01. I lit Charlotte with a single bare faced Speedlight. Shot using the fantastic 60mm f/2.4 lens on my Fujifilm X-Pro1 camera.

This was my first street workshop with Charlotte and the first street workshop with my Fuji X-Pro1 kit. To be quite honest both performed remarkably well. Haha. Charlotte put up with the rain and was as delightful as ever throughout the day. When I’m teaching I like to work with models who are kind, patient and gorgeous too. Here are 20 of my shots from this challenging but rewarding workshop…

02. I used the 18mm lens and a single Speedlight triggered in manual mode to capture these two frames of Charlotte. I encourage my delegates to shoot from different angles and to really explore the opportunities open to them.

03. More of our work was lit with a Speedlight than usual on this workshop because the light was particularly flat and the rain showers were frequent. I have various locations on my route that can be used in wet conditions and allow us to stay dry like under this canopy in front of a vacant office building.

04. Another dry zone shot this time taken with available light. 60mm lens at f/2.8, X-Pro1.

05. I showed the delegates how to easily set the ambient exposure and the contrast ratio as desired. I used a four stop shadow depth for this shot. 18mm lens, X-Pro1.

06. A simple closeup shot with a two stop shadow depth. 60mm lens, X-Pro1.

07. We took shelter from the rain in this entrance to an underground car park. 35mm lens, X-Pro1.

08. We set out to shoot the available light in such a way as it looked vaguely sunny when in fact it was dark and dingy. 60mm lens at f/2.4.

09. We spent time playing with reflections too. 60mm lens at f/2.8

10. I love the grey paint and the drain pipe in this shot lit with a barefaced Speedlight. 35mm lens.

11. Here is the same scene with the 18mm lens and a low view point. You can see we were in the dry bit for the shoot.

12. I showed how to shoot fashionable portraits with stormy skies and a Speedlight. My one Speedlight was used bare faced all day and triggered with simple Ebay radio triggers. I base this workshop on the use of simple kit in a creative way. I teach my systems of working in a manner that is easy to remember and to reproduce. 60mm lens.

13. I particularly like including the world around us too. The dark and low contrast scene makes a great background. 60mm lens.

14. We picked out details to shoot along the route. 60mm lens and a Speedlight.

15. A favourite background of mine looking punchy with the Fuji Velvia setting on my X-Pro1. Captured with the 35mm lens.

16. 60mm lens at f/2.8

17. 60mm lens at f/16. I'm really getting to grips with the characteristics of the Fuji prime lenses now. I'm having to learn three new lenses at the same time and it's not easy.

18. It was still raining here but I wanted to show the group how to create a sunset type image using a Speedlight on a wet, grey, overcast day.

19. A simple interior portrait taken with the 60mm lens wide open using ISO 640 and 1/125th second.

20. We finished the day in a Bristol waterfront bar shooting with the available light. It was then time for a round of drinks and a debrief

Question: Is the X-Pro1 as capable as an SLR on the street using ambient light or flash?  My Answer: Yes. One point of note however is my X-Pro1 was optimistic with it’s sensitivity. I was nearly one stop more open than the Canon and Nikon DSLRs in order to get the same exposure. This was more noticeable on the flash shots. I assume it is a calibration issue and the next firmware update will address the issue.

My next Urban Portraits workshop is in Manchester on the 18th June. Details are here.

Please feel free to comment on these pictures or your shooting experience if you were lucky enough to with us on the day.

01. Martin used Elinchrom Quadra and Speedlights triggered with basic Ebay radio triggers throughout his session.

At times the group was forced under cover because of the rain but Martin delivered the information and generated the pictures all the same…Location: Kingscotte House and gardens near Tetbury.

Model: Nikki Chislet

Make up: Vicki Waghorn

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My thanks go to Martin for his dedication, patience, enthusiasm and above all friendship on these ‘Into The Light’ workshops. Our next scheduled workshop together is ‘The Big Picture‘ in Fuerteventura in February.

The other half of this workshop was given by me and my shots are here. Please feel free to comment on these pictures.

01. Chloe F lit with magical daylight. Shot using a Fuji X-Pro1 with the standard 35mm f/1.4 lens. Click the picture to see the original unaltered camera jpeg file with full exif. (I shot monochrome in camera). When RAW support comes from Adobe life with the Fuji X-Pro1 will be transformed. I set the camera to -2 noise reduction, -1 sharpness and -1 highlight tone with B&Wg (simulated green filter) as my picture style.

