Adele and Jamie on the streets of Manchester ~ pictures

1 comment May 18th, 2013 08:30am damien

01. Wonderful energy, friendship and love are the perfect ingredients for a fabulous couples portrait.

Here is a collection of pictures from my recent ‘Passion on the Streets’ workshop in Manchester. I have popped a behind the scenes shot into the set to show you how I use a reflector. Enjoy (more…)

Urban Portraits in Manchester with Carla Monaco ~ pictures

5 comments May 12th, 2013 02:41pm damien

01. A single bare faced Speedlight was all we used for this set of pictures. We used it off camera here but later on you will see creative shots taken with the flash on camera.

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Kate-G Portfolio shoot

1 comment April 19th, 2013 09:13pm damien

01. Kate is one of those models that truly shines through any shoot. I used just an Elinchrom Quadra flash head for this simple shot.

I shoot model portfolios from time to time and here are 12 frames from a recent studio session. (more…)

Lighting winter weddings in castles with the Lowel iD and Lovegrove Gemini systems

3 comments April 8th, 2013 10:35am damien

01. Hopetoun House in all it’s splendour. I lit Siobhán with a Lowel iD light on a Lastolite Jupiter stand.

I am given various challenges as part of my day to day photography training business but none are tougher than this one. My long term clients Alan and Jackie Rankine flew me up to Edinburgh to give two days of 1:1 tuition in January. The theme was lighting winter wedding portraits and groups in castles and stately homes. I was faced with that classic combination of heavy rain on a bitter wind barely illuminated by what little daylight there was in January that far North. Here are some of the magical pictures we created at Dundas Castle and Hopetoun House (more…)

Julia Sophie Liela on the streets of Munich ~ portraits with the Fuji X100

7 comments April 6th, 2013 06:25pm damien

01. Both of these shots were lit with a pair of Nikon SB900 Speedlights firing into a 105cm silver parabolic umbrella mounted in a Lovegrove Gemini bracket on a Lastolite Jupiter stand. It’s my usual street kit for non windy days. Unfortunately it was windy and I could have done with a 50cm brolly instead.

Munich is colourful and vibrant when the sun is out. Radmila and I went to Starbucks for 10am in the centre of town to meet up with Julia, our model for the day. After warming up over coffee we exited the cafe by the back door and ventured into the park. Within seconds we were shooting. Here is a selection of the images I shot on my trusty Fuji X100 (more…)

Wlada Schuler in the studio with the X-Pro1

2 comments April 6th, 2013 09:52am damien

01. Creativity overflowing in Munich. I lit Wlada with a Lupolux 1200 HMI fresnel spotlight with a Lovegrove ‘Alto’ gobo gel clipped to the barn doors to add the dappled effect. Wlada wears a fabulous hand made corset by Lisa Keating. I provided the tutu skirt to complete the look.

Creating fun moments and capturing them with a good sense of timing is what it’s all about. In this post I’m sharing a few sequences that I shot last week in Munich from a 1:1 studio boudoir tutorial with Radmila Kerl followed by a studio lighting workshop for six delegates. Here is a selection of the images we created.

These pictures have only been through Lightroom and have not been Photoshoped. The beauty, love, and fun you see here is real. NSFW after the jump. (more…)

Carla Monaco in the landscape and ruins of Fuerteventura ~ nsfw

25 comments March 15th, 2013 06:19pm damien

01. Carla Monaco wears a sheer silk chiffon dress designed by Lisa Keating. I lit Carla with an Elinchrom Quadra and a Maxi Spot 40cm 29º Reflector. Fuji X-Pro1 with 18-55mm lens at f/6.4, 1/125th second using ISO 200. I used a three stop ND filter to keep the lens at a sensible aperture.

Model: Carla Monaco
Photography: Damien Lovegrove
Styling: Carla Monaco, Lisa Keating and Damien Lovegrove
Make up: Carla Monaco

NSFW after the jump (more…)

Chloe Jasmine Whichello in the studio ~ Pictures

13 comments February 4th, 2013 03:06pm damien

01. Classic looks and locks lit with crisp hard light. Priceless.

Here are a selection of my pictures from a 1 to 1 training session with my friend and fellow photographer Aneil Sharma. Aneil booked Chloe Jasmine, created the mood boards and styled the shoot. Vicki Waghorn designed the hairstyles and did the makeup and I was left to recreate the lighting looks from Aneil’s mood boards. This is what we got up to (more…)

6 studio shots of Katy McGee

10 comments February 1st, 2013 04:13pm damien

1. Katy McGee lit with one light in my latest etherial style.

Hair and make up by the fab Jenny Davies
All corsets and accessories by: Lisa Keating

I’ve been shooting this ‘light and bright’ style for a while now in my studio. I used this shoot to work on the background proximity options. (more…)

Bridal Fashion Workshop with Carla Monaco ~ Pictures

24 comments January 25th, 2013 10:38pm damien

1. The beautiful Carla Monaco lit with a single Lupolux Quadlight 1500 with the new grid attachment. Heavenly light for a classical look.

I shot all of these 33 pictures using the Fujifilm X-Pro1 with the 18-55mm zoom lens and a Tiffen (more…)

Fujifilm X Creative shoot/ workshop in Manchester

8 comments January 19th, 2013 11:12pm damien

1. Model Jenny Cooper in the corridors of power. Lit with a Lupo Dayled 1000 spotlight.

Here is a small selection of the pictures I shot on my Fuji X100 at last weeks workshop in Manchester. Chris Hanley joined me in teaching 12 delegates our style of interior portrait shooting. We secured the fabulous Hilton Cloud 23 bar for the shoot and had full Hilton hospitality. (more…)

Fallen Angel™ ~ A concept by Damien Lovegrove

5 comments January 19th, 2013 12:16am damien

01. Lea Reah is the most beautiful striking angel for my project.

I have long been fascinated by the suffering and pain that some people can muster in expression. Great actors and people with character seem blessed with a way of communicating that has a depth far deeper than I can ever imagine the source. My life has been largely free from pain and suffering on a surface level but I have a very shallow emotional plateau. I have tears streaming down my face Just writing this blog. My hard shell poorly disguises a soft vulnerable interior. I am very close to the edge sometimes but I have a knack of avoiding the spiral of doom. My life is lived on a level above the norm guided by a freakish positive force that seems rarely to elude me. I’m lucky. I’ve seen many people who rarely surface, let alone reach their potential. Their enduring misery is not the subject of this post however. I want a fictional narrative to provide the shell that protects me from the harsh realities I am not equipped to empathise with. This is ‘Maiden Flight™’ and ‘Fallen Angel™’.

