Litebook 2011 Issue 4 Web Edition

8/3/2019 Litebook 2011 Issue 4 Web Edition

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litebookthe creative lighting magazine

litebookthe creative lighting magazineOctober-December 2011

MORGANA: multi-tasking model & photographer // SARAH

LOUISE JOHNSON: stamping out stereotypes // MISS

BOUDOIR: its all about the business // SARAH BIRD: gets

a brief from heaven...plus our latest LiteBites

tutorial shows how not to lose your bottle.


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www.bowens.co.ukBowens and the power behind the picture are registered trademarks of Bowens International Ltd. PocketWizard is a registered trademark of LPA Design.

All other trademarks are the porperty of their respective owners. All models and technical specications featured here may be subject to change without notice.

2011 Bowens International Ltd.

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litebook: Published by Bowens International Ltd. 355-361 Old Road, Clacton-On-Sea, Essex, CO15 3RH. Tel: +44(0)1255 422807. Email: [email protected] - Any prices quoted are correct at time of press but may vary by ret

are subject to change at any time. All models and technical specications featured are subject to change and without notice. Bowens and the power behind the picture are registered trademarks of Bowens International Ltd

Bowens International Ltd. E&OE. // Cover image: Morgana - www.iberianblackarts.com

Iwas talking to a marketing manager at

one of the UK photo-title publishers

recently. He was keen to point out thechanging gender demographics in the

imaging world. He (yes, sorry ladies, it was

a he) said that stats showed that today

over 40% of the readership on one of the

groups key consumer photography titles

comprised women. Thats up by a lot.

So that led me to look up notable female photographers

in Wikipedia and there are almost one hundred listed from

Anna Atkins (1799 -1871) and Berenice Abbott (1898-1991)

Margaret Bourke-White (1906 -1971) and of course the

greats of today like Annie Leibovitz, Heather Angel, Anna

Geddes and Carolyn Cole.

The social networking tsunami today guarantees a platform

for all with a voice to be heard. I further discovered that Women

in Photography International is an outreach organisation,

founded back in 1981, with a mission to promote the visibility

of women photographers and their work.

The girls are starting to really make a noise.

Our autumn edition is our second dedicated to highlighting

professional female photographers at work. And boy theyre

good. Photographers like Morgana and Sarah Louise

Johnson seem quite happy either side of the camera and

Emma Joness Miss Boudoir business has been so goodshes launched a second studio just down the road.

And what all these ladies are saying is quite simple: Whatever

the boys can do we can do just as well, if not better.

And I am thinking that Berenice Abbott must have thought

the same thing back in the early twentieth century but she

didnt have Facebook and YouTube to help get her message

out did she?

By the way, we have launched our Bowens Direct Sales

website in the US (www.bowensusa.com), which of course

complements our sites in the UK and Australia. Plus, were

going to be exhibiting at the PhotoPlus Expo at the Jacob K.Javits Convention Centre, New York (Oct 27-29).

If you can get there the bagels are on us.

David Hollingsworth, Editor.

04. morgana

Model or photographer? One

dedicated professional who ison a mission to prove that

women can multi-task better t

men.

14. sarah louise johnso

Shows us proof that you can

teach yourself and do things y

own way whilst still being

successful.

22. sarah bird

The thing is...there is no brief.

SB explains why its a dream

come true to have complete a

total creative control over a

shoot.

24. miss boudoir

Emma Jones explain why its a

about the business for her.

32. LiteBites

Litebook favourite Christian

Hough returns with another to

tutorial and shows us how not

lose our bottle.

C o n t e n t s


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04 bowens


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We hold this truth to be self-evident: women multi-taskbetter than men. Morgana is theliving proof of this - at least in the

world of photo-shoots.

Spanish-born Morgana - shes almost thirty but

looks like a teenager - offers her clients a highly

original and extremely cost-effective service.

They can commission her as a photographer, or

as a model. Or both.

When the brief requires her to be both sides

of the camera she simply organises the set

and employs an assistant simply to press

shutter.

I am mainly working in the niche alternat

market of retro-vintage inspired cloth

and latex fashion. she tells Litebook,

this unique opportunity to book me for complete package really appeals to the sma

businesses and designers I work with. If t

had to buy-in, not just the photographer, but

model, the make-up and the stylists it woul

be a viable proposition for them. But with

they know I can do the lot and charge th

just 75 an hour. It makes it affordable.

Morga

litebook

So do youwant meto shootor be shot.Or both?


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06 bowens

She adds: I may be charging a bit

more than some photographers

would charge but they only do the

shooting. My fees cover everything

except editing.

And Morgana (nee Patricia) has never

been busier. I have clients that

really want the lot: Kiss Me Deadly,

the elegant lingerie specialists, havecommissioned me to be the face

of their brand and also produce all

their imagery, yer designs, website,

business cards everything.

