IQ ~ A back to basics guide to photographic image quality

22 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.

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The Best Photographs of 2011 ~ by Damien Lovegrove

19 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…)

A little behind the scenes video for the weekend

7 comments November 25th, 2011 10:27pm damien

Glamour of the Gods Hollywood Portraits – Unravelled

13 comments September 13th, 2011 09:29pm damien

I’ve often worked hard at unlocking the code of the Hollywood portraits to examine their DNA. In this post I discuss how we can recreate the classic look today using simple continuous lights. I have three images from the John Kobal collection to asses. These along with many others are in exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London until the 23rd October 2011. I’ve chosen one from the 30’s, one from the 40’s and one from the 50‘s and I’m starting with this portrait of Marlon Brando shot by by John Engstead in 1950 (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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Studio Lighting for Portraits ~ with Stina Sanders

16 comments August 6th, 2011 01:30pm damien

Stina Sanders is a bad ballerina

1. One of the last images of the day was this ballerina with attitude shot. I can hear the screams now "Balerinas don't wear nail varnish" Luke my picture editor decided to have fun with the split toning facility in Lightroom and I love the results.

I’ve been shooting regularly in my studio for about three years now and I’m finding the restrictions it puts on me to be very useful in defining my repetoir and house style. If I had a big studio I could easily get lost in the multitude of options open to me. Too much choice limits the creative process. Sketching at home with charcoal and chalks is strangely satisfying. I’d hate to but let loose in an artists shop with the instruction ‘use anything you want to create your piece of art’. No matter what I produced I’d be left feeling that I had not made the most of the opportunity I was given. (more…)

Beyond a stroll in the park ~ Pictures with passion

20 comments June 9th, 2011 08:43pm damien

For many months now I’ve been researching a new genre that combines my work with ‘Feminine Beauty’ and ‘Shooting Couples’. A product for the brave and beautiful. My customer base will most likely include celebrities plus footballers and their partners. The format is a two to three hour shoot in my studio or their home or a combination of the two. The commission includes a fabulous Jorgensen album containing 30 to 40 pictures printed by me on Hahnemuhle on fine art paper.

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I invited local couple to test for me. We had a fun time on this journey into the unknown. I had created mood boards from the many hundreds of inspiration images I’ve collected online. I acquired ideas from many sources underwear advertising campaigns, movie stills and celebrity portraits. Here are 30 of the many pictures we created together. Every frame was shot on a Canon 5D mk2 with a 100mm L lens apart from the Pool table shot that I took using my 21mm Zeiss lens on the same camera. (more…)

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 580 EX2 Speedlights attached to a Lowel Grand Stand with a Lovegrove Gemini bracket and

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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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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Minimalist Studio Lighting ~ Pictures and techniques

25 comments March 21st, 2011 11:14pm damien

1. The pictures in this article were shot on recent studion lighting workshops in 2011. They are previously unpublished and I wanted to share them with you. This shot is lit with just one light! How did I do that? Have a think.

1. The pictures in this article were shot on recent studio lighting workshops in 2011. They are previously unpublished and I wanted to share them with you. This shot of Marie - Francoise is lit with just one light, in one exposure! How did I do that? Have a think about it.

In lifestyle or reportage portraiture the environment completes the narrative. The story is all around the subject and the viewers eyes can wander the scene reading new information with each pass. In my studio I have abandoned the narrative to reveal just the subject in isolation. I’ve opted for purity of design. A sumptuous immersion into minimalist shape and tone. With everything in control – well, nearly. (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 recievers.

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

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Two days of 1:2 lighting training ~ Pictures and technique

33 comments January 28th, 2011 12:35am damien

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1. This shot of Katy was from Day two of our feature rich agenda. It was lit with a pair of Lupo HMI spotlights and my Venetian blind MK2. One of my delegates asked "Can you gel up a Lupo"? I said "let's do it." In my TV days we used to light shadows with a complimentary colour so I showed how that's done too. (The walls are white).