The event was my last ever Illuminating Portraits workshop held at the fabulous and opulent Maunsel House in Somerset. I will be taking this workshop on the road as the demand for simple, stylish interior portrait lighting using just Speedlights is as big as ever. Make up and hair was by the super talented Vicki Waghorn. Our model was Chloe F from Alpha agency. Here are a few of my shots, enjoy

02. I used three Speedlights in a classic Lovegrove formation for this opening portrait. I also showed the delegates how to light big wedding groups inside using the Lovegrove Gemini flash bracket and a couple of Speedlights.

03. A one Speedlight portrait with a punchy yet soft look. Perfect for editorials.

04. A three Speedlight portrait. The key is to decide on how hard each light source needs to be and at what distance. Then an exposure is set for the ambient before adjusting the power of the Speedlights to taste.

05. As above.

06. Once we had shot some high key, bright images it was time for some lighting drama. I used a Lastolite Ezybox with a single SB 900 Speedlight for this shot of Chloe.

07. Then onto another sofa for some more lighting magic. Being able to vary your lighting style to suit the mood of the moment is a craft skill. Having the vision to conceptualise the portrait is the art bit.

08. Having the courage to let the highlights go when shooting jpeg is something I've not experienced for a few years.

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10. A favourite shot of mine. It reminds me of a look that I used to shoot with Chloe Jasmine. Chloe F and Chloe Jasmine are very good friends so maybe there is a Chloe and Chloe shoot to be done at some point.

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12. I like to shoot several images with each lighting set up.

13. After lunch we were moving on to more complicated set ups. This shot involved three Speedlights. Two of them were in the next room. My £12/ set Ebay triggers worked a treat.

14. I lit this intimate portrait of Chloe with a single Speedlight in a beauty dish. In order to cut all the ambient light I decided to expose to f/11, 1/125th using ISO 200. But because I wanted to shoot my 60mm macro portrait lens with an f/2.8 aperture I shot through a 4 stop ND filter. Click the picture for the original un-retouched camera file.

15. I used just one Speedlight and my magic water reflector for this shot taken with the 18mm wide angle lens. Click the picture to see the original camera file.

16. The workshop maximum of four Speedlights were used to illuminate this table top portrait of Chloe.

My Fuji X-Pro1 with its 60mm f/2.4 lens, hood and matte mask.

Hood mask

I researched the lens hood mask using black insulation tape placed across the Fuji hood and tested for vignetting at minimum focus and infinity focus at f/2.4 and f/22. It was quite easy to see the effect and any differences each time I moved the insulation tape further out from axis. Eventually I settled on a position that gave no noticeable vignetting at any setting and I measured the hole size. The 60mm lens hood mask is a 77mm push on Kaiser 6977 lens cap with a 54mm x 36mm hole cut in with a scalpel. Obviously I used a metal safety straight edge during the cutting process. I packed out the core of the lens cap with card and I built up the outside with card too to make a level and firm cutting surface. Since I took this picture I have chamfered the outer edge of the lens cap aperture with a scalpel and a fine file to create a crisp sloping edge. This avoids having a shiny reflecting surface close to the lens axis. I noticed a bit of flare kick back off the mask aperture today when shooting a challenging contre Jour shot. It’s tweaks like these that make all the difference between an okay shot and a perfect shot. Making the mask was easy, it’s very effective and can be used on demand or become permanently glued in place once tested.

Fuji X-Pro1 60mm f/2.4 Macro with the filter ring spacer and 39-52mm step ring adapter in place.

Step up ring

I bought a cheap ebay 39mm uv filter pitched as a protector for the 60mm Fuji lens on Ebay. It cost me £6 including postage. I removed the retaining ring and the glass and kept the outer ring to use as a spacer. I then used Locktite to bond a Kood 39mm to 52mm step up ring onto my spacer. When attached to the lens there is a 3mm clearance between the step ring and the front bezel of the lens. The lens hood easily fits over this step ring assembly. I can now use my 52mm ND and Polarising filters on all my Fuji lenses. At today’s workshop I used a 4 stop ND on this lens to change a flash exposure from ISO 200, 1/160th, at f/11 to the same at f/2.8. It was the perfect result for the picture.

Here is a shot of Chloe F taken with the Fuji 60mm lens on today's workshop.

Please feel free to add your experiences with this lens.

No mirror, a revolutionary sensor design, a new lens mount and distinctive styling sets the Fuji X-Pro1 apart from the competition. Is this camera an SLR beater? Read on to find out.

I’m one month in with my Fujifilm X-Pro1 ownership. It’s been an interesting journey so far and here are my findings.