She smiles: So it is possible to

work simultaneously on both sides

of the camera. I set everything up.

including my Canon 5D MKII on a

tripod and my vital Bowens lighting.

Then I go and get myself ready to be

the model for the shot and a friend

just clicks the shutter.

I admit it can get quite exhaustingbut the fact is I know many

aspirational models that would do the

shoot for clients free of charge just to

get some portfolio pictures. At least I

am being paid for the service I off

and sometimes its like Christma

my home studio when the fas

companies throw in clothes for m

part of the deal.

Multi talented, and multi tas

Morgana runs her Iberian Black A

business from a modern apartmin Colchester, Essex a ten mi

walk to the mainline station and

minutes away from London. W

she moved to the at a year

Sometimes its like Christmas at my home studio when the ashion companies throw in clothes or mepart o the deal.


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she wasnt looking for all the usual

domestic attributes nice location,

proximity to shops and schools,

built-in dishwasher and extra power

points . She just had one objective.

I needed the at to be reasonably

priced and with a lounge area large

enough to house my trusty Esprit

heads, softboxes and beauty dishes.It had to double as a studio.

She adds: I got most of what I

needed although I confess the

ceiling light ttings hang slightly too

low. But its workable and it means I

am not paying 200 a day for studio

hire.

Morganas roots are in Valencia

where she studied photography and

art from fteen years old.

It was all lm at that time she recalls.

I read all the books on photographythat I could get my hands on - and

back then I did my own printing too.

The problem with lm for me was the

expense. Now photographers can

shoot four or ve hundred ima

a day digitally and simply cho

what they want to keep. I still h

many lms shot then that are

undeveloped. I just couldnt affor

have them all processed.

At twenty one she was offere

chance to do some modelling in

States.Shes only ve feet four inches t

but as contradictory as it may so

on a fetish catwalk, size doe

count.

I have clients that want the lot: Kiss Me Deadly, the elegant lingerie specialists, have commissioned mebe the ace o their brand and also produce all their imagery, fyer designs, website everything.


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08 bowens

The modelling funded photography

equipment costs and she moved to

England.

I started shooting model portfolios

and just built up my business

gradually she says.

I remember my rst digital camera

was just 1.3 MP. It wasnt very special

but I still took pictures of everything,and as I am good at painting I used

Photoshop to apply digital painting

techniques. I still managed to sell

some of that early work as calendar

covers and yers.

Morgana moved up to a Canon EOS

10D until the shutter broke. The

next purchase was a Canon EOS 20D

and two and a half years ago she

invested in her signature 5D MKII.

Morganas versatility on both sides

of the camera occasionally leads

to interesting dialogue with otherphotographers.

Sometimes when I am just modelling

for another photographer I will make

a point that I dont agree with the

lighting arrangements for the sh

she admits. If I think the ligh

doesnt work, I say so whereas o

models wouldnt know the differe

between good and bad lightin

dont criticise the photograph

style of lighting because we all h

our own way of doing things bu

think it is unattering I have to mthe point. I dont like unatte

shadows. You can have harsh ligh

but if it is treated carefully it can

be really attering and attractive.

I I think the lighting doesnt work, I say so whereas other models wouldnt know the dierebetween good and bad lighting.


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On her own studio shoots Morganas

typical set-up runs with her largest

softbox at the front of the subject

and slightly high. She adds some

edge lighting to keep the background

completely smooth. I need to pick

out all the details of the shape to

enable me to take the subject out

and drop a background inand withthis kind of lighting you always know

where the edges are.

Its a very modern look but I can also

simply drop a spotlight in at the front

and turn the image into lm-noir.

I use gels and beauty dishes and I

have used the Bowens Octobox too

but sadly I dont yet own one.

She adds: I love Bowens. I love

Canon and I love Macs. Its an

imperative for me that I work with

all three. Ive worked very hard toacquire this equipment and I want to

feel I have the best, most reliable kit

on the market today.

Digital art is a key part of Morganas

work today. Its 50% of what

these days. I shoot in my ho

studio with edge lighting and

fake backgrounds. Clients just d

have budgets for expensive loca

shooting so they pay me to bui

interesting backgrounds. The tru

most people dont know what is

and what isnt. But it takes me hday to complete each image.

What about mentors?

I love Bowens. I love Canon and I love Macs. Its an imperative or me that I work with all three.


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10 bowens

She notes: If I had to nominate

a photographer whose work has

inspired me over the years it would

have to be the Spanish photographer

Eugenio Recuenco. His work is

simply stunning. His pictures just

look like paintings.

But Morgana refuses to be unduly

inuenced by anyone. You haveto create your own style. My own is

femme fatale, vintage inspired but

with a modern feel.

I think its a very exciting time to

be a photographer because just

about anyone can pick up a camera

and have a go these days. And it is

that challenge that drives me on to

improve my own work.

