How to shoot a magazine feature

Well, kinda.

Usually when a big feature of mine appears in a mag I use the blog to post a pic or two that didn't make the cut. This time I thought it might be interesting (your mileage may vary, of course!) to post some of the pics that were printed, along with an explanation of how they came about and how they fit into the feature as a whole. Most features, despite appearances to the contrary, are more than just a collection of random images, and there's a surprising amount of thought and effort that goes into the whole process.

The feature in question is my profile of Tim Flooks in the December 2008 issue of MBUK, which should still be on the shelves. It forms part of an occasional series profiling prominent names in mountain biking and their favourite haunts. Tim is a legend on the UK mountain bike scene, having raced both cross-country and downhill at just about every level, but he's probably best known on the international race scene for his years as RockShox's support technician on the World Cup circuit.

There are two elements to a feature like this: the profile (in which the reader finds out more about the person in question) and the ride (er, which does what it says on the tin). In this case I was writing as well as shooting the feature, which is something of a double-edged sword, but if there's a writer involved I'll always make sure I liaise with them before I start shooting to find out their angle. There's also usually a brief from the magazine - for words and pictures separately - and I may, as in this case, know something about the subject and the area we're riding before we start. All of it is useful information.

I knew that we needed some shots of Tim working in his high-tech suspension workshop, and that this was probably also the best opportunity to get some unposed pictures of him in his natural element. So that's where we started.

Nikon D3, 24-70mm f/2.8, 1/250sec f/2.8 @ ISO800

Tim was hard at work when I arrived and, although he was happy to make time for me, I asked him to just carry on doing what he normally did while I worked around him. I shot wide open to isolate the background, knowing that ISO800 on the D3 would be perfectly clean. Because of the big difference in tone between Tim's work clothing and the bright background I set exposure manually and periodically checked the histogram.

A couple of times I asked Tim to stop for a second, or go back and re-do something he'd just done, but mostly I interfered as little as possible. Being able to use natural light makes this a whole lot easier than the days when I would've been relying on flash...

Nikon D3, 24-70mm f/2.8, 1/320sec f/2.8 @ ISO800

Detail shots are important in a feature like this, because they help to highlight sections of the copy. I spent some time searching the workshop for clues to Tim's racing past... it wasn't as easy as I was expecting, because he's scrupulously tidy and doesn't tend to leave things lying around. Still, there was the odd race jersey or two pinned to the wall, and these medals draped over a picture frame. I asked Tim if he could take them down and hold them for me - it's a more personal shot, somehow, than shooting them where they were.

Nikon D300, 14-24mm f/2.8, 1/400sec f/8 @ ISO200, two radio slaves

Onto the riding, where I knew the bulk of the pictures would be drawn from...

Every magazine feature needs an opener. It's the shot that draws readers in, gives a hint of what's in store and leaves space for a headline, standfirst, credits and opening copy. This location, with the stream crossing and trail snaking away into the distance, was the perfect opportunity, so Tim and I spent some time shooting variations on a theme. The light was bright and harsh so I needed two flashes on full power to lift the shadows, but I also found it impossible to get the image sharp enough without boosting the shutter speed beyond the normal flash sync (the eagle-eyed will have noticed the swap in cameras; I took the D300 riding to save a little bulk and weight).

Nikon D300, 14-24mm f/2.8, 1/800sec f/8 @ ISO200

As well as plenty of action (MBUK, as a magazine, is all about the action. Good photographers always shoot to suit their target market; it's not about just getting a nice set of shots, it's about meeting the clients' requirements too), it's important to get some mood shots of the riding as well. Tim's favourite haunt, the Quantock Hills in Somerset, is a place that I associate with big skies, so I made the most of these glowering clouds by using the trees to frame Tim against the horizon.

Nikon D300, 50-150mm f/2.8, 1/320sec f/5 @ ISO400

This rocky trail also serves as a part-time stream bed, giving the opportunity for plenty of spray on a corner that works well shot long and front-on. Wet, loose rocks keep Tim's concentration levels high, so I didn't need to ask him to put any extra effort in. I kept the shutter speed as low as I dared to maintain plenty of movement in the front wheel, tracked the bike on AF and squeezed off a handful of shots, of which this was the best. The result is sharp enough to have withstood a very tight crop in the magazine.

So, at the end of a full day's shooting in two different locations, I submitted 76 processed jpegs to MBUK's art editor - of which 12 ran over 7 pages. Old habits die hard - as a long-time film user, I'm used to making every shot count rather than spraying and praying on a 'it's not costing me anything so I'll just shoot a load more' basis. Ultimately it's not about numbers, though, it's about providing the options needed to give the story the maximum possible impact on the page. 

Throughout a shoot I'm constantly updating my mental checklist: am I shooting a mix of landscape and portrait format pics? Have I got at least one strong opener? Detail shots? A mix of wide and long lens pics? Action shots? Head shots? Any specific shot requests? What's round the next corner? Is the weather going to change? And so on.

This was a relatively straightforward shoot, working with one rider (who's used to the requirements of mag shoots) in a location I know well on a day when the weather was on our side. The key to earning a living from shooting features is to be able to come up with the goods when the weather's poor, the riders are uncooperative, the location's rubbish and the deadline's looming. Hey, it's not always as glamourous as it looks!

Comments

[stikman]

another great installment. thanks Seb

[Marcel]

yeah good insight into what all is involved and how things tie together...