This short photo shoot session in one bedroom at The Rectory Hotel near Malmsbury was organised by Andrew Jackson, one of my Evolve 3 delegates for the benefit of all the Evolve group. It wasn’t a workshop or tutorial session as such but I did suggest using just controlled ambient light in the room to create a high key set of images and then a low key set of images and here is a small selection of my shots for your perusal. I must just add that my Fujifilm X100 hadn’t arrived by this time so these of Jojo (Johanna Ormsby) were taken on my Canon 5Dmk2 with either the 100mm or 50mm L lenses.

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It was lovely for me to see this light bulb moment for my Evolvers. I juggled the lighting style in the room to deliver a more moody look and new picture opportunities were immediately created.
It doesn’t take long to become a master of light once you are shown the fundamentals. Practice makes perfect and over the two shoot sessions that Andrew organised, of which this was one, all of my students saw very significant gains in their photography. Both in terms of being more able to see picture opportunities and in developing an increased ability to exploit and manipulate the existing light.
There you have it, my small selection of shots taken in one hotel bedroom. Jojo (Johanna Ormsby) did her own make up and provided the clothes.
All the techniques shown here and many more using continuous light are taught on my Feminine Beauty workshop.
You can also browse our range of upcoming photography training courses here.
Please feel free to comment below.
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Keith Last (@kentishmale)
@damienlovegrove stunning !! Sun Jun 26 16:31:34 2011 |
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Phil Woodford (@LoveYouPhoto)
@damienlovegrove wow… think I will give up now! Sun Jun 26 17:04:26 2011 |
Absolutely gorgeous! Just shows what you can do in one hotel room (with fab lighting and JoJo, of course)
You are such an inspiration.
Thank you very much Ellie :)
Stunning images Damien. Your black and whites are beautiful. Gorgeous model too.
Thank you Alison :)
I love these Damien.
I was lucky enough to have been with you when you took these, what a great morning that was.
The low-key work truly opened my eyes, a real light-bulb moment for me. Probably the most significant photographic moment I’ve had in the last few months. I also love no. 16.
Thanks again for making it all look so simple and for your continued willingness to share you wealth of knowledge
Wow Thorsten,
My head is big enough already, haha. Seriously though I know what you mean. I set this shot up as a contrast. Masculine pose with a tough gritty expression to counteract the soft delicate feminie beauty.
Thanks for your continued support.
Damien.
Thank you Frederic and Cat :)
Hi David, I know where you are coming from but if you just clone it out or crop it off the image looses it’s grounding. The geography is so important in a high key image like this that I felt it was important to leave it in. It’s all subjective and I really appreciate your comments and suggestions.
I’ve been trying to crop in camera and not touch the crop tool in post production for al my recent shoots. I’m not a great fan of 3:2 but I’m working on that. Just shots 7 & 8 here needed a trim because of curtains and furniture.
Cheers, Damien.
Thanks Kevin and Radmilla for your kind words. I’m loving this journey that my photography is taking me on at the moment. Cheers, Damien.
Oh my damien, the light is stunning, breathtaking once again x
A great set of images Damien, but my favourite has to be no. 16. It reminds me of some of Helmut Newtons work.
super sexy serieus. gorgeous model as well.
Well done to Jojo she looked amazing, but for the first time since finding you Damien I have a critique, on 2 and 3 in the top righthand corner of each image is a tiny little corner of a window, for some reason it is annoying me, is there any particular reason you have left it in.
Other than that I love both the high key and the low key images, brilliant as usual Damien.
another great set of pictures Damien, great job Jojo as well. Love No. 13, the light and her expression are just fantastic!
I so adore B&W, I think these images show off the light so so well! and i hate stating the obvious but the model is stunning!