The working narrative:

A young, beautiful, vulnerable girl leaves/ is driven out/ or abandons her home. The first escape/ exposure to a harsh reality. The pull of the demons within leaves her destitute/ without friends/ abused/ homeless/ dependent or addicted. The maiden has fallen. Her character strengthens, her resolve deepens, she toughens up and surfaces a triumphant yet hardened person. She has identity and discovers herself. She is an artist expressing herself through dance and music. Her expressive talent is a result of the torment and strength her circumstances have dealt her. Her art transcends the intellectual and without academic achievement she achieves greatness. A Phoenix rising from the ashes.

02. My angel has fallen.

I set out to create a photographic essay that characterises the narrative and here are a selection of pictures from my first shoot with the amazing Lea Reah. Make up for the Maiden Flight™ section was provided by Vicki Waghorn. (more…)

Abi in room 402

8 comments December 18th, 2012 05:30pm damien

1. Abi warming up between shoots/ sheets. You can see her smile in her eyes.

Part 2 of 12 hours in room 402. Part 1 and the background story is here. The morning after our shoot with Agata, Abi arrived from Gingersnap model agency in Bristol. I’ve not shot with Abi before and she was a delight to work with. Here is a small selection of our shots. (more…)

Holly Smith ~ test shoot

8 comments December 16th, 2012 01:22am damien

01. Silky tones harmonise with wonderful curves in this shot of Holly Smith wearing a bespoke corset made by Lisa Keating. Taken with the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 lens on my Canon 5D mk2 camera.

I am in the process of fine tuning my studio lighting for shooting lingerie, boudoir and fashion collections. It’s all about the greys in this shoot. 50 shades of grey is just not enough (more…)

Photographing Couples video is released

13 comments December 3rd, 2012 04:52pm damien

Here are a selection of the pictures taken during the making of the Photographing Couples video. I photographed two couples, one in an urban environment and the other in parkland to create a body of work that shows exactly how I pose, light and shoot my couples pictures. Over 600,000 visits to the posing couples pages on this blog triggered the project that is now finally complete. (more…)

10 step guide to using the Elinchrom Quadra in full sun

8 comments November 23rd, 2012 05:27pm damien

01. I lit Katy using the Elinchrom Quadra. This was taken on Fuerteventura in March 2012 on our recce for the 2013 workshop on the island. I happened to use the Fujifilm X100 for this shot at sundown.

This post answers one of my most frequently asked questions about working with flash on location. Your digital camera screen can show you exactly how the highlights and shadows are rendered in the scene far better than a light meter and some guess work So it’s the camera screen that forms the basis of our measurement system. I spent more of my life shooting film with light meters than I have shooting digital but the day I switched to digital my light meter was the first thing to go.

Here are my 10 steps to success to shooting in sunlight with the Elinchrom Quadra (more…)

Fashion Fusion workshop ~ Day 1 pictures

16 comments November 9th, 2012 02:39pm damien

01. I lit Katie Green with a pair of Speedlights. The direction and motivation of the lighting is so very important when creating natural looking shots.

Here are a selection of my pictures from day one of this lavish two day workshop. I’ve added some lighting and style notes for good measure too.
(more…)

Monochrome magic with Chloe Jasmine Whichello

12 comments November 8th, 2012 01:48pm damien

01. It was fabulous shooting with Chloe Jasmine once again.

Here are a set of pictures from my recent Urban Portraits workshop in Bristol. It was my last street workshop of the year and the first Urban Portraits workshop that I have run on a Sunday. (more…)

Couples pictures and poses

12 comments November 4th, 2012 05:03pm damien

Here is a selection of the 80 or so pictures I shot while leading one of my photographing couples workshops in the UK. I keep the delegate numbers to just 6 so that everyone gets a good opportunity to shoot each setup. We used just one Speedlight or natural light for these pictures. (more…)

Portraits in the ruins of Spain with the Fuji X-Pro1 ~ pictures and techniques

27 comments October 12th, 2012 08:45pm damien

01. Natalia Warner lit with a single Speedlight in a Lovegrove Gemini bracket with a 30cm silver umbrella. 18mm lens, 1/125th second at f/11.

Every year I run a few spectacular workshops abroad somewhere in the sun and always at visually inspiring locations. This year it was the turn of southern Spain and the area around Cartegena. We ran a similar workshop in 2011 and centered that event around an abandoned monastery. This year we used other abandoned locations including a mineral extraction factory, a military barracks, and mine buildings. Here are a selection of my pictures and the settings I used to create them (more…)

Studio workshop with Rohini ~ Sequences that sell

9 comments October 6th, 2012 11:27pm damien

01.

Every now and then I come across a character asking to be set free and that’s just what we did on this studio lighting workshop. Rohini from Gingersnap model agency is utterly gorgeous and fizzing with verve. (more…)

Shoot for LK Bespoke bridal featuring Victoria Lindsay Coutts

14 comments September 15th, 2012 11:14pm damien

01. Victoria wears a bridal corset and skirt by Lisa Keating. Lit with a bare faced Elinchrom Quadra.

Here are a dozen frames for our mini test shoot featuring a few pieces of corsetry by the fabulous Lisa Keating. Makeup was by Vicki Waghorn and our model was Victoria Lindsay Coutts. (more…)

Curvy Boudoir with Alexandra Watts

13 comments September 7th, 2012 09:27pm damien

In a bid to put balance into my product offering  this summer I chose to run a curvy boudoir workshop with a fabulous size 16 girl. Alexandra Watts stepped forward and agreed to model for me. I couldn’t have been blessed with a more gorgeous model and here are a few images from my set. All the shots are in colour this time despite shooting them all on my Fuji X-Pro1 in monochrome on the day.

01. Legs, curves and heals. The currency of fabulousness.

My take on the size issue is (more…)

Couples photography poses, ideas and inspiration

14 comments July 19th, 2012 05:27pm damien

01. The kiss.  Shot into the light, softly posed, purposeful yet delicate, anticipation of the perfect moment. I see so many kiss shots as a wedding photography tutor yet rarely do they work as they should. Love, intimacy and sensitivity are the real subjects of the shot, not the process of kissing.

