Street Fashion 2 in Manchester ~ Pictures and Technique

June 17th, 2009

Wow! What a day of creativity and learning we all had. No matter how structured and planned I make a shoot day, somehow it seems that a random patch of light or a change of circumstances present me with remarkable picture making opportunities.

Shot one of the day started where Urban Portrait workshops finish with 2 Speedlights in Sunlight remotely triggered

Shot one of the day started where 'Urban Portrait' workshops finish. I took this frame with 2 Speedlights in sunlight remotely triggered with an STE2. The ambient exposure was held back to add emphasis to Paula. The clothes are the star in fashion orientated portraits.

I love rivets. This location near Deansgate was fantastic. Every nook and cranny was a picture waiting to happen. The sun lit the rivets and was Paula's key light. I used a Speedlight to backlight Paula and another to light the background on the left.

An ability to react to changes and to see the potential in the scene is what street fashion shooting is all about. A big lorry parked on a pavement next to a fab wall or heavy rain out in the open are just a couple of the more obvious distractions. Getting lost is another of my favourite pastimes, especially in a place like Manchester because around every corner is another great shot waiting to be discovered.

This picture used a silver brolly in conjunction with my Lovegrove flash bracket and a 430EX2 Speedlight as the key. A 580EX2 Speedlight was used as a kicker. For the Nikon delegates I had rigged a pair of SB800 Speedlights along side the Canon units. The whole days shooting was in Manual mode on the camera and TTL when using Speedlights.

Creative in camera exposure and just one Speedlight was all we needed for this crafty shot in a shady place.

Next it was time to get out the Broncolor kit. Two heads from one pack were used for this simple figure in the landscape shot. The long throw of the powerful big flash kits enable them to be used at greater distances and with light modifiers.

By dusk we could use Speedlights again at greater working distances.

A gust of wind and what a moment. Just sunlight was needed for this shot.

I love the hais shadows created by the Speedlight on the left of frame. The Speedlight o the right was trickled in using the ratio facility on the STE2.

I love the hair shadows created by the Speedlight on the left of frame. The Speedlight o the right was trickled in using the ratio facility on the STE2.

Please feel free to comment on the workshop itself or this small selection of the 40 or so ‘keepers’ from the day.

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5 Comments Add your own

1. Stuart | June 17th, 2009 at 2:30 pm

ACE!
2. bob rhodes | June 17th, 2009 at 6:13 pm

Excellent Damien!
really love the Marilyn Monroe shot!……..superb!
3. Nick | June 17th, 2009 at 11:14 pm

wow that is an excellent set, must try and get on the next one of those!
4. Sean Gannon | June 18th, 2009 at 5:11 pm

Damien,

Great work as always – love number 5.

Sean
5. damien | July 16th, 2009 at 11:16 pm

Thanks guys.