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.
We set out not to recreate the past but to embrace the revival of vintage style fashion. A few period props and the careful attention of our make up artist and our hair stylist completed the look. The dresses are bespoke pieces made for the event.
Dress designer: Kathryn Hanson
Make Up Artist: Samantha Gardner
Hair Stylist: Victoria Cunningham from Salon 7 Hair 01772 434777
2. Same lighting as above. Moving left placed Chloe to the right of Jay. Chloe's turn of the head coupled with Jay's interest seals their link. Playing hard to get works in pictures too.
3. It's such a pleasure to work with fellow artists like Chloe who responded to direction with such spark and talent to make our workshop a dream shoot.
4. Whispering sweet nothings set up this light moment. Genuine beauty often comes from within and effervesces. 100mm f/2.8 lens at f/2.8 - delightful!
5. Elegance and confidence in abundance. I turned Chloe away from Jay and the camera to get that over the shoulder look. The railway worker in the background was a stroke of luck.
6. Cherish shoots, like these workshops, are fun, exciting and a great experience for customers. A change of viewpoint closes the picture down. A lack of depth or infinity in a picture gives it a stage feel. I used a single Speedlight to simulate the sun in the three pictures above and and the three pictures below and I got away with it.
7. I love to just move in for the close up with my 100mm lens. I sealed the shot with an intense rapport. That opens a window into Chloe's soul.
8. "How gorgeous am I" A simply sensational look that is reminiscent of the Hollywood greats. Again the single Speedlight provides the upstage sun.
9. This look is created with another of our vintage actions. As a stand alone picture this would look great in a silver desk frame on a black Steinway.
10. I lit Jenni with a 400w HMI spotlight rigged on the platform. I bought the light on Ebay last month. The sun is entering the carriage from the right and my light is hitting Jenny from the left.
11. It's important to know when to use eye contact in a photograph. This is one of my favourites of the set and has been given the third action look. 21mm Zeiss f/2.8 at f/2.8
12. Jenni is down low and I'm even lower. Selecting a great viewpoint is one key aspect of my training strategy on a workshop.
13. This shot was keyed with an 300w Arri Fresnel light and my Ebay light was used as a backlight. The distant windows of the booking hall provided the motivation for the back light.
14. This action provides a less dreamy and more punchy look.
15. A characteristic of vintage style is in the placement of hands. Chloe had done her homework.
16. All these shots were taken with my 100mm lens. It is the image stabilised L model that works so well. I shot for 90 degrees to the light.
17. With the Macro lens you can keep going in.
18. ...and in. It's a tough call to choose the focal point. Convention states the nearest eye but I favoured the lips and far eye.
19. The backlight really makes this picture.
20. A distant far away gaze, the kind used by Hollywood starlets is the key to the vintage look here.
21. All these shots were taken in the booking hall of Bolton Street station in Bury.
22. The vast majority of my pictures have diagonals built into the composition. I often do this by ensuring the eyes of my subject are not level in the picture.
23. Lit with my 400w Kobold HMI by Broncolor. I use a slash of light in just the right place to pick out my subjects.
24. As above
25. The same spot in the booking hall but this time I used an upstage key and an 8000k white balance.
26. Chloe's ice cool expression and a wicked stare can unsettle the viewer.
27. A little impromptu hilarity restores the moment.
28. Jay is such a cool actor too. The kick light is from the Kobold HMI. Working with continuous light is such a joy after using Speedlights almost exclusively for 18 months during my Speedlight Mastery project.
29. The triangle of light on Jay's cheek is a classic lighting style of film and television. This has an almost film poster look about it.
30. Some intimacy was called for in this classic shot.
31. It's clearer to see the effect of the Kobold used as a backlight in this shot.
32. Big gestures with arms and hands were all the rage :) Lit with my Arri 300w Junior Fresnel.
33. It's that old chestnut with Jay out of focus in the background.
34. We had fun trying out different poses and I think we pulled this one off.
35. Emotional pain and dramatic poses are the language of the post war epic films.
34. Identical lighting as in the shots above but taken 90 degrees to the light.
37. I was soon back with Jenni and we played with the contrast reduction of glass. Getting the shooting position just right is not easy because you have to select the reflection content as well as the foreground composition.
38. As above.
39. We came back to this through glass technique later in the day. Directing Jenni was hard because of the sound isolation but that Flora moment added to the fun.
40. This place was dark! I used 1/8th second at f/2.8 to capture this high key shot.
41. I stole this composition idea from a delegate. I encourage everyone to shoot from different angles and swap places to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to capture all the pictures.
42. I was soon back on my quest for the perfect through-glass shot.
43. I really like this PP treatment for the higher contrast pictures in this set.
44. A little closer and I can feel the shot building.
45. I swapped Jenni to the other side of the carriage compartment and directed every nuance of her look and pose.
46. And then bingo. I hit upon this pose that made my heart miss a beat when I looked through my lens.
47. And here it is again with my favourite PP look of the day.
48. The last shot I'm going to share with you from this workshop is one I stole from Chris and made my own by adding a pair of Speedlights.
Tomorrow I will blog the set of pictures taken by my fellow tutor and buddy Chris Hanley. I can’t wait to see his work. There’s a bit of healthy rivalry between us that generates a unique chemistry on a Cherish The Dress and Vintage Cherish workshop. This internal competition drives us both to perform at our best. We would love you to be part of this event and bag yourself some fantastic pictures. All the information needed to shoot images like this is freely given out on the day. A new date for this workshop will be added on Monday.