Being an early adopter of the Fuji XP1 camera system has had one advantage and many disadvantages. This is not just a new camera body but a completely new system designed from the ground up. A revolutionary 16mp sensor without an anti aliasing filter, a new lens mount with a tiny back focus, a new camera body borrowing heavily on the X100 but entirely new none the less and a range of three lenses with many more to follow in the months ahead.

My X100 with its Gariz half leather case beside the X-Pro1 with the 18mm lens.

The Fuji X-Pro1 with the three Fuji lenses available at launch. 18mm, 35mm, and 60mm.

My one advantage of ‘in from the start’ ownership of the XP1 has been shooting with this lightweight super sharp camera before the mainstream pros get hold of it. I’m becoming quite proficient with it now and it has all but replaced my Canon 5DMk2 with it’s 3 primes for my day to day work. I remember when I sold my 70-200 f/2.8L IS zoom and replaced it with the super light 100mm f/2.8L IS. My life was instantly better. No more lugging around the monster and as a bonus my pictures were much sharper too. I could use f/2.8 and get wonderful image quality even hand held at 1/30th. Well the same has happened again. My old Canon DSLR system seems cumbersome heavy and unwieldy in comparison to the Fuji XP1. Some testers have complained the Fuji is too light, I suppose they can always wear wrist weights (the type fitness people use) if they want that familiar knackered feeling at the end of the day. For me, the camera is a perfect weight.

A frame from my first commercial commission shot using the Fuji X-Pro1. I lit this frame of David and Alex in the news room at BBC Bristol with a Lupolux 1200 spotlight from the rear right and a Lupolux Quad from just to the right of the camera. 35mm lens at f/1.8

The disadvantages of being an early adopter…
1. Adobe have yet to provide RAW processing capability for the XP1. This is in the pipeline and I for one hope they get it right before releasing it. The Jpegs produced in camera are fantastic (once a few settings have been tweaked).

2. The perfect lens combination doesn’t exist yet. I would like 14mm, 23mm, 35mm and 60mm macro. I have the last two but I’ll have to wait several months for the first two. In the mean time I’ll use my Fuji 18mm as a wide angle and my beloved Fuji X100 with it’s 23mm lens as a moderate wide. Both the XP1 and the X100 have APSC sized sensors with a 1.5 x factor. So my current Fuji lens line up in 35mm or full frame terms is 27mm f/2, 52mm f/1.4, & 90mm macro f/2.4

3. I believe Fuji are still two firmware upgrades away from reaching the camera’s full potential. Auto ISO settings need more options, autofocus speed needs the same boost they gave the X100 in a firmware upgrade, the jpeg image quality on default settings falls way short of what is achieved with some basic adjustments, and various other menu items need updating. The first firmware update a week or so ago silenced the chattering iris blade syndrome reported by some reviewers so Fuji are listening and better still they are taking action. I have total trust in their commitment to improvement by firmware. My X100 is a far better camera now than when I bought it and I was happy with it then.

The BBC TV studios are lit to a fraction of the level that they were when I worked for aunty Beeb in the 1980s and 1990s. 18mm lens at f/2.8, 1/40th second ISO 1600

Flash
I don’t own a Fuji Speedlight so I have not used TTL with it yet but I’ve used my Canon and Nikon Speedlights triggered with both Pocket Wizard and Ebay radio triggers. I’ve used my Elinchrom studio flash and the Quadra Ranger triggered with the Skyport system too. The Fuji XP1 has an advertised ‘X’ sync of 1/180th although I can only seem to set 1/160th. It’s one of many firmware tweaks still needed.

I hand held this shot with the camera above my head. I could clearly see the live view on the rear screen. All my BBC studio shots were at ISO 1600. This frame was shot with the 60mm lens at f/2.8. Focussing the X-Pro1 is precise and accurate.

Lenses
The lenses are light, well made, compact and sharp. They have come in for stick from some pixel peepers but I’ve yet to see any lens outperform the Fuji glass on this camera. I’ve seen many reviews and comparisons with Leica optics but the Fuji lens has always proved hard to beat. There are a few rogue copies around as I’ve seen examples of CA on some forum users shots taken with the 18mm. I’m happy to say I don’t have that problem. No doubt Adobe will map the lenses and provide correction profiles in Lightroom in due course. Once full lens and RAW file support is available from Adobe I’ll post 100% samples.

I used an Arri 150 as a back light, an Arri 300 as a key light and a Lupolux 400 to light the back studio wall. Taken with the compact 18mm f/2.8 lens. This lens is super sharp.

