#31: Ethereal Mercedes

From a test shoot with Mercedes, angelic isn't she.

#15: A test in Hyde Park

Ok I have to agree it is quite shameful that I haven’t updated my blog in yonks, so heres to turning over a new leaf and trying to get more posts in.

I went shooting with Michanou a few weeks back in Hyde Park, stunning girl from the Carribean. Michanou is looking to make a splash as a model in the fashion industry and she seems to be doing quite well for herself as she landed a gig at London fashion week through her agency Confidence models.

I decided to take a break from shooting magazine and commissioned work and do some testing with some new elinchrom lights I bought the previous week. I used to have some bowens spirit 750W kit lights ……………. powerful bugers but they were big, bulky and heavy. I was tired of getting a workout before every shoot so I decided to trade power and size for portability. My new elinchrom D-lite lights worked a treat and they are quite portable and easy to carry around ………………….. yes I am lazy.

  

Before shooting in parks or open spaces make sure you get a permit that allows you to do just that. Nearing the end of the shoot a lovely police lady informed me that I couldn't shoot there without a permit. A bit eye winking and flirting soon changed her mind ................... yea right!!!!!!! 

She so kicked us out, she was nice about it though ;)

#8: The shoot cycle

I have been doing test shoots for about 2yrs now and I tend to enjoy most of them. I actually get a high when the ideas come together well and I get the shoots I am looking for. Now what is a test shoot; it’s basically a shoot mutually agreed between a bunch of creatives (photographer, model, make up artist, etc) for the purpose of developing their respective portfolios. At these types of shoots, the costs are divided between the creatives and everybody provides their services for free.

Before any shoot I think about an idea that represents the concept of the shoot. For me, idea is key and I am not happy going into a shoot without a suitably formulated concept. Once the idea is put together, everything else follows from there from choosing the right model for the shoot and other creatives (make up artist, hair stylist, wardrobe stylist) to picking the colour scheme. I have found that picking the right creative is paramount in making or breaking the shoot among other things. For example; If a model cannot pose or act to illustrate the message you are trying to put across, either it be fashion or a story, then it will hurt the image. I take my time to pick the right people and I am getting better at it from continuous testing.

A beauty image from a recent test shoot

While I am putting the creatives together, I am also looking for a location which could be a studio or location depending on the concept put together.  Outside locations are particularly challenging as I am at the mercy of the British weather. Closer to the shoot date I brain storm with the various creatives involved and explain my ideas and what they need to do for the shoot.

Shoot day and I make sure to have a nice day, get some nice breakfast ………………. Full English baby!!! toast, eggs, baked beans, sausages and bacon, my mouth is watering already. Listen to my favourite music on the way into the shoot so I am in a good happy mood. Its important to give a nice friendly vibe packed with a some energy to create the right atmosphere for everybody in the shoot. To help even more I am gonna be purchasing an ipod touch to create a jamming session. Creative people love the right vibe, it can make or break the shoot ……………… it seriously can. That’s why divas and big personalities ask for puppies or flowers at events …………….. I am not condoning it, but from what I know it creates the right state of mind for them to feel comfortable in. NO I will not make any diva demands …………………….. yet, give me a few years LOL. Very importantly I pray to God before any shoot and commit the exercise into his hands (yes that’s right G-O-D, well He did give me the talent, so He is very instrumental in how I use it).

After the shoot is done, I load the images unto my PC (yes a Windows PC and I am very ashamed to say so, I will get a MAC soon) and review and process them in Adobe Lightroom. Extra creative stuff is done in Adobe Photoshop.

another image from a recent fashion test shoot. I really liked having the horse in the background, I thought it added something intriguing to the image

Putting together a shoot is quite involving, a lot of time and effort goes into making the images look the way they look.

I am at an exciting time right now as I embark on a journey with a few animal friends ……………. Watch this space, all will be revealed.


Have a great weekend
I know I will

#6: I have an idea

I hereby promise not to over complicate my concepts and ideas.

Man I am a sucker for over complicated ideas and big type shoots. Hmmmm…………… maybe I am becoming an Annie Leibowitz type photographer ……………….. well thank God my wife slapped me back into reality. So from now I am keeping the idea simple and develop it better for depth. I have found that over thought ideas and grand impression concepts make shoots expensive and burdened with drama, I am so out and keeping simple.

I am one of those people with a thousand ideas who always wants to shoot every single one of the them, I have crazy concepts and grand ideas on the types of the shoot I would love to do. But I have learnt to crawl before I walk, learn the basics and manage and nurture the simple ideas while keeping them effective but not complicated.

I now carry a notepad everywhere I go so I can write my inspired ideas on the go. The notepad is basically a scratch pad of scribbles and thoughts, so that I don’t forget what’s on my mind. This really helps to stick to and fully recollect the idea as I initially imagined it.

On Saturday I conducted a beauty/make-up test shoot with a few talented creatives,(Anne Sarah Duncan (make up artist), Debbie Moxhey (Hair stylist), Clare and Elena (from Oxygen models)).  The great thing about tests is that it is an opportunity to learn and develop my photography while working with other creatives who are also interested in developing great images. I won’t go into the nitty gritty but my biggest lesson among others was to keep the idea simple and think everything through thoroughly with another creative person or persons.

Heres a shot from the shoot and no its not a beauty shot, this was more for me cause I like images like this with certain darkness and atmosphere ……………. No I am not the devil spawn. This image is unfinished so I am still working on it.