Two fabulous women delegates, one agenda, two models, a penthouse apartment in Bristol and (more…)

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.

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.

Defining a genre, developing a style ~ personal work

31 comments December 22nd, 2010 12:23am damien

October to December 2010

Here is the first stage in my process of defining a picture style of my own. Elements of the pictures here have probably all been shot before but to put them all together has been my quest. I want to shoot beauty without sexuality, beauty with soul and beauty with passion. I want to capture intimacy with respect and depth. I want a fusion of connectivity with my subjects and I want to develop my own style. – Not too much to ask then Haha.

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Fine art nudes are fabulous but often void of personality. They are pictures that celebrate the grace and beauty of human form but regularly separate it from the soul within. Anonymity is the order of the day. NSFW after thew jump (more…)

Studio portraits of Katy McGee and Natalia Warner

31 comments November 24th, 2010 12:41am damien

I’ve been so busy these last few weeks I’ve barely had time to blog. Here are a few of my studio pictures from a couple of recent workshops. I’m so excited to be working with Katy and Natalia, both beautiful girls and delightful with it. Make up is by my house expert, Vicky Waghorn. I hope you enjoy my snaps.

One light - A 40cm beauty dish with a honeycomb grid from Ebay.

1. One light - A Bowens 750Ws unit fitted with a 40cm beauty dish and honeycomb grid from Ebay.

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Studio Lighting workshop with Natalia ~ Pictures

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

1. Vogue, Vogue, Vogue ...

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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Amy Willerton test shoot ~ pictures

8 comments November 2nd, 2010 10:09pm damien

1. Amy in front of my Ice Storm 2 background with a Lovegrove gel providing the colour.

1. Amy in front of my Ice Storm 2 background with a Lovegrove gel providing the colour.

A while ago I was fortunate enough to have a couple of hours with Amy Willerton the current miss Bristol for a test shoot. Make up was by Vicky Farrah. Here are a few pictures… (more…)

Chloe Jasmine Whichello ~ Studio pictures

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

1. The way to Chloe's heart. Chocolate and Champagne.

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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Studio lighting workshop pictures ~ Chloe Jasmine

18 comments July 23rd, 2010 09:09pm damien

Here are a set of pictures in the nude, (with clean post production). Just the odd monochrome conversion and a bit of white balance shifting. All my photographs get edited like this and a few copies then go on to get pulled around with actions etc. I’ve been blogging a few too many of the variations lately so here are the ‘nude’ set.

1. A simple white balance shift was all i needed to create this cool aqua look. The lighting was from one Lupo 800 HMI and a top secret reflection process :)

1. A simple white balance shift to 4200k was all I needed to create this cool aqua look. The lighting was from one Lupo 800 HMI and a top secret reflection making process :)

Our house make up artist Vicky Waghorn created the looks and the fabulous hair styles too. Enjoy…

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Infra red studio portraits ~ Pictures

4 comments July 2nd, 2010 01:59pm damien

I wanted to end the week by sharing with you some shots I took of Sarah Beaufoy using my Canon 5D IR. I took them during a private 1:3 studio lighting training session. The session was for a newly formed studio with a forward thinking approach to portraiture.

Infra red shots have a naturally low contrast in this kind of light. A texture and tint applied in post production completes the look.

Infra red shots have a naturally low contrast in this kind of light. A texture and tint applied in post production completes the look.

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New product videos now online

12 comments June 26th, 2010 11:19am damien

Here are some new product information videos that I’ve put together. The motivation for the project was to use video to answer some of my most asked questions freeing up my time and educating site visitors in the process.

I’m in the process of replacing my existing Flash online video content with Quicktime H.264. All the videos were shot in SD and are iPad or iPhone compatible. If you have any compatability issues with the videos below or you have codec settings that I could use to make the videos better, bigger, and load faster please use the comment facility below. Thanks in advance, Damien.

Here are the links to six of my latest videos:

Which lighting stand is right for the job?

