01. I just used 2 Speedlights to create this shot to get the workshop going. Throughout the day we used Ebay radio triggers that I bought for a bargain price (8 sets for £100). This enabled Nikon, Canon and Fuji users to trigger any of the Speedlights I brought with me. We shot in manual mode with the Speedlights in manual mode too. It's the perfect way to work for this kind of shoot. Fast and consistent. The process of setting the exposure and then setting the flash power was quickly learned by the delegates so they can now reproduce the techniques used at will.

All the pictures in this post were taken on the Illuminating Portraits workshop using just Speedlights, available light or a combination of the two.

02. This was quickly taken using just 1 Speedlight to illuminate the scene. It's a Hello magazine style shot where all the detail is bright. It looks lit but the softness of shadows and the control of their depth give a high quality look to this simple shot.

We used all sorts of modifyers to create large areas of softlight, pools of hard & soft light and some magical effects too. I showed the delegates how to unleash the power of Speedlights in a fashion style shoot. The weather on the day was dull and damp typical of the UK in January.

03. I showed how to spice up the first shot to make it a bit more edgy by introduing a third Speedlight. I explained how the lighting was creating the shimmer in the dress fabric and why fashion lighting is different to portrait lighting.

04. Between rain showers we ventured out for 5 minutes with a single Speedlight to create the illusion of a sunny day on what was a flat, dull, grey day.

05. Close ups are easier to light in this way but we went for the biggie full length shot too.

06. Violet, our model was perfect for this workshop. Patient and kind.

07. A simple bit of softlight magic can create fabulous portraits.

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10. One Speedlight was enough to bring this picture alive.

11. The copper bath was a big hit with the delegates. I varied the shots a little bit from day to day but kept to the sylabus.

12. One of my favourite shots was this stolen grab shot taken on my Fuji X100.

13. I used one Speedlight to light this shot too. I decided to keep the lighting simple and easy to recreate with low priced accessories and modifyers throughout the workshop.

14. I love the lift that hard backlight gives to a picture. Just a few moments to rig and the shot is transformed.

15. Beautifully simple lighting to create simply beautiful pictures.

16. I showed how to iliminate the ambient light in the room before adding a pool of softlight.

17. A brief ray of sunlight through some victorian coloured glass gave us a moments distraction as I cross keyed it with a Speedlight.

18. I used one Speedlight to light a mirror scene.

19. By late afternoon it was time to get all the toys out. I used four Speedlights to create this shot. Working with manual settings means any old flash gun will do the job from a budget pre owned Ebay Vivitar or Metz flashgun to the latest Speedlights. Supplimenting your current kit to take shots like these doesn't have to cost the earth.

20. The same four Speedlights were adjusted to light this fun take of a Lovegrove clasic shot.

21. I used my magic water reflector to light this shot. It's easier with continuous light but I showed the process needed to do it with a Speedlight. A second Speedlight provided the kick from the other room.

22. I added a third Speedlight to light the ballroom. My cheap as chips Ebay triggers worked through the thick walls without a problem.

23. The Speedlights work equally well with my Venetian blind gadget.

If you want to unravel the mysteries of fashion grade lighting using Speedlights join me on my next Illuminating Portraits workshop on Tuesday 8th May. My thanks go to Liz from the Alpha model agency for her organizational help, Violet Dillon our model and to Vicki Waghorn for her wonderful make up.

Feedback I have received from my delegates so far:

Lee said: It was a fantastic day, I am still buzzing!
It was my second course with Damien so I knew it would be good.
The level of detail was spot on, plus you can fire off questions all day which is worth the price alone.

Mark said: I absolutely loved it.  It was so good to at last see the light so to speak?  Sounds a bit corny really, but Damien is such a great teacher and so inspirational.  Going back to basics with the speed lights and balancing this with the available light was so effective. It really makes you want to go out and start being creative with lighting, rather than just lighting…  Violet was fab too, putting up with us boys all day.
The venue was amazing, to have so much freedom in a venue like that was awesome.  Excellent food with lots of tea and biscuits…
Please pass on my thanks to Damien and I hope to come on another course soon.

Andrew said: For me – Damien is at his best delivering this style of workshop. I’ve attended most of the workshops on offer and they are always inspiring, always jam-packed with content and always well managed (ie great venues, good lunch, directions all spot on – all the “boring” bits, but the bits you tend to remember if they go wrong!).

One aspect of Damien’s training that is always impressive is that if there is any spare time (we were running slightly ahead of schedule at one point) Damien tries to squeeze in another set up or explanation, rather than extending the lunch or finishing early – it really gives the impression that he cares and isn’t just working to a script – its hard not to be inspired by that level of enthusiasm.

I’m struggling to think of anything I would have preferred to have been different. Do thank Damien for a fab day!

Paul said: As my third Lovegrove training session, Illuminating Portraits maintained the excellent standard I have come to expect. Damien provided the perfect mix of inspiration & practical advice.  Violet our model was very professional & ideally suited the setting of Maunsel House. Looking forward to the next time & will be keeping up with the blog until then.

Please feel free to comment on these pictures below.

01. Katy McGee against a warm desert sky.

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14. Sophie Hollingsworth is now centre stage.

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22. This is Vanessa.

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Well there you have a set of pictures taken over three days by Martin Hill using a pair of Speedlights and a ocassional Quadra. Martin is the best flash shooter I know. He is imaginative, creative and great fun to be with too. Join us both in Fuerteventura in 12 months time to eclipse these shots. This was just the recce. Click here for the full story about this shoot, 54 of my pictures and details about the next Fuerventura workshop.

Please feel free to discuss these pictures using the comment box below.

01. Katy Mcgee out in the desert in the arfternoon sun. I lit Katy with a single Elinchrom Quadra head on a Lovegrove Avenger boom arm. 50mm lens on a Canon 5D mk2 camera.

This adventure was the final stage of the preparation part. Our chance to prove that Fuerteventura is the perfect place for our winter sun location portrait workshop set for January 2013. Martin Hill (AKA Grand Master Flash) and I want to teach how to shoot dramatic portraits in big scenery. Powerfully lit shots that can be recreated on the cliffs of Cornwall, the rolling hills of Wiltshire or the beaches of Lancashire during a UK summer. The sand dunes, volcanoes, ruins, big skies, beaches and lagoons of Fuerteventura proved to be spot on.

