After the success of my first Fashion Fusion workshop I decided to run it again. This was my second shoot with the new Lupo HMI lights and I’m delighted with the way they performed. The best light is definately the Lupo 800. It is perfect for interior portraits and is now my principal light of choice. Here are 24 of the 70 or so keepers from the shoot:

1. What can I say? The moment was fabulous. Chloe is lit with an Arri 300 as a key light and an Arri 150w kicker from the right of frame. The Lupo 800 provided the upstage kick from the left of frame.
The shoot really got going and was a constant creative drive. Seven outfits, various hair styles, numerous lighting rigs and Maunsel House providing the fabulous backdrop.

2. A beautiful dress provided by Diva Corsets of London. They provided their whole 'new collection' for us to shoot. Chloe and her mum raided the London store in style, walking out with thousands of pounds worth of stock. A Lupo 800 was used as the key light.

3. A Lupo 800 provided a key light for Chloe and a Lupo 1200 was used as a backlight. Ambient light did the rest.
The day was billed as interior fashion shooting using continuous light. In a fashion shoot the clothes are the star and so it is important to capture the detail. We fused a fashion shoot with some portraits to make a complete collection of shots fit for an album or catalogue.

4. That pink dress is fabulous. And so is Chloe.

5. A pair of Arris lit this scene. A white balance of 3400k ensured we had a rich warm look.

6. Gold shoes to match the mirror. Details are important.

7. Funky Diva. All we needed was a jazz band and a microphone for Chloe.

8. Chloe looks great from above or below the lens. I love those fingerless gloves.

9. The English rose look came next. Lupo 800 with a sheet of half white diffusion clipped to the barn doors was used as a keylight.

10. The shoot was bright and light. The weather wasn't though.

11. The sofa in the Kings room was perfectly lit by the window behind the camera. A Lupo 800 provided a kick light from the right.

12. That copper bath haunts me. Every time I see it, I'm stumped for shot ideas. If it wasn't plumbed in, I'd shoot it in the ballroom.

13. Fabulous fun.

14. I chose to shoot by the wardrobe to include the reflections of the windows. The last time Chloe was shot here she was in the wardrobe! Under Chris Hanley's direction I should add.

15. When shooting a collection don't forget the full length shot. Natural light was perfect in this doorway.

16. Perfect pinks. An Arri 150 dimmed to half power was the keylight.

17. The same Arri keyed Chloe in this shot too.

18. I always encourage delegates to find the 'other' viewpoint. There is often more than one great shoot spot.

19. Shots with a visual barrier are very powerful. It's a technique I love to exploit.

20. I used my now sold 24mm-70mm lens for this shot. It's a very versatile lens and the last of my zooms to go. I now shoot primes, for a while anyway. An Arri 300 with a sheet of diffusion was all I used to light Chloe.