Here are 40 of my shots from last weeks Photographing Couples workshop. I took 5 delegates on a tour around the streets of Bristol and we shot our couple en route. I used one Speedlight in manual mode on a lighting stand for some of the shots and the rest were lit with natural light. It rained almost all day but we worked under cover, in bars and with umbrellas. (more…)

A few frames of Dagmara Kojda

1 comment July 19th, 2012 12:32pm damien

01. The beautiful Dagmara lit with one Elinchrom BXRi 500 light in my studio. Shot on a Nikon D700 with a 24-70mm lens.

These frames are just a few from a recent 1:1 training session I gave. My client has a small studio in London with four flash heads, 2 Elinchrom and 2 Bowens. She uses a Nikon D700 with various pro lenses. I matched the kit we used on this training day with her kit so that everything we shot could be easily recreated in her own studio in town. (more…)

Model Elle Richie in a Lovegrove boudoir shoot with the X-Pro1

19 comments July 11th, 2012 10:13pm damien

01. Fabulous beauty captured with my new favourite lens: the 60mm from Fujifilm. It has finally taken over from my Canon 100mm macro for that accolade. I lit Elle Richie with the new Lupolux DayLED 1000 LED Fresnel spotlight.

The occasion was my second boudoir workshop at Old Down Manor in Gloucestershire. The brief I set for the event was to shoot with either natural light or one artificial light source. I had a Speedlight with a Lastolite Ezybox and a Lupolux DayLED 1000 Fresnel spotlight to make this shoot come alive. (more…)

Boudoir ideas test shoot

2 comments July 3rd, 2012 01:45pm damien

Every now and then I test a new location or string of ideas ahead of a workshop and here are a few images from a recent boudoir test with Charlotte Roest Ellis. We went for a darker more melancholy feel to the images. Charlotte is represented by the fabulous Gingersnap model agency in Bristol. The styling and make up is by Charlotte.

01

(more…)

Urban Portraits in Manchester with just one Speedlight

20 comments July 1st, 2012 10:10pm damien

01. A slash of flash from a single Speedlight and a slash of sunlight make this dramatic figure in the landscape shot.

My Urban Portraits workshop has been running for five years now and in that time I have been fortunate enough to have taught in many cities throughout the world. I have settled on just two cities (more…)

Boudoir ~ Workshop pictures

11 comments June 26th, 2012 07:06pm damien

01. A high viewpoint gives a different perspective and changes the mood of the shot. I held my Fuji X-Pro1 with the 35mm f/1.4 lens above my head and composed using the rear screen. Other delegates used a chair or my step ladder to gain the height advantage.

Here are a few frames from my first simply boudoir workshop. This event is a one light workshop and I change the light source from time to time. I used a variety of Lupo lights and a single modified Speedlight. The emphasis was definately on keeping it simple. (more…)

42 hours in Venice with the Fuji X-Pro1

11 comments June 25th, 2012 10:05pm damien

01. Meet Cirila Zorenc. Cirila is the kind and patient model we had booked for our two street portrait sessions. Cirila is tall, very tall, so I held my X-Pro1 above my head and used the rear LCD to frame this shot. Chris and I wanted to be inspired by the great Renaissance painters of Venice so I set my white balance to 6300K and started shooting. We worked with pools of light and where none existed we made them ourselves using a pair of Speedlights on a Lovegrove Gemini bracket.

Nothing quite prepares you for your first visit to Venice. It is like no other place on earth, Venice is simply glorious. The title of this post should include ‘and my mate Chris Hanley’ at the end. Chris and I had a job to do and this is the story of our mini adventure all in the name of work. (more…)

Urban Portraits workshop in Bristol ~ Charlotte Roest-Ellis & X-Pro1

10 comments May 16th, 2012 03:36pm damien

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… (more…)

A few shots by Martin Hill from the recent ‘Into The Light’ workshop

4 comments May 16th, 2012 12:58pm damien

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… (more…)

Interior portraits with just Speedlights or natural light ~ X-Pro1

7 comments May 12th, 2012 05:38pm damien

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 (more…)

Fujifilm X-Pro1 First findings

47 comments May 7th, 2012 02:00am damien

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. (more…)

On the streets with Colleen Deary and a Speedlight

14 comments May 3rd, 2012 12:02am damien

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. (more…)

Stina Sanders on location ~ Lit with Elinchrom Quadra

7 comments April 25th, 2012 09:59pm damien

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. (more…)

A Test shoot in Bristol with Paul Clifford ~ Quadra & X-Pro1

6 comments April 25th, 2012 09:34pm damien

01.

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 (more…)

A few studio frames from recent shoots

4 comments April 25th, 2012 09:12pm damien

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. (more…)

Melissa Walton (now Wells) stars in Urban Portraits

9 comments April 4th, 2012 11:23pm damien

Congratulations go to Melissa for her recent marriage to Ryan. They both featured in shots 1-9 on this blog post here. Their wedding was shot by my buddy and top photographer Simon York and his pictures of Melissa and Ryan’s wedding grace 6 pages of this weeks Hello magazine

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 (more…)

A few 1 to 1 shoot pictures in colour

8 comments April 4th, 2012 12:17am damien

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 (more…)

Posing Couples ~ 80 pictures and poses

95 comments April 2nd, 2012 10:59pm damien

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. (more…)

Stuttgart studio workshop ~ Pictures

9 comments March 29th, 2012 08:07pm damien

The Stuttgart sessions 2012 – Part 1

1. A single Lupolux 1200 light with a simple modifier and an in camera white balance shift was all I used for this striking shot of Patricia Vitacca taken on my Fuji X100. (I was on a set of step ladders looking down to the floor. Patricia's legs were up the wall)

Day 1 of 2 in Stuttgart was a studio lighting workshop using the fabulous resources and facilities at the Park Studio. Our model was Patricia from Seka Models. Makeup and hair was by Anika Eisenschmidt of Alba Frei beauty. Here are 30 of my images (more…)

Cherish The Dress™ workshop for Evolve 3 ~ pictures

21 comments March 17th, 2012 09:51pm damien

I can’t believe we’ve finally finished Evolve 3. What started as a group of 10 studios/ photographers soon became 7. The 7 survivors then embarked upon a fast paced business growth programme that included plenty of shoot training as well as business development days and they are now equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed. This has just been the first part of the journey that will take them into successful careers with the right application of effort on their part.

01. I Lit Chris and Sarah with an Elichrom Quadra and a Speedlight.

One Evolve 3 delegate has experienced a meteoric rise in the wedding photography echelons and I expect great things from the others too. The pictures here form half of the set we shot as a group at the Manchester Hilton last week. I was joined by Chris Hanley from Evolve 1 to teach our unique styles of speed lighting interior portraits. The delegates were in two groups and rotated between Chris and I so that they all got to shoot everything. Chris’s pictures will follow no doubt, but for now here is my set. (more…)

Boudoir on location kept simple ~ pictures and techniques

9 comments March 16th, 2012 09:58pm damien

01. Simple window light given the Lovegrove treatment was all that we used for this shot. Colour harmonies and minimal colour gamut make uncomplicated pictures.

