Cheers, Damien.

Kindest regards, Damien.

Cheers, Damien.

Thanks again.

Damien.

Have to agree with Pete, WOW!!

Thanks for such a wonderful day of photography. The time you spent before the course finding perfect locations for each set up truly added to the training experience. Then during the day you broke down what we were learning into an easy format, and now I can’t wait to get out and about with my Big Flash kit and have a go myself. And

Chloe is a real star, going above and beyond what models would usually do. She was such a pleasure to work with, although she has now caused me a slight problem as I have such a number of images I too am struggling to find my short list!

And finally thank you for enthusing and motivating me in becoming a better photographer.

Warmest wishes,
Alex

Here is your Venezuela delegate, writing a few lines to thanks for a wonderful workshop.

I have to say that with a great teacher, gorgeous model ( and with so much patience.. ) and the perfect settings…..I’m coming back to Vzla with so much new ideas and techniques, and outstanding photos for my portfolio, that made all the effort, time and money spent worthwhile!.

Thanks to both and see you all on Thursday!!

AMC

I have struggled to select my preferred images as there are just so many that work.

When are you going to do another big flash course? Can i be first on the list – please?

Thanks once again

Pete

I LOVE THESE IMAGES! 11 Is a favourite (not much damage done to the crop there then?!) and I can imagine the naughty word Chloe-Jasmine said on 15!!! In fact I love them all for their originality. You have discovered a fab model in her. You work really well with her and it shows in all the shoots you have posted on the blog. I am having fun on my shoots since coming on your studio course, thanks again ;-]

Thanks for your comments, I’m working on finding you a ringflash. It shouldn’t take too long.

Cheers,

Damien.

I’m looking forward to Thursday’s Fashion Fusion shoot with you: Calm, serene, beauty, wistful, elegant, sublime, subdued, confident, reserved, and maybe cheeky too. I can’t wait.

Damien.

Thanks for your comments and questions

Pukka B&W is not something that is hard to do, it’s a question of personal taste as to how you want the tones in a picture to record. Some people want punchy and dramatic while others calm and serene. It really comes down to artistic interpretation as there is no technical formula. Our black and white switch is done using the black and white command in Lightroom or Photoshop and then it is a case of moving sliders to taste. It’s all subjective and if it looks good it is good. Each picture needs a different treatment and that is the printers art I suppose.

Number 8 is lit, and that is the point of the shoot. The effort is needed to carry a 10Kg light pack, a decent stand, a flash head and a silver umbrella down the road, over a style and into a field. Then go back for the camera bag etc. The positioning of the light is the straightforward bit, but because most photographers don’t have the kit, or are willing to go to the bother of making it happen this kind of shot remains the reward of the fashion shooters with a budget and assistants etc.

Thanks for the link. I’ll do a bit of inspirational link gathering in my next post. It’s so important to share ideas and art.

Shot 11 is at f/20 and lit with the Broncolor ringflash. It’s way out of the range that an Orbis can achieve but not too dissimilar to a shot that could be taken with a beauty dish right above the camera. It’s light power that is needed here. (The cheaper alternative is to shoot at dusk and use an Orbis but expect to work at f/8 max)

Shot 15 is achievable with an Orbis.

My next Chloe shoot is on Thursday and is an interior fashion shoot using just continuous lighting.

Thanks for the inspiration sharing idea,

Kindest regards,

Damien.

Yet again it was a true honour to work with you; The variety textures and lighting are all astonishing ; If only my old maths master could have recognised my ” true genius” ….

xx

On 1, 7 and 8, can you do something for us that’s maybe not part of the workshops – tips on pukka B&W processing? Or, anyone, is there a great one-pager on it out there somewhere?

I don’t so much mean program-wise, either – Lightroom, Photoshop etc do a brill and easy job of it – I mean eye-wise, where to tweak those sliders on the right shots…

On 8, the light on Chloe is just scrumptious, and on her dress. I’d buy a print of number 8! It’s good to know that this sort of lighting needn’t be all that difficult to do.

Your work with this model Damien, particularly shot 8, reminds me of some of the pictures in a book called ‘Balcons’ by a French tog called Jean-Francois Jonvelle.

The pix in that book are fab and the subject of model and dress is so beautifully – and subtly – done in appreciation of women’s upper bodies. Have a flick through the pages of this PDF (not so nicely scanned pages though) from a mag piece about the book: http://www.jonvelle.com/docs/jonvElles/magazines/mag30.pdf

Anyway, back to the workshop pix here!

11 – awesome, love the outrageous depth of field. I’ll be replaying the relevant DVD on illuminating that kind of setting outdoors with speedlighting.

12 – love it. I’m off to a fabric stall in the market…

Finally, 15. LOL!

Can’t wait to see more of your workshops with Chloe.