitely an in-camera guy. If someone comes to me with a concept that requires a lot of retouching, I’ll usually look for ways to get a similar result in-camera. Otherwise I’ll suggest another photographer because I really don’t enjoy the post-production process.

Can you give us an insight into your post-processing techniques?

It’s pretty straightforward. Import the shots into Lightroom; do a first pass look to pick all the decent shots; then do a second pass with a more critical eye to be left with only the very best shots. I then only do minor adjustments in Lightroom. I very rarely touch Photoshop anymore. I may adjust the white balance, straighten the shot if it’s a little crooked, bring out a small bit of shadow detail, remove any sensor dust and make sure the exposure is bang on. That’s about it.

Who’s on your photography wish list?

Taking someone’s picture is often just a great excuse to meet interesting people. So if I was to aim for the stars I’d say someone like Barack Obama, David Bowie, Bono or Jack White.

 

Marieke Hardy and Anthony Hayes: Marieke wanted to recreate a photo of Derryn Hinch from the 70’s in a similar pose with a playboy model. We reversed the gender roles and modernised it with papers and magazines from that day. We shot it quickly in her hotel room. Lit by a bare strobe on camera left bouncing off a white wall. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 50mm 1.4 Specs: ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/125 sec

A portrait of Wolfmother singer Andrew Stockdale. I arranged to shoot Andrew in a guitar store which I knew had some cool amps and guitars around. Lit by a single soft box Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Tamron 17-35mm Specs: ISO 100, f10, 1/160 sec, 26mm

Dan Sultan: This was shot in the same space as the Wolfmother photo, but decorated differently. I can't remember exactly what prompted Dan to give me the two finger salute. Canon 5d Mark II, Canon 16-35mm ISO 125, f5.6, 1/20 sec, 16mm Lit by a profoto ring flash

Top Boudist tips for Portrait photography

1. Be prepared.
   Have everything ready before your subject arrives so you jump straight into it and don’t have to adjust any lighting.
2. Have a conversation.
   Talk to your subject. Make the process collaborative.
3. Direct your subject.
   Don’t be afraid to tell someone how to stand, where to put their hands, what direction to look in or give them some motivation for their expression.
4. Have confidence.
   Your subject is looking to you for reassurance. It can be intimidating having your picture taken, so your subject needs to know you’re going to make them look amazing.
5. Positive reinforcement.
   Let your subject know how awesome they look. The ego boost will make them look better in pictures and enjoy the process more.

Devendra Banhart: Backstage at Splendour in the Grass, last shot of the day and I had all these sweets left over and wanted to find a way to use them in one shot. So I asked Devendra if he minded laying down surrounded by all the lollies. He was totally into it and was the one to suggest pouring hundreds and thousands on his face. Equipment: Canon 5DMkII, Canon 17-35mm Specs: ISO 200, f/9, 1/125sec, 25mm

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Moving on from Elana Stone, here’s some pictures i did with her sister, actress Yael Stone for a feature in Time Out Sydney.

She was preparing for her role in As You Like It at the Belvoir theatre, so we just bounced around the rehearsal room grabbing the odd prop and making some fun pictures.

To complete the Stone sibling photo wrap up you could always browse the archives for plentiful Jake Stone/bluejuice photos.

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From back in May 2009, some pictures i did with Elana Stone that i’ve not published before.

One conceptual set-up (although don’t ask me to explain the concept) and one simple and raw.

The first shot we did in her parent’s basement with props left over from a play her sister (Yael Stone) was in. The second was right outside as the sun set.

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Carmen arrives at the DIVA Awards in 2008

Sad news today that Sydney (via New Zealand) transgender icon Carmen Rupe passed away aged 75.

Carmen in her bedroom

I met her several times over the years while photographing for Time Out.

The most memorable was an afternoon i spent with her and writer Angus Fontaine in her small Surry Hills apartment. She spoke at length about her amazing life, born as Trevor in a sleepy New Zealand town, a stint in the army, a move to Sydney, prostitution, time in jail, a career as a drag performer in Kings Cross’s 60′s heyday and a fulltime switch to life as a woman.

Her home was a shrine to her fabulous life. Every inch of the place decked with mementos. I feel awfully sad for the poor soul faced with the grim task of pulling it all down.

Carmen's bathroom and me in the mirror

From Carmen's scrapbook

Before she was Carmen she was Trevor

Carmen's front door bell

Mother

The wall of Carmen's living room

Carmen at Stonewall

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Here’s some press shots i did with the delightful Lanie Lane back in August.

These were all shot at Gardel’s Bar.

We also did some shots in the studio.

And one last snap on the old film point and shoot.

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I had a very brief opportunity last week to photograph Robin Williams and director George Miller, who were in town promoting Happy Feet 2 and gave an interview to Time Out.

