Frame 04 · Blog

Behind the lens

Thoughts, insights, and stories from my photography journey. Take a peek into my creative process and recent projects.

A man in a dark jacket stands in a shaft of white light that falls across his face from above.

Gear · 18 September 2026

Full-Frame vs. Crop Sensor: Which for Photography?

Sensor size changes more than the price. Here is what it actually does to depth, noise and the feel of a portrait, and when the smaller sensor is the better choice.

Leon Vale · 2 min read

A woman in round sunglasses and a brown jacket sits on a concrete ledge, a sharp diagonal of sunlight on the wall behind her.

Light · 27 August 2026 · 2 min

Finding Natural Light in Unexpected Places

Stairwells, loading bays, the shade of a single tree. Some of my favourite light has been in places nobody would think to book for a shoot.

A young woman in a striped wool sweater leans on a car in golden evening light, her hair lifted by the wind.

Editing · 30 July 2026 · 1 min

My Approach to Editing: Creating a Consistent Photography Style

Consistency is not a preset. It is a short list of decisions made the same way every time, from white balance to how far the shadows are allowed to fall.

A young man in a red sweater stands against a red brick wall, two passersby blurred in the foreground.

Business · 12 June 2026 · 2 min

Pricing Your Photography: Strategies That Work

What I charge, how I got there, and the three pricing mistakes that cost me the most in my first five years.

Light · 21 May 2026 · 1 min

What a Single Window Taught Me About Portraits

For a year I photographed every sitter in the same room, by the same window. It taught me more than any lighting kit.

A young man in glasses sits on a rocky hillside in a black jacket, looking away under an overcast sky.

Craft · 9 April 2026 · 1 min

Photographing People Who Hate Being Photographed

Most of my sitters arrive convinced they look wrong in pictures. Here is how the first twenty minutes of a session change that.

A woman in a leather jacket at dusk, her dark hair blown across her face, a soft orange horizon behind her.

Craft · 2 March 2026 · 1 min

Shooting in Bad Weather

Rain, sleet and flat grey skies are not a cancelled shoot. Some of my favourite frames were made in weather I would never have chosen.

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Notes from set

Short things I keep relearning.

Shoot the warm-up. People relax before they think it counts.No. 01
Meter for the face. Let the background do what it wants.No. 02
If the light is flat, move the person, not the light.No. 03
Leave a few frames on every roll for something unplanned.No. 04
Turn the back screen off and look at the person instead.No. 05

Questions

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