02. Katy outside the house of the Colonals. Lit with an Elinchrom Quadra on the Lovegrove Avenger boom arm. Shot using a 21mm lens on my Canon 5D mk2 camera.

Our recce adventure started at Bristol airport on a cold, damp January Saturday. Martin, Katy and myself could hardly hold back the smiles as our journey began. Us lads had packed a great deal of kit into our luggage and weighed in right on the Easy Jet allowance. Katy had the sense to travel light. I used a label machine to mark up my Quadra batteries as NOT LITHIUM to avoid any recalls to the bagage area.

03. I shot this frame using the Skyport trigger sytem for the Elinchrom Quadra on my Fuji X100. I set 1/1000th second and f4 to capture this scene. Katy is sporting an IKEA net curtain, they come in packs of 2.

My check in bag is the amazing Think Tank Logistics Manager with airport security friendly locks. I understand that we will run a major price drop promotion on these very soon so email Blaise if you want to stay informed. Both Martin and I use the Think Tank Airport International carry on bag for our camera kits.

04. It wasn't always sunny but it was warm. The Quadra kit coped well in all conditions. I used it here at 1/4 power.

Flights from a dozen UK airports take less than 4 hours to reach Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa. All the UK flights to the island are on Saturdays and Wednesdays.  So it is posible to have a 3 or 4 day mini break as well as trips of a week or more.

05. Katy on an outcrop of volcanic rock. The shot below shows the same frame direct from camera.

06. Martin and I worked together for the first morning session. Here he is holding the stand for my shot. My next role was to assist him for his shot of Katy with the red voile that you will get to see in part 2. Working together like this ensures a degree of cross education that is vital for both our learning processes. 21mm lens on a Canon 5D mk2. 100 ISO, 1/200th second at f/18

It was a balmy 22 degrees when we picked up our hire car. The time zone is the same as the UK so there was no adjusting to do apart from getting used to the longer brighter days and warm evenings. It is quite common to get days of 25 degrees or more in January and rainfall is scarce. Part of the island is desert with the Sahara making further inroads year on year.

07. Even overcast skies can deliver stunning results when good lighting is used. Katy has all the grace and elegance to strike an amazing profile against the skyline. Keeping sand out of the kit was a primary concern when we were shooting on the sand dunes and our zip up Think Tank Airport International bags were perfect for this.

Our first stop on Saturday afternoon was at Mark and Claire’s house in La Oliva. Mark is my brother in law and acted as our fixer while we were on the island. They have lived on Fuerteventura for twenty years and are very well connected. With a welcome glass of rosé and a tour of Google Earth we soon made a recce plan. Katy, Martin and I climbed into Mark’s 4×4 pickup and we explored some fabulous potential shooting locations. Local knowledge is essential to get around the miriad of tracks and roads on the island.

08. We shot 'figure in the landscape', a few nudes, some fashion images and some freestyle concept work. Fuerteventura is the perfect creative playground. I lit Katy with an Elinchrom Quadra on a Lovegrove Avenger boom arm as before.

As the light faded we made tracks for our hotel. We were reccomended the fabulous Barcelo hotel in Coralejo and what a great choice. The Barcelo is a marble palace with pools, a health spa and a well apointed bar. Dinner was at one of the many local restaurants.

09. Volcanoes, rock and wind swept sand make the perfect location while the dusky light compliments the tones in the sand and Katy's skin.

Damien’s kit for the recce
1 Quadra pack, 1 head, 2 batteries, 1 lead
1 small shoot through umbrella
1 Pocket Wizard Plus2 with lead for Quadra
1  580EX Speedlight
1 PW Canon Flex in factory default1 PW Mini in factory default
1 lead for PW Flex to Speedlight
1 Lovegrove Avenger Boom arm
2 Jupiter stands
1 Canon 5D mk2 with 21mm f/2.8 Zeiss, 50mm f/1.2 L and 100mm f/2.8 L lenses
1 Fuji x100 camera as a back up.
1 blower brush for sand in lenses
1 Arctic Butterfly for sensor cleaning
1 Hoodman Loupe

10. A field of cactus lies beyond the building giving the unusual splash of green so noticebly missing on the island. I posed Katy with this dramatic stance and asked her to grip her thighs to add some tension to the image. Lit with an Elinchrom Quadra on a Lovegrove Avenger Boom Arm.

Martin’s kit for the recce
1 Canon 1Ds mk3 camera with 24-70 f/2.8 L and  50mm f/1.2 L lenses
1 Canon 5D mk2 camera as a back up.
2 580 EX2 Speedlights
2  PW Flexs in factory default
1 PW Mini in factory default
2 leads for PW to Speedlights
2 Gemini flash brackets
1 Ezybox with Speedlight bracket and Quadra adapter
2 Arri stands
1 Jupiter stand
1 Lovegrove Avenger Boom arm
1 Arctic Butterfly for sensor cleaning
1 Hoodman Loupe

11. I love doorways.

12. Working with a narrow colour gamut makes a welcome change. Katy's lipstick leaps out among the warm rich dusty tones.

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14. I chose to explore some simple fashion styles while I had the chance. This image looks fabulous on fine art paper. Katy leaps off the page with a remarkable luminosity set against the subtle but heavy dark greys of the surroundings. I lit Katy with a Quadra head on my Lovegrove Avenger boom arm.

15. Lighting as above.

16. The Quadra combined with sunlight makes wonderful pictures.

17. I love the way the Quadra light tails off Katy's back on the right just before the rim lighting from the sun kicks in. It's subtleties like this that make the process of learning to light portraits a special one for me.

18. Almost imposible to stand on but fun none the less the wooden twigs make thew shot for me.

19. Windowlight and sublime shadow detail. Katy is a real star, putting up with a lot of demands and embracing the whole picture making process with a great deal of professionalism.

20. I wanted to explore the ratio of negative space and the impact of large amounts of vital shadow detail have on an image. I'm really pleased with the result.