The project: To teach my clients simple lighting for boudoir on location using an Elinchrom Quadra, a Lupo 800 and natural daylight.

My Clients, a young couple with a new studio stayed in the apartment rooms that Blaise, my PA had secured for the shoot. With an excited anticipation we embarked on a creative journey with twists and turns along the way. Here are a few of our pictures. (more…)

Illuminating Portraits workshop ~ pictures

22 comments January 31st, 2012 01:22pm damien

Last week I ran a couple of workshops using just Speedlights to light interior portraits in response to demand highlighted in our recent questionairre. It seems that most photographers have at least one Speedlight and so I decided to show what can be achieved with this little yet powerful light source.

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. (more…)

Fuerteventura portraits and adventure 2012 ~ part 2

17 comments January 22nd, 2012 09:58pm damien

Here are 54 of Martin’s pictures from our adventure. Click here for part 1, the full story about this shoot, 54 of my pictures and details about the next Fuerventura workshop.

01. Katy McGee against a warm desert sky.

Enjoy… (more…)

Fuerteventura portraits and adventure 2012 ~ part 1

22 comments January 19th, 2012 11:32pm damien

“Success happens when preparation meets opportunity”

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 (more…)

IQ ~ A back to basics guide to photographic image quality

34 comments January 7th, 2012 01:23am damien

Intro: I’m in no way a self proclaimed expert in these matters and I do recognise that there are many ways to make pictures and systems to use that differ from the ones I’ve highlighted in this feature. However, I do produce prints with a high image quality and the processes that I use work for me. I do hope you can find them useful too.

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.

(more…)

The Best Photographs of 2011 ~ by Damien Lovegrove

21 comments December 30th, 2011 12:03am damien

The past 12 months have been a challenge for most photographers eking out a living in a contracting market. It’s been tough on some counts but all this economic turmoil has given us the perfect excuse to explore new markets, change the products we offer and to push forward into uncharted waters. Art and humanity have always made great progress in times of trouble, when they have been forced to take on new directions.

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 (more…)

A random collection of recent studio photographs

21 comments December 22nd, 2011 07:18pm damien

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. (more…)

A sample chapter ~ Lighting Studio Portraits, double DVD by Damien Lovegrove

7 comments November 30th, 2011 03:35pm damien

This is a sample chapter using just one Studio Flash head at a distance of one metre from Chloe Jasmine Whichello. (more…)

Urbex Portraits ~ A test shoot

14 comments November 25th, 2011 12:46pm damien

01. Don't shoot me.

Here are a few fun portraits taken alongside my friend and ‘Evolver’ Marc Godfree. We shot at a local derelict institution using two Speedlights, an umbrella and a pair of lightweight stands with Gemini brackets. The Speedlights were set in manual mode and triggered using Pocket Wizard Plus 2 units. (more…)

Speedlights for interior portraits ~ Pictures

23 comments November 20th, 2011 07:22pm damien

01.

It’s been a while since I’ve used just Speedlights with a splash of ambient to light interior portraits. I’ve had several requests for a workshop that specifically covers using Speedlights and balancing them with interior ambient light. So my team decided (more…)

Spain 2011 ~ The Lovegrove Workshop ~ Part 4

2 comments November 18th, 2011 11:28pm damien

Here is a selection of the pictures taken by my friend and fellow tutor Martin Hill on our latest workshop in Spain last month.

The full story and the previous pictures are in these posts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

Martin has since been in India photographing a fabulous wedding and has just processed these wonderful images for my blog. Enjoy…

01.

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Spain 2011 ~ The Lovegrove Workshop ~ Part 3

27 comments November 1st, 2011 08:19pm damien

Day three in Spain was a creative day for Martin and I. We invited two other shooters who have invested heavily in previous workshops to join us and we headed back to the Monastery for another shoot. I don’t think I could ever tire of the place. We took Katy and Maca with us and started shooting around 11am.

01C. Katy in the grass - I love the visual poetry captured with the 100mm lens wide open at f/2.8

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Spain 2011 ~ The Lovegrove workshop ~ part 2

10 comments October 31st, 2011 08:46pm damien

Day two of the workshop started with us all recalling the stories of the night before where a little Gecko had made an impact on some of the party. We met in the hotel lobby at 9am and journeyed to our first quarry location about 20 minutes drive away. Martin and I had identified the first location on our recce trip back in February and the second location was found by Mickie Imrie, a local photographer who acted as our contact throughout the planning stages and accompanied us on the shoot.

Martin’s shots will get blogged when he returns from shooting a wedding in India.

01C. The day started at the head of a disused mine. I photographed Katy into the sun with my 100mm lens.

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Spain 2011 ~ The Lovegrove workshop ~ part 1

24 comments October 30th, 2011 11:32pm damien

Where do I start? This event was always a highlight on my 2011 calendar and it didn’t disappoint. Shooting and teaching alongside my friend and fellow expert photographer Martin Hill is always a delight. Working with fab models Katy McGee and Maca Serano made our vision of life so beautiful too. All we needed was a great set of locations, a bit of sunshine, delegates who like to party and we were on it.

1C. I found a Stop sign in the undergrowth and I used it to add a graphical element to this sassy shot of Maca.

Blaise, my PA came out to Spain with us and performed all organising duties as well as providing us with lunch on location each day. With the organising taken care of it was easy to get passionate about the photography. Martin was set with the task of teaching and leading the group with the ‘big picture’ while I opted for texture and beauty details. We often swapped roles but the big location shots from day 1 will be in Martin’s set of pictures that I will post when he gets back from his wedding shoot in India. For now I give you 40 of my shots from day 1 (more…)

Test shoot with Naomi Pilgrim ~ Pictures and Techniques with Quadra

10 comments October 21st, 2011 11:56pm damien

The sun was behind me when I took this shot of Naomi Pilgrim. I used an Elinchrom Quadra rigged above and beyond Naomi to create a virtual sun in this shot. (Click on the more link to see the behind the scenes info). This was my chosen pose for Naomi as she reclined bathed in the light from my Quadra flash. Chris Hanley decided she needed boots by her side for some reason

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Wedding Photography Workshop ~ Dillington House

