Dominique Test Shoot

The latest from another test shoot with Base Models, this time a girl.

Model: Dominique
MUA: Kristeen
Stylist: Justin

Surfer Girl

Sometimes, I am fortunate enough to do a shoot where what I wanted exactly (and more) was met. I have been wanting to do a "Billabong" style shoot for ages now. Something that was bright, funky, vibrant & full of life! Finding a girl who fitted that style was another challenge.

Then I met Jessica. What a girl! She has gone into my books as one of the nicest models to work with to date. It hardly took much to get her into the vibe of where I wanted to go with the shoot & she just took the stage like a pro.

I'm super happy with this shoot. I tend to shy away from doing too many bikini or scantly clad girl shoots, as it's so easy to get labeled. I always try dress my girls/guys up instead of down. I sometimes tend to think that some people try get their models as nekkid as possible, so that the photos will be liked by as many as possible. Because lets face it, sex sells. Proven fact for centuries. It's why I try get away from following the masses & go for super elegant styles.

On the Rocks with Anke

An idea I've had for some time now, as well as specific location. I finally managed to get a girl who fitted the profile: great legs, killer looks, striking eyes, sophisticated, classy. Anke was great in this regard. Really nice girl to work with.

Fayyaz Test Shoot

The first of 2 test shoots with a modeling agency I've started with. Emphasis on highly varied styles of shooting, lighting, styling, mood. It made it rather challenging & interesting at the same time.

A bit of Le Roux...

Its been a while since I've done a shoot with a male model. The last time was with Mr Zylden, which was my first time shooting a male. At the time, it was very different for me, I felt clumsy, stupid & didn't know what to do.

Second time round however, I felt a lot more confident. I must admit, working with Le Roux was actually a huge amount of fun. I think we both enjoyed the late afternoon session.

Just on a personal note, I've been reading things about "The best tips you've ever recieved" when it comes to photography. There are alot of different points & things that come out by various people. One of them which stood out the most was one which said, "Use only a fixed prime lens & it will teach you better composition". So, thats what I did. The entire shoot with Le Roux was done with the ever trusty 50mm f1.8 mk2. I enjoyed myself so much more having to move around to get my composition than rather standing in one spot with a zoom.

And then one other thing with the shoot with Le Roux. The way I shot it. If you saying, "Um, there is a SUN behind your model!"..... I kind of noticed that too. In fact, I went looking for the sun. I know its not everyone's taste, shooting into your lightsource, but I really like that style.
It floats my boat, rows my canoe, lights my fire, paddles my... you get the point. :) I love it. If you don't think so, well, opinion is your choice.

JHB Trip Events - Manual High Key Shooting DIY

So last week, I ventured forth to JHB once again, where the hub of all business seems to take place. Going for a mix of time-out & also a few business meetings, I couldn't go without doing a bit of photo taking.

I did one shoot with a model called Adele, who endulged some time with me on a Friday morning.
I did something different with this shoot which I want to talk about. Non-post processing high key shooting. Here, let me show you:


Would you believe me if I said this image was a straight RAW file conversion, with zero PP? Not even some RAW file tweeking was used here. You want to know how? Of course you do.
Ok, here is the straight stats:
iso 100
1/30
f2.2
You going to have to get that camera off its Auto feature for this one...
Now you might try this & say, whats going on here? Its not giving me high key. This is true. But what is high key? Its having high highlights, but without losing all image data in those highlights. You too often see badly mangled super-high contrasted images which are meant to be pass-offs for highkey. Unfortunately this isn't what we going for here...
The next thing we need to do is introduce a light source. This was done on a rather 'light' package. I used a strobist technique here. I wasn't going to cart all my lights up with me, so I just brought some speedlights instead. Putting them behind me, pointing upwards (NOT directed at the model) I had them flood the room (bounced off the roof & walls) with ambient light.

Here you can have some fun controlling your 'degree' of high key. Much like your normal studio heads, you can set the power setting on your strobist gear too. Playing around with 1/1 all the way down to 1/64 power settings, you can vary your degree of high key-ness. For the above image, I can't remember exactly what power setting I used, but it was a smallish room which didn't need much.

I hope that this little technique helps someone who has wanted to try high-key photography. And the beauty of this technique is that there is zero post processing. Just make sure you have a good makeup artist & you don't even need to touch up the models skin.

Here are a couple more using this technique.

StG Studios Sponsoring The Soap Girls

Its official. StG Studios is sponsoring The Soap Girls. To get things onto a quick start, their first official shoot took place on Friday past. Plenty outfits done, to cover a very open broad base of needs. From here, individual specific shoots will be done.

The Art of Ballet

I had a mother who did ballet. Maybe thats where I found my oddly familiar love for ballet as an art form. I now have several ballet friends who let me indulge myself in getting a glimpse into their art, behind the scenes, off stage & raw.

These where taken for a girl who was going to enter a competition in Canada & needed some photos done. I think I spent about 4 or 5 hours shooting with her, getting poses right, etc. But I enjoyed every minute.

Saving Private Lauren

I much prefer my private clients when it comes to doing modeling portfolios. Its more relaxed & generally alot more fun. Lauren for example I spotted at a restaurant sitting across the way.

That girl Sue...

Sue has worked with numerous photographers, and I took my turn. :)

Z is for Zylden

Zylden came down from JHB for a bit of a holiday & while he was down, we did a shoot. I got hold of a factory space, an assistant (who ended up being in the shoot too).

Something different...

I've always been one to get bored with the same thing over & over. So I decided to try something completely different to what I had done before.

1x Truck workshop... check
1x Model... check
1x Something completely unorthodox... check

Local Photographer's Networking Day

A local bunch of Photographer's & Models all came together for a mutually beneficial networking day. Held at a location just outside Somerset West (hosted by Charl Theodore), we all had plenty fun.

I did more socialising & watching than shooting, so I only had a few shots from the day.

Ah Genevieve!

Genevieve! What a girl!

So fairies are real...

So fairies do exist after all. Before the massive "fairy" craze hit, I did manage to do my shoot with Fatima, who pulled off being the best adult fairy figure I've seen to date.

Elana

Elana had an extremely sultry seduction to her, which lent itself to how I did the shoot.

Navara... and not the car either!

Tall, slim, elegant. Just some of the things I found appealing about Navara. It made my first shoot with her go nice and smoothly.

Well, as smoothly as possible. The *cough*dog*cough* knocked over one of my light stands & busted the modeling lamp on one of my lights. It was the first casualty for that day.