21. "Self Portrait" Lit with an Elinchrom Quadra.

22. Katy with my Fuji X100

23. "On The Beach"

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26. Sunsets are a daily occurance on Fuerteventura

27. Straight from camera before the lighting stand with Speedlight was removed and my verticals straightened.

28. Meet Sophie, my neice, Mark and Claire's daughter. Sophie was itching to have some shots so Martin and I obliged. Sophie who is totally bilingual joined us for most of the three days of shooting

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30. It seems strange photographing family. I've known Sophie almost all her life and was struck by her beauty when she came over for Blaise's wedding last summer. It was a real prevelige to have a chance to photograph her again.

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33. I lit Sophie with an Elinchrom Quadra in a 54cm Ezybox. The distant volcano is a reminder of our location.

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37. I got my Quadra in fashion mode and started shooting sequences. Sophie has real model potential with a confidence and fluidity of movement that can easaily be chanelled.

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39. Just a single Speedlight and a bit of imagination was needed for this shot of Sophie.

40. And this is Sophie's sister Blue. Blue served us dinner in the restaurant on Monday night and joined us for a few hours of shooting on Tuesday. Tourism is the trade of the island.

41. Blue is equally gorgeous and a delight to be with.

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45. The last time I photographed Blue and Sophie together was on film way back in the last century.

46. Blue and Sophie in the back of Mark's pick up. I used on camera flash to light this Bay Watch style shot.

47. Meet Vanessa. Vanessa works in catering with Claire. Vanessa joined us for a few portraits too. I firmly believe that you make your own luck in life.

48. Vanessa and a Speedlight in the late afternoon sun.

49. Vanessa in the camel house There are no camels left on the island but this place was a midway point on a trading route. The food troughs are still there.

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51. I added a splash of Quadra to liven up the shot. It's like adding Tabasco to cottage pie, it's a game changer.

52. Calmness describes a lot of the images I shot. This blog post is just a quarter of my selection. I've no idea what to do with the rest of the images. Perhaps I'll revisit them later in the year. I just love the muted pinks and purples in so many frames.

53. Vanessa bathed in flash and sunlight.

The Workshop
Provisional dates: Thursday 24th and Friday 25th January 2013

Tutors: Martin Hill and Damien Lovegrove

Limited to 12 delegates in 2 groups of 6 for the shooting sessions. The groups will swap tutor and setup every hour throughout the workshop. Evenings will be spent in local restaurants discussing the finer points of photography with like minded togs. The buzz that happens on these overseas training workshops is priceless and the fabulous memories will last a lifetime.

Shooting locations: The Camel Lodge, the House Of The Colonals, remote beaches and lagoons, plus the sand dunes of Correlejo.

Deligates can travel light with just camera and a few lenses as Martin and I will be bringing all the lighting equipment, stands and flash triggers.

Flights and hotels are at their cheapest out of season and during school term time. Nothing is expensive on the island with hotel food and drink prices being considerably cheaper than here in the UK.

The models, styling and genres have yet to be chosen. Provision in the delegate rate of £795 has been made to fly models out from the UK or Germany. Signed up delegates will be able to contribute to the decision making process via a dedicated Facebook group. Each of our overseas trips has it’s own Facebook group where delegates can share pictures and ideas before and after the event.

Payment will be by installment over 10 months leading up to the event.

Many more details are to follow on Monday. Please Email Blaise to register your interest in the first instance. Martin’s amazing set of shots will also be up on the blog by Monday.

Please feel free to discuss these pictures using the comment box below.

1. Canon 5D mk2, 100mm f/2.8, ISO 125, 1/125th second at f/18 This simple ballet inspired shot of Johanna was lit with three gridded studio lights.

Photographer: We often think of image quality as a technical thing but no amount of high end cameras lenses and equipment can make up for poor composition and lighting. No matter how sharp a picture is or how many pixels it has, the biggest factor in image quality will always be the photographer. The best way to improve an image is to improve the ability of the photographer.

Image: The photographer sees the potential photograph, the lens creates the image and the camera records the file. The photographer then processes that file and makes a print. Every stage of this process and the equipment used affects the resulting image quality. It’s like a chain that is only as strong as it’s weakest link.

2. Canon 5D mk2, 100mm f/2.8, ISO 100, 1/125th second at f/16 I took this one light portrait of Chloe Jasmine Whichello during the filming of my Lighting Studio Portraits DVD.

Lighting: Contrast, direction, colour, quality, texture and tone are all properties of, or affected by, light. A well lit subject can look fabulous when photographed on a mobile phone, a poorly lit subject will look rubbish even if it is photographed on the latest medium format camera.

Lens quality: I’m not one to study MTF charts and lens statistics, I prefer to study real prints of normal subjects. I leave the optical analysis to the boffins. It comes as no surprise though that the more expensive a lens is, the better the image quality is likely to be. I’ve found this to be almost always true over the last twenty five years or so. One 50mm lens costing four times the price of another 50mm lens is not going to be four times as good. It will be better but not necessarily that much better, so there is certainly reason to choose your kit carefully. Generally speaking, buy the best lenses you can afford.

3. Canon 5D mk2, 100mm f/2.8, ISO 100, 1/125th second at f/11 This shot of Sal was also taken for the DVD. You can clearly see the effect of using a wide intimate light in conjunction with a long lens. It creates the rim shadow on Sal’s arms.

Zoom or Prime? I have recently once again made the switch from zoom lenses to prime lenses. I first did this when I bought my Hasselblad H2 and Phase One digital back in 2005. I used a set of four prime lenses to capture pictures with a fabulous image quality. I had 22 million pixels in a large sensor and the results were stunning. I then went back to zooms when I switched to Canon and I’ve finally ended up with 22 million pixels and prime lenses once more. I must say that my Canon 5Dmk2 coupled with prime lenses is every bit as good as my medium format kit was six years ago – such is the advancement in lens quality and image sensors. I noticed a big change when I recently switched from zooms to primes, mainly in the fine detail, contrast and clarity recorded. I lost the convenience of zooms but gained absolute sharpness. The latest generation of zooms are fabulous but I have found that they come into their own at f/4. I’ve spent many years shooting at f/4 and now that I’m on primes I find I’m getting similar or better resolution at f/2.8. I much prefer the f/2.8 look and now that I have startling clarity from my primes I’m happy to shoot at that aperture all the time.