8 comments October 4th, 2011 11:02pm damien

1. One of Julie's pictures from yesterdays wedding photography workshop.

As the summer wedding season draws to a close we had just one last spell of fabulous weather for our shooting weddings workshop. These events are limited to just 4 delegates per tutor and with an overall group size of 8 delegates it is easy for everyone to get their shots without feeling hassled. (more…)

Kosibah ~ The 20th anniversary bridal collection photographed by Damien Lovegrove

20 comments October 1st, 2011 01:24pm damien

Designer: Yemi Osunkoya
Photographer: Damien Lovegrove
Models: Rosemary Chileshe-Ellis, Lisette Mibo, Naomi Sharpe and Olivia Wood.
Make-up: Kemi Imevbore-Uwaga
Hair: Kasia Fortuna
Tiaras/Head pieces: Claire Ogden
Photgraphy Assistant/ second shooter Adam Dunn
Venue: Room 17 at the Hempel Hotel in London

1. I went for a mixed colour temperature look throughout the set but changed the setting and lighting design to provide variety whilst mainting a style strategy.

I lit the dresses with a pair of Lupos, daylight balanced HMI fresnel spotlights, one with a full CTO and the other barefaced. I lit the room with a pair of Elinchrom BX500Ri flash heads bounced off walls with various grades of CTO gel as required fot the particular shot. It was a dark day with persistent driving rain so all the light had to be created from scratch. Here is a small selection of the 170 or so pictures submitted to Yemi my client. (more…)

Random collection of recent work ~ Pictures & Inspiration

34 comments September 11th, 2011 11:36pm damien

Here is a small selection of the recent pictures taken by me on my workshops or 1:1 sessions. I’ve been so busy shooting for clients this summer it has been a challenge to keep up. I’ll blog some of my commissioned fashion work soon but for now here is my random choice for the week.

1. A simple four light portrait of Edyta taken from eye level in my studio to capture intimacy and beauty. Contrast can be so delicately controlled with such depth because I'm not in a white studio. The fabulous make up was created by Vicky Waghorn.

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Elinchrom Quadra Lighting kit first time out ~ pictures and behind the scenes

47 comments August 24th, 2011 06:12pm damien

1. A smidgen of smoke, Holly our model for the test shoot and a Quadra flash pack down at Ladye Bay in Clevedon. The behind the scenes shots and the techniques used are detailed in the rest of the post.

My 2 ‘A’ head Quadra kit arrived on Wednesday last week and on Thursday morning I was all set to go out on my first test shoot with it. I charged both batteries in seemingly no time at all and tested the Skyport transmitter was set to the correct frequency. Photographer Andrew Jackson joined me on location. He is on my Evolve course and instigated the shoot to build his portfolio for post wedding bridal fashion shoots. (more…)

A simple guide to the Radio Popper PX system

66 comments August 2nd, 2011 12:14am damien

When I was researching Radio Poppers it was not easy for me to understand exactly how they worked and what it’s like to use them. So now I’ve put together this Radio Popper guide detailing the ins and outs of the Radio Popper PX system.

The first stock of European specification Radio Poppers arrived for testing last month. We now have plenty of sales stock available including accessories and spares. How do they work and why are we selling them? Read on.

1 Radio Poppers are contactless. That means the camera and Speedlight have no idea that the Radio Poppers are there. The camera and flash act in just the same way as they do when using the inbuilt infra red system. Every function available using infra red is also available using Radio Poppers including Full ETTL or manual firing and 1/8000th second flash synchronisation. (more…)

‘Into The Light Workshop’ part one ~ pictures and inspiration by Martin Hill

13 comments July 20th, 2011 11:23pm damien

01. The big picture. "Shoot creative pictures with impact that reflect your personal image style. Inspire, educate and share your skills with our delegates" Said Damien. those were my words of direction for my friend and collegue Martin Hill. Judging by the feedback I've been getting he didn't disapoint. As one of the UK's emerging eminent talents Martin is set for great things in our industry. In this shot Martin photographed Sarah Beaufoy at f/22, 1/250th second on his Canon 1Ds Mk3. Lighting was from a pair of Broncolor Mobil heads on this grey, overcast day.

The delegates arrived early for this “Into The Light” workshop. The call time was 09.30 but by 08.45 the first eager photographers were getting the scale of our fabulous venue. You can’t fail to be amazed at the graceful setting of Kingscotte house near Tetbury. (more…)

Urban Portraits™ in Bristol ~ Pictures and techniques

9 comments July 18th, 2011 11:59am damien

1. 1. A simple enough shot to set up once you know what to look for. Overcast conditions forced me to find a covered location with decent lighting control. A shift of white balance and a creative exposure compliments Jojo's warm expression.

I thought I’d share the thoughts and process behind the classic Lovegrove workshop that is Urban Portraits™ (more…)

Cherish The Dress™ pictures part 2 ~ The Chris Hanley collection

11 comments May 20th, 2011 11:37am damien

Following on from this post here are the 40 images by my co tutor Chris Hanley. Chris and I did battle at the beginning of the week teaching on the final Cherish The Dress workshop to be held in Manchester. The stage was the fabulous Hilton building on Deansgate. Here is a selection of 40 of Chris Hanley’s shots from the day.

Words and pictures – Chris Hanley

A favourite Chris Hanley shoot location at the Manchester Hilton.

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Cherish the Dress workshop pictures ~ part 1

20 comments May 19th, 2011 11:45pm damien

Chris Hanley and I did battle at the beginning of the week teaching on the final Cherish The Dress workshop to be held in Manchester. The stage was the fabulous Hilton building on Deansgate. Here is a selection of 40 of my shots from the day. Chris will have a bit of time to respond and to re-edit his submission accordingly. I will blog his 40 shots when they eventually arrive with me

1. Apart from a few signature shots, Chris and I agreed to shoot new images in this familiar landscape. I used a pair of barefaced Speedlights to light this shot of Natasha. The principal exercise for this picture was to select a balance of flash to ambient using just the aperture as the adjustment tool.

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1:1 shoot training session pictures and techniques

6 comments May 6th, 2011 05:30pm damien

Here are 25 shots from a recent 1:1 shoot training day for a keen amateur photographer and his daughter who is training as a make up artist. The brief was to shoot a variety of fashion style images using studio flash, continuous lighting, reflected sunlight and Speedlights on location. I’ve trained the photographer in the studio before and this was very much a refresher shoot session.

1. This shot was taken at our local beach against the cliff. It was lit with a pair of Canon 580 EX2 Speedlights attached to a Lowel Grand Stand with a Lovegrove Gemini bracket. The behind the scenes shot showing the stand and Speedlight rig is shot 21 of this set below.