The Orbis ring flash adapter in action

How easy is the EzyBox by Lastolite?

How do Arri Fresnel lights produce such beautiful light?

How can I use the LoveCube on location with a Speedlight?

How do I use the Lovegrove Studio Collection of colour gels?

Studio portrait lighting with minimal kit ~ feature article

16 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.

100m lens at f/2.8 Here is the same technique but used against my patch of yellow wall in my studio. It looks sunny and I like that.

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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Model test shoot ~ Pictures and slideshow presentation

16 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

66 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…)

How to pose couples ~ A photo guide by Damien Lovegrove

40 comments May 17th, 2010 10:22am damien

Here is part of my mini guide to posing single portaits, couples and groups available in full as a PDF for just 99p here. Let’s first discuss couples in photographs. Working with more than one person at a time as your subject causes all sorts of complexities. Let me unravel them for you.

I used a flight of stone steps to form the base of this shot. The groom was sat on the step above the bride and she is sat within his legs leaning back into him. I like to ensure the cuff links and watch are visible on the groom when I’m shooting wedding couples. They are blissfully delighted and intimately unaware of those around them. ISO 400, 1/1500th second at f/4

1. I used a flight of stone steps to form the base of this shot. The groom was sat on the step above the bride and she is sat within his legs leaning back into him. I like to ensure the cuff links and watch are visible on the groom when I’m shooting wedding couples. They are blissfully delighted and intimately unaware of those around them. ISO 400, 1/1500th second at f/4

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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 (Bowens Gemini ProR 750 with a 7" reflector and tight grid) to create rick dark shadows, clearly defined cheekbones

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…)

Studio Lighting Workshop ~ Pictures and Techniques

15 comments April 15th, 2010 12:18am damien

What did I say here? Answers on a postcard. Punchy lighting was created with the minimum of fuss.

What did I say to shock Henri here? Answers on a postcard. Punchy lighting was created with the minimum of fuss and a sheet of Lovegrove gel. The background was my grey studio wall.

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Studio lighting workshop ~ Day 2 pictures and techniques

19 comments February 11th, 2010 11:15pm damien

Here are the pictures from the second of two one day workshops earlier this week.

The LoveCube™ takes centre stage for this shot of Becca.

The LoveCube™ takes centre stage for this shot of Becca.

Three Bowens flash heads with grids provided the key, backlight and background illumination whilst a Speedlight on 1/4 power triggered with a PW Flex was inside the LoveCube™ (more…)

Studio lighting workshops ~ day 1 pictures

20 comments February 10th, 2010 09:47pm damien

Tango the dog finally gets to share the stage with Sarah. Shot using a Broncolor ring flash plugged into my Mobil kit.

Tango the dog finally gets to share the stage with Sarah. This shot was lit using a Broncolor ring flash plugged into my trusty Mobil A2R kit. Wall colour was provided by Dulux.

Wow what a day! We shot simple set ups, and created repeatable dynamic images. We studied shadows, the qualities of light and had fun on the way. (more…)

Damien Lovegrove’s favourite pictures of 2009

25 comments January 4th, 2010 12:21am damien

I’ve been on a fabulous creative trip in 2009 teaching photography and researching my latest DVD/ Blu-Ray, Speedlight Mastery. The journey has taken me to six cities in Germany, the Meatpacking district of New York, Sienna in Tuscany, Castlefield in Manchester and my beloved Bristol Waterfront. On the way I have shared creative moments and precious times with talented photographers from around the world.

Below are my favourite 50 pictures of 2009. It is a strange notion to choose pictures over a time span. I thought about sharing the following sets: My 50 career best pictures, or my 50 favourite pictures of the last decade, or perhaps 50 favourite pictures of the past year, or 50 best shots of the past month. I went for the past year option.