Speed
There are reports of the autofocus being slow but don’t let that put you off. I can take this camera from my bag and get a perfect shot way faster than I can with my Canon 5Dmk2. I’ve found both the Fuji X100 and the Fuji XP1 wonderfully responsive. By far the most time used in the taking of one of my portraits is by my visualisation and thought process. The time the camera takes to set accurate focus is just okay, it’s not really an issue for me. My Canon with it’s 50mm f/1.2 would confirm focus to me in about the same time as the Fuji does with the 35mm f/1.4 but the resulting Canon shot was as likely to be mis focussed as it was to be spot on. No such woes with the Fuji.

I used an Elinchrom Quadra to light my first portrait session with the XP1. This shot of Paul Clifford, a fashion portrait photographer was taken using the 35mm lens @ f/16

Focus tracking
I’ve heard the Fuji XP1 is rubbish at tracking moving subjects and I expect that claim is true. Focus tracking moving subjects is something I never do. When I was at the BBC all our tv cameras were manual focus and we learned to fix focus and walk backwards at the same pace as the people we were filming were walking forward. We thereby maintained the focus distance. I’ve used the same technique for over 400 walks down the aisle at weddings keeping the distance between the couple and myself constant. I’m used to adapting my shooting style to meet the limitations of the kit I use and using the Fuji is no exception.

My digital camera journey since March 2001…

Fujifilm S1 pro – 2 years (1.5 crop and jpeg only)
Fujifilm S2 pro – 2 years (1.5 crop and jpeg only)
Hasselblad H1/ Phase1 P25 – 3 years (twice full frame and RAW only)
Canon 5D mk1 – 2 years
Canon 5D mk2 – 3 years
Fujifilm X-Pro1 – ?

Am I going to stick with the Fuji and shoot with it for the next three years? I’m going to wait for RAW file processing before making my final decision. I’m in the envious position of owning a Canon 5Dmk2, a Nikon D700, and a brace of Fujifilm X cameras at the moment. I might just keep them all. The Canon mk3 is not a worthwhile upgrade for me and neither is the D800.

My camera changes are a bit like my car changes. I’ve just swapped a Nissan 350Z roadster for a Fiat 500 Roadster. That’s 3.5L V6 for a 0.9L twin, a gas guzzler for an Eco warrior. Speed and power for nippy fun. What’s the best car? They are both great but very different. I’m happy to adapt my shooting style and learn new ways of picture making.

The X-Pro1 with the 60mm lens fitted with my home made mask on the lens hood. This mask gives my 60mm shots a wonderful depth and contrast. There is no vignetting at any aperture or focus distance. Without the mask the lens is a little prone to flare.

Modifications
It’s a popular thing for Fujifilm X owners to pimp their cameras and bling them up a bit. Preferred accessories include leather half cases, soft release shutter buttons, custom lens hoods and thumb rests, etc. I have a Gariz leather half case on my X100, it was given to me by a good friend and fellow photographer and it makes the camera feel great in the hand. My X-Pro1 will have a Really Right Stuff L plate so I can use it on my monopod and I have modified the lens hood of the 60mm lens by adding a mask to minimise flare. I shoot into the light a lot and the difference in picture quality with my hood mask is remarkable.

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The Fuji XP1 with the 60mm f/2.4 macro lens and hood along side the Canon 5Dmk2 with the 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. The Fuji is a fraction of the weight and size.

The camera bag
I’ve been on the lookout for a smaller camera bag too. They say that photography is the endless quest to find the perfect bag. I think I agree with that statement to some extent. I used to use my Billingham 455 with my canon and its three f/2.8 zoom lenses. Then when I went to primes I didn’t need the bulk and space so I bought my wonderful Think Tank Retrospective 30 bag. Now that the Fuji kit is about half the size and weight of my Canon kit I’ve pre ordered the new Think Tank Retrospective 7 with iPad pouch. The great thing about the Think Tank Retrospective series in Pinestone is that they don’t scream camera bag and are far less nick-able than a Billingham Hadley.

My Fuji kit with my complete Canon kit.

What went wrong
My 60mm lens arrived with a contact fault and had to be swapped out for another one. The process took just a couple of days. I remember I had a similar fault with my Canon 100mm L lens and Warehouse Express (WEX) were equally efficient then. So far everything else has run smoothly.

