After the recent photoshoot with Kate in The Warehouse Gym in Leicester, we were both keen to get back in for a second photoshoot to try out some more ideas we did not have time to do in the first shoot.
It was a lot colder this time round so more of a challenge, especially for Kate, but we came away with a great set of images. The gym is literally in an old warehouse. It is full of character with lots of photo opportunities with the spray painted walls and a variety of gym equipment. And more importantly for me, lots of space to move around with my equipment.
A recent commission for a family portrait photoshoot in the client’s home proved to me how versatile a couple of Bowens lights and a grey paper background can be. Space was tight, which meant positioning of lights was limited, but a gridded beauty dish and strip box for fill allowed me to control the lighting sufficiently well to maintain contrast and produce my favourite style of portraiture.
Shot with the Fuji X-Pro1 with 35mm and 56mm lens. Lit with Bowens Gemini 500R monolights.
I had a first time shoot with local model Nicola Jayne recently in a close by woodland area. We tried to schedule the shoot for dusk to incorporate a colourful sky, but being mid-February the light falls really quickly and we resorted to finding a nice area in the wood away from the mud. Although the evening was very cold and dark, we managed to get a few shots completed before we called it a day.
This is my favourite image from the shoot, using my Nikon D300, Nikkor 24-70 F2.8 lens, Bowens Gemini 500 flashhead and travelpak, with an Octabox. Triggered with PowerWizard MiniTT1 and TT5 receiver.
I took advantage of the start of Spring and the kinder weather to kick off my 2014 Street Shoot season with a photo shoot with local model Yasmin. I took along my new X-Pro1 camera, with its small design and fast sharp lenses being ideal for this type of shoot.
We met at a predesignated point in Leicester and used a handful of side streets in the same area for the photo shoot. This reduces the amount of walking to each area and maximises shoot time. A mix of natural light and off-camera flash gave us a great selection of images against different urban backdrops, ideal for model portfolios, editorial portraits or family portraits with a difference.
We battled with the wind somewhat but had a great time,and produced a fantastic set of images. The X-Pro1 performed brilliantly, and as I learn how to get the best out of it, will become my go to camera for portrait photography. It is very easy to carry around, and the quality is amazing. It worked flawlessly with my pair of Nikon SB-800s and Pocket Wizard Mini-TT1 trigger and TT5 receivers.
I popped into the studio with my youngest daughter Megan, as she wanted an image of herself included on my website. Tried a couple of different setups. First setup was an Octabox high up and feathered across her, with a stripbox providing fill light from the other side. Shot on a grey seamless background.
Second setup was a single stripbox very close in on Megan to the right, feathering across her face, and angled so that some light falls onto the background. Just used the modelling bulb of the flash to light the subject.
I prefer the second image for its intimacy and stillness. Shot at f2.8 to throw out of focus the rear shoulder and jacket. A great setup for a classic portrait without any fuss and drama.
I shot a Burlesque portrait session recently with some fellow photographers, trying out a lighting setup using a smoke machine. Smoke machines can be tricky – too little smoke and you do not see any effect, too much smoke and it looks like the studio is on fire. But with backlighting the smoke, the effect can be really nice.
The model brought along some fantastic large feathers to use as props, which really brought the scene to life.
My personal project I am currently shooting is based on tattoos. Watching the Miami Ink TV series way back sparked my interest in the subject, and especially the personal reasons why people decide to have a tattoo (or three), and why they choose a specific design with the amazing colours and artwork. Most tattoos will have a very specific meaning for people, either a personal tragedy or a connection with their outllook on life.
Some people have one small tattoo, maybe hidden in a discrete area of the body, and are done. Other people have one and get bitten by the bug, and have tattoo after tattoo after tattoo.
If you are interested in being photographed by me with your tattoos in my Leicester studio, give me a shout at paul@paulhurstphotography.co.uk