I wonder how many of my pictures I would have selected for all four sets? It’s worth thinking about this. Ask yourself, Is your photography going in the right direction. This is totally subjective and only your opinion counts. Another list category I thought about was the 10 photographs that charted my photographic career. This would be more of a narrative that discussed each images significance rather than the image itself. A lot of the shots I’d choose in the key career shots set would not make any of the ‘best’ sets listed above. It’s got me thinking so I’ll write about the career milestone shots in the coming months but for now here are my 50 favourite pictures of 2009:

The season started with my big flash in the country workshops. And this frame was one that shone out of the overcast day in the dark woods.

The season started with my big flash in the country workshops. And this frame was one that shone out of the overcast day in the dark woods. Lit with two barefaced Broncolor Mobil heads powered from the same A2R pack.

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Colourful studio portraits ~ Techniques and Pictures

76 comments December 31st, 2009 04:17pm damien

gel-grid-blog
Here is my technique for creating striking studio portraits using a grey background and the Lovegrove Studio Collection of gels. Grid collections like the one above make fantastic large acrylic products or canvas prints for the home. They are easy to shoot, command high prices, and they look great in a studio shop window too. Here’s how I shot the one above. (more…)

The Lovegrove Studio Gel Collection ~ Colour chart and picture samples

35 comments December 31st, 2009 04:16pm damien

Here is the full colour chart showing picture samples taken with each of the 38 gels in the Lovegrove Studio Collection at various levels of illumination. The gels are listed in numerical order. The 38 gels each measure 12″x 12″ (305mm x 305mm). For the technical details of how these shots were taken please see my other post here. These shots are ‘straight from camera’ I used a Nikon D700 with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens set at f/11 and I used the ‘flash’ white balance preset. All the shots were batch cropped to 10×8 proportions in Adobe Lightroom before being exported.

What’s your favourite colour? Let me know in the comments box below.

LC01

LC01

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Studio Lighting Pictures and Techniques

38 comments December 9th, 2009 07:59pm damien

This simple shot against a white section of my studio was lit with 2 hard lights. The low angle viewpoint was inspired by the classic Holywood portraits.

This simple shot against a white section of my studio was simply lit with 2 hard lights (Bowens heads with 7" reflectors and grids). The low angle viewpoint was inspired by the classic Holywood portraits.

It was my first ever studio lighting workshop at my own studio and I absolutely loved the process of starting to unlock the bijou spaces potential. At just 6.5m x 4.6m the Lovegrove studio is very compact. The high vaulted ceiling adds to the space and lets me get the lighting rig up and out of the shots. Here are 20 of my shots from the day. (more…)

Carl Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 compared to Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L MK2

23 comments November 29th, 2009 02:47am damien

I recently decided to replace my Canon wide angle zoom lens with a fixed prime lens. I shoot mainly portraits and it’s worth bearing this in mind as you read this out of the box review. My decision to go prime for my super wide shots was an easy one to make.

The Zeiss Distagon 21mm f/2.8 attached to my Canon 5Dmk2

The Zeiss Distagon 21mm f/2.8 ZE attached to my Canon 5Dmk2

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Canon PW TTL update and Nikon questions answered

10 comments November 8th, 2009 02:43pm damien

I’ve had many questions from Nikon users waiting for the new Pocket Wizard TT1 and TT5 units and here is my response to the most common one. Should I buy an SU-800 or wait for the new Pocket Wizard TTL units to come out? (more…)

Studio Lighting Workshop ~ Pictures and Techniques

13 comments November 7th, 2009 12:35am damien

Here are a few of the pictures I took on yesterday’s workshop. I asked Marko to knock them into shape in Lightroom and Photoshop so that I can share some my key picture making thoughts with you.

One light

We explored working with just one light to take simple striking portraits like this one shot against a mid grey paper background. One Broncolor Mobil head in a softbox provided the light.

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Lovegrove Ballet test shoot ~ Studio pictures

23 comments November 1st, 2009 08:02pm damien

After a period of 5 years of not doing an annual ballet photo promotion in the run up to Christmas I decided this year that I’d make a fresh start and redesign the promotion from scratch. I refitted my studio and did a test shoot with my daughter Francesca. The promo artwork was designed by Luke using these test pictures and 500 fliers were printed last week while I was in Tuscany.