4. Canon 5D mk2, 50mm f/1.2, ISO 100, 1/125th second at f/11 This shot of Katy is also featured on the Lighting Studio Portraits DVD and was lit with three studio flash lights.

Lens focus micro adjustment: No matter what lens you have it needs to be correctly paired with the camera body. I have set the focus micro adjustment for each of my three lenses using the custom menu in the camera. I put a steel tape measure on my table and align a pencil with the 1m mark on the tape. I mount the camera on a tripod and shoot a frame of the pencil at my regular aperture of f/2.8 from my usual working distance of 2 to 3 metres. I can then zoom in on the image to see if the camera has correctly focussed on the pencil. If not, I can check if it is back or front focussed by looking at the tape measure markings in the image. I then adjust the focus setting as required and confirm my results with a real test shoot. All my lenses have needed some adjustment and not in the same direction either.

5. Canon 5D mk2, 50mm f/1.2, ISO 1600, 1/60th second at f/4 I shot this frame in my hotel apartment on a workshop in Baden-Baden in Germany. I lit it with a Lupo 1200 spotlight from the adjacent room.

Image stabilisation: This is a game changer for me. When I replaced my beloved 80-200 f/2.8 Nikon lens for the 70-200 f/2.8 VR (vibration reduction) my image quality from wedding shoots was instantly improved. It was not the optical resolution that made the difference. I tested the two lenses extensively and they were both acceptably sharp when used on a tripod. Modern IS or VR has about a four stop advantage and I find I can get acceptably sharp pictures from my 100mm macro L f/2.8 IS lens at just 1/15th of a second with the camera hand held.

Subject movement: IS or VR does not reduce subject movement and is no replacement for a large aperture when using long lenses to shoot moving subjects like people.

6. Canon 5D mk2, 50mm f/1.2, ISO 400, 1/60th second at f/4 This shot of Raphaela was lit using modified ambient light in the room. A bit of natural lens flare adds to the look.

Tip: If in doubt slide all the switches away from you towards the front of the lens on a Canon IS or Nikon VR lens.

Camera stabilisation: For many subjects a tripod is a must, but for portraiture I prefer to work hand held or with a monopod. Being able to hold a camera steady is an absolute basic skill that needs practice and greatly affects image quality. When I’m not using IS or VR lenses over 50mm I nearly always use a monopod. I found that I could get acceptably sharp images at 1/30th second with my Hasselblad H2 and its non IS 210mm lens when I used a monopod and my subject was still.

7. Canon 5D mk2, ISO 200, 1/200th second at f/4 This is the last picture I ever took with my Canon 35mm f/1.4 L lens. It was lit with a Speedlight in a silver umbrella on a Lovegrove Gemini bracket. I coveted the Fuji X100 camera and as that has an equivalent focal length of 35mm I couldn’t justify having both so I casually asked during this workshop at the Manchester Hilton if anyone wants to buy my 35mm off me? It went right there and then. The remaining shots in this blog post were taken on the Fuji X100 that I subsequently bought.

Sensor size and sensitivity: This is a big one. As sensor size increases so does image quality, or so it should do, but there are other factors too. Sensitivity is one of them and it is a biggie for my kind of work. Medium format sensors tend not to have the sensitivity of sensors half their size or even smaller, and often deliver poor results at ISO1600 and above where my Fuji X100 excels. They do however have a high pixel count and a high surface area for the lens to focus onto.

Image processing: I’ve spent as many years working with film as I have with digital processing and I used to take a lot of care in producing good negatives to print from. The printing process was quite involved and every Lovegrove print was produced by hand. All our images had the benefit of burning and dodging and this gave our wedding albums a unique look. Most of our contemporaries in the days of film were using one of the many commercial labs machine printing services. I must admit I prefer a hand print from a film negative to a typically processed digital image. There’s a bit too much skin softening and sharpening in the majority of digital prints I see these days. It’s all personal taste but with digital files the damage can be permanent. My advice is if you are delivering pictures on disc give the client a set of straight processed files too. These will soon be far more valuable when realistic images are finally back in demand.

8. Fujifilm X100, ISO 800, 1/250th second at f/2 I took this shot in my hotel bedroom on a workshop in Berlin. I lit Wlada with one Lupo 800 spotlight. I was still learning how to get the best from the X100 at this point. I shot in manual mode.

Computer screen: The single most important bit of kit for IQ in post production, apart from your eyes, is the computer screen. Ideally a screen should display all the colours in your chosen colour space. It should have a matte anti glare surface and a hood. Great screens displaying 97% – 100% of Adobe RGB can be bought for about £1000. A screen must be calibrated with a hardware device. The consequences of editing on a bad or uncalibrated screen are catastrophic. All the images will have errors that might not be repairable without starting from the original RAW file. Another obvious problem is that prints never look right or match the screen.

Eyes: Not everyone has perfect colour vision. It is worth having your eyes checked thoroughly (not just for a glasses prescription) if you are going to be editing pictures. In the days of film, labs did all the colour adjusting, nowadays it is left to the photographer or a dedicated editor. A good editor understands skin tones and should be able to ensure a consistent look throughout a body of work like a wedding album.

9. Fujifilm X100, ISO 200, 1/125th second at f/2 I took this shot in my hotel bedroom on a workshop in Tuscany. It too was lit with a Lupo 800 spotlight. There’s a pattern emerging here. By this time my system of shooting with the Fuji X100 was established. I use Aperture priority in conjunction with exposure compensation as it is so easy to control. (this frame was taken with -1 stop dialled in) I set the lens to f/2 because it is amazing wide open at that aperture. I use auto ISO with a minimum shutter speed set to 1/80th second and maximum ISO set to 3200. I have chosen 1/80th second because I find 1/60th just a bit slow when shooting people. The Fuji camera is image stabilised so camera shake is not a problem either at this shutter speed.