Please feel free to comment on the pictures and the techniques used. If you were a delegate Chris and I would love to hear you feedback and any questions you may have.
hey..great picture nice tone…hahaha, im thingkin which is better? 100mm L macro or 135mm L?because both are great for this kind of picture
Hi Lucky,
I had the 135L but sold it because I was not steady enough with it. The IS on the 100mm is perfect right down to 1/15th! I also love the macro functionality.
Kindest regards, Damien.
Hello Chloe-Jasmine,
How are you? I just wanted to say how wonderful you look in these photos shown here and that i think you are such an amazingly beautiful and talented model :) Well done to you and the team!
Ollie
Thanks Ollie :)
This looks so beautiful in Photo Pro magazine- seriously well written and conveyed.
Can’t wait for the next one! x
Hi Chloe-Jasmine,
I’m back from my holiday and raring to shoot with you in Manchester. The next copy of PhotoPro is out now! You have a starring role again. I have the cover shot too. It is Lora Brisland from Gingersnap. See you on Monday.
Damien :)
Very cool pics! Love what you and Chris do.
/Benny
Thanks Benny, Praise indeed from a true international master. Cheers, Damien.
Wow everyone, thanks for all your kind comments. I’m aware how big a step this shoot was for me. Thanks again, Damien.
Great emotion between the models..love the shots through the windows of the carriage
I really love the processing Marko has added to your images.
Just echoing everyone else who attended and has commented, it was a great day put together perfectly and even the weather worked for us too.
If anyone is on the fence about attending a course with either Damien or Chris, or maybe both, then take the opportunity when you can…it will certainly give you great returns on your investment.
My own images are linked above, in case you would like to see how I interpreted the era these images evoke.
What a superb couple of days I spent with you both at Vintage Cherish The Dress and also Pushing the Boundaries! I left with renewed confidence and full of ideas, and images, which even before they are on the website have generated 2 bookings for fashion based portraiture. Thanks to all involved in both days but especially to Damien and Chris whose enthusiasm, knowledge and teaching skills are superb. I am one very happy delegate!
Now awaiting delivery of Arri 300 and Orbis.
Thanks again guys.
Brilliant work again!
Having lived through this era, it brings back so many memories of the posters in their glasscases outside the cinemas, enticing you in from the drab streets into another world of glamour, tragedy, heartache and humour.
Edward Hopper, the american artist also comes to mind.
An exciting set of photographs where the model and photographer are in accord.
Brilliant.
Stunning images as usual Damien….beautifully crafted…!
Some great images, I really like them, it seems another great shoot..
Absolutely outstanding and can’t wait to see Chris’s shots…
The action set is superb, is that available for sale Damien?
Rog
Loved the workshop, beautiful images.
Lets do another workshop soon.
Katy
Loving the look Damien. It was an amazing, inspiring day. thanks so much. I like too to see how we all came away with a different look, even though we were shooting exactly the same scene on the same settings. I’ve included a few of my version of events in the link above.
Hey D,
once again you’re moving the bar and hoop :)
They are all just delicious, and I have to say Jenni and Chloe took my breath away.
Not wanting to steal D’s comments I need to say to thank everyone on the team and to all of you e-mailing and commenting and mentioning me on this string, thank you for your very kind words
Hi Damien,
These pictures are lovely, i adore the vintage feel. I get the feeling this is an era you have a fondness with, it shows through in your images. Are the vintage actions available to buy or are they available if you attend one of Marko’s workshops.
Kind Regards
Steve
Fantastic pictures Damien. Chris Hanley and yourself are great teachers and i have learned so much from you both.
Thankyou
Stan
Wow, these are amazing photographs. Love the PP too.
I think this will be another workshop I’ll just have to attend!
Stunning work as always.
Gemma
What can I say- such a brilliant , high energy day it was !
It was a real honour to work with you (encore une fois) and Chris and wear such exquisite bespoke gowns ; A gorgeous set to say the least.
Highly anticipating part two .
x
Just brilliant. I am in awe as usual!
It’s wonderful to see your images of the day, I am absolutely thrilled with mine. I really feel they have taken my photography up a notch or 2 !
The workshop was fantastic, I learnt so much and am so grateful to you and Chris for sharing your expertise so freely.
If you are wondering whether to do this course, I’d say don’t hesitate. It’s challenging and rewarding.
Thanks so much Damien
Cat
Thanks Cat,
It was an exciting day and good fun to meet up with you again.
Regards, Damien.
Yes I have to agree a beautiful set of images. Where were they taken, did you hire the train for the day?
Claire
Hi Claire,
Thanks. We hired Bolton Street station in Bury for the day together with some rolling stock. The event took lots of coordinating and negotiating but now that we are approved we have been given a green light to put on more of these workshops. The first one is going to be on the 16th of August. It should become available for booking on Monday.
Kind regards,
Damien.
Wow amazing photos, set, models, poses, lighting
I could go on and on just fantastic. Super work
Derek
Wooow stunning stuff. Glad to see so many :) love the last one but they are all wonderful!
Thanks, Adam, Derek, and Tobiah. I’ll be blogging Chris Hanley’s set next.