This picture of Francesca was taken with in camera diffusion and a simple studio lighting set up.

This picture of Francesca was taken with in camera diffusion and a simple studio lighting set up.

With a promotion like this you need to ensure absolute accuracy and attention to detail. The position of the feet and hands, body posture and pose are all important as most ballet mums used to do ballet themselves and they can spot a sickle-foot instantly. (more…)

How to use the Arri Lite Tite umbrella attachment with PW TTL

1 comment September 11th, 2009 03:29pm damien

The Lite Tite from Arri is the perfect accessory for the job.

The Lite Tite from Arri is the perfect accessory for the job.

We are now official distributors of the LiteTite from Arri UK and below is my suggested rig for use with a Canon Speedlite on a Lovegrove Flash Bracket on an Arri 050KA lighting stand.

Click the jump to see how the flash head can be rigged inline with, and touching the umbrella shaft… (more…)

The colour of light – part one.

6 comments September 9th, 2009 11:46pm damien

The colour temperature gradient

The colour temperature gradient

‘Colour temperature’ is the unit measure often used to describe the colour of light emitted by a light source. But what is meant by colour temperature? (more…)

Using off camera Speedlites in manual mode ~ Technique

21 comments July 21st, 2009 08:22am damien

If you want to use a non TTL radio remote set up to trigger your Speedlights or you want to know how to use them in manual mode, follow this guide. (more…)

1:1 shoot session ~ Pictures and techniques

13 comments July 17th, 2009 09:30am damien

Floating on air, lit with an SB800, triggered by the pop up flash on a Nikon D700.

Floating on air, lit with an SB800 and triggered by the pop up flash on a Nikon D700. Chloe is the Angel of The South.

A 1:1 shoot session can be tailored to your needs exactly. This session was Nikon based and involved location shooting with natural light and off camera flash plus a session in my studio using flash and daylight. Here are a few of the pictures. (more…)

Studio sessions ~ pictures and technique

10 comments July 8th, 2009 09:58pm damien

We are right in the middle of the shooting season here in the UK and barely a day goes by without a few significant shots being taken of clients or on workshops. I can’t blog them all and I choose not to blog my client work here on ProPhotoNut unless I’ve had clearance to do so.

Julie and I are off to Santiago in Spain tomorrow to shoot a wedding at a wonderfully romantic castle this weekend. I have to pinch myself at times to ensure that fantasy and reality are defined.

I taught a few styles of studio lighting to workshop delegates and I indulged in some beautifully simple portable studio shooting with my Evolve2 group. Here are a few of this weeks shots together with a few shooting tips.

I lit this shot with my

I lit this shot with my ancient Bowens Prolites. Light is light and they are still banging it out some 16 years after I bought them new. I used 2 3/4 back lights (500ws), a soft overhead key (1000ws), a gelled up background light (1000ws) and a 1995 Lastolite tri flector to complete the look. Intimate, intense, attention, and an unusually high viewpoint define the style. A pose that implies vulnerability gives the shot tension.

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2 point lighting ~ Techniques and strategies revealed

28 comments June 28th, 2009 11:36pm damien

Square on two point lighting created by using the sun a

I used square on two point lighting for this shot for one of my clients. It was lit with the sun as a back light and I used a hand held off camera Speedlight as the key. The Bristol waterfront is a favourite area of mine for photographing clients and running workshops alike.

I often find myself looking at the world a bit differently (more…)

Phase One 645AF & Phase One P65+ back ~ full review

4 comments June 9th, 2009 02:31pm damien

My strategy to review a camera or lens puts my subjective observations at an equally important level as objective facts and figures. So when a Phase One camera and a couple of backs arrived I had a bit of product familiarity work to do. See how this camera got on in my fairly steady hands. (more…)

Studio lighting 4 ~ pictures and techniques

7 comments May 8th, 2009 03:05pm damien

Punchy pictures using just a grey paper background roll and portable Broncolor Mobil flash lighting kit.