Wacom tablet: This device gives me the freedom to be light with my editing strokes. Ever since 1998 I’ve used a Wacom tablet to edit my images. It just works so well and the pressure sensitivity feature is amazing when using brushes.

RAW conversion: There are a handful of independent RAW processing packages like the renowned Capture One, plus there are the camera manufacturers’ own RAW processing packages that come bundled with their cameras. Users of these software packages are often fiercely loyal and claim to achieve a high image quality output. Lightroom and Aperture are still the front runners. I find Lightroom 3 more than adequate for my needs.

10. Fujifilm X100, ISO 640, 1/80th second at f/2 Av - 2 stops. This frame was shot on a workshop in Somerset. I lit Raphaela with a Lupo 800 spotlight.

I do however have one little step in my workflow that has no impact on image quality but is worth mentioning. I use Photo Mechanic to quickly view, select and rename my raw files so that I only have to load a fraction of my images into Lightroom. Waiting for Lightroom previews to build or load is an annoyance in the otherwise smooth operation.

Once my shots are selected and renamed I trigger the Lightroom import process. This is one of the most important steps in achieving a super quality of image. I have taken the time to shoot a series of portraits at each ISO on both my cameras. I loaded the files into Lightroom and tweaked the noise reduction, adjusted the contrast, and set the desired camera profile and camera calibration to my taste for each image in turn and saved the default preset for each setting. I set the Lightroom preferences so that it automatically applies these settings for given camera serial number and ISO value at the import stage thereafter. I also set the blacks level to zero. Lightroom has the blacks set to 5 by default and this usually clips some useful shadow detail that I want to preserve. Now that this process is done I can enjoy understanding exactly how my images are going to look. It’s just like learning the look of a particular film/ developer combination.

11. Fujifilm X100, ISO 640, 1/80th second at f/2 Av - 0.3 stops. This frame of Raphaela was lit with one Lupo 1200 and two Arri Junior lights.

Film is seeing a bit of a resurgence right now and having shot it for twenty years of my life I’m happy in the knowledge that digital capture done well can deliver more pleasing results without the hassle.

12. Fujifilm X100, ISO 500, 1/80th second at f/2 Av - 0.7 stops. This was my last shoot of 2011 and it was cold. Chloe was lit with ambient light. A bit of smoke was added for effect and Chloe styled the look and the pose. These Fujifilm X100 shots look amazing in print and this one is a bit rugged. Dont look for absolute sharpness, look for a mood, the feeling in the image. It closely reminds me of the look I used to get with Neopan 400 film. Never technically perfect but always utterly gorgeous. It just goes to show what a compact camera can produce these days. Click on the image to see the full size version with exif intact. Please respect my copyright.

After the images have been adjusted in Lightroom they are exported as 16 bit tiffs in the Adobe RGB colour space for import into Photoshop. Once any final Photoshop adjustments have been made the files are saved as 8 bit tiffs and archived along with the selected camera RAW files. If no Photoshop work is needed they go straight to 8 bit tiffs. This is not the only system that works, far from it, but it does ensure that I get the image quality I demand in my prints.

I’m sure this post will raise many questions. I’m happy to let the conversation run as long as it stays on subject and relates to either these images, my techniques or image quality in general. Have your say. Join the debate. What do you want to add?

Click on the picture to visit this years gallery. There are 372 pictures and their exif data in easy to browse galleries.

Fashion in wedding and portrait photography has always been a risky endeavour. Follow the fashion of the moment and photography stands a chance of being thoroughly dated quicker than a blink of an eye. ‘Pin up’ came and went in just 18 months, vintage came and apparently is on it’s way out, some say it’s gone already. Sepia may be back soon and who knows even tilted shots or spot colour may make a comeback in a decade or two. I’ve always tried to avoid trends in my work (it’s not easy) but that doesn’t mean I’ve avoided the current genres. Stylish women and men are still investing in portrait photography, and beauty is seemingly in big demand right now. ‘Boudoir’ portraiture is still a growth market and that is where I’ve concentrated my efforts over the past 12 months or so. I’ve strived to create a style of image that is timeless and easy to shoot. Simplicity is the key to success in most cases.

I've opted for an 800 pixel size for the detail shots this year and have ensured that right click is enabled. If you are on a Mac you can simply drag and drop the images to your desktop for later viewing or for mood boards etc should you so wish..

I have evolved my effort from the colourful speedlight on location strobist movement I was part of in 2009 when I shot my Speedlight Mastery DVD. Since then I’ve been working in the studio using flash and continuous lighting. It took me 24 months to research and practice my studio portrait lighting before I felt I was ready to make my the DVD. It doesn’t matter if I am a chef, musician, photographer or a dancer, Practice is vital. The more I do it, the better I get and the more consistent my results are.

See the best of 2011 gallery here

I feel I need to shoot about 500 frames a week just to stand still. I need to shoot at least double that in order to make progress and evolve my skill base. In 2011 I blogged 5767 photographs from a selected and edited collection of more than 17,000 pictures. These were chosen from perhaps five times that amount and as I principally use just one 3 year old Canon 5Dmk2 camera it is clocking up some excessive mileage. I certainly am prolific. I used to find I got rusty if I hadn’t shot a wedding for a month or so and most wedding photographers I know shoot about this amount of images each year.

If you decide to come on one of my workshops in 2012 set aside a second and a third day to practice what you have learned. Book some models in advance and treat the one day of learning as a week of personal photographic style development.

Information is worthless – You can read information about photography for free on Wikipedia. Everything from advanced lens theory to what is an f stop is all there for free at the click of a mouse.
Knowledge is information that has been internalised and has meaning. If you can tell the difference between a picture taken at f/11 and f/4 you have knowledge.
Experience is the application of knowledge. Obvious stuff really, but experience comes into it’s own when things go wrong.
Wisdom is the product of experience, knowledge and information. Wisdom is extremely valuable.

