I recently photographed Italian model Martina Bellacima in a few abandoned villas in Tuscany. This was an opportunity for me to see how I coped directing an Italian model who speaks no English. Martina came with her photographer boyfriend who translated for us and together we got on just fine. Apparently I speak with my hands in the Italian way and this was perfect for the shoot.
1. When less is more, the choice of viewpoint is critical and so too is the lighting design.
Camera: Fujifilm GFX50s
Lenses: 32-64mm f/4 zoom and 110mm f/2 prime
Film Simulations: Pro Negative S and Astia G
Makeup: Martina Bellacima
Styling and photography: Damien Lovegrove
2. Martina is wrapped in a towel to keep her warm while I set up my tripod and adjust the lighting. I love this towel shot too.
3. A fine balance of light and tone is needed to set the scene and allow Martina to lift from the page. I love the subtle green hues in the woodwork and they compliment the brown hues in Martina’s skin and dress perfectly.
4. We went for a contemporary look in the cattle shed. It looks light but I was using 1/10th of a second for all of these shots. I’m feeling back in the groove using a tripod again and I have developed the knack of directing a moment of stillness when needed too. I used a white balance of 7200K to give the cattle shed a lovely warm look.
5. I had my secateurs with me to create a way through into the building. It’s all boy scout stuff. A quick sweep of the floor was needed too.
6. We popped into Pienza for a spot of lunch and I loved the grittiness of this official looking building so we shot a few frames here too.
If you would like to shoot Martina alongside me as part of my 7 day adventure tour of Tuscany please visit this page for the schedule, dates and prices. We will be shooting portraits and landscapes in the most wonderful locations.
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