Just had a great shoot with the fabulous Raphaella Withlove, a Manchester based model and I’ve never had as many ‘keepers’ from one shoot.
The day started at AWOL studios in Manchester where we did some ‘arty’ type stuff using minimal directional lighting – mainly low key and concentrating on capturing form and shape. Raphaella just moved from pose to pose effortlessly and seamlessly creating countless striking and impactful photographic opportunities.
After a brief lunch we moved to an old Hall on the outskirts of Bolton – wow, what a stunning location. This is a real photogenic gem even without a model in tow. We created a number of sets in the building utilising the original and ancient fixtures and fittings and using a couple of portable lights with soft-boxes. We started in a dark panelled room using the contrast of the panels and the model balancing natural light with the artificial. Again Raphaella just did her stuff like the consummate professional that she is, we would set the context and off she went – time and again. Next up was a brief 30 minutes in a Victorian setting creating a slightly different mood.
Once the hall closed we moved outside and utilised the woodland setting before setting up behind the building and using some of the original architecture to our advantage. Although we had portable lighting I preferred to use the soft natural light that we got from the slightly overcast conditions. We finally used a set of steps in the formal gardens before packing up for the day.
If you are ever thinking of hiring a model then look no further than Raphaella Withlove – she’s a real star and works incredibly hard to give you the look, and the images, that you want. She’s easy to find on the web, look her up and you won’t regret it.
The photo panel below shows some of the varied settings that we used during the day.
Steve Proctor 