Bella Almost Bare

 

Bella and I had been discussing a few implied nude themes. The sort that showed enough to be suggestive and sensual but within the boundaries of what would be acceptable to family and friends were they seen in the public domain. She and I often say an air of suggestion and sensuality is harder to capture, but more pleasing than gratuitous nudity. We had discussed a theme ranging from the “Sunday morning” white blouse and lingerie to something closer to the matrix and then some bolder implied nudes using flowers. I had expressed a desire to capture a mix of colour and monochrome. Bella has very even skin tone which helps, but the contrast was further accentuated by using contrasting pale white lingerie. 

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.

Matinee’ with Michelle

Almost two years since I’d last worked with Michelle, so I was rather pleased she’d got in touch.  I’d also gone through a familiar, but frustrating phase of unreliable models-ghosting and cancelations being the key issues. This is something I’m finding increasingly common with aspiring or novice models, and why I tend to be very discerning.  

I am still happy to work with new models and those returning to the industry, but ask searching questions to evaluate the probability of cancellations etc. Sometimes there are genuine reasons and circumstances beyond their control, and I can empathise with these. 

 

Radio silence is not a good sign, but I’ve developed a sixth sense for these things. Professional models seldom cancel, in the same fashion a professional photographer will ensure they’ve brought the right kit along and tested everything beforehand. Michelle comes from a professional glamour-orientated modelling background and is also pursuing an acting career in parallel.  

I’d toyed with various themes, but the wintry weather precluded an outdoor shoot with a horse, or Shetland pony, so I decided we’d go for something boudoir/lifestyle based with a bit of deep monochrome. Hence the emphasis on black lingerie.    

Michelle needs little direction but is equally receptive to this. Professional models are very self-aware and know their bodies very well- poses which flatter, those which don’t and may tactfully refuse an instruction, if the proposal isn’t going to work aesthetically.

 

For example, posing a model with b cup breasts on all fours- say a suggestive lingerie/boudoir shoot might work. Posing a model with A D cup bust this way would look ridiculous, borderline degrading. Similarly, though many may not be qualified makeup artists or hairdressers, they are competent and know how to apply/create complementary colours and styling.   

We chatted about the business and more casual stuff. People will often confide some very deep personal stuff during shoots, and I’m often flattered some feel comfortable enough to do so. However, not something I engage in. We chatted business, equines, osteopaths and our mutual fondness for Ford’s MK1 KA-I'm on my third, hers had a much higher internal specification but we agreed the little cars are very characterful and handle surprisingly well.  

I shot this set using natural light with the similarly faithful Sony A6000 and 6300 bodies sporting Viltrox 23 and 33mm prime (1.4) lenses. I had the urge to bring my recently acquired Fuji XT100 and 35mm1.8 but hadn’t reached the point where the fuji felt like an extension of my right hand. It should be obvious, but never attend a commercial shoot with unfamiliar, let alone untested equipment. Same goes for many other things- motor/cycle racing and other competitive events being cases in point.