I demonstrated how to shoot punchy pictures using just a grey paper background roll, portable Broncolor Mobil flash lighting kit and some coloured gels.

Here are a few of the many pictures I took during the fourth studio lighting workshop. We had a great day being creative, learning new basic and advanced lighting techniques. (more…)

Calibrating the camera LCD screen ~ technique

13 comments May 8th, 2009 01:08pm damien

In order to correctly assess exposure when shooting on location, you need to start with a calibrated screen. This is a simple process but can often be overlooked. Here is my quick guide. (more…)

The pros and cons of blogging

11 comments April 3rd, 2009 11:05pm damien

Theres nothing like a set of pictures to lift a business piece so here is a selection of last nights street portraits

There's nothing like a set of pictures to lift a business piece so here is a selection of last nights street portraits I took in Cork with Liam Ramsell, my host for the previous two workshops. (workshop pictures coming soon).

I walked into a bookshop in Singapore back in August 2008 when I was returning from a holiday in Malaysia, and stumbled across a book called ‘Pro Blogger‘ with a sub title ‘blog your way to a six figure income’ (more…)

Studio Lighting tutorial movie by Damien Lovegrove

28 comments March 28th, 2009 11:11pm damien

Back in the depths of winter a group of friends and myself descended on Imagist studios near Bristol for a lighting ideas development session. We photographed a very cold Vanessa, our model. The studio was just above freezing hence the electric heater giving off the warm orange glow. I asked ace cameraman Simon Tagney to film the proceedings and here is nearly 8 minutes of the resulting movie. (more…)

It’s time to work smart with portraits ~ Part 2

7 comments February 18th, 2009 01:22pm damien

My message today is ‘Get ready to reap the benefits of the upturn’. If a lack of portrait bookings at this early stage in the season is worrying you, it’s time to… (more…)

It’s time to work smart with portraits ~ Part 1

3 comments February 15th, 2009 11:46pm damien

 

Are your portrait bookings down? Promotions becoming increasingly less profitable? The good news is there are several ways to buck the trend and here is one such system. (more…)

Grey is the new White

22 comments February 10th, 2009 10:28pm damien

If you look in any of the key fashion magazines at the moment you will see… (more…)

New Portfolios online now

11 comments January 30th, 2009 12:37pm damien

Follow the links below to see the picture collections of Damien & Julie Lovegrove. (more…)

Nikon D90 High res ~ High and low ISO pictures

6 comments January 24th, 2009 02:52pm damien

I am in the privileged position of being commissioned to write a product review of the Nikon D90 for Warehouse Express. As part of my testing of this new camera, I shot a studio session under arduous conditions to put the camera through it’s paces. My full review will be available on the Warehouse Express site soon but for now here are some pictures for you to enjoy. Click on the pictures to link to the full resolution jpegs if you wish.

A Calumet Storm Grey background roll and three hard lights did all the work here.

A Calumet 'Storm Grey' background roll and three hard lights did all the work here. Nikon D90, ISO 200, f/14, 1/125th, 62mm lens setting.

(more…)

Ballet portraiture ~ Pictures

5 comments January 21st, 2009 07:17pm damien

I am often asked about my ballet photography for the local dance school. Here is a gallery showing some of my images. I’ve kept them neutral to show you the clarity of the original files. These images lend themselves to a fair amount of post production to take them to the next level. All the shots were taken on a grey background roll and lit with 2 or 3 lights.

Please feel free to comment on the pictures and link to ones that you have taken. – Damien

Studio Lighting with colour ~ pictures

5 comments January 12th, 2009 11:42pm damien

Last week I gave a masterclass on shooting colourful studio pictures using grey or white backgrounds. The delegates of the 4 hour session were on our Evolve business development programme. I want to share these pictures with you because the webpage was created with Adobe Lightroom and integrated with my website CSS. Are you making the most of the resources you already have to share pictures with your clients?

