AN AWARD-WINNING photographer has shared his tips for capturing the perfect shot.
Hugo Healy, 26 from Brighton, won the People’s Choice Award last year at the British Photography Awards for a picture he took off the southern coast of Iceland, and has captured pictures from as far afield as the Galapagos Islands to Brighton Palace Pier and the skyscrapers of Dubai.
Hugo, who works as a drone pilot in the TV and film industry, explained that while he has always been interested in photography, getting his hands on a drone for filmmaking helped him take his shoots to the next level.
He said: “I started doing quite a lot of travelling and shooting and it just went from there really.
“I love being able to explore and photography has enabled me to do more - it makes me get up for sunrises and experience places a lot more.
“Using the drone is so much fun - it makes you feel like you’re flying.”
Hugo normally brings a whole range of equipment on a shoot, including two drones, a mirrorless camera with four lenses, a tripod and a GroPro - which he admits can get a bit heavy at times.
He said: “It ends up being around 20 to 25 kilograms, so when I’m travelling from country to country with my laptop and chargers, it can be 30 kilograms. It can be a bit of a nightmare to hike with.
“I could just take the drone on its own, but then there might be an opportunity and I’ll think ‘damn, I wish I brought that’, so I end up taking everything.”
While Hugo has captured images of waterfalls and volcanoes in Indonesia and the rolling sand dunes away from the Emirati coast, he said that you do not have to travel far and wide to capture the perfect shot, with his Instagram featuring several pictures from across parts of Brighton and Sussex.
“There’s beauty all around you; there’s a lot on your doorstep and in the UK,” he said.
“It can take a few tries to get the right shot but, if you keep trying, you’ll get the conditions that you’re after.”
He explains that you should always aim to shoot around sunrise or sunset for the best lighting - and that practice really does make perfect.
“Get up early, revisit locations to get the conditions that you want, and keep practising and evaluating your own work.”
Taking the photo itself is, however, only half the process. Hugo said that editing after the shoot is also important in capturing the perfect photo.
He said: “Editing is quite a big part of photography. People can take great photos, but their editing might not be up to scratch.
“Spend some time on YouTube and learn how to use editing software correctly, and get a good eye for tones, colours and exposures.”
Above all else, however, Hugo said it is important to enjoy going out, exploring and capturing different images on camera.
“It’s all about getting out and having fun - do it because you love photography or exploring,” he said.
More of Hugo's photography can be found on his Instagram.
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