Photographing Actor Reef Ireland
Portrait of Australian actor Reef Ireland during the filming of Summer Coda.
At the end of a disgustingly hot day working as a stills photographer I had the opportunity to photograph young, up and coming Australian actor Reef Ireland.
The Australian romantic comedy film Summer Coda gave Reef the chance to work with some of the big names of the Australian film industry including Rachel Taylor and Alex Dimitriades.
Still at high school Reef had to balance his duties on set with the stresses and strains associated with a busy school life.
I made a few behind the scenes photos of Reef on set, but that proved to be a little disappointing and I was keen for an opportunity to create more meaningful images.
The crew had just completed a long day’s filming at the Mildura Railway Station and had almost finished packing up when I approached Reef for permission to make a few photos.
My motivation was to create a few quality pictures that would serve, over time, as a good memory for Reef and his family of his time working on the film.
Candid portrait of James Strong and Reef Ireland in Mildura, Australia.
Reef Ireland: A Candid Moment
It really had been a tough day. The heat was oppressive with the temperature reaching a nasty 43°C (109°F).
This behind the scenes photo of Reef and the film’s Second Director, James Strong, was made while the crew were busy preparing for a shot incorporating the car.
I like the candid feel of the image and its vintage appearance. You get the sense there’s an interaction occurring between the two guys and that this image captures a moment between events.
Actor Reef Island successfully photographed with dappled light in Mildura, Australia.
Portraits With Background Darker Than Subject
It was finally starting to cool down but, with the sun still bright, I headed for the shade provided by some large palm trees.
Sadly, the shade cast by the trees was not large enough to adequately cover the area encompassed by the composition I’d created.
Backgrounds that are significantly brighter than the subject introduce numerous problems for the photographer.
Your camera, not understanding the importance of your subject compared to the background, will base exposure on the brighter background.
As a consequence your subject photographs too dark, often as a silhouette.
There are ways to override your camera's light meter and lighten the subject. However, such adjustments are global and will result in the entire image (e.g., subject and background) being lightened.
The viewer, while understanding the difference in importance between subject and background is, nevertheless, drawn to the brighter background.
With attention drawn away from your subject the power of your photo will likely diminish.
This is why it’s often a good idea to ensure your choice of background is darker than the subject.
Doing so will ensure your subject stands out from the background and that the viewer’s attention is drawn to the most important part of your photo: the subject.
To resolve the problem I asked Reef to sit down on his haunches. This allowed me to stand above Reef and point my camera downwards and, by doing so, frame out the bright sky background.
Beware Of Photographing Under Dappled Light
The other problem I faced was bright light coming through the branches of an overhead palm tree and casting a dappled light effect over Reef.
By asking Reef to move his head, ever so slightly up and to the right, I was able to position the beam of light, coming through the branches, onto his face.
I very much like how this approach to managing a difficult dappled light situation has emphasized the sultry nature of Reef's expression.
Short as this ad hoc photo session was, it was absolutely worth the effort to make it happen. And this photo of dappled light illuminating Reef’s face is my favorite.
I’ve written this article for two reasons. I wanted to provide simple, actionable solutions to some of the everyday problems facing photographers.
But I also wanted to encourage you to take whatever opportunities come your way to make great portrait photos of those you meet on your own journey through life.
Such interactions can be powerful and the images you create meaningful. Often the emotional impact of those photos will grow over time and provide great mementos for those you photograph and their loved ones.
My interaction with Reef Ireland was short and, from his point of view, probably unimportant. Yet determination and a desire to make meaningful photos was what made it all possible.
I wish Reef the best of luck in his future film career.
