Carla Loves Photography

Midnight in Sicily

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Carla

My bags are packed and my excitement meter is off the radar! I am off to Italy in the morning for a whole week and the same love rush that happened when I stepped off a train almost 30 years ago in Venice and saw those buildings floating, is welling inside.

Some love affairs never die and my Italian love affair is alive and well. Italy makes me happy, her chaos, her lack of order, her passion, her food, her sing song language and her streets. My first stop is Naples and then who knows where? I love that about travel.

My ‘on it’s last legs’ copy of Midnight in Sicily is in my hand luggage and I can’t wait to start this fabulous book all over again. If you love the mysteries of the south, the mafia and have ever wondered how the south works, you will love Midnight in Sicily.

I will be eating and enjoying for all of you.

A tavola non si invecchia mai (at the table one never grows old)

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Portrait Shoot Paris + One Window 4 Light Looks

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Carla

Private portrait shoot copyright Carla Coulson

I recently had the pleasure of shooting this lovely woman in a beautiful but tiny space in Paris. When she walked in with her tousled hair, Audrey Tatou and Ines de la Fressange sprang to mind.

It was a rainy day in Paris with low light and just one window but fortunately lots of luxurious details in the furniture and decor.

Here’s what I did:

I kept moving my subject around the room trying to avoid as much as possible the artwork that would interfere with the images and also to give variety to the light.

Shot1: The top shot was photographed using the window light in the ‘kindest and most flattering’ way. The subject was sitting directly in front of the window and I shot her with my back to the window.

Shot 2: I asked my subject to sit up into the large windowsill (with divine curtains). I asked her to keep her face in the general direction of the window so that I wouldn’t lose the left side of her face in shadows.

Shot 3: As most of the room had dark furnishings and wallpaper it gave an instant moody feel. For this shot i stood parallel to the window but had my subject sit directly in front of the window. The window lit her as though it was a spot and I shot her side on.

Shot 4: There was s gorgeous dark velvet sofa pushed into a dark corner. I asked my subject to sit on the end directly next to the window and point her face in the direction of the window.

If you would like to have a look at the ‘Before and After Shots‘ click here.

Moody is magic.

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Popelini In Paris

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Carla

Popelini Copyright Carla Coulson

What’s this got to do with photography? Nothing at all.

But girls, take note Popelini has arrived in Paris and is quickly changing our lives and waistlines!

Another ‘mono dessert’ boutique that sells just choux pastry filed with every flavoured cream possible, think rose, caramel, citron, vanilla, dark chocolate and the list goes on. But hey, if you are just doing one thing, there is a good chance you are doing it brilliantly.

When this cute little shopfront opened in the 3rd I thought to myself just another fad pastry shop in the hood instead Popellini is the biz!

Saturday, like kids in a lolly shop we devoured 12 little Popelini babies at dinner and we were all ohhing and ahhing over each flavour. The hot pink packaging alone is worth the investment and the AHHDORABLE bag that they come in. I decided the caramel was the killer!

If you are in Paris run, skip or walk very quickly in the direction of Popelini. You won’t be disappointed.

Sweet dreams

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Photographic Books That Have Always Inspired Me

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Carla

Photo Copyright Carla Coulson

We all have our favourite places to turn that inspire us when we are researching an idea or have lost our direction. I am a book lover and my apartment is full to overflowing with reference material that I could never bare to part with.

There are so many books I adore and here are some of my favourites and why:

1. Tim Walker | Pictures – This is a veritable feast for the eyes and senses. More than simply a fashion photographer, Tim Walker thinks like an art director and a set designer. His pics have the elegance of Avedon with a twist. J’adore Pictures!

2. Ellen Von Unwerth | Fraulein - I have been stalking Von Unwerth for years and I did a double backflip roll when Fraulein came out. A whole book devoted to Ellen’s sexy gals! A must for the boudoir gang.

3. Patrick Demarchelier - This book was the catalogue to Mr. Demarcheliers exhibition at the Petit Palais in Paris and I was lucky enough to have him sign my copy. His pictures are chic, elegant and magnificent.

4. Trent Parke and Narelle Autio – Trent Parke is the only Australian photographer ever invited to become a member of the Magnum agency. His reportage style of photography has always blown me away and my copies of Dream Life and The Seventh Wave are both photography treasures. His wife Narelle Autio is as equally talented and they collaborated on The Seventh Wave to photograph Australians at the beach. These books makes me want to throw some rolls of film in my bag and head to the airport.

5. Sante D’Orazio | A Private View - I discovered Sante D’ Orazio’s work whilst I was still at photography school and his book A Private View has been leafed through so many times its’ threatening to collapse. I adored the feeling of looking in his personal diary and loved his private notes, it was a major inspiration for the design of my book Italian Joy. Boudoir photographers will adore.

6. Deborah Turbeville | Le Passe Imparfait- I almost passed out when I first laid my eyes on Le Passe’ Imparfait. I love everything about this book, the photos, the graphics, the layout and the paper. It took me all of 5 seconds to be at the counter with money in hand. This is ‘blursville’. Deborah, Carla Loves You!!

7. Ellen Von Unwerth Couples - It is by no accident Ms Von Unwerth is featured twice. Her book Couples is so full of fun, life and emotion that it has weathered all my moves and on a bad ‘photography’ day, still manages to jolt me out of the doldrums and inspires me to keep taking photos. Ellen you are the biz!

What books do you love?

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5 Tips for Beginners To Take Better Photos

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Carla

Laurito Copyright Carla Coulson

I love helping people, especially beginners to take better pics. Once you understand light, movement, f-stops, depth of field and shutter speed, photography becomes second nature. I too had a lot of trouble absorbing the basics in the beginning but once you have mastered these vital components photography no longer becomes a thought process but one of feelings and emotions. It’s magical.

Here are 5 tips if you are new photographer that will help you take better photos.

1. Ask yourself everytime you are about to take a photo ‘where is the light coming from’? You might be outside and it might be a cloudy day but still take the trouble to find where the sun is. If you are inside ask yourself ‘where is the light coming from’? Is it a window, overhead light etc.

2. Ask yourself what type of light you are using. Sunlight, open shade, window light, mixed light, artificial light? Know what your light quality is and what effect it will have on your subject.

3. When composing your shot take a photo and have a good look at the screen to see if there are any lines, poles that are interfering with your composition. Can you improve it by moving something in the shot? Nothing worse that taking pics for 10 mins to find there is a pole coming out of your subjects head!

4. Move your subject. If you are working in light that you don’t like or it isn’t flattering, move your subject to a better light source. I find open shade on a sunny day is always flattering. Mixed light can be difficult to manage unless you have lots of experience. The trick is to always find the best available light.

5. Depth of field. The amount of depth of field in a photo is really important depending on what you want to achieve. I find when shooting movement as in the above photo, it is great to have lots of depth of field i.e F16 as my subject was moving (and I was treading water taking the photo) and if I had had a low f stop ie F2.8 it is probable that she would have jumped out of my field of range. When shooting portraits with more than one person standing in different positions be careful that you have at least F5.6 otherwise you risk someone being out of focus. If you want lots of blur when shooting just one person, consider shooting at F2.8. Always focus on the eyes..

Hope this helps

Happy Snapping.

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