What’s next?
I’m about to embark on a 3000 mile road trip across America with the X-Pro1 as I continue to explore the potential of this camera followed in June by a photography trip to Venice with my buddy Chris Hanley. Once I’ve got to grips with the RAW files from this camera I’ll be publishing my full 5,000? frame user review in What Digital Camera magazine. It’s pencilled in for the August edition. I’ll be using the Fuji X-Pro1 on my upcoming workshops too.

This shot was taken on my first shooting weddings workshop since I've owned the Fuji XP1. 60mm lens wide open at f/2.4. The 60mm lens is fabulously sharp wide open and that's how I'll use it.

A simple portrait shot taken with the 60mm lens at f/2.4

How good is the X-Pro1?
I expect the reports that the X-Pro1 is sharper and delivers more detail than a Canon 5D mk3 or a Canon 1DX are a bit far fetched but the X-Pro1 could easily be equal to either of those cameras from what I’ve seen from the jpegs. RAW processing of 16 bit files will tell the whole truth. I used the X-Pro1 for a corporate job at the BBC in my first week of ownership and I shot in the TV and Radio studios with just 300 lux of light using f/2.8 at ISO 1600 and the Fuji outperformed the Canon 5D MK2 at that ISO. So I ditched the Canon and shot with the Fuji for three days. The final pictures will be printed to A1 so it was important for me to capture the maximum detail. Would I shoot a wedding with it? Yes, once there is RAW file support.

Taken with the 60mm lens at f/2.4. It exhibits sparkling clarity with a well controlled and beautiful bokeh.

Should you buy a Fujifilm X-Pro1?
Well, if you like your current DSLR then the answer is not yet. Wait for at least one more firmware update and Adobe to provide RAW file support. If you love the DSLR way of shooting then stick with it. The Fuji X-Pro1 needs an open mind and a bit of patience to develop a good shooting style. Comparing shooting a DSLR with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 is like comparing Alpine skiing with snowboarding. Both diciplines are spectacular when done well but being an expert of one does not make you an expert of the other. There’s lots for me still to learn about using the Fuji X-Pro1 before I can realise the true potential of this camera.

Please feel free to share your experiences with this camera if like me you are an early adopter.

1. Colour balance shifting in camera and a CTO gel on my 580EX2 gave this image a vibrant feel. The 'Saturday Night Fever' pose was all Colleen. Brilliant!.

On Monday, I was fortunate enough to spend time with a new 1:1 client that I had first met at the Hertfordshire Photovision roadshow last week. We started our training day at my Somerset studio with a revision session on balancing flash with ambient exposure. I then set out my core strategy for my all manual exposure system.

2. We started with a zoomed bare faced 580EX2 Speedlight triggered with an Ebay manual trigger system.

With a Speedlight, a Lovegrove Flash Bracket, a Lastolite stand and some cameras we journeyed to Bristol in my 350Z. We were due to meet Colleen at Costa Coffee at 11.15 for a creative shoot session around the Bristol Waterfront. The rain eased and the sun popped out from time to time to make the shoot challenging.

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We immersed ourselves all day in picture making. This has to be the best job in the world. A photographers life right now is a magical one. It’s not easy to be successful but with the right skills applied sensibly enough income can be earned to pay the bills and more besides. The creative rewards and dynamic lifestyle are amazing.

4. We just used a bare faced Speedlight for this sequence of shots.

5. These colours are 70's reborn. Morris Marinas came in shades like this.

6. I love the gathered waist and A line skirt of this dress. The simple scoop neckline adds a classic feel contrasted with Colleen's edgy hair style. Magic!

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8. Exposure aides were screaming at us but we held on to what I knew would deliver zingy results.

9. At my favourite blue wall we did a flash/ambient exposure control exercise over 6 stops.

10. I then showed how to shift shadows. Throughout the session we were exploring composition, balance and design.

11. My grey zone became our studio for five minutes as we created high key shots in a dark place.

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13. Simple fashion styling shot in camera.

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17. Rapport, respect and trust deliver results that connect.

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19. We joked about 'devil woman' but I love this shot taken just before we had lunch at the Pitcher and Piano.

20. Colleen can strike a pose and her classical training in dance shows here.

21. I love, love, love shooting in full sun.

22. We worked this area hard. A fusion of effort and commitment from everyone delivered striking portraits.

23. I felt like a student again lying on the pavement outside a night club. Haha.

24. Shapes excite me.

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26. Just how much negative space can a shot take?

27. Beautiful.

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29. The sun went in and I rigged a Speedlight to simulate a setting sun in our temporarily grey world.

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32. I'm in this shot.

33. We then turned the world blue for a few frames.

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36. A low composition with shallow diagonals.