“I know how to shoot a wedding because I’ve read a book about it” £
“I read the book and I’ve practiced so now I am ready to shoot my first wedding” ££
“I’ve shot many weddings, and I’ve practiced hard to develop my unique style” ££££££

My tip for growth and progress: Set aside some creative days in 2012 to feed your soul and push your boundaries. Commit to test and measure sessions to learn about your kit and how it works. Practice every week and at least three times a week if you want to make real progress. Get training to educate and inspire you to be the photographer you desire to be.

Because I enjoy my photography I get ample reward for my hard effort. This in turn drives and motivates me to practice. If we become a slave to the computer we resent taking the pictures that give us so much post production work. I chose to be a photographer and I’ve always delegated my post production for this reason. I can charge more as a photographer than a picture editor too. So if you want to free up time to become a more prolific photographer employ the services of someone like Marko in 2012.

Thank you for your kindness and support in 2011. I hope I can continue to inspire and train you in 2012. I feel very privileged to be a photographer right now and have the support of a great team and family.

I’ll be speaking about a select 60 of these photographs in detail at the SWPP convention in Hammersmith. I’ll discuss the lighting, motivation, composition and capturing the moment. I’ll be giving away my secrets and tips. Visitors to my talks will also get generous discount vouchers to use against DVDs, downloads or my latest book. Julie and I hope to see you there in London.

Have a prolific and prosperous 2012

Kindest regards,

Damien Lovegrove

The 2011 gallery is here.

01. A picture of Iskra Lawrence taken with my Canon 5D ir camera.

Over the past few months I’ve done numerous shoots and have barely had time to edit them let alone blog them. Here are a few of my recent shots taken in the studio. They are not award winners, just run of the Lovegrove mill.

I’m moving on to new styles and genres for 2012 and it all takes a lot of research and most of all practice. Practice is what make the results flow. Nothing is more exhilarating than experimenting with new ideas. It’s a kind of creative buzz that feeds my soul.

I’ve blogged a staggering 5700 pictures in 2011 alone. What does this go to show? Well, it certainly means I’m prolific. I’m happy not to chase perfection but to achieve a consistent quality. I love to capture emotion and soul in my work. I shoot collections, and when I shoot for clients, I shoot for albums, big albums. A typical family portrait will result in 40 – 120 prints in the album. I never blog my client work, just my workshops, 1:1 shoots and some of my personal work.

If my blog readers like 3 or 4 of the images in each of my posts I’m happy. I started numbering my photographs this year to see what ones are the most successful and to my surprise the ‘hits’ varied considerably. I’m learning a lot about photography and about myself at the moment. The way I see the world is not quite the same as most people I know with the exception of Francesca my daughter. I’m often considered strange, metro-sexual is a word banded around me and I like to think I can recognise and capture beauty in a respectful and elegant way.

Over the next few days I’ll be whittling down those 5700 pictures to produce my definitive best of 2011 set. Will I make the right choices? No, but I’ll be happy with them and sometimes that’s all that matters.

Please enjoy this slightly random and motley set of recent studio portraits.

02. I must take this opportunity to give credit to my fabulous friend and make up artist Vicki Waghorn. She advises me on all things of a sensitive nature, is a brilliant make up artist and is a great companion to all my models. I rely on Vicki's judgement and styling advice on almost all my shoots.

Models: Stina Sanders, Chloe Jasmine Whichello, Iskra Lawrence, Johanna Ormsby, Katy McGee, Sal Jeffries and Francesca Lovegrove

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60. I'm finishing this post with a montage of pictures I took of my daughter Francesca for the final sequence of my Lighting Studio Portraits DVD. We recorded the making of these pictures with a camera set to time lapse and the whole process of capturing the 35 shots above too us 12 minutes.

Please feel free to share any that work for you, a top 3 perhaps?  Comments and questions are always welcome.

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It was a bitter wind that worked it’s way through the abandoned asylum. A wind that chilled us to the the core. The light was constantly changing as the clouds and occasional sunlight raced by. I was nursing a blank unthinking state that I inherited from the Christmas bash I’d been to the night before. My Canon seemed overkil for what I wanted to shoot so I opted to shoot with my Fuji X100 instead. There are a couple of Canon shots here but like the Quadra kit my 5D seemed to invasive for the moment.

I was joined on the shoot by my friend and fellow photographer Brett Symes. Between us we managed to direct and construct several scenarios. Chloe Jasmine provided the level headed thinking and the fabulous palette of emotion that I’ll never tire of shooting. This really is the result of a team effort. Enjoy

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Shooting in locations like this is more of an ordeal at this time of the year but as these buildings will have probably been flattened by the Spring we decided to shoot now anyway. Never ignore the need to feed the soul with ideas and inspiration. We often spend so many hours shooting for our customers we neglect to make the time to shoot for ourselves.

Please feel free to comment.

Over the coming days I will be blogging a series of posts featuring my recent photographs. I’ll also be compiling my best of 2011 collection. Thank you for your patience over the past few weeks while I’ve been launching the Lighting Studio Portraits video production and putting in a stronger IT foundation for our business.

Pictures galore will follow over the next few days.

Kindest regards, Damien.

Here’s one more chapter from the latest DVD production showing the use of one continuous spotlight to create a simple fashion style portrait taken on a Fujifilm X100. Details of the download procedure and the double DVD options are below.

Download version
Our new servers are working fine and there are no reported major speed issues. The download process is simple and quick. The complete collection comes in two zipped files, part 1 and part 2. The total download size is 3.8Gb and the download content is a 720p HD MP4 production that is non region specific and will play anywhere in the world.

Once the folders are unzipped there will be 36 chapters of varying lengths. We suggest you create a new playlist in iTunes and drag and drop the chapters in. If you play the playlist the production will run seamlessly. If you acess the chapters via the Movies part of iTunes the chapters remain as stand alone files. You can sync this playlist to your iPad or iPhone, play it through Apple TV or play it on your computer. You can even create your own playlists for all the items using one light or all the items using continuous light etc.

Download your copy here.

Double DVD version
The disc version is a PAL standard definition production for playback on region 2 or multi region DVD players. It has industry standard copy protection. It has the identical content and run time of the download version.

Purchase the double DVD version here.

Thank you to all of you who have downloaded or ordered the DVD. Your custom is appreciated.

01.