Take a look at the proof pictures here.

The rest of Katie Younger’s test shots from Thursday’s shoot are here. These pictures were taken as part of a 1:1 shooting session using off camera flash. The various looks were a result of batched Photoshop actions. These are only proofs and a few are a bit red for my liking.

Infra red studio portraits – pictures

4 comments December 2nd, 2008 12:45am damien

Whilst teaching studio lighting last week I couldnt help but take a few frames on my converted Canon 10Dir.

I took this picture in infra red and I lit it with three Broncolor flash heads.

I took this picture in infra red and I lit it with three Broncolor flash heads.

(more…)

Studio Lighting Workshop 2 – Pictures

Add comment December 1st, 2008 11:05pm damien

Here is a small selection of the pictures shot at last Tuesdays studio lighting workshop.

A rich gradient background was lit with two lights with a yellow and orange filters clipped on

A rich gradient background was lit with two lights fitted with yellow and orange filters clipped to the grid reflectors. A white balance of 8000k was set in camera to warm up the picture.

(more…)

Studio Lighting Workshop 1 – pictures

2 comments December 1st, 2008 10:07pm damien

Here is a small selection of the pictures shot at last Mondays studio lighting workshop.

Rolls of Calumet background paper and a Kia car in the scene dock made a funky background for this Broncolor ringflash shot

Rolls of Calumet background paper and a Kia car in the scene dock made a funky background for this Broncolor ringflash shot.

(more…)

Creative Day – pictures and technique

3 comments November 19th, 2008 12:02am damien

One light studio pictures started off the session.

One light studio pictures started off the session.

Here are the pictures from Mondays shoot. It was a great opportunity for us all to have a bit of fun.

(more…)

Setting your price – A guide for social photographers

24 comments November 3rd, 2008 12:57am damien

A picture is worth a 1000 words but can it be worth £1000. Putting a price on photography has always presented itself as a bit of a challenge. How much should I charge is one of the most frequent questions I am asked. Here is my guide to getting it right.

I shot this into the light in the sweltering Brisbane sun.

I shot this into the light in the sweltering Brisbane sun using a Nikon D3 with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.

(more…)

Speedlight and brolly combo

12 comments October 31st, 2008 01:05am damien

I’ve been asked the question “How do you use a Speedlight with a brolly”. Well I thought I’d share a few pictures of my system taken on my new Canon G10 with an STE2 fitted to trigger the flash.

Even illumination of the whole umberella canopy is the aim of the game.

Even illumination of the whole umberella canopy is the aim of the game.

(more…)

Fresnel lensed lights – retro portraits

30 comments August 30th, 2008 10:42pm damien

From time to time a new technology emerges that changes the way I light or shoot. I seem to be on this ever progressing conveyor. A photographic journey fueled by the endless supply of new bigger, better, more sensitive cameras. However it pays to look back from time to time. This is my recent shoot with the wonderful Fresnel lens spotlights of the motion picture industry.

Timeless elegance created in the Lovegrove studio with an Arri 300 Junior Fresnel spotlight. A classic style reborn...

Timeless elegance created in the Lovegrove studio with a pair of Arri 300 Junior Fresnel spotlight. A classic style reborn.

(more…)


Tiger Time

Posing Guide PDF Download

A comprehensive guide to posing clients, couples and large groups, by Damien Lovegrove

Available here for just .99p.

Chloe-Jasmine Whichello

Chloe Jasmine Whichello the latest book by Damien Lovegrove is available here.

Archive

Training DVDs

Speedlight Mastery
on DVD or BluRay


Part of the
Lovegrove training
DVD collection.
The Big Day &
Lighting Winter
Weddings DVDs


Part of the
Lovegrove training
DVD collection.
Using Natural Light &
Using Flash on
Location DVDs


Part of the
Lovegrove training
DVD collection.
How To Take Family
Photographs That
Sell


Superb training
DVD by Martin
Oliver.
Take a look at the range of Lovegrove photography training dvds here.