37. A high composition with steep diagonals.

38. I needed to change the batteries in the Speedlight as it had worked hard and we went on to use the 580EX2 at full power for this shot.

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There you have it. A 1 to 1 session that re energised my passion for the Speedlight and brought me my first shoot with the amazing Colleen Deary represented by Shoot DHS models. I want to shoot with Colleen again soon and I’d like my team including the fab Vicki Waghorn to be part of the session.If you would like to unleash the potential of your Speedlight or indeed fine tune your shooting system please do contact Blaise my PA. Blaise can work miracles and make things happen.

Please feel free to comment on these shots.

01. Ladye Bay in Clevedon. The perfect location to finish a 1:1 training session with the Elinchrom Quadra.

It’s great to be out and about again after the winter. I started the location shooting season this year with this 1:1 workshop for a top client. We shot in the studio in the morning then went out to the woods and onto the beach in the afternoon. Here is a small selection of the location set ups that we shot.

02. Simple key and kick lighting works equally well in the woods as it does in the studio.

03. Great light brings location portraits to life.

04. The Quadra was in a Lastolite Ezybox for this shot of Stina. The sun worked well as a backlight.

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08. Barely a cloud in the sky and the Quadra delivers enough punch to work with the sun.

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10. The afternoon sun shimmers in the calm waters of the Severn esturary.

The Elinchrom Quadra on location delivers a fashion studio grade light that works well with the sky as a light grey backdrop. I shot this frame of Stina with a 100mm Macro lens on my Canon 5D mk2.

Please feel free to comment on these shots.

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I met Paul, a fashion portrait photographer at Focus on Imaging and asked If I could shoot a few portraits of him. I chose to use my newly acquired Fuji X-Pro1 and my trusty Elinchrom Quadra. Test shoots for me are all about trying new styles and techniques. Some work and some fail. I certainly found a jpeg workflow unforgiving so I’m glad I used my Hoodman Loupe at the shooting stage to set the exposure. Enjoy

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03. I used the Elinchrom Quadra for all these pictures. I also wanted to explore negative space in my composition.

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05. Here is a behind the scenes shot showing my Quadra head on a Lovegrove Avenger boom arm. The kit is super portable and especially so when I have an assistant and second shooter like Johnny Holden

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10. I'd never have had the courage to shoot such severe lighting and extreme composition for a client but now I think it works - just.

My thanks go to Paul Clifford and Johnny Holden for being up for it and sharing some good times.

Please feel free to comment below.

01. The gorgeous Charlotte Roest Ellis captured with my 100mm macro lens on a Canon 5Dmk2.

I’m finally catching up with my blogging. Here are a few frames from recent studio lighting workshops, 1:1 sessions and the occasional test shoot. They are not all masterpieces but if something inspires you or triggers a thought or idea then they have done their job.

02. One light.

Why not join me and just two other delegates on my next studio lighting workshop on the 10th of May. Details are here.

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10. Stina Sanders, one of my favourite models and the star of my forthcoming 'Simply Boudoir' video.

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13. Shots 1-13 were all taken with one light. This one of Raphaella McNamara captures her delicate beauty.

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25. Sarune is wonderfully edgy and fashionable.

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There you are, a few shoots that I’d forgotten about and a few frames that I wanted to publish. I’m loving the principal subject areas lurking in the shadows in 5, 6, 13 and 23. I love the isolation and despair in 27 and the feisty strength of Sarune in 25.

Please feel free to comment below.

A simple pattern pulled from Google and modified in Photoshop was used as the source image to my data projector. I used a 3000 lumens, DLP projector with a resolution of 1400 pixels x 1050 pixels. Since I took this shot I have now bought a new LCD projector with 1920 pixels x 1200 pixels and 4200 Lumens. DLP is not great for colour photography because it forces a slow shutter speed in order to get an even colour rendition. LCD is better.

Francesca is standing in front of my dark grey studio wall and is wearing a black leotard and tights.

A simple bar code pattern is a great background in it's own right.

Spots.

I’m going to develop these ideas and create more stripey and patterned bodyscapes. I can live edit the light using Photoshop brushes so anything is possible. Please feel free to comment.

01. Chloe Tweedie was my fabulous model for this workshop. I lit this scene with a Lupo 800 spotlight to simulate the sun.