I’ve been studying the work of a few major European portrait studios on my quest for learning new shooting styles and I’m drawn to a few of the looks that I’ve had a go at recreating here. I used just four continuous lights in my small home studio.

Kit: Lupo 1200, Lupo 800, Arri 300, Arri 150
Makeup: Vicki Waghorn
Model: Victoria Lindsay Coutts MM and Gingersnap

02. Within 10 frames and about five minutes of me faffing with the lights we were here. A background light, two back lights and a key light.

I’ve known Victoria for some time as we found each other on Model Mayhem a few years back and we live within 1km of each other. However this has been the first test shoot we have done together and I must say Victoria is a joy to work with.

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My aim was to recreate a few of the looks that I have put together on one of my hundred or so mood boards. They were all mono pictures taken with lensed spotlights. I thought how hard can that be so I set about having a go.

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These shots are easily repeatable with Fresnel lights and have a timeless feel to them. I asked Vicky Waghorn to keep Victoria’s hair contemporary and choppy as curls would have made these shots look too vintage.

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06. I shot using both tungsten balanced and daylight balanced lights in the same rig but knowing my shots were going to end up in monochrome I didn't mind. I had the back of my camera set to mono too so when I saw the shots in colour for the first time in Lightroom it was quite a shock. Luke has edited this shot with a more contemporary colour mix.

'07. This is the straight colour mix. Notice how the tungsten balanced Arris have enhanced Victoria's hair colour.

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10. I decided to shoot a few frames using just one Lupo light in my Chimera softbox for a personal project too.

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12. We liked the idea of including a few lights in the frame too.

13. You can see my Lupo 800 in the foreground with the Arri 300 back left and the Arri 150 back right.

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17. Victoria wanted some black and white head shots so we shot those too. It's great to collaborate with like minded professionals to everyone's benefit.

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My new DVD on lighting studio portraits is out now and covers using Lupos and Arris creatively.

Please feel free to comment below.

01.

Here is my feature length guide to posing groups for weddings. It forms just a part of my comprehensive 20 page guide to posing couples and groups that you can download in PDF form for just 99p. From the formal to the casual, every group needs careful consideration.

Picture 1. Our American clients love a group shot to be constructed with thought and design. For this picture I set each of the guys in their place in turn by showing them how I would like them to stand and then I asked the bride to drape elegantly. I kept the casual feel by including champagne glasses and directing some of the guys to put their hands in their pockets. I held the camera over my head and took the shot blind because I wanted a higher viewpoint than I could achieve from eye level. Digital photography has made this kind of thing possible because I could instantly see if I had everyone in the frame without chopping off feet or heads and that they were sharp. Another key factor to my group photography is the lighting. When I’m shooting groups outside I always shoot into the light and avoid top light where possible.

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Picture 02. A group shot often works best if there is a sense of reality or spontaneity. Having the hairstylist in this shot by Julie made it look like a real moment. Julie spotted the portrait of a young woman with curled hair in the mirror and brought in the bridesmaids to complete the group. The bridesmaid behind is directing the action, and the one behind her, is looking on intently.  It’s often the little touches that make or break a group shot like the cascading composition of faces or the curlers still in the bridesmaids hair. A great number of the group shots that Julie and I set up at weddings are juggled situations that just need a tweak to form a group.

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Picture 03. Another of Julie’s groups shows a classic composition of a bride surrounded by her bridesmaids. Julie noticed that all the robes in the hotel were the same and she used these to give the girls a uniform look that unites them visually as a team. It’s important to ensure that you can tell who the bride is just by looking at her prominence in the picture. Getting the energy level right is the other major factor in making successful group shots. The expressions on the faces in group shots are a direct reflection of the photographer or their ability to create a moment.

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Picture 04. In some cultures the mother of the bride is as important as the bride. Often, it’s the brides parents that invite all the guests to the marriage of their daughter. I’ve placed the brides mother and the bride one step higher than the supporting cast and I’ve chosen to make the bride the centre of the picture both with position and by asking the bridesmaids to look at her.

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Picture 05. Shooting formal groups doesn’t mean they can’t be fun. When the suits are formal then the groups should be too. When the clients and guests are fun then the group shots should be fun too. I arranged the group in height order and turned everyone in. A few moments before I took this shot I had the guys lined up as if they were having a pee much to the amusement of the girlfriends and family alongside me. The energy from this moment has carried through into this group. It really is all about gauging the mood and the opportunities available to you. It’s very easy to mis judge the moment and to loose credibility. I feel like a stand up comedian when I’m shooting groups, I don’t use one liners but I do have to think on my feet to keep all age groups and character types entertained. I always let other family members and friends take my set ups. I create the group, invite others to shoot it then I clear the way for me to shoot on a long lens. This way I get uninterrupted attention and all eyes are on my lens.

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Picture 06. Uniforms take formality to another level. I always direct every detail from which leg to place forward, what hand to place on top of the sword and so on. With every detail as good as I can get it within reason I create the moment of fun and capture it. The best man was the only civilian in this shot but fits in well with the rest of the group.

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Picture 07. Subtly splitting a group into sub groups is another idea to try. There are definite gaps between the family on the left, the bride and groom and the family on the right. I always ensure the right people are in the right place. It takes effort to understand the family connections but it is a job worth doing. I’ve made the bride and groom the focus of attention in this group. I always shoot a straight shot but it is the reposed images without eyes to camera like this one that make the album. This is a classic example of my 5 o’clock shadow lighting. If the clients are standing in the centre of a clock face and I’m at the 6 o’clock position their shadows point to the 5 o’clock position. I shoot this orientation as one of my picture style traits.

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Picture 08. Get your group walking to lighten a moment. Ensure everyone has plenty of space and separate them out as required. The youngest child is the focus for this shot. If the opportunity is there I always like to shoot my groups in full sun and I shoot into the light. It is very hard for compact cameras and consumer SLRs with their filter adorned kit lenses to get this shot. A good lens hood on a telephoto lens is a must to avoid flare.

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Picture 09. I used a classic pyramid structure for both sets of girls and asked the chief bridesmaid to engage with the flower girls. This moment has given the shot a natural, less well posed feel. They say you make your own luck and this is exactly what the phrase describes. I’ve worked hard to get this opportunity and I chose my camera position carefully. I used the church door to lead into the group.

