Photoshoot with Kittysprite - 17th December 2012

A little behind with Christmas and spending quality time with family, though today having a quiet time catching up on things in the office, so thought I would get my blog completed for a shoot which was my last one of 2011 with Kittysprite.

When thinking of ideas for this shoot I wanted to incorporate candles in some of the images and experiment with lower shutter speeds so the flash did not make the flame from the candles disappear, while at the same time hand holding the camera and I thought a 25^th of a second would be enough to not have any camera shake as well as expose for the flash as well as the candle flame.

I suggested this idea to Kittysprite beforehand and she came up with some great ideas for the use of the candles, one of which made me think this would work really well by giving the images a Victorian feel and would give me the chance to shoot Kittysprite in some Victorian Bloomers I have and am a big fan of.

We had discussed beforehand if to do the shoot out on location or in the studio, but due to the time of year and weather on the day, went for the studio.

Kittysprite’s partner came along with her to the shoot and after looking through all the amazing things that she had brought along to the shoot we decided to shoot Kittysprite in this amazing Kimono she has, before moving onto the candle idea and incorporating Kittysprite’s partner into the shoot. We shot the Kimono with Kittysprite in various poses and incorporating a few props, I have included my favourite from this set below.

A friend of mine had made this amazing cross and let me borrow it for photoshoots and I decided to incorporate this in the next set of images where we at first kept Kittysprite in the Kimono, but undone so just around her waist and then took a series with her tied to the cross, before incorporating some candles, getting Kittysprite to have one in each hand as well as one in her mouth, before getting her partner to dribble some of the wax over her chest as well as using a cane to poke Kittysprite with. Though before using the wax we removed the Kimono from Kittysprite as it was very expensive and we didn’t want to damage it with candle wax.

We then decided to have Kittysprite sitting in front of the cross with her hands above her head tied to the cross, while arranging candles around her, being very careful to ensure the candles followed the lines of her legs etc. rather than just being place haphazardly.

Lastly after getting the wax off Kittysprite’s chest, we went with Kittysprite dressed in Victorian style bloomers, blouse and maids hat and then got her partner dressed up in formal wear with top hat and took a set where he is being the sinister cruel guy which I have to see he played the part of very well, in fact I think they both enjoyed it.

I have to say Kittysprite who has only shot with two other photographers before is a pure delight to work with and added so much creativity and ideas to the shoot. I will be arranging another shoot with her in the New Year that’s for sure.

Happy New Year to you all and watch this space for upcoming shoots in 2012.

Photoshoot with Clover - 12th December 2011

Last week I had another shoot with Clover who those who are regular readers of my blog will know is much more than a model to me but also a great friend of Karenza and myself.  When setting up this shoot we had discussed various ideas but all of them themed around artistic nude in dereliction. I have always been very keen on this theme, but was further encouraged to do more of this style of work due to getting some images published in a book titled ‘Derelict Nudes’ which is available to purchase via this Link.

We planned to go with this theme even though it was the middle of December and planned to do it whatever the weather on the day and I can’t thank Clover enough for agreeing to this. As it happens we were very lucky with the weather and while cold the sun was shining.

We went to my normal location and on parking the car at the entrance to the field we had to walk across to get to the old buildings we were confronted by four dead birds hanging from the trees around the entrance. It made us wonder if this was a warning not to enter or meant something else? as we have at previous times seen the odd dead bird hanging in various places around the location. If anyone knows why farmers do this I would be very interested to hear from you.
Ignoring the birds we went through the gate and across the field to the location containing various derelict building. Rather than use the buildings we had both shot in before we decided to try a new one which is an old massive barn, which was full of old farm machinery. In this building was an old flat bed truck so started with Clover nude posing on the back this. 
The sun was coming through a doorway throwing light in various patterns onto Clover’s body and we arranged the poses to work with this natural light and used a single flash as a fill in, to avoid dark shadows on Clover. During this session all the time I was looking for how the natural light was falling onto Clover and as the Sun was moving so Clover had to move to take full advantage of this light and where possible getting it to fall in such a way as to highlight the curves of Clovers body.

Once we had exhausted our pose book for the truck we moved onto another piece of machinery, which was in front of the truck. As soon as I started shooting I was not happy with the light I was getting, so turned off the flash and just went with the natural light flooding through the doorway.

After this we tried various other locations in the barn including laying Clover on some large blue bags of fertilizer. All through the shoot I was trying to use the highlights of the location from the skylights in the building to the beautiful texture of the back wall of the barn presumably caused by water damage.

After a few hours of shooting we decided that it was time to finish as I was very aware of how cold it was and while Clover was a complete trooper I didn’t want Clover to get to cold. Saying that though Clover and I have worked together so many times and are able to capture the right images very quickly as Clover knows the sort of thing I am looking for and how I work, with the same being true of myself knowing what works with Clover and was doesn’t.

Currently discussing with Clover plans for returning to this same building in the New Year together and do more images along this same theme.  

Derelict Nude Book now available

The book I have my work published in is now available for purchase, and if you purchase now you will have it in time for Christmas. Will make a great Christmas present or just treat yourself as it contains some amazing work photographs by some very talented people.

Here is the link directly to the website you can purchase from - Derelict Nudes Book where you can read which other photographer's have their work included.
Enjoy!

Reworked images of Clover & Karenza from 2009

I have been up to date with editing all my previous shoots for about a week now, and had the urge to have a look back through some previous images I had taken back in 2009. This was when I did my first ever photoshoot with Clover and thought I would share a few of the images from back then. Since those first shoots with Clover, she has become a very dear friend of Karenza and myself and we both look forward to her visits. A few of the images I revisited where of her and Karenza together and made me think it’s about time I arranged to shoot both of these beautiful ladies together again. So that will be on my New Years wish list.

I have done more photoshoots with Clover than anyone and in that time she has taught me a lot about my own photography and also encouraged me to experiment and not be afraid of getting it wrong as at the end of the day the mistakes is how you learn and improve.

Also in this time Clover has developed as a model in so many ways and become one of the most sought after models in the Fetish arena. Also she has become a brilliant photographer herself and her work as a photographer can be seen at Clover Photography

Although on reviewing these images I have to say my editing skills where not up to scratch so I have also reedited a few of them, mainly just adding more contrast to the images, which was lacking in my early photographs, which China Hamilton was very quick to point out to me on many occasions.

Now I am looking forward to shooting with Clover next week, so watch this space for some new images of Clover.