Red Lantern, Red Jacket

Working with Aussie model Shaun Ripper in the backstreets of Kyoto. Shaun is represented by GTR Global.

Shadow Play @ Testing Grounds

Melbourne’s winter light is one of my favourite things to experiment with when it comes to model test shoots. Having such short days, and having the sun at such a low position in the sky really allows you to play with light and shadow. There is also a kind of haze that falls upon the city, giving everything a glow that is hard to put into words. You also don’t have to wait as long for the golden hour.

The downside is, its heckin’ cold!

It’s been a while since I tested with a female model, so I was excited to shoot with Annabelle Curtain from GTR. I absolutely went to town on the styling, sourcing lots of shiny things, pinks, skirts, and metallics- things that just aren’t in the menswear ranges this season. I wanted to shoot at Testing Grounds in Southbank, because I walk past it on an almost daily basis, but had never stepped foot inside. I love the textures of the concrete in there, as well as the pink and mint colour palette. I knew there were also lots of interesting areas and different pockets of texture to work with.

It had rained the day before, so the ground was still wet. This also added some reflection to a few shots, which I really loved. I was so excited to shoot a few jackets that I got from Nana Judy- nothing is better in a photo shoot than an overdose of sequins. Nothing.

I think the garments went really well with the location, as I had a rough colour palette in mind when I was sourcing everything. Annabelle was great to work with too. She took direction well, and didn’t complain about the winter cold at all, despite having the beginnings of a cold. What a trooper.

Thanks for a fun shoot Belle! x

 

Mini Road Trip With Jeremy

I’m really enjoying doing a lot more testing lately, especially on location. Here are a few snaps from a last minute shoot with Jeremy Anderson from GTR. I initially wanted to drive down to Werribee for this, but we only got as far as Altona before I wanted to stop and shoot. Sometimes I just like to drive around and jump out when a spot catches my eye.

I took the Profoto kit out with me, but I actually just ended up using completely natural light. When shooting tests without an assistnat, I find it faster, and this keeps the pace of the session nice and snappy.

This shot of Jeremy under the bridge was my favourite of the shoot. I love capturing interesting pockets of light and this one was a great find! Thanks Jeremy for being a great model, and MYER for the clothing.

 

Harvey Petito + A Fishy Friend

I’ve been testing a lot in the studio lately, but a few weeks ago I had my youngest model on set yet. Harvey Petito is making a huge name for himself in Melbourne, and no wonder- he is a champ! I had been following Harvey on Instagram for a while, but had never thought to ask if he wanted to test. But a little emoji comment on one of his pictures caught the attention of his mum, Sharon (who manages his account), and it snowballed from there.

I was really excited to work with Harvey, because I hadn’t worked with a model of his age and experience before. What I liked was that he was just himself. Asking questions, telling puns, eating the lollies that I purposefully placed out on the bench. He was full of energy, but also knew how to work the camera. It was fascinating to watch, and I found that I approached the shoot and my way of reacting to him differently than when I shoot older talent. I really liked that fluidity, and the way that we both kind of adapted to each other’s rhythms.

One (silly) idea that I had, was to do quite a dark portrait, involving Harvey holding a squid. Something quite deadpan and a bit faded or washed out. Long story short, I couldn’t get a squid, but I did get a garfish, which provided a bit of fun and a little bit of “grossness” to the set. Something different, that’s for sure.

Thanks Sharon and Harvey for coming down to the studio- I had a great time, and I think I would like to do more testing with young models. It’s a different way of thinking and working and I liked that a lot.

 

Boy

I’ve really been enjoying testing with kids and teens, its a totally different way of shooting and that in itself is quite refreshing. Trying to get a natural expression from younger models can be easier (as their filters are lower), or harder (because of being shy) depending on the person.

Recently, I had the opportunity to test with N. I only had half an hour or so, because N was on the way to a casting for a TVC. So I decided to photograph him in the studio, and then pop outside to play with the quickly fading winter light.

N is a champ, and really easy to photograph. Plus I learned a lot about Pokemon Go whilst I was shooting (and apparently there was a Pokemon on my camera!)

Thanks N for being a great model!