It was one of those 1 minute shoots in a hotel bar type deals, with Robin and George on a production line from AAP to me, then on to the Daily Telegraph. But i’ve got to be happy with a brief window of face time, as often there’s just a mass media call where they plonk the talent in front of a Sydney landmark while dozens of photographers yell out to get their attention and eye contact down the lens. Or worse, the red carpet.

In terms of lighting this, i used my little photoflex octobox that mounts over my Canon Speedlite. It’s a nifty bit of kit because it’s so portable and light, doesn’t need mains power, and is super quick to assemble.

I’m a little disappointed in my shots with Robin.  He’s such a livewire personality onscreen and i was anticipating catching an element of that in a picture. But he was really not in that headspace. He was extremely calm and measured and not giving much on camera. But perhaps a more introspective picture of him isn’t a bad thing?

Admittedly i was rather intimidated, its Robin Fucking Williams in front of my camera, so i was less pushy and creative than i might otherwise have been.  Before i knew it the publicist was saying “last picture” and that was that.

I felt like i got just that little bit more from George Miller. He was very warm and happy to goof around with his glasses for me.  It’s little moments bits of collaboration in a picture, where the subject brings something to the table that make me walk away from a photo feeling more satisfied.

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Watching Margaget Pomeranz and David Stratton‘s nostalgic look back at their 25 years together on screen reminded me to post these pictures i did of them for a feature in Time Out Sydney.

The picture that ran with the story was them on the ABC terrace but i also did another shot inside.

It’s a cliched idea, shooting them as if they’re watching a movie, but it was great fun talking them through it.

I told them i wanted them to act as if they were watching a film, that Margaret was and enjoying but David was finding frightfully dull. For motivation David wanted to know what film they were watching, i told them it was a Lars Von Trier film and that helped David get into character.

I didn’t know whether they’d go for the popcorn prop, but when i brought it out David was aghast, saying eating popcorn is some sort of abomination to movie watching. In typical fashion Margaret tut tutted him telling him to not be so stupid and that she’d happily eat the popcorn. Their personalities onscreen certainly matched them offscreen.

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Miranda July

Several weeks ago, while Miranda July was in town to premiere her film The Future at the Sydney Film Festival i took a few pictures of her for a story in Time Out.

It was one of those typical “you have 20 minutes for an interview and photo in the hotel room” type deals. I did the pictures, Alice Tynan did the talking.

I rather like Miranda July, she’s a creative spirit, so beforehand i tried to think of an idea that could work in the restricted environment of a 5 minute hotel shoot.

She uses words and text a fair bit in her work, and i think i’d just been admiring the Baal artwork, so i thought it would be cool to have her write something on her own body. I figured it would be a quirky idea that she might just like.

So i nicked one of Cybele’s eyeliner pencils and wrote down a list of phrases and words should she be uninspired and went off to the 26th floor of the Hilton.

Before i was shown the room i stopped outside the lift and admired the little window nook. I figured that could be a nice spot to shoot her in. She’s quite diminutive, so it would be kind of cool to get her to stand in the space. And it’s and easier ask than getting her to draw on herself.

When we were introduced we exchanged few words before i asked if she’d hop up into to window sill. No problems.

Her pink stockings made it look pretty nice.

After a few snaps that were ok i pitched her my drawing on the hand idea and presented her with the eyeliner pencil. She thought about it momentarily then without needing any suggestions she scrawled something out.

We walked round the corner into the hotel corridor and she held up her palm.

DON’T GIVE UP.

Words to live by.

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Here’s some picture’s i did with Sydney Swans AFL star Adam Goodes. They were for a feature in Time Out Sydney.

Even for those like me with little to no interest in AFL the interview is worth a read.

It was all pretty quick, we took a couple of shots in the Swans dressing room at the Sydney Cricket Ground, then went onto the pitch.

When we arrived it was pouring rain, but luckily it cleared enough to head outside for some ominous cloud shots. The outdoor shot was lit by my little Canon Speedlite which i was surprised to discover was bright enough to overpower the daylight.

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Here’s a picture i did with Levins at his new restaurant The Dip for Time Out Sydney. The Dip’s signature is Lev’s Dawg, a hot-dog which he proudly holds here.

Among his many talents, Levins is a master in the art of the photobomb. A photobomb is defined by Urban Dictionary as “an otherwise normal photo that has been ruined or spoiled by someone who was not supposed to be in the photograph.”

Because of this talent, i figured it would be funny to get him to photobomb himself for his Time Out portrait.

Here’s a collection of some of his photobombs from his website. They’re all by Patrick Stevenson from Hobogestapo.

And for those who may think Levins is new to the world of the hot-dog, here’s a snap i took of him back in 2005, when he was even more babyfaced than today.

Levins was manning the sausage sizzle at an instore performance by Macromantics at the now defunct Gifted Records store in Surry Hills.

His ‘dawgs’ may be a little more refined these days but it’s evidently through years of practice.

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