Frocking Fabulous

On location with a photographer friend, Sam Spurgeon for 'Frocking Fabulous' A new vintage website with an array of cheeky little pieces for the ladies. Sam and I spent the day in South London shooting varied angles and lighting set ups. The models, make up artist and stylist all made this a total success. Check the link and have yourself a wee browse by clicking the title of this blog entry...

Jody and Dan

Claire and George

Matt and Pip.

Old School Versus New School Ink !

Two projects form one project...

Scott - Peny 'Coe' Press - Penicuik

Rad - Dovecote Studios - Edinburgh

Astra in fashion dahling.

 

This image was inspired by one of David Bailey's fashion images.

Inocent Eyes

I am trying to edit 4 images for a social studio shoot hand in. I am getting distracted by the details. 

Graffimenco!

Last weekend I went along to a live Graffiti show at Dovecote Studios in Edinburgh. There were 4 artists, this is a wee time lapse I made of one of the artists, Rad from Poland. Loving this piece he did.


He hid the fact that it was a massive paint by numbers set he got for Christmas!

Enviornmental Portrait... the edit play.

After a very cool hand in at photo school this week, I was very inspired to get on with the rest of my end of year 1 assignments. I feel that I have learned so much but with far to go. At least I have a bunch of very talented photographers all around me, studying away but with such a varied style and take on things to me.

Here is a wee shoot ensemble I did today at 'Pen 'Y' Coe Press' a wee traditional printers in Penicuik. This is the start of a play on edits for one of my Environmental portraits. One of the staff members Scott was happy to pose and show me around the place (including a run down of all the machinery they got going on). After only just meeting him for the first time today, he was not expecting to be photographed but was very welcoming and patient. A good dude!

Alter Ego... a few more edits.

Christine. This time with more light from soft box and using the reflection of a mirror.

Charlotte. Shot outdoors using one speedlight. The Graffiti is layered in from another shot.

Emma. Shot in daylight using a silver reflector. Enhanced center lighting in Photoshop.

Tina. Shot outdoors with the aid of a silver reflector to brighten up on a dull day.

Mark. Shot indoors at night, no natural light at all. A soft box out of view to his left.

Connie. Shot indoors using tungsten lamp.

More Alter Ego edits....

 Jody was a burlesque pin up babe. Shot indoors with two studio lights, one with soft box and one with diffused umbrella. 

Sarah posed with her Cello. Outdoors on a cloudy day. Off camera flash and a silver reflector was used to brighten her and the immediate surrounding.

 Stacey was inspired by CoCo Chanel. Her vintage look was complimented using vintage furniture indoors. A single off camera speedlight was used.

 Tina was a cowgirl. Shot on a very dull day using a silver reflector and natural daylight.

Emma was posing as a rock chic. Shot outdoors with the aid of a silver reflector to brighten up the shot.

Tina and Sarah.

Just a little play while photographing both girls for my portrait project. 
Both images are shot outdoors using natural light. 
Converted to black and white using Silver Efex. 

Tina and Rocky.
 

Sarah.

Alter Ego added first edits.

Here are a few edits of a project I am working on. 

There are more to be added to my Flickr account and more individual portraits to come...

Nikki was inspired by Pocahontas. Shot outdoors using natural daylight and a silver reflector. 

The location was in Bedfordshire, the long dry grass was perfect for the climate feel.

Felicity is a pole dancer. This image was shot indoors in Northampton. I used studio lights, one with soft box and one bare. 

Christine played the Hollywood actress part. This image was inspired by the actress Ann Savage. 

Shot indoors in Olney near Milton Keynes. Using studio light with soft box.

Alter Ego Day one.

 

  

Connie's shoot was inspired by Debbie Harry. 

This was the first portrait shot in Edinburgh for my 'Alter Ego' Project back in February.

High structure monochrome....

Last year I photographed Lindsay in an old outhouse near Buckingham. 

The old furniture, paper and concrete flooring caught my eye with interesting textures in mind.  Lindsay had recently married and I offered to photograph her in her dress again, more casually and relaxed. I enhanced the textures by turning the image into black and white and boosted the 'structure' almost to its maximum. I then merged with the colour version to get this overall look. I think she looks stunning. Click into my Flickr to see 6 in the series. 

Landscape shots through Silver Efex.

I have discovered 'Silver Efex Pro' recently, a plug in for Photoshop, I have been trying it out with lots of different styles. I had a play with some landscape shots today. Each image was edited using different film types, grain, contrast and all have a duo-tone effect. The images were shot in South Wales 2008.  See the rest on my Flickr...

Playing with fashion shoot in PS4.

I am learning more with photoshop... Strokes, Gama, Silver Efex Pro and colour in the above piece.

This is a simple shot taken in the studio, I have been looking at trying out some hard, edgy compositions.

Social Shoot on Calton Hill ~ Edinburgh

Allan and Connie

As part of a location social assignment, I decided to go grand. This twelve column national monument was designed by Charles Cockerell and William Playfair, who were inspired by the Parthenon in Athens. It was the perfect location for a couples shoot. It was very cold and very windy, Allan and Connie (the couple) were really patient and did an astounding job. Carole Burden assisted and was patient and helpful too of course!

I wanted to show off the monument as the location was key to the assignment. I avoided the couple looking too romantic and 'lovey dovey' Instead, the location was complemented with confident personality. Although they are a couple, they are obvious individuals.  Shot on 17th January 2010.

Studio Shoot with Astra.

 

Astra ~ January 12th 2010

A practice shoot for a front cover, shot on Jan 12th 2010 in studio.

The background is lit with 2 flashes reading at f16, 2 stops lighter than the key light on Astra. The key light being a large rectangular soft box, to the right and just above her eye line. 

Carole Burden assists with lights and makeup.  

The final edit was in PS4. One layer is edited for a strong monochrome and the colour image is blended from underneath. I love this saturated style. 

Fernand Fonssagrives inspired shoot.

Fernand Fonssagrives was a French fashion and Beauty photographer.

He inspired a studio shoot, shot on 12th January 2010

Images were taken using a single 1500w modeling bulb. The light was passed through fabric and cast a shadow where the light shone through the gaps in the material. The effect is a more subtle version of Fernand's technique. 
The naked female is usually the subject in his 'light stenciling' images. 

The light (in distance from the subject and/or its brightness levels), fabric distance and and shutter speeds can all be varied to create a different texture on flesh.