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Urban Portraits shoot with Johanna Ormsby ~ pictures, lots of them.

13 comments April 16th, 2011 10:47am damien

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing Johanna Ormsby from the Gingersnap model agency in Bristol. I was giving one of my Evolve students a 1:1 shoot training day to bring them up to speed on Speedlight techniques, natural light portraiture and some advanced shooting skills in low light. The session was great fun and generated some nice portraits, some of which I blogged a couple of days ago in my Speedlight post. There were many more that have been edited so I thought I’d share 50 extras with you here…

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A portrait of Man ~ Studio pictures of men

13 comments April 14th, 2011 06:16pm damien

Dudeoir is the catch phrase but I wanted to shoot clean simple images in my studio to see what lighting styles work well for men. I booked Damion from the Gingersnap agency for a two hour test shoot to find out more. Here are my shots…

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A splash of flash ~ techniques and pictures

10 comments April 14th, 2011 03:29pm damien

Here you can see the beautiful light created by the 60cm Lastolite Easybox Hotshoe used in close proximity to the subject. I rigged the light just about one metre from Katy McGee just out of shot on the left hand side.

Using the Pocket Wizard TTL system it is possible to use any shutter speed you choose and I selected 1/2000th second for the picture above to ensure I could use my 70-200mm lens on my Nikon D700 near wide open at f/4. The fabulous soft light and shallow depth of field is a combination that a Speedlight can do so well. By placing (more…)

‘Into The Light’ by Damien Lovegrove & Martin Hill ~ Pictures

37 comments April 5th, 2011 11:58pm damien

1. This big flash shot by Martin Hill typified his style for the day's training.

2. I was shooting inside with continuous light, keeping things simple and elegant.

A new era of defining style and beauty began on Monday 28th March. Martin and I had been planning this workshop for some time. Even with all the planning a few surprises presented themselves as we took the delegates on a journey of contrasts. It was like the first night of a big show and wow what a show it was. (more…)

Test shoot in Clevedon ~ Pictures & techniques

16 comments March 26th, 2011 06:59pm damien

1. I shot this frame on the beach at Ladye Bay in Clevedon. I was looking out to sea and had a home made diffusion filter on my 100mm lens. The exposure was right off the scale in my viewfinder. Probably plus 4 stops. Interestingly you have to shoot a Canon 5D2 in Manual mode to achieve this.

Hold onto your hats

Every month I have at least one test shoot where I can try out new ideas, new models and develop my photographic skills without a risk of failure or having to stick to a tight brief. A few weeks back I was fortunate enough to have a day of shooting with former Evolvers Chris & Claire Hanley. Chris suggested a pier shoot and Blaise my PA set about getting the various permisions etc. The plan was to have a leisurely shoot on the pier, a pub lunch and a beach shoot to finish the day. Here are my pictures: (more…)

Gemini ~ the twin Speedlight bracket from Lovegrove Consulting

12 comments February 25th, 2011 04:44pm damien

Here it is at last. We have just taken delivery of our first 100 Geminis, our latest precision engineered lighting accessory. The design is simple and effective. The finish is first class and the Gemini was designed and made in England.

Gemini ~ The twin Speedlight bracket designed for use with Nikon or Canon Pocket Wizard TTL receivers.

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Spain, the recce ~ Pictures, stories and techniques, part 2

11 comments February 25th, 2011 02:15pm damien

DL 57. A single Speedlight well placed and a rather vibrant blue sky gave this picture a wow feel.

Part 2: The Quarry, coastal artillery base and cliffs

Pictures: Damien Lovegrove & Martin Hill

Models: Katy McGee & Miriam Martinez Hidalgo

Our short trip to Spain was full of surprises. Each turn of the twisty mountain road revealed another striking view of a deep blue sea under an azure blue sky. (more…)

Spain, the recce ~ Pictures, stories and techniques, part 1

44 comments February 22nd, 2011 09:34pm damien

Part 1: The abandoned monastery

Pictures: Damien Lovegrove & Martin Hill

Models: Katy McGee &  Miriam Martinez Hidalgo

We spent two weeks planning the operation. The mission was to find shooting locations, hotels, restaurants and contacts in Spain to run a workshop in October. While we were there we thought we should test the locations thoroughly. Martin and I are running a joint workshop in March (full) and we wanted to get up to speed with Speedlights on location for the coming season. We all need practice and what better way is there to do it than in sunny Spain. Here is the story of our adventure and some of the pictures from our first shoot.

DL 1. Katy in the extensive grounds at the mystery monastery. A pair of Speedlights rigged by Martin and I were used for this scene setting shot at the end of day 1. For the most part we had sun on day 1 and when it clouded over by 5.30pm we headed back to our sumptuous hotel for pre dinner drinks.

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Damien Lovegrove ~ the 2010 pictures

12 comments January 24th, 2011 10:12pm damien

A screen shot from my 2010 collection. Click on the image to visit the gallery.

I have uploaded a selection of my 2010 pictures in a gallery. This has become customary for me now in January of each year. I’ve included my EXIF data to make your journey through my shots more interesting. All the pictures were taken in 2010 between March and December. Choosing is always tough and I never seem to know which images I should select, so please forgive me if I’ve missed out your favourites. I could have just shown shots of the fabulous Chloe Jasmine Whichello and dedicated the year to her such was her impact on my evolving style. There were of course many other wonderful people that I had the pleasure of photographing too. This collection is for everyone.

Enjoy.

Speedlight kit overview and preparation

47 comments January 23rd, 2011 12:00am damien

Here is the Speedlight and location flash triggering kit I will be starting the 2011 season with. On the left is my Canon kit. In the middle is my Plus 2 trigger kit that I use for my Broncolor flash and on the right is my Nikon kit. It is worth noting that the Plus 2 kit is rarely used now because my Flex TT5 units can perform identical functionality.