21. This classic screen makes a fabulous background. One Lupo 800 was used to light the scene.

22. The Lupo is fantastic here. Window light provided the contrast control.

23. The ambient light in the scene was all I used for this exposure at 1/20th second.

24. We were back in the dining room for the last session of the day. A flourish of lights were used for this shot. The 1200 Lupo (250w), the 800 Lupo (150w) and my trusty Arri 300.
Vicky Waghorn created the hair and make up for Chloe plus managed the extensive wardrobe provided by the fabulous team at Diva Corsets in London. Please feel free to comment on the pictures, lights or techniques used below.
Some fantastic shots, it must be nice working with some good models.
I would love to do a photo shoot like this has given me some great ideas and thanks for sharing your setup
Thank you Andy (Creativesnaps),
I have been very lucky to work with amazing models including the fabulous Chloe Jasmine Whichello pictured here. This shoot was one on our journey to produce this art book. It is a photographers style reference too full of posing ideas and lighting inspiration.
I’m glad you gained some inspiration from this shoot. Do take a journey of discovery around this site. There are many more gems lurking here :)
Kindest regards,
Damien.
Absolutely beautiful pictures!
Wow they’re cool.
Hi Damien,
Absolutely love pic 1 here.
Was the colour effect all achieved in post or did it have something to do with the mix of tungsten and HMI?
Cheers,
Pete
Hi Peter.
Thanks for your comments. Pic 1 has the colour rendition because of many factors. The room is vivid green, Chloe’s dress is magenta pink, The lights have different colour temperature and the post processing is a non linear vintage action.
Cheers, Damien.
Hi Damien
Light Ouput
=========
Firstly, I hope you had a good Bank Holiday weekend?
Secondly, thanks for the VERY prompt and VERY useful response (more useful than the info I found on the Lupo site!).
With your info, I can now work out the Guide Number (something that is far more useful than that silly Watts nonsesne; sorry for going on about it, but it really winds me up when manufacturers (whether audio, visual, or motoring) spout meaningless figures (but obviously meaningful to the marketing suits!).
You mention the use of Lux. It’s not a measure that I find most useful as it involves jumping through too many hoops to get to where you should be (Lumens, or GN) but at least it is actually a measure of light oujtput unlike watts.
As for coming down to your studio to try out the Lupo ……….. no way no how!!! Not wtih my current financial situation ……………. coz I just know I will fall in love with it and end up on CrimeWatch after having robbed your local Post Office to pay for those lovely lights!! :-)
But I have added the Lupo light/s to my wish list.
Thanks again,
Warm regards,
And keep up the excellent work.
P.S.
Gordon McGowan, a photographer I admire, is absolutely smitten by your beauty and fashion work, and I can see why from your last few blog posts; your stuff is gorgeous.
Thanks Plevyadophy, Damien.
Light Output
=========
Thanks for sharing your wonderful images.
I followed your link to the Lupo HMI Lights, and read with interest. They seem very nice, I would love to try them out one day.
Anyway, the thing that annoyed me (and always annoys me), and this is no big criticism of you, is that there was NO USEFUL indication of light output.
I note that for the Lupo 800 light the data points out that it gives a light output equivalent to an 800w bulb, whilst consuming just 150w. As any school boy scientist will know, wattage is NOT a measure of light output; rather it is a measure of energy/heat use (and some may say waste).
I find it very frustrating when lighting companies companies quote (un)impressively high figures in watts. What a photographer really needs to know is the light output. Just yesterday I was looking up a Profoto light and found nothing of value on the Profoto sight until I read a review in The British Journal of Photography whereby the reviewer took a light meter reading from which I was able to calculate the Guide Number (GN) of the light.
So, I would be ever so grateful if you took a light meter reading at say 3 metres and provided readers with the reading from which we could work out the GN. Or perhaps, Lupo provide in the packaging material the other useful measure of light output i.e. Lumens?
Thanks in advance.
Warm regards,
plevyadophy
Hi Plevyadophy,
A useful indication of light output for some people is not so useful to others. In the film and TV industry a lamp is usually rated by it’s wattage. I’m used to lighting scenes to a light level. I often shoot at 900 lux for instance which gives me ISO 800, 1/60th at f/4. When working with a white balance of 3200k, an Arri 300 can give me that level at 3m from lamp to subject on full flood. The Lupo can do the same with a full orange gel at 4m on full flood. I’d normally use the Lupo in a 5600k situation and it can give twice the light output without a CTO gel so expect to use it at 5m for 900 lux on full flood (50 degrees of even illumination). Obviously on full spot things get a lot brighter in the centre and the position of the flood/ spot dial is infinitely variable hence no fixed value of light output can be given.
I have a demo Lupo 800 here at the studio if you want to give it a try. You need to see it in action to really asses it’s characteristics. I hope this helps,
Kindest regards,
Damien.
Just wanted to thank Damien, Chloe and the team for a great session. Damien’s attention to detail and lighting was as expected, second to none! and Chloe was sensational – where does all that energy come from? Thanks all – Marc
Thanks Marc and Will.
Marc, the energy is part of the process. If at the end of a shoot I’m not knackered I’ve not put in 100%.
Cheers, Damien.
Inspiring as ever..nice work love no 15 and 11 best
1, 4 ,5 , 7 , 8, ( especially 11) 15 & 20 are my absolute favourites.
Fabulous shoot?
Of ” Corset” is :)
Chloe Jasmine
Hi Chloe,
Always gorgeous results with you in front of my lens.
Cheers, Damien x
Fantastic pictures Damian,
Do you recommend one Lupo 800 if I’d like to start a portrait photography with a limited budget?
Thanks Miklós,
The Lupo 800 is perfect for environmental portraiture and interiors during daylight hours. Point it into a reflector to create a soft light or use it direct as a hard light. I hope this helps,
Damien.
some great images there Damian! love the natural light ones
Thanks Greg.
jealous jealous jealous I so wanted to do this shoot.
love the lilac flower dress and royal blue evening dress.
Fab, well done to the whole team
Great Shots once again damien, a quick question, you say you’ve now sold your last zoom lens, what do you use for shooting weddings now? Are you shooting all prime? I assume you still have your 70-200mm.
May i also say a big thank you, i came to see you when i first started out as a wedding photographer, your cousin sadie sent me and i picked your brains over lunch, still going strong and still using your invaluable advice. Thanks for everything Damien, especially this site!!
inspiring, inspiring, inspiring!
Thanks Benny, Chris and Graham,
Graham, My latest post answers your question re zooms, in fact your question inspired the post. I’ve got just one last wedding to shoot on Saturday in Cambridge and I’ll gladly be shooting primes while Julie covers the action on zooms.
I’m glad you are still going strong. Feel free to pop by, ask some questions and buy me a pint – Haha.
Kindest regards,
damien.