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Picture 10. It’s all fun for the boys too. When men are fully clothed in a pub or anywhere really they rarely touch but when they are naked in the bath after a match or in a pool they are often all over each other. I used that fact to link this group together placing the groom at the front. Effort delivers results.

Tip: Leave your camera and lens on a radiator to get it nice and toasty before entering a pool area otherwise you will suffer from condensation. Don’t change lenses either, you don’t want the extreme humidity in the mirror box.

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Picture 11. This fun shot was taken in Trafalgar Square when the area was cordoned off for maintenance work. A place for everyone and everyone in their place. Look for opportunity and where possible avoid the obvious. Passers by were taking the shot too thinking the guys were a pop group. Quite a crowd gathered in the few moments that I needed to get this shot.

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Picture 12. It may be fairly obvious stuff but I love to have fun with my groups and I always try to ensure I capture character and relationships. Nothing is more fun than guys larking around. Even in exposed locations like Pendennis Castle in Cornwall I like to shoot into the sun. I stage everything and leave nothing to chance. Then when moments like this do happen I’m poised ready to capture it. I started with all the guys behind the canon and then ensuring I had the correct exposure and framing I asked the best man to go to the end of the canon and lean on it. When the penny dropped I caught the moment.

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Picture 13. Even with small informal groups like this shot of a groom and his parents it’s important to fully engage each person. I spend quite a bit of time creating the rapport without the camera to my face. Hiding behind a camera is a sure fire way to ensure a lack of engagement. Only at the last moment does the camera come up and the shot get captured like this shot of a chic French family – joie de vivre.

So there you have a few of my thoughts and systems for capturing groups. These are quite safe by some photographers standards and not nearly as dramatic as they could be. Julie and I have a system to create shots that transcend fashion, become timeless and open up our subjects personalities. These are pictures that will one day be cherished by children and grandchildren. As social photographers I believe we have a responsibility to take care with the pictorial heritage of future generations.

Julie and I regularly run 3 day wedding workshops and the details of the next available one is here. Please feel free to comment below.

In the mean time download my complete guide to posing couple portraits and group shots worth £7.50 for just 99p. It has 20 pages of well laid out information an annotated photographs. It is a labour of love that unravels the secret systems I use to make my couple portraits and group pictures.

This is a sample chapter using just one Studio Flash head at a distance of one metre from Chloe Jasmine Whichello. Sometimes the best images are the easiest to shoot. The DVD and download page is here with more information and a link to a gallery of the shots created.

This video production is the pinnacle of my career to date. Nothing withheld, I show you how to create award winning images with just one light. I go on to show how to take command of a big rig and produce studio images with life, vitality and soul. Enjoy…

More information and download pages.

A press statement that I’ve just received declares that: The Guild of Photographers has given it’s ultimate accolade, that of ‘Master of the Craft’ to Damien Lovegrove in recognition of his skills and commitment to the art of photography and the training thereof. The award has only been given to 5 other photographers throughout the world! After fifteen years of top flight image making, Damien has become one of the foremost trainers of photography and entrepreneurial business strategies in our industry. A published writer and regular columnist, Damien has travelled the globe sharing his knowledge and expertise and clearly has a contagious enthusiasm for photography and the development of others.”

Thank you The Guild of Photographers this award is greatfully received.

01.

The Concept: After the completion of my coffee table book Chloe Jasmine Whichello I embarked on a journey to create a genre of photography that celebrates the beauty, soul and character of women. After a few experimental shoots I realised the importance of the degree of intimacy required. Fine art nudes rarely have eye contact and celebrate form but not personality. Chloe suggested to Blaise, my PA that I shoot Raphealla for this project and she was spot on. Raphealla was amazing, she totally understood the mood I wanted to create and we all had fun making these photographs.

The Workshop: Femme Fatale™ is limited to just 5 delegates and myself and we have the run of the house. I styled, directed and lit each set up from scratch using minimal kit for the majority of the day. We use continuous light balanced with the ambient to allow everyone to shoot simultaneously. We all swap places every so often to explore different angles and when the sound of shutters subside I move on to create another set up. By 4pm we had lost the daylight so from then on I switched to a tungsten balanced set up and showed how to integrate up to three lights with the room lights to make striking interior portraits. A lavish lunch was provided by the team at Maunsel. It was a full on day of shooting and by 5.30 we were all exhausted and exhilarated. It’s a great feeling to have.

Model: Raphealla Mcnamara

Makeup: Vicky Waghorn

Camera Kit: Canon 5Dmk2, 21mm Zeiss, 50mm f/1.2 Canon, 100mm f/2.8L macro Canon, Fujifilm X100.

Lighting Kit: Lupo 1200, Chimera Small softbox with grid, Lupo 800, Arri 300 Junior, Arri 150.

Post Production: These pictures have just been through Lightroom with no Photoshop used at all because I love a real skin texture. Who knows, maybe in ten years time the social and fashion shots of the early digital era will seem ridiculous with their smoothed skin plastic wrapped look. Food for thought perhaps.

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06. Lit with a Lupo 800.

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08. Beauty shot lit with a Lupo 800.

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25. A natural light portrait.

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31. We used a Lupo 1200 to recreate sunlight for a set of high key images.

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34. Lighting as above.

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36. My Venetian blind came out to be used with an Arri 300 to light the background. It was completely dark by this point. An Arri 150 and a Lupo with a CTO gel completed the rig.

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38. This shot is in colour because I showed the group how to create artificial moonlight with a Lupo 1200 outside and an Arri 300 inside.

39. A burlesque twist to the end of the workshop. Three lights gives this shot a stage lit feel.

I have decided to run one more Femme Fatale™ workshop on 7th February at Maunsel House. It will be our last workshop at this fabulous house as their hire rate is set to double from then on. I hope to take this workshop to Chicago and Munich in the new year too. If you happen to know of an old manor house or other venue that I can run workshops at please do get in touch damien@lovegrovephotography.com

Please feel free to comment on these pictures.