Second Helpings : More Fun With Michelle

 Michelle invited me to shoot at her cottage and though I’m not doing any studio shoots, given the pandemic is continuing to present a very real risk to health, location nudes are practical, given temperatures are presently around 23 degrees.

 We’d thrashed out a shoot plan a week or so beforehand and tweaked this to reflect the sudden hike in temperature. Given Michelle’s experience within the glamour and nude genres, it will come as little surprise this formed the primary framework, with a mix of implied and old school “glamour” thrown in for good measure.  

I always suggest a mix of implied, lingerie/swimwear, since there is a limit of fine art poses and I don’t want a shoot going stale for either party and sometimes both. We have always had an excellent rapport, so our session was very relaxed and conversational, which for me ensured the best results, seemingly effortlessly. 

I shot these alternating between my full-frame Sony A7 with 50mm 1.8 and the 6300 with 35mm 2.8, set to 3.2 in this instance. Much of our conversation was about the industry and some names within it. Some I had reservations about, and she affirmed my gut feelings.  

Sunglasses: Shoot 3 with Silvai

Silvai approached me with two fashion concepts, which we decided to roll into one session. She wanted to do a summer dress shoot with beach and rural backdrops and a slightly racier red swimsuit and sunglasses theme. This concept would also work on the beach but a lack of changing facilities and families with small children meant this was inappropriate.      

Despite suffering a small but painful injury a couple of days previously, she was impeccably prepared, coordinated, and ready to shoot. As before, she had lots of ideas and knew precisely how she would execute them.  

She poses intuitively and works tirelessly to achieve the desired results. Not that I needed to give any input really, which is very unusual unless I’m working with very experienced models. I also shoot more efficiently, with fewer frames but solid results every time. 

 

I usually show models a series at various intervals so we can evaluate progress. However, she politely declined, saying she had complete faith in my abilities, which was very flattering. I also get the impression she also enjoys the element of surprise/excitement like film processing, when images appear in the darkroom.  

Alternative fun with Amy

Amy contacted me, interested in my style of photography and inviting me to refresh her port-folio. She also happened to be very local, which was another incentive to shoot. Given the present pandemic and accelerating infection rates here in the UK, I am sticking to location work. Having discussed a theme of portraiture and headshots, we talked in terms of woodland backdrops but ultimately, ditched these in favour of a canal and graffiti underpass. A relaxed, though focused two hours followed, with mutually pleasing results.  
 

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.  

 

Apocalyptic Weather, Adaptable Team

Bank holidays are notorious for bandit weather and this Saturday’s second shoot with Silvai was no exception. She wanted to do another location shoot with blossom and other Spring backdrops.  

I had come prepared for this, bringing an umbrella, fleecy towel, and snacks. Conditions turned from hazy sunshine and moderate warmth to torrential rain during my hour-long drive to our destination.  

As before, Silvai was immaculately prepared and determined to make the very best of our time together. Her self-awareness and my relatively fast shooting meant we were able to cheat the weather. Results were mutually pleasing.  

Silvai prefers very subtle editing in terms of colours and contrasts. Given her present hair colour, I fancied something a little bolder, so I gave her what she wanted while taking a more mix n’ match approach for mine.   

These were captured using natural light, my Sony A6000 and A6300, defaulting to the 50mm 1.8, with the occasional switch to 35mm 2.8 lenses and a small, hand-held reflector.   

   

Socially Distanced with Silvai

Silvai is a young model who approached me in the context of a beach-based bikini shoot. Thorough pre-shoot communications have always been a must. However, the pandemic has added further checks and measures.  Having established mutual vigilance and therefore, minimal risk to each other, we worked on shoot plans and locations. 

Beaches aren’t usually problematic, so long as you select a suitable space and are sensitive to those around you. Discrete changing and shooting spaces are the most obvious considerations. The ability to shoot fast is another definite plus but as with street photography, if your body language is confident, most people will keep a respectful distance.  

Silvai was thoroughly prepared beforehand, and we quickly found three backdrops where we would not be disturbed, and the gentle throng of families wouldn’t be offended.  Though sunny, 8 degrees Centigrade precluded her emerging from the sea, a ’la Ursula Andress in Dr. No but in warmer weather, would’ve been a perfect conclusion.    

Silvai has three years modelling experience but also a unique, quirky sense of fun, which really brought our shoot to life-from the very first frame.  I was struck by how intuitively and seamless her posing was. Nothing formulaic, she clearly understood her own physicality and which angles would prove most flattering. She was equally receptive to direction over the course of our two-hour shoot. I was relieved to hear she’s delighted with the results and would readily work with her in future.