I was giving some lighting training out on location all day Thursday and I had a Speedlight issue. I wanted to trigger a Canon 580EX2 on a lighting stand that was rigged just 3m from my camera. I opted for (more…)

Studio Lighting workshop with Natalia ~ Pictures

26 comments November 12th, 2010 04:28pm damien

1. Vogue, Vogue, Vogue ... Lit with a Lupo 800 HMI (150W)

Here are 24 of the pictures from my first ever studio shoot with Natalia. The shoot was a Lighting Workshop for three delegates. This small intimate group is perfect for a sensational learning experience. Make-up was provided by our house stylist, the very talented Vicky Waghorn. Enjoy the pictures…

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Chloe Jasmine Whichello ~ Studio pictures

19 comments October 14th, 2010 02:50pm damien

1. The way to Chloe's heart. Lindt Excellence Orange Intense Dark Noir Chocolate with Veuve Clicquot Champagne.

Hair and make up: Vicky Waghorn
Styling: Chloe Jasmine

21 pictures for you to view

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Natalia, My first shoot ~ Pictures and ideas

18 comments October 8th, 2010 01:11pm damien

1. Natalia, likes snakes apparently. Not that there were many lurking in this grass in the heart of Bristol.

This Speedlight Mastery workshop had all the hallmarks of a classic shoot. The day started with an evacuation of our meeting place as smoke billowed out of Costa Coffee. I strolled up on the dot of our meet time to be greeted by all the delegates plus fire crews. The delegates were keen and eager to start shooting. Natalia was there too with a smile and looking drop dead gorgeous. We retreated past the firemen with their big hoses to Cafe Gusto. (The best coffee shop in Bristol. A Gusto Flat White is sublime). After a kit check and a welcome drink we were shooting. (more…)

Three Day Wedding Seminar Event ~ Pictures

21 comments October 2nd, 2010 01:17pm damien

Here are a few pictures from the first of this seasons shooting winter weddings workshops. The three day event held in Stonehouse Gloucestershire comprised a shoot day followed by a one day business school and then a day of wedding picture post production with Marko. Julie and I rounded off the week with another Shooting Weddings event to satisfy the early demand for shooting skills training.

Here is a small selection of the pictures shot on the two dark and rainy days. Our role as photographers is to bring out the sun in our images.

1. My classic exposure of ISO 800, 1/60th second at f/4 was needed for this Arri 300 lit bridal portrait.

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Mono magic ~ Urban Portrait workshop pictures of Stina

18 comments September 1st, 2010 11:07pm damien

1. Minimalist natural light and a strong pose creates a striking image.

All the shots from Mondays workshop have been processed by Luke in black and white. My shots were taken using prime lenses and we shot in extreme exposure situations to challenge and educate us all. (more…)

Vintage Cherish The Dress 2 ~ Pictures and Techniques

20 comments August 20th, 2010 07:18pm damien

These are 60 pictures from our second vintage shoot at Bury. It rained throughout the day and was uncharacteristically dark for August. Chris and I worked extra hard to make our own sun and I hope you enjoy the fruits of our labours. 30 pictures each. Mine are first

dl1. No vintage set is complete without a monochrome beauty shot. 100mm lens at f/2.8

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Speedlight Mastery Manchester ~ pictures on the edge

24 comments August 19th, 2010 11:47pm damien

How far will you take in camera exposure? This is 'as shot' and those who know me understand why I never use a histogram or the highlight warning system in my camera. The screen on the 5D mk 2 is so good, fine exposure tweaks can be made using the picture alone.

This set of pictures was quite special to shoot. The weather was kind, Chloe Jasmine Whichello was in good spirits and some of our favourite photographers were with us as delegates. The day started at the worlds most expensive pebble… (more…)

Chloe in the country, lit with big flash ~ Pictures

14 comments July 10th, 2010 12:41am damien

This weeks shooting workshop took Chloe, some delegates, and I around Somerset on a quest for images par excellence. One delegate had flown from Venezuela to attend this workshop and my Fashion Fusion event next week, wow! No pressure then.

1. A silver umbrella and my Mobil kit on 1/4 power was all that was needed for this figure in the landscape study. You can see the path of illumination as it cuts through the summer corn.

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Pushing the Boundaries ~ Pictures and techniques

8 comments June 19th, 2010 04:44pm damien

1. Every now and then an exposure needs cutting back to simplify the shot. I worked the camera three stops down to capture Natasha in the shell seat shown in the next frame.

Chris Hanley and I were in Barça, a funky venue in Manchester having coffee one day in May and we decided to run a workshop shoot there. I wanted to shoot alternative fashion away from the realms of portraiture and Chris set to work sourcing a clothing designer, make up artist an models. It was a one off event for 8 delegates and here are our pictures. The first 21 pictures were shot by me and the final 21 were taken by Chris. (more…)

Vintage Cherish The Dress ~ Part 1

32 comments June 18th, 2010 11:33pm damien

Every now and then a workshop happens where so many variables come together in an astonishing way to produce a learning experience that transcends the sum of its parts. This workshop was one such event. Chris Hanley and I had five delegates each and we swapped around every 45 mins or so. This ensured that everyone had the opportunity to shoot all the shots.

Here are 48 of my pictures from the workshop. They have been edited by Marko to our exacting standards and then we created the looks using the three actions in the Lovegrove Vintage Photoshop action set.

1. I lit Chloe with a single Speedlight from the right for that punchy look.

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Studio portrait lighting with minimal kit ~ feature article

18 comments June 12th, 2010 11:44am damien

Here are a few ideas for creating striking portraits using one or two studio lights and minimal props. All the pictures in this article were shot during one Studio Lighting workshop at my studio in May.

Keeping it Simple

My lighting workshop delegates often expect to dive in to complicated multi light set-ups right from the off when the simple techniques using just one light need refining first. Using just one light sounds easy – switch it on and shoot, and it is, if you are careful and know what you are doing. It is often the simple single light images we start with on a workshop day that bring out the creativity in all of us.

Shot 1. Canon 5D Mk2 with a 100m lens at f/2.8 This shot is completely lit from one Bowens Gemini flash unit rigged above and behind Chloe. It was fitted with a 7" reflector and a fine honeycomb grid. I’m really happy to let thing go in my shots. I’m never one to worry about a bit of detail loss in the highlights if the shot is great. In fact I positively go out of my way to blow out highlights in frames like this taken against my patch of yellow wall in my studio. It looks sunny and I like that.