And the gender issues?

She insists: It is denitely not a

mans world. I personally believe the

best photographers of women arewomen. When I shoot women I am

always thinking about the minutiae of

the shot the single hair out of place

or a strap that doesnt look quite right

whereas a man tends to look at

overall theme. Sometimes men

dont see the most attering shot

Some time back Morgana

censored by Facebook a

a complaint that her work

pornographic. This was outrageo

she says. I think the complaint aba fake and pornographic prole

made by someone who was jea

of my work.

I dont do fetish in a sexual way

It is denitely not a mans world, the best photographers o women are women


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just catalogue shoots. And none

of it is nudeso how could it be

pornographic? Plus I have all my

family on Facebook and linked to my

prole.

A move to London is on the cards for

this exponent of Iberian black arts

in the next ve years. There will be

more opportunities for me there she

says, But that doesnt mean I am

just chasing money. Im really not. If

making money was my only target I

wouldnt be operating in this niche

marketplace. Its just that I love w

I do.

www.iberianblackarts.comIntervIewby trevor Lansdown

Morganas Key Equipme

Gemini 500R Travelpak kit

A superb kit both in and out

o the studio. I just adore

the act that I can use my

lights on mains power as

well as with the Travelpak

battery.

www.bowens.co.uk

Esprit 500DX

This was the rst light I ever

bought and I just love it; its

never let me down in all the

years Ive had it. I I could

only have one light I would

denitely choose this one.

www.bowens.co.uk

Canon 5D MkII

This is the best camera

ever owned and my t

Canon to date. I expect

Ill be using this one

years to come yet.

www.canon.com


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ITS TRUE:

Wayne Johns

Hair & Make Up: Katrina Trigas

Model: Michaela - Model Division

Designer: House of Sunny

Location: Premier Park Studios


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The Bowens Octo90 is simple, tough and provides beautiful light: Wayne Johns

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

Compelling creativity from the getgo and within tough timeframes is a given for UK and international fashion and advertising photographer W

Johns. Clients like Vogue and Marie Claire want it done right and invariably they want it done within brutal deadlines.In these circumstances the last thing a photographer needs hassle with is kit. But staying ahead of the photo pack also means maximising opportu

to introduce latest equipment to the workow.

When Wayne rst heard about the new Bowens Octo90 (the highly portable sibling to the Octo150 softbox) he knew he had to try it but he

reservations.

When this piece of kit rst arrived I thought its smaller dimensions would mean challenges getting the rods into the support ring and even mo

a mission getting them out again at the end of a shoot.

He adds: But the truth is, I could not have been more wrong. The Octo90 build quality is outstanding. Its tough. And its built to last.

But the most important Octo90 asset, according to Wayne, is its simplicity.

He tells Litebook: The very clever Bowens design means you can almost assemble it with one hand. I had no hassle or struggle at

all with the mounting rods. The Octo90 is laid at on the ground in a kind of open buttery arrangement. The support rods are

put in place on the support mount and then all you do is zip up the sides and secure the Velcro locking tags. And that is it.

Its amazingly simple and packing it up post shoot is just as easy.

Adds Wayne: This is a terric piece of kit. The rear facing ash mount means light is bounced from the back of the Octobox

and the light given off is beautifully soft and even and enables pleasing round catchlights in the eyes. The gentle and smooth

fall off of light gives great tonality too.

He concludes: My initial worries when it rst arrived were all erased after my rst shoot. Its simple. Its tough and it

provides beautiful light. I congratulate Bowens on this revamp. The Octo90 ticks all my boxes. I just love it.

www.waynejohns.com // www.bowens.co.uk


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Yoga and meditation disciple SLouise Johnson loves to sttraditional ambition, photograprinciples and stereotypes rightheir head.

This pro shooter has got her own work/life bala

properly worked out. And it comes with her motivational mantra too: Think positively. Get mwork.

Sarah Louise is 29, London-based and makinsteady living in the fashion, editorial and advertand beauty shoots business but this attrablonde former model is denitely doing it her wa

Seeing the

lightmy way


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Sarah Louise Johns

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16 bowens

Shes never been anywhere near a

photo-seminar, never submitted to

any meaningful imaging training,

never read a photography book and

didnt even open the manual to her

camera.

Sometimes you are given a gift

in life, she says. I am not saying

training is bad or unnecessary, butit just wasnt the way I chose to go.

I have learnt the profession I am in

through trial and error. I am not the

most technical photographer on the

planet but I have frequently shot

under very challenging conditions

and I guess I just dont worry about

things anymore.

But that wasnt always the way.

Sarah Johnson was born and bred

in Derby. She completed A-Levels

in English literature, German and

Spanish and went to LancasterUniversity. I just loathed the

experience she recalls. I admit

I grew lazy but I hated the people

and I hated the course. I became

I have lear

the proessio

am in throu

trial and erro


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litebook

very depressed and just downright

miserable.