Working with the Lupo was simple and effective as we could all shoot together from different angles and we could see what we were getting all the time. I shot with my Fuji X100  in aperture priority mode and my Canon 5D mk 2 in Manual. This kind of mix and match keeps my brain active. The low key shots taken in the afternoon challenged the ideas and shooting methods the most. Take a look at a few of my frames

02. To keep everyone happy I've included some monochrome and colour pictures in this set. I try to minimise the colours in my scene and the clothing to keep the gamut small. My preference is monochrome for this kind of shoot.

Make up was by Vicki Waghorn. I can’t begin to stress how important Vicki is on my team. She is a good friend to the models, a great make up and hair artist and keeps a check on me too.

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07. A switch of light and shooting position covered all the bases and eventualities of lighting a bed scene with one Lupolux 800.

08. A top shot taken on the X100.

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11. A beauty shot taken into the light.

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14. I got to light this scene with the new Lupolux Quad soft light. It is a very versatile rigid soft light. There is no soft box to assemble it is just plug and play.

15. By shooting into the light and being careful with the exposure some subtle shadow tones can start to become interesting.

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17. Shot using natural light. It's all about controlling the light and creating a mood.

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21. We even had a cheek triangle moment.

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25. I then brought out my in camera softening device and gave the delegates the chance to give it a go. It stems from the time before Photoshop when what I shot in camera is what made it onto the transparency. I still like to use this home-made device today some 25 years after I made it. It is perfect for ballet shoots. I used the new Lupolux Quad to light the gorgeous Chloe.

26. Negative space delivers isolation. My magic water reflector and the Lupolux 1200 light was put to good use in the adjacent bedroom.

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29. I love smouldering looks in the shadows. Just enough detail to deliver a great print and an interesting shadow too.

30. Here it is in colour. The point of light is from a distant Lupolux Quad brought into play to control shadow contrast.

31. I used a Lupolux 1200 and my Venetian blind to light this sequence.

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These shots represent just one half of the one day workshop. Martin’s shots will get blogged soon. I’m excited to see how he got on. We had a great buzz at Kingscotte house and we’d love you to join us on the next ‘Into The Light‘ workshop. You will find a cheeky 11 minute video of me here using a Lupolux light to light a bed scene with the amazing Stina Sanders.

Please feel free to comment on these pictures or discuss the day if you were lucky enough to have been there.

Melissa and her reflection created in-camera on the streets of Bristol.

Todays blog is all in colour to contrast with my recent all monochrome set shot in the same locations but with different background choices. I love shooting with Melissa, she has a spirit and energy that is so refreshing. Enjoy

2. We met for coffee at 09.30 and then started with a simple sunlight set up across the street from the coffee house.

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5. I then rigged the Lastolite Ezybox and a Speedlight. 1/8th power was all we needed for this simple shot.

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07. Reflected sunlight was in plentiful supply. I spotted this patch about ten minutes before we shot it as it had yet to move into the right place for us.

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09. Colour harmony and contrasts were considered and planned for throughout the day.

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13. A trust and strong rapport makes a good portrait great. It helps to look this gorgeous too. 100mm f/2.8 macro lens at f/2.8. Notice I focussed on Melissa's mouth. It is a mouth we look to for communication. I used to focus on the nearest eye in my portraiture but now I'm not so sure. This works for me.

14. I love to make shooting fun. The quality of delegates and the energy in this group especially made the day whizz by.

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30. After lunch and a mini shoot in a Bristol bar we went back out into the mini heat wave for some more urban street shooting.

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33. It always amazes me that some photographers avoid full sunlight. I love it.

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There they are, my first Urban Portraits workshop pictures of 2012. I won’t be blogging every shoot but I’d love you to join me for what is a wonderful adventure within a 400m radius.  Please feel free to comment on the pictures or the day if you were lucky enough to be with us.

1. Amina and Sadia

About once a week at the moment I’m teaching shooting skills on a 1 to 1 basis. This set of shots were taken in my studio last week using basic Elinchrom kit or Dedo lights owned by my client. This journey of evolution for my client is as exciting for me as it is for him. I wanted to share some colour and energy pictures with you as my blog is looking a bit bland with the current mono look. Enjoy

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4. Vicky Waghorn, my make up artist, working her magic.

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7. Dedo lights bring this set of shots alive. We used 4 Dedos in this rig.

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19. Never underestimate a 100mm macro lens. It has the power to change your perspective in a scene.

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The life of a photographer is a priviledged one punctuated with beauty, opportunity and creativity. I try never to take it for granted. Please feel free to comment on this shoot.

1. Johanna Ormsby and Chris Gregory were our couple for the day. We had lots of fun moments together. A splash of manual flash from a Speedlight made this shot one for the album.