My studio lighting concept is simple, I start

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Speedlight Mastery workshop ~ pictures and slideshow

12 comments June 4th, 2010 12:12am damien

Here is a slideshow of a few pictures from the Speedlight Mastery workshop I ran earlier this week. I have set the pictures to some royalty free music using Fotomagico slideshow software. The music really isn’t a good choice so feel free to turn your speakers down. I’m hoping Chloe, our multi talented model can come up with something to replace it as she is a musician too, ooh and a writer Movie after the jump… (more…)

Model test shoot ~ Pictures and slideshow presentation

19 comments May 30th, 2010 11:58am damien

Here are a few pictures from a test shoot I did with Rosie Pitt last Wednesday. I set the pictures to some royalty free music using Fotomagico slideshow software. (more…)

1/8000th flash sync with Broncolor Mobil and Canon 5D mk2

74 comments May 23rd, 2010 08:36pm damien

Well here is a little something to get your heads around. I’m not sure on the physics or the tech behind this post but I do know the maximum published sync speed for non Speedlight flash kit is a measly 1/200th of a second with the Canon 5D and 5D mk2. Not any more! The techniques used in this post were hinted to me by Martin Hogeboom in a cafe in Amsterdam last week and I vowed to give it a go and see if the rumours are true. All the exif is intact so please learn from it as you wish. (more…)

Passion on the Streets of Amsterdam ~ Pictures and Techniques Part 2

11 comments May 20th, 2010 02:44pm damien

Day two in Amsterdam was warmer than day 1 for our models Bas and Samantha. The public holiday was over and the area was once again filled with bikes. All our shots were taken within the same 500m radius as day 1 so once again minimal walking was needed. Here is a mini selection of 23 of the pictures taken on workshop 2.

1.Here we all are - nearly. This picture was taken by a local resident from his apartment. He printed it off and and gave it to us in the street. Just one of those random moments that happen on a street shoot. You can see a couple of Speedlights rigged on stands in readiness for a few pictures of Samantha.

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Amsterdam shoot with Martin Hogeboom & Nick Liburd ~ Pictures & Techniques

10 comments May 19th, 2010 09:04pm damien

Wow! what can I say? Nick and I were fortunate enough to meet up with the legendary Martin Hogeboom in Amsterdam for a 2 hour creative shoot. Graziella our model met us at the American Hotel and we went for a walk, talk & shoot. Nick had done the recce and scouted out some fantastic locations so in just a couple of minutes we were putting our systems to the limit. We walked about 1km in total and finished the session in time for a bit of lunch together. Here are some of my shots from the shoot.

1. My first picture of this set was the last one I took. It is an infra red portrait taken using my converted 5D mk1. I shot it using my 21mm f2.8 Zeiss lens. If you click on the picture you can see it at 100% Lighting was from a barefaced Speedlight.

I learned some new tricks with Pocket Wizards way beyond the scope of my usual working using the (more…)

Passion on the Streets of Amsterdam ~ Pictures and Techniques Part 1

17 comments May 18th, 2010 09:34pm damien

1. We started in Cuba or so it seemed. One delegate spotted this shop window and we were off. This shot was given a warm treatment in camera by selecting an 8000 K setting for the white balance. It was overcast and threatening to rain all morning so I resorted to creating Speedlight sun for nearly every shot. All the Speedlights were triggered with a Pocket Wizard for the whole day although an ST-E2 would have done the trick. We just happened to have more PW triggers with us than infra red triggers. I chose to keep the lighting ratio calm, although I encouraged the delegates to go as punchy as they wished by changing their aperture to taste.

Day one in Amsterdam was a cold shoot for our models Bas and Samantha. There was also a one day public holiday so the dynamic of the area we were shooting in was very different to my recce the day before. All our shots were taken within a 500m radius so there was no major walking required. Here is a mini selection of 23 of the pictures taken on workshop 1. (more…)

Studio Lighting with touch of Vintage ~ Lots of Pictures & Techniques

20 comments May 7th, 2010 09:16pm damien

Here is a set of images from Thursdays studio lighting workshop. All my pictures on the day were shot with my Canon 100mm f/2.8 L IS macro lens on a 5D mk2 camera. The lens is surprisingly light to hold, pin sharp, and has a rock steady viewfinder image thanks to the amazing 4 stop image stabilisation. Chloe Jasmine from Gingersnap was our model. The fabulous hair styles and make up were provided by our make up artist of choice at the Lovegrove studio, Vicky Waghorn.

Timeless beauty, lit with hard light (2x Bowens Gemini ProR 750s with 7" reflectors and tight grids) to create rick dark shadows, and clearly defined cheekbones. The low viewpoint and over the shoulder look create an opportunity for an intense moment. You can see into Chloe's soul in this frame and I love that in a portrait.

The workshop started with a simple demonstration of the property of shadows and went on to creating vintage portraits with (more…)

Nikon Speedlight Mastery workshop ~ pictures and techniques

18 comments May 7th, 2010 01:03am damien

Wow, what a wonderful day of shooting, learning and fun we had on Wednesday. The Nikon flash system was opened up and pushed to it’s limit at times and it responded with a faultless performance. Here are a dozen of my shots from the workshop.

Four SB-900 Speedlights set at full power in manual mode popped this shot into life.

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Speedlight Mastery Manchester – Nikon ~ Pictures and Techniques

10 comments April 26th, 2010 07:14pm damien

1 - The Pebble of Manchester and Lisa Marie are lit with a splash of flash from an SB-900 on a stand. I triggered the flash in full sun at a distance of 30m with the pop up flash in my Nikon D700. At no point throughout the day did we have triggering problems with Nikon's fantastic infra red system.

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Speedlight Mastery – Canon in Manchester ~ Pictures & Techniques

9 comments April 25th, 2010 10:22pm damien

Last week I ran two days of Speedlight Mastery workshops in Manchester, one for Canon shooters and one for Nikonions. I’ve split the pictures in my posts to avoid repetition. Even though we shot the same routes with Lisa Marie as our model I set up and created quite a few different images to keep me on my toes. I stuck to my shooting style despite working in full sun for two days. So here are the shots from my Canon day:

1 - I used Orbis to shoot this simple frame. Canon 5D mk2, Speedlight 580 mk2 in an Orbis ringflash adapter triggered with a Pocket Wizard Flex and Mini pair. 1/200th second at 200 ISO @ f/8. Glazed tiles on the side of a pub made a perfect background for an Orbis shot.

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Cherish The Dress – Manchester ~ Pictures and Techniques

22 comments April 24th, 2010 05:42pm damien

D1 - I love the surreal nature of cross keyed Speedlights. The Hilton bar that I shot this frame in is aptly called Cloud 23. Two Speedlights on stands were triggered using infra red. I rigged Canon and Nikon Speedlights alongside each other on the same stands. ISO 200, 1/200th second at f/16

Here are the long awaited set of pictures from last weeks Cherish The Dress workshop at the fabulous Hilton Hotel in Manchester. Chris Hanley and I delivered a full on workshop with our team of assistants to the ten delegates. We split into two groups for the sessions. We regularly swap tutors and models to ensure that each group gets to shoot all the pictures. Chris and I share 36 of our pictures from the day starting with my set of 18… (more…)