Something Different – Fashion on a White Seamless
As a blogging photographer who’s blog is mostly read by other photographers, I probably focus a bit too much on the more technical shoots. I’ll keep posting the geeky stuff but I will try to remind myself to post some of my other work too.
Here are some of the results from a fashion shoot I did for Enolah a while ago:
I once spoke at a photo club with a very conservative view on the art of photography. Their response to my work: colors are unnatural, no detail in the shadows, blown highlights and way too little depth-of-field. I’m sure my strange crops and weird locations made some of them throw up in their camera bags. And you know what … I don’t care. I even tend to refuse those jobs where I have to keep within strict technical guidelines.
Too be honest, I wasn’t sure I was the perfect match for this shoot. But then lightning struck me. Refusing this assignment wouldn’t make me any better than the photo club guys. For a moment I was too arrogant to see this. But my job is to tell stories in the best possible way and for my client that was the way these pictures are. My challenge was to do the best possible job within a tight framework. The fact that my favorite model Erika, was going to be the model for this job and that I liked the clothes helped to take on the job too.
Soft light, detail in the shadows and highlights, working on a tripod, white seamless, f8, … it seemed so unlike me but to my surprise I really enjoyed this shoot. I enjoyed the challenge of lighting the details and structure of the fabrics without making the pictures look flat.
Once the lights, the background and the camera were set and Erika’s spot was marked we didn’t change the setup for the rest of the shoot (except for some minor adjustments). A lot of the atmosphere had to come from the poses and working in such a fixed setup allowed me to completely concentrate on posing. I found that to be extremely rewarding.
I adore the clothes and when I started talking to Griet, the designer, I immediately felt a connection. The philosophy behind her designs are very close to my views on photography. She also knew very well what she wanted and didn’t loose any time on changing her mind. I was shooting tethered (wifi) and once Griet saw the image she wanted appear on the laptop, we could move on to the next setup very fast. Nicki could have been a model herself but on this job she did a fantastic job with the make-up and styling. And Erika … well, she keeps amazing me.
I really enjoyed working with such a creative team. No ego’s, just working together to get the best results.
Check out the complete collection at the Enolah website.
Very nice pictures, I think you did a great job. Erika seems perfect for those cloths! Those pictures make me want to buy some of the cloths for my girlfriend.
Hi Bert!
I can say that I was completely blown away by this. This was totally unexpected from you.
But you’re right, that we need to come out of our comfort zone so we can become better in what we do.
Thanks for sharing this. Learned a lot even from such a short post. I can also see that you guys had a lot of fun!
Hope to see more of your work.
Very nice pictures but i’m puzzled with the final result on the website you mentioned.
.
Since that site is in black: why did you shoot on white?
If you look closely you can see white reflections at the edges. A pity… Probably a bad brief
Schitterende fashionshoot ! Stijlvolle kledij en knappe fotografie !
Very nice. I’ve tried the same style this last sunday for an evening. But without your maestria
http://www.flickr.com/photos/webab/sets/72157619744393408
Why did you go with the tripod? Just to keep the same perspective for each shoot? I’m guessing you didn’t need it for focus since you were at f/8 and a fast-ish shutter speed.
Thanks as always….Erik
Hey Bert… I was wandering the same thing about the black theme of the website… did you know that the site was going to be black? High key background doesn’t do a black background website justice…. Honestly just a little photoshop could fix the awkward cuts… But GREAT stuff! Love the poses and the white seamless… still definitely your work, but just a different location.
@Brian & Victor F.
Digging a little deeper in the Enolah-sight shows this: http://www.enolah.be/nl/winter2009.htm
Thx guys,
Apparently the fashion magazines like pictures on white because it’s easier for them to put in their layouts (less work). And the easier it is, the more chance you have to get your clothes in these magazines. I didn’t know they were going to use them on black too.
@Erik: We went for the tripod to give Erika enough space to move. When shooting handheld, I tend to zoom in to close and cut of a hand that swings in the air or something.
Good to see you can also do something else than unnatural colors, no detail shadows, blown highlights and way too little depth-of-field.
No, I mean it. Good to see something completely different. Away from the comfort zone.
It’s indeed hard to do something else. I have been forcing myself to do other things and have not been doing so much of my ‘comfort’ work lately. But.. I am starting to like broadening my horizon again.
Nice work, but I can understand why you’re not so much into it. I like “less rules”, more creativity, more character too.
nice winter collection …
HAhhaa these photo club folks are hularious. (They can be found in every single photoforum on the internet)
The worse part is not the critique, but the total incapacity to think out side the box.. to se the forest from the trees.. (or is it the other way around, well you got the point)
If you light something not accordin to the textbook it immediately a bad foto even though it is obvious that the photo is just what you wanted and aimed for..
I love this! If I have to work in a studio I love working with a white seamless. Erika is absolutely fantastic – it’s so much easier when your model is amazing!
Jussi is right, they can be found in every single forum in the internet
Just a little blown highlights or black points and they’re mad. I believe that you can never achieve perfect picture. You can always find something what’s “wrong” in the picture. I just want to get pictures which look good for me, I don’t care about those black points if the picture looks good.
Thanks for your info. The photography is very fine.
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