I usually post just a selection of 20 to 40 pictures from my workshops to whet the appetite of future delegates but this time I thought I’d blog the lot. Here are 80 of my pictures taken on the Photographing Couples workshop held in Bristol last week.

On my Photographing Couples workshop I teach how to pose and create moments of fun. I unleash my repertoire and show how to link poses to form a flow of shooting opportunities from each set up. I show how to be prolific and how to shoot for albums with the end product in mind. Most of all, on the day it’s about finding and using great light. A lot of these pictures were shot in areas where no obvious picture opportunities exist. Others were shot in places where an abundance of opportunities could confuse and hamper the shoot.

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The 80 shots here represent the set that I’d show a client in a private projected viewing at my studio. The viewings take place the same day as the shoots and clients regularly buy albums. An album of 60 images is easily possible from this collection.

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This is the half way point.

As you see, I try to achieve consistency rather than creating a few knockout images. Julie and I have always shoot a plethora of saleable images and that has been the key to our success. It’s important to shoot for the client and not to shoot for the appraisal of fellow photographers. This piece of advice alone changed our lives in 2002. Julie and I stopped shooting for awards and competitions and we concentrated on shooting for our customers. The results were fantastic. We spent 10 years with our heads down under the radar serving our clients. We never applied for an Associateship or Fellowship but we enjoyed a richly rewarded life instead.

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These pictures were all taken within a 400m radius of our starting point. I try to keep my client experience fabulous even if it is raining. I have a shooting route for bad weather too.  There are about 20 or so shots here that I think would not make the cut for an album but I like to let the client choose their favourites. What shot is your favourite? Mine is 48 taken on my Fuji X100.

I limit my shooting couples workshops to just 5 delegates to ensure everyone has a fabulous learning opportunity. There is no need to move on to the next set up until everyone has the shots they need. Places are nearly always available for a Photographing Couples workshop because as one date fills up we add another. click here for more information. Join me on a shooting workshop this spring/ summer.

Please feel free to comment on the day, the pictures or the process of shooting couples.

Damien Lovegrove.

01. Tiffany in the Paris room lit with a pair of Lupolux lights. An 800 via a reflector on Tiffany's back and a 1200 through the window to simulate sunlight.

Once again the location for the day was the amazing Park Studio run by Bernhard Frei and Stephan Glathe. Stephan is a master beauty photographer in his own right and I am grateful to him for letting me loose in his hand crafted sets. Here are a few of my pictures. Our model was Tiffany Sachs from Seka Models. It is worth noting that Tiffany is the current miss Germany runner-up and it is not hard to see why.

Make up was by Anika Eisenschmidt of Alba Frei beauty.

02. A window sill was my first location for Tiffany. I took this frame on my Fuji X100.

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04. A close up shot directed by one of my accomplished delegates.

Femme Fatale is all about the alluring nature of women. Boudoir, on the other hand tends to have little or no emotion and often relies on anonymity to work well. Put too much emotion or the wrong type of look into the pictures and the whole genre can slip into glamour. I mixed and matched my work a little to suit my delegates.

05. A splash of Lupolux as a keylight.

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07. A Lupolux 1200 and my venetian blind kit was used to subtly add to the daylight in the studio.

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09. I used a Pair of Lupolux daylight balanced lamps to blend with the tungsten balanced floor lamp in the Miami set.

10. Anika did wonders with Tiffany's hair, It's like a cascade.

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12. Simple reflected soft light from behind the camera and a hard back light were used for this beauty shot.

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16. A classic Lovegrove beauty shot lit with a Lupolux.

17. The Paris room was in the cellar too. Firing a Lupolux light through net curtains is a great sun simulator.

18. A dappled gobo on my Lupolux 1200 gave this shot the distinct patternation.

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20. A crazy mirror and a Lupo made an interesting lighting design.

I have found that in most circumstances the most beautiful and sensual images tend to be the least revealing in terms of clothing. I gauge the moment and select clothes to suit my model or client. The best shots come from the most relaxed and confident moments. Sheer fabrics and implied nude poses make for great pictures.

Stephan has kindly invited me back to Stuttgart to rerun these workshops at his amazing studio facilities. I felt that both models worked well and by the end of each day I’d struck a good rapport with them. I’d be happy to re book either of them and indeed Wlada my other favourite German model. If you would like to be part of these workshops please do contact Blaise my PA for more information. If demand is there, I will return.

Blaise is always open to suggestions so if you have access to a fabulous location and can help arrange a workshop please do get in touch.

Please feel free to comment on these pictures below.