Bella Casual Sensuality

 

Bella took a break from modelling during the last trimester of her pregnancy and a year later reached out to me with a desire to return to modelling. She feared a loss of modelling mojo and was a little self-conscious about her post-pregnancy body. However, as the images Illustrate, she required but a few frames to regain her stride and confidence. 

We’d discussed a blend of themes, one a homage to Cindy Crawford, with a further two mixing lingerie and implied nude.  For this shoot, we’d elected to capture her with natural hair. Bella is very creative and engaging. Traits that make the rapport, comfort and conversation flow easily.  I shot these using natural light, a simple reflector and alternating between 33 and 50mm prime lenses and hope to work with her again, soon.   

Blue: Tattooed Dancer

 

Blue has a dance background and approached me regarding shooting a range of themes, from lingerie to full-frontal nudes. Themes I am comfortable shooting, provided they tell a story and where appropriate, capture something of the model’s personality.

Blue was very personable, warm and engaging, which makes my job that bit easier, although I always make time to cultivate rapport before and during the shoot. I took these with a single lens-mounted reflector and using only window light.

Thankfully there was ample, negating need for slow shutter speeds and tripods, allowing me to weave about seamlessly taking frames while the conversation flowed, and Blue wasn’t overly aware of the camera- a technique I practiced while getting candid shots of people in industrial contexts. We achieved a pleasing amount well within the allotted two-hours and have agreed to shoot again at a mutually convenient time.  

Rose

 

Rose is a very experienced model from a performing arts background. I’d seen her work and was very aware of her professionally for a few years. Serendipity and closer geographical proximity saw us arranging a shoot. This had to be rearranged on a couple of occasions, due to bereavement and other, unforeseeable events.  

We discussed themes beginning with boudoir and culminating with art nude.  

The graduation is part narrative but on a very practical level, respect for the model. While experienced photographers and models can quickly find rapport, especially if pre-shoot communication is of a high standard and conducted properly, gentle, tapered progression is always preferable. Basic decency and respect aside, it makes for a more comfortable, relaxed and fluid shoot-which ultimately tells in the images.  

Rapport quickly established; our shoot extended the two hours scheduled. I shot the mono images with my Fuji XT100 and 50mm 1.8 Viltrox lens. The colour were taken with my Sony A7 and 35mm 1.8 and A6300 with 23mm 1.4 Viltrox .  

Vintage Visions on a Wintry Day

It had been a while since Krystal, and I’d caught up and we both fancied a change from the day to day. She posed a vintage theme of lingerie; dresses and we’d even toyed with the idea of derelict buildings as a backdrop. Ultimately, and for several reasons, we elected to shoot from her home. Good thing too, given the torrential rains.  

 

Thankfully, her home had a reasonable amount of natural light and I’d brought flashgun, soft box, portable lighting, low light prime lenses, and reflector. I shot several frames outside, from her summer house in the drizzle. Thankfully, I had the A6300 body which has some weather sealing- shot at F1.8 with a Viltrox prime lens.  The other option is sheltering beneath a smaller umbrella and shooting. However, depending on the shutter speed and other settings, it runs the risk of some camera shake, resulting in blur. 

  

Indoors, given the low cloud, I alternated between the 6300 mounted on a tripod and the A6000 with prime lens and Godox flashgun. Coffee, breaks, chat- general and business the two hours flew by. Doesn’t it always when fun’s involved. I loaded up the car and headed back to post -process our chosen favourites.

 

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 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.