But she gave further education another

go, this time at Loughborough, where

she signed up for a graphics course.

I was a party animal and enjoyed the

rst year but after that I succumbed to

another bout of serious depression. I

was coming up with some great ideasbut I wasnt very neat and tidy with

my presentation, so ultimately my

grades let me down.

She adds: My photo-eureka

moment arrived when I discovered

the departments Canon G9 camera.

I started shooting pictures and using

them in my work. The turning point

came when I won a competition.

I used pictures of jelly babies to

illustrate the concept of bullying it

went down very well indeed.

Then for a while, Sarah Louises facewas her fortune. I knew I had to get

to London, she says. I was offered

some modelling jobs and I added

Louise to my moniker to create a

little extra colour around my bran

When I look back I realise that w

I was doing was quite risky at tim

was going to mens houses for ph

shoots. I had checked them ou

best I could rst of course but

are still taking a bit of a gamb

was lucky though. I never had a

experience.Modelling enabled Sarah Louis

become familiar with photogra

techniques, despite being positio

on the wrong side of the camera

I was oered some modelling jobs and I added Louise to my moniker to create a little extra colour around my bran


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18 bowens

But she admits there are few

photographers she would count as

friends. There are just one or two,

like Chris Reeve, who I like to be

around she reveals, But I have to

say I nd photographers, as a breed,

pretty egotistical creatures. They

often dont want to share or help

other people. I am not ego-driven inthe slightest. I have very few industry

friends. I just dont want or need to

be in that circle. I get invited to many

fashion events but I dont go to any of

them unless I am actually doing the

shooting.

The relocation to London proved to

be a tough learning curve for Sarah

Louise. For four long years I really

struggled she says. I was stressed

out all the time. I was convinced the

place was trying to force me out. But

I am no quitter. I stuck at it and nowthat resilience is paying off.

Equipment decisions have always

been easy. I think you tend to

make your choices at the beginning

and more often than not

just stay with them she

I bought an EOS 350D and no

have two Canon 5Ds. I started u

Bowens heads when I was b

in Derby and I have stayed l

to this excellent brand ever si

I think the combination of Bow

and Canon is just about the bestcan have in my eld of work.

I have four Esprit heads and var

softboxes and reectors. I do a lo

test shoots in my east London a


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and I hire professional studio space

whenever I need it.

This is a photographer more

inuenced by fairy tales than by big

name photo-mentors.

My shooting style is soft and

feminine but not girly she insists. I

love to create stories with my shoots.

I am inuenced by literature and byfairy tales like Alice in Wonderland.

I feel the emotion in the body of work

and try and evoke similar moods in

my shoots. I dont over-pose my

models either. I merely suggest. Too

much posing leaves people looking

wooden and stiff.

She adds: I have to admit that I

believe there is really nothing new

under the sun when it comes to

photography sessions. It has all

been done before...its just how you

choose to spin your version. How youmake things dance to your tune. Even

Shakespeare copied ideas and spun

and shaped them to his needs.

Sarah Louise has been shooting

I am no quitt

I stuck a

and now th

resilien

is paying o

I think the combination o Bowens and Canon is just about the best you can have in my feldwork.


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20 bowens

fashion for OK! Magazine and for a

variety of salon clients. Six months

ago she added Prince Charles to the

list of subjects who have posed for

the Johnson lens. I was the ofcial

photographer at a charity event and

Prince Charles was there. I took some

pictures and my agent sent them off

to the palace. You never know...hemight want some more taken!

And her love of yoga and meditation

has shaped the way she thinks and

acts these days.

She tells Litebook: I am a logical

person and I never panic. If something

goes wrong on a shoot I just change

the set-up and carry on as if nothing

has happened.

Its all about condence and I have

that by the bucket load now. Yes, Ive

been let down from time to time but

Ive always triumphed in the end.I remember one shoot where I had

a gaggle of models booked in from

a top agency but they didnt show.

So I just called a model friend and

she turned up within an hour to

me out.

Sarah Louise admits that early in

ve year-long pro career she re

quite heavily on Photoshop to

her out of a jam. I used to pan

the beginning but I knew Photos

would always save the day

says. Its certainly true that at time I was far more procient

Photoshop than ever I was wit

camera or a Bowens beauty d

But now I want most of it done in

I am a logical person and I never panic. I something goes wrong on a shoot I just change the set-up acarry on as i nothing has happened.


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litebook

camera and I just use Photoshop for

colours and ultimate skin effect.

And now the dark dog days of misery

and depression have dissipated. I

am in a good place right now she

smiles. I am not obsessively chasing

the dollar. I just need enough to get

by. I dont crave Chloe bags and

Tiffany diamonds. As long as I cango to my yoga centre, eat well and

exercise, I am happy.

