Elodie

Elodie and I had been discussing a shoot back in 2020, then the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns struck. I received an email message from her at the end of January asking if we could shoot. After a little back n’ forth we agreed a mutually convenient Sunday in February.  

I was intrigued as to what drew her to me and my work specifically. Elodie replied saying she liked the way I could go from capturing “cheeky” images to very formal portraiture. We agreed on a mix of fashion and lingerie and shot from her home.  

I’d had to postpone a shoot with a young, aspiring male model a fortnight earlier (due to a major crash involving a flipped HGV), so was determined to make the journey to Peterborough. Despite flooded roads and lots of standing water, I made it to her home in good time. That’s Michael-speak for 40 minutes early.  

I’d always prefer to be an hour early rather than two minutes late. I’d brought a reflector, flashgun, and portable LED light but thankfully, with 1.4 prime lenses, large windows, and a break in the cloud, it was often possible to shoot using natural light. 

Bella & Kristen

 Bella invited me to do another shoot and this time with her friend Kristen. I’ve only done a couple of duo shoots and I’m usually very cautious if I don’t know one, or indeed both parties. Having worked with Bella on two earlier occasions, I was confident she would choose someone who had a similarly professional attitude.  

They were eager to continue the lingerie theme of our last shoot but in a woodland setting. The window of opportunity was short, given the potential temperature and lighting constraints, so they wanted to shoot promptly. Thankfully, we had free time the following week, which was dry and more temperate. We’re talking high teens, which is still comfortable for lingerie and to a lesser extent glamour themes.  

Bella had chosen a location in Drayton, which was suitably secluded and at that time of day, had minimal footfall- the odd dog walker and mountain biker. In practice, this also included the odd teenager taking the scenic route home, but they kept a respectful, if slightly awkward distance. Kristen is new to modelling, which is significant since bad experiences mean I generally politely swerve aspiring models. However, there are (almost) always exceptions to any rule and in this instance, the gamble paid off.   

Bella is 5’7 (1m70) Kristen is slightly taller at 5’9 (1m80) both within what some suggest is the ideal height for a female model. This also made for a very compatible pairing, given the theme they wanted to explore.  I tend to break the ice and test settings by starting with portraits and headshots.  

A technique I’m told Kristen appreciated and helped establish a comfortable rapport. Two hours is generally my sweet spot for shooting, especially with newer models. It allows for rapport, changes in style/pace, and breaks to recap and recharge. This set was taken using my faithful A600/Viltrox 33mm (about 1.3 in) 1.4 and A6300 with 60mm (about 2.36 in) Sigma 2.8 (set to f.3.2). 

Bella Pt2 Domestic Goddess

Bella came back to me, asking to do a second shoot. This time at her home. Now, I’ll confess to being particularly flattered by this invite. Our homes are at once the spaces we consider safest, but they are also where we can be most vulnerable. I am a very private person, and my home is my sanctuary. I am particularly selective when it comes to people crossing the threshold.  

Bella clearly felt comfortable with me (and vice versa) during our first shoot and we discussed something a little racier. Tasteful, but not the kind of themes typically associated with the great outdoors-especially given the wet and changeable conditions. Both of us commented that far from being closed-minded, we have become increasingly selective about the people and concepts we are happy to work with.

 

We continued the lingerie theme and four sets in total. Bella sent me a selection of themes and ideas she wanted to explore, which was extremely helpful as a pre-shoot template.   There was a decent amount of natural light in her home, but still required some help from a reflector and, for the kitchen shots, a Godox speedlight set to 1/125.

I’d taken these with my trusty A6000 set to ISO 400 and 33mm 1.4 Viltrox lens. In some respects, a 23mm 1.4 would’ve made some of the angles and shots easier but the lenses' wider angle can also give less flattering results, so I went for the 33mm with a 50mm 1.8 in reserve.

Norwich Bound to Bella

The fashion industry and by association, modeling have been widely criticised for their lack of diversity. I’ve discussed the inclusion of more diversity around height and body shapes, especially among some prominent high-street retailers. However, people from other backgrounds and ethnicities remain underrepresented.

Bella was born in Portugal but has spent most of her life, in Norwich. I’d spotted her a while back and had been keen to work with her, but opportunity eluded us, for one reason and another.  Bella knew a model I had worked with recently and was initially drawn to me, based upon her experience shooting with me. She liked my work and so we wasted no time comparing diaries.   

Bella began modelling for her friend’s GCSE photography course and it mushroomed from there.  We had discussed a few themes and settled on a mix of casual, dressy and lingerie.  

Given the contexts and themes, I prefer models to select locations where they are most familiar and comfortable. Some consideration and self-awareness are obviously key when conducting shoots in public spaces. However, for the most part, remaining respectful, while being calm, confident, and owning your space means passers-by stay at a respectful distance.   

We covered a decent amount of ground and are pleased with the results. I shot the majority of these with my faithful Sony A6000 and 33mm 1.4 lens, but I reached for my Fuji XT100 and 50mm prime for others. Cameras have attitudes in my experience and the Fuji XT100 and X100T tend to suit a less frenetic pace and reward with pin-sharp clarity, whether it's portraiture or street photography. Unfortunately, the SD card has been corrupted. Thankfully, I had only taken ten frames and hope to recover these.

 

Crop Tops & Corsets: Some more Frames with Silvai

 Silvai reached out, inviting me to do another portfolio building shoot while conditions remained conducive to a summery, location-based theme. 

Silvai is both quirky and enigmatic. Going with the flow and letting her lead seems to reap best rewards, although any shoot requires planning and I need some basic outline beforehand.  

Aside from selecting suitable equipment, I can make an informed choice from which to accept or decline a commission. For example, I will not shoot nudes with anyone under 21. Yes, it’s perfectly legal at 18 but while something might be legal, it's not necessarily best.  I prefer models to have more life experience and recognise the potential implications, before going this route.      

Corsets, Crop Tops and Biker Jackets were her themes and we shot across two locations. She wanted me to emphasise her height. She’s 5’9 (1m 75) which is favourable for general modelling. The Corset shots were taken with me laying on the ground using my Sony 6300 and 35mm lens at F3.2. Biker jacket and crop top using my Sony A7 and 50mm at 1.8. 

Fun in the Fields

Had another two shoots canceled at short notice. One was within hours, the other 48 hours. The latter was genuinely unavoidable and I will rebook, when she’s fully recovered. 

Within an hour, Silvai got in touch, wanting to shoot, on Thursday, thus filling my postponement.  

Given the pandemic and COVID’s perpetual mutations, I’m swerving studio settings but happy with location-based work. Given the weather was fair, she wanted to revisit the yellow field theme, which had been rained off twelve days previously.  

As usual, she was impeccably prepared and ready to shoot. She'd also brought an additional outfit for a different backdrop, which we were able to fit in. As before, she was impeccably presented, posed seamlessly and had a very clear idea of what she wanted from our time. 

I was also saddened, but not surprised to learn that she’d been receiving inappropriate messages and communications from “photographers” on the networking sites. Thankfully these allow users to report and block inappropriate people. However, there are always those that slip through the net. 

Two hours well spent and before the rains came.