Photography fundamentals underpin digital art

The idea of covering your dining room table with fish to capture a shot is a level of dedication that a special type of photographer will go to. But it’s exactly what Richard Wood did to capture the above shot from his 2014 New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year portfolio.

In the latest issue of D-Photo, we talk to Wood about his ability to produce images that come out as works of illustrational art. But his process is not without its critics due to the way Wood embraces digital post-production techniques.  He says it saddens him when people don’t appreciate the fundamental photographic skills underpinning his work, but he knows the level of detail and technique that have gone into the shot.

“I’ve provided before and after images of some of my shots, and you can see the image looks as if it’s painted on the back of the camera,” Wood says. “It’s purely how you light it that well, and light it spectacularly.”

Wood will be sharing his knowledge and techniques about studio and on-the-run lighting in his full-day workshop coming up on November 30 at Kingsize Studios in Auckland.

In the ‘lighting on the run’ section you’ll explore Wood’s methods of quickly and effectively lighting subjects without having to worry about heavy or expensive equipment. While in the ‘Rembrandt painterly light’ section Wood will give you an insight into his methods of creating a beautiful fall of light across the face. Finally, Wood will host a lecture about his methods and philosophy on releasing the creative power of your mind to come up with outside-the-box ideas.

If you’re interested in signing up for this workshop, which runs from 10am–5pm and has an early-bird special of $495, visit richardwood.co.nz to register.