I never got into this for money. I

want my shoots to be fun. I work with

celebrities from time to time (shes

just completed a session with former

top model Sophie Anderton) but I

dont worship them or treat them any

differently to anyone else.

And although the future looks very

bright for Sarah Louise Johnson its

just not something she worries about.

I found that my whole life used to bechannelled into my photography but

now, thanks to yoga and meditation, I

am nding more time to just be me. I

think that is more valid. I believe that

if you think positively then work

follow.

She concludes: Yes I am

perfectionist. I will often reopen

and spend countless hours editi

especially hair jobs. Nothing lea

this building unless I am totally ha

with it. And that includes me.

www.sarahlouisephotography.cIntervIewby trevor Lansdown

Sarah Louises Key Equipme

Canon 85mm 1.2 lens

I very rarely take this lens

o my camera. I just love

it, its perect or almost all

o my shoots. An absolute

must or me.

www.canon.com

75 Sotlite Refector

I adore this refector. The

light it gives o is quite

literally perect or ashion

and beauty work. I wouldnt

use anything else.

www.bowens.co.uk

Pulsar TX Radio Trigge

Radio triggers are

the best. They allow

so much more reedom

movement than when b

tied to a sync lead.

www.bowens.co.uk


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22 bowens


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Behind the Picture

litebook

with Sarah B

It really was the brie rom heaven.

The directors o online ashion business

Boutique Princess commissioned me to

organise an exclusive ashion shoot,

and rom it create a set o iconic images

or their use as marketing collateral.

The brie was that there was to be no

brie. They were happy to allow me ull

creative control over the project. And

that doesnt happen too oten.

I met with my stylist, Lauren Eva, and we

ne-tuned the shoot idea down to a set

o images that we thought would position

the values o the Boutique Princess brand

with the aspirations o its customer base.

I wanted to build on the idea that girls

love getting dolled up or a good night

out. We worked on the Princess element

o the brand name and envisioned the

shoot centred on a young princess trying

on dierent outts beore she took o

or the party.

I needed a location that oozed

amboyance and a sense o un and weound it at Brightons Hotel Pelirocco.

Each o the guest rooms had been

decorated with a dierent theme and

the Pin-Up Parlour idea, based on the

legendary actress Diana Dors, suited us

perectly.

Tess was our model. I had worked with

her beore and that always helps.

We had plenty o outts to work with

and I wanted the models hair and make-

up to be kept quite simple with a sleek,

shiny bob to start the shoot; natural

dewy make-up and building on the lipstick

and eye colours towards the end o the

shoot to create more o a made-up look.

The set, the pose and the lighting:

The room itsel provided sufcient

interest or each shot so we didnt need

a set dresser. We lled the room with

various objects to give it the eel o a

girls cluttered bedroom but without

the ull-blown mess. Helium balloons

provided the party eel and we hung

extra dresses on to picture hooks on the

walls and curtains so we could show o a

range o clothes.

The posing was easy. I brieed Tess to act

like a irtatious young lady getting ready

or a night out with riends. We worked

hard on positioning the dress so it lookedcomortable. The tiara underlined the

princess element and the shot by the

door highlighted both the backless dress

and the sense that she was nally out o

there and on her way to the party.

For each shot I mainly used a combination

o three or our Bowens 500R heads with

a 100 x 100 sotbox, beauty dish or s

or added highlights on the hair. For m

o the shots, I opted or a clamshell be

lighting set-up as I wanted to create

even lighting on Tesss ace and clot

with minimal harsh shadows. A be

dish above her head provided me

enough shadows under her cheekbo

nose, lips and chin to create denitio

her ace and glossiness to her hair, w

a sotbox sat on the oor, held by a

low Bowens Back Light stand, lled in

harsh shadows that would have occu

with just the beauty dish. I then ad

in another 500R light o to one

tted with a snoot and honeycomb

to create a hair light. Any areas o

room that needed a little bit more o

were lit with another one or two 5

lights tted with a sotbox and poi

at the walls away rom Tess so as no

interere with her lighting.

The shoot went well with very

hitches and the clients just let me

on with it.

It was a great challenge to take o

restricted location shoot like this. It

me right out o my comort zone w

was a good thing.

www.sarahbirdphotography.co.u

Its the brief every professional photographer dreams about a paying client and full creat

freedom. Sarah Bird has been in the business for over ten years and runs a successful pho

studio close to Brighton railway station.


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Why MissBoudoirs

business istaking off

oK, do come in. Now if you co

just slip your clothes off andback on this couch while I gmy camera.Emma Jones will be the

with the camera but forget any notion she might just be a city-slicker psycholowith a stereotypical enquiry about her clieproblems with her father.

Shes Miss Boudoir. And she does what it son the tin.

