So this was an interesting shoot!
The plan had been to photograph Charlotte a week earlier, you know, when the weather was scorchio, but busy lives got in the way. The portrait is for an upcoming project, if I told you that my reference image was an inked man in a vest you’d not really understand. It was pleasing to be engaged for a considered portrait though.
And yes, after weeks of blistering heat the weather broke, literally as we stepped into the car and my, the heavens opened as we travelled along the A30 wearing the now de-rigeur minimal lightweight summer clothing. By the time we got towards Ottery it was hammering down!
Whilst the plan had been to shoot the image as seen, and I’d taken a considerable amount of negative fill in the form of black fabric and flags, I was expecting to have to battle and balance sun with strobe-flash but this plan had become a health & safety nightmare.
Having considered a reschedule we ended up shootin’ in the rain, Karin escorting Charlotte to the dry spot under the flag with the one and only umbrella and then protecting me, and more importantly the Nikon from the elements. The negative fill makes a fantastic weather break too!
And as I was padding round in the rain putting the stands and cloth away I noticed the poverty next door. Years earlier I’d bought some Manfrotto Autopoles from an ex-pro photographer who lived in a fantastic house, the poles are now part of my own studio, the shot is of them in his home studio.
We last visited Charlotte’s Black Studio a year and a week ago to celebrate the opening of it. It was a warm summer’s evening but only a few days after “my event”. On that occasion I was wondering how long I’d be able to stand for so frankly, for me this shoot was a fantastic benchmarking moment; truly enjoyable.
It’s fabulous working with a visually creative talent such as Charlotte Fleming and also huge fun; really pleased to be be able to help realise someone’s vision, albeit in less than ideal weather conditions.