Emma has hit the zeitgeist and has capitalon it - building a buzzing, two-studio, Cheshbased business predicated entirely on the femform and the innate female desire to commisand own a portfolio of look at me images

will capture her at her triumphant best.Of course the genre isnt new. Major UK plalike The Yerburys and Julia Boggio have bdoing it very successfully for years but at jusyears old Emma Jones too has quite literallyit all down to a ne art.

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Miss Boud

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26 bowens

Shes come from nowhere in a

few short years. During her time

at Manchesters Tameside College

she signed up for a general art

and design course and in slightly

different circumstances might have

ended up as a potter or a sculptor.

My passion at that time was

ceramics, she tells Litebook. But then

I started to get hooked on cameras.

After graduation Emma decided to

work for herself right from the getgo.

There werent many assisting jobs

around at the time and anyway, I

denitely wasnt going to spend

all day making tea and sweeping

up she states. I had no money

and no studio but I drummed up a

bit of business doing head shots

for actors and the occasional

band shoot all on location.

To supplement her income Emma

spent some time working with a

Bolton wedding studio. I was a

second shooter at the beginning

but I ended up doing a lot

work for that studio, includ

processing and album design

set me up well for what I do no

The boudoir element really sta

to kick-off when female clie

repeatedly requested more intim

portraiture.

They wanted lingerie shots

photos in corsets that was ho

was born really adds Emma.

There werent many assisting jobs around and anyway,I defnitely wasnt going to spend all day making tea and sweeping up


27/36

litebook

I happened to have a love of

everything vintage and there wasnt

anything like it at the time. My rst

boudoir studio opened in 2007 with

a bit of help from the bank of mum

and dad.

They bought me a camera and we

converted their garage to a home

studio. I was only 19 at the time

but within six months it was clear it

wasnt big enough so I embarked on

my rst proper, professional studio

set-up

Woodend Mill is a 19th century

cotton mill in the heart of Mossley,

Great Manchester.

It was just a bare unit when I took

over she recalls. The oors were

grotty and there were no electrics. It

wasnt just a matter of painting and

decorating. I had to do everything.

Much of the work I had to do myself

to keep costs down. I can tell you

I am a pretty dab hand with a oor

sander now.

The good part of that challenge

that I had a blank canvas to w

with. To be frank I didnt really

what people wanted. I needed th

be a place I could enjoy working

had to reect what I was intereste

gritty girly opulence.

The rst room I took was about 50

ft not very big, but it did have

foot high ceilings and I c

choose between natural light

studio lighting.

To be rank I didnt really care what people wanted. I needed this to be a place I could enjoy working


28/36

28 bowens

Emma lled her space with

vintage furniture and props; crystal

chandeliers, candles, cushions, gilt

mirrors and an assortment of antiques

and historical French replicas.

I wanted customers to nd a piece

of history everywhere they looked

as if they had travelled back in time,

she says.

A year after opening she added

a second room. But it still wasnt

enough. Now Emma has introduced

the Miss Boudoir brand to a second

studio just three miles down the road.

Originally I thought I would have to

move completely as I was rapidly

outgrowing the Woodend venue she

says. I wanted bigger premises with

better facilities and I found them at

Copley. At the new place I could have

my own ofce too.

Copley boasts period wall decor, gold

and crystal chandeliers (inevitably)

and a luxurious VIP private parlour.

The individual settings include 13

different wallpapers, large

mirrors, dressing tables, cha

longues, a king-size silver roc

bed and a gilt and marble top con

table all with a touch of Hollyw

thrown in.

The problem was she couldnt t

bring herself to give up her rst stu

at Woodend.

Ive kept them both and althou

no longer have any sort of a perso

life I have got what I wanted in

business. she confesses.

Yes, I have spent a lot o money but this is my lie. I dont drive. I dont even own a house.Its all about my business.


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litebook

I think Copley takes boudoir to a

brand new level. The rst studio

is very soft and shabby chic but

Copley is just pure decadence and

opulence.

She smiles: Yes, I have spent a lot

of money but this is my life. I dont

drive. I dont even own a house. Its

all about my business.

Browse the Miss Boudoir website

and youll see hundreds of pictures;

burlesque, vintage glamour; pin-

up; provocative; decadent; sensual;

bridal and condential its all

covered (or if you prefer, uncovered).

And as a customer you are queen.

Whatever you want you can have

within reason.

Older people are kinkier admits

Emma. I drew the line though when

one client wanted to urinate as part

of the picture. The rst thing that

came into my head was: Not on this

furniture you dont. I will pretty much

give people what they want as long

as I can see a story there - and as

long as it isnt blatantly offensive

Clients as young as eighteen,

to women in their mid-sixties,

signing up for the Miss Bou

experience paying around 1

for a full days VIP shoot inclu

specialist styling and make-up.

I guess the average spend

about 750 but if a client doe

have a lot of money she can

for a short shoot with just t

prints. That will cost 250

I will pretty much give people what they want as long as I can see a story in there.


30/36

30

There werent many assisting jobs around and anyway,I defnitely wasnt going to spend all day making tea and sweeping up

styling plus 120 for the prints.

She adds: I know I wont ever

make millions doing this because its

really only me doing the shooting.

Obviously that is limiting. But I never

want to franchise Miss Boudoir or run

a makeover chain. I just want to be a

working photographer and enjoy the

job.

Emma dreams about a Hasselblad

camera but currently gets by with a

Canon 5D MKII.

Seeing it all in a different light:

A Bowens fan from her college

days, Emma reveals: I use a mix

of softboxes, dishes and a variety

of other modiers but I guess the

piece of kit I use most is the beauty

dish.

I also have a gaggle of classic

Bowens 500 Gemini heads and

I recently bought a couple of the

companys 400s too. These lights just

ooze power. However, the truth is I

rarely go over half power on my 50

I always shoot on ISO100 at aro

f4 as my style is soft and dreamy w

a shallow depth of eld. I dont w

everything in sharp focus so I d

need a lot of power.

She tells us: The new studio is q

large and you need a walkie ta

from one end to the other. But I d

run a typical fashion set-up wh

my lights would be ten or ft

feet from the subject. My lights

closer because my sets are small

bowens


31/36

custom-built. Its not like I am lighting

half the room at once.

Emma uses Bowens Pulsar radio

triggers and sticks with the brand

because: I see it as such great value

for money. The kit always performs.

Miss Boudoir, although an award-

winner, has never been to a

photographic seminar in her life and

refuses to study other photographers

work in case it over-shapes her own.

But she knows exactly what she

wants in a picture.

For me a great photo always has a

story. If the subject is looking at the

camera the eyes must be well-lit and

with good catchlights. There must

be some sort of emotion going on in

there.

I think the eyes are pretty much

everything in a picture. And in those

images where the eyes arent looking

at the camera, then its all about the

overall mood that is created by

expression and the lighting. It m

evoke emotion in you as the vie

or I am not interested.

A visit to the website might sugg

that every single client is a stunn

young professional magazine mo

but its not the reality.

www.missboudior.comIntervIewby trevor Lansdown

litebook

Miss Boudoirs Key Eq

Gemini 400

A denite avourite out o allmy Bowens lights.Compact, lightweight and awhole lot o light or the sizeand your money.www.bowens.co.uk

75 Sotlite Refector

Amazing modier, perect or myboudoir portraits where the lightneeds to be sot and fattering butsharp and dened at the sametime.www.bowens.co.uk

Basic Refector Kit

Certainly not basic resurefector coupled with ta brilliant hair light ana great deal in a lot o setups.www.bowens.co.uk

I think the eyes are pretty much everything in a picture. In those images where the eyes arent lookingthe camera, then its all about the overall mood created by the expression and the lighting


32/36

LiteBites Stills: Par

don t lose your b ott le

bottles. They are usually highly ree

and need a lot o lighting contr

youre going to shape them properly

you can see rom the examples, the

element is to try and achieve a continhighlight rom the top to the bottom

the bottle to bring out the tall slim sh

It isnt as dicult as it sounds i you

the right equipment and take a ew

preparatory steps and you dont

a huge studio to achieve some g

results...just a little time, patience a

table.

A stills table is always a good start,

has a natural curvature at the back o

table to which you are able to clamp

Colorama. However, i youre workina budget, theres nothing to stop you

using a standard dining table. A sq

table works much better than a ro

table as it allows the paper to roll

evenly. Start by placing the table agai

wall and then curve or old the pape

the wall, securing it with masking tape

Why masking tape you ask? Well, it p

o easily ater use and will save te

your Colorama and removing the va

rom your table and wall paper rom

wall...be warned.

The ideal background or this is

Colorama background paper, w

is cheap and plentiul. In the exa

shot, Ive simply used pistachio colo

background paper on a standard tab

illustrate how you too can do this in

own home.

The high key background works perectly or stills,

especially i youre intending to sell products

via e-commerce; however, there will be a time

when you want to become more creative and

add ambience to your shots, either by the way

o props or background scenery. Stills can be

notoriously dicult, involving precise placement

o tight light sources, reectors and mirrors; however, ear

as you can still shoot great stills with ambience with a m

simplistic approach, utilising a ew coloured backgrounds a

ew strip sotboxes.

Bottle it up - One o the questions that comes up m

than anything with regards to stills is how to photog


33/36

Try and create as much separation as

you can between the product and the

background as this will give you greater

exibility and control when setting up

your lighting, leading to ewer unwanted

reections and shadows. You can o

course use whatever background paper

you wish and depending on the product,

everything rom unky retro wallpaper tonewspaper can prove very eective.

Here are few tips to help you

prepare your set:

Set-up your stills table in a dark room.

Close the curtains and ag any daylight;

Try to minimise reections on your set,

so move away nearby objects and clutter

that will bounce light back towards your

set;

Use black fabric to mask-o any

background scenery, especially i it isreecting any daylight. A black sheet,

lighting stands and a couple o clamps

work very well or this.

Clean the product you are photographing

to avoid unsightly fngerprints and dust;

Sync at 1/200sec or faster to reduce

ambient light;

A longer focal length helps atten the

perspective;

Shoot tethered if possible, so you can

see and correct small details quickly.

It all depends on what youre shootingo course. Reective suraces need

more control, so i youre shooting a

airly matt product, masking o huge

areas o your room isnt that necessary.

Remember, make sure that the product

looks its best, so try and ensure that

it is ree rom dirt, grease, fngerprints

and dust! Shooting tethered to a PC/

Mac will help you inspect the images

more closely as you shoot so you can

identiy any small issues and correct

them quickly.

Softbox or Strip Softbox? - A

strip box is ideal or bottles and

long and tall reective suraces as it

creates a slim continuous highlight as

seen in the example. Here, Ive used

two Waer Stripboxes and a standard

stripbox to create the highlights on the

bottle and bring out its natural shape.

The broader the strip sotbox, the

broader the reection.

So what i you dont have a Waer

or Strip Softbox 100? Well, theres a

cheap work around that you can do

with a few pieces of black fabric/

paper and several bulldog clips. It

is possible to use a large squaresotbox and mask the ront with

several layers o black abric or

think black card, allowing only a

thin strip o light out o the ront

diuser, thus giving a similar

eect to a strip sotbox.

with Christian Hou


34/36

Small or round sotboxes tend not to work very well or bottlesas the highlight is either the wrong shape or too short to create

a continuous reection, instead, becoming more o a distraction!

Try and avoid very large sotboxes, which will make it ar more

dicult to control the light, especially on a small set.

Lighting theory - Okay, let get started. To help you understand

the set-up in the demo shot, Ive broken down the lighting to

demonstrate how the bottle was lit; rom one light to our lights.

To begin, I placed a Wafer Strip 100 softbox on each side of the

table and behind the bottle. This creates the highlights you can

see on the sides o the bottle. Youll fnd that i you change both

the angle and position o the strip boxes it will vary the location

and width o the highlight on the bottle. Move them around untilyoure happy with the reection, then meter and adjust to equal

power. Try to avoid getting the highlights too close to the edge

o the bottle or making them too bright as to blow out all the

highlight detail.

I you check out the example, youll see that we have a nice shape

to the bottle, but no detail at the ront o the bottle. To help lit

this shadow detail, Ive used a Softstrip 100 softbox as the key

light to create a third continuous highlight down the let o the

bottle. Ive tried to position this highlight so that it alls down the

edge o the label, yet provide sucient detail, so you are absee the product name. It all depends on the bottle you are u

as to the placement o the key light. Depending on the produ

bottle youre photographing, it may be necessary to add a fll

in the guise o a ourth strip sotbox to lit some o the sha

detail.


35/36

Once youre set-up, try moving the light rom the ront to the side

o the bottle and see how it aects the shape and the highlight.

Youll fnd that as you move the strip sotboxes on each side o

the bottle urther behind, that the thinner and closer to the edge

they become.

Metering or the key (and fll i necessary) light will depend on

what youre shooting. Ive chosen to meter it about a stop lower

than the side lights, as I want it to accent the shape o the bottle

as opposed to become a very bright distraction; however, this is

a matter o personal preerence and may also depend entirely

on the surace texture and fnish o the product youre shooting.

Finally, to add to the overall eect, Ive used a boom arm and

placed a ourth head with a snoot to light the background. The

shape o the reector isnt as crucial or the background as it

shouldnt create any reections on the glass; however, you just

need to bear in mind that the broader the reector, the wide

area it will cover. Try experimenting with dierent reecto

see what works best or you.

Time is on your side - The beauty o still lie is that you d

have a person sat in ront o the camera becoming impat

so you can aord to take your time perecting and twea

your set-up. Remember, practice makes perect, so try sho

dierent products to test your skills. Shapes, textures and co

will all test your ability to adapt and help you develop a g

understanding o how the light works and what shapers

modifers work best. Try adding props to your stills, coand experimenting with depth of eld to add interest. Uti

the super short ash duration on the new Gemini Pro h

to reeze motion, such as splashing water or exploding pow

is a particularly eective way to add a dynamic to your s

Remember, stills dont have to be boring.

All images Christian Hough - info@christianhoug

www.christianhough.co


36/36

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Litebook 2011 Issue 4 Web Edition

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