Via Flickr:
When Gina and Gianna asked me to take their picture together in Venice Las Vegas, it seemed only fair to also pitch them in the idea of a portrait for the project.
Fortunately they agreed, and we got three quick frames for each of them before security intervened to move us along. Shooting with reflector and on camera softbox, it must have looked like a model shoot.
As always when shooting strangers that know each other, I'm posting as a single session. Gina did a better job with the reflector, and as she went first my exposure wasn't quite dialled in, so I've posted Gianna. Even shooting at ISO 1600 you can see the slight grain from boosting the under exposure - there's an atmospheric gloom in the casino, which doesn't help!
Gina - please do email me for your portraits. Gianna - I hope you like this one. Hopefully you both had a great day. Thanks for taking part in the project.
This is portrait #25 of my 100 Strangers Project - check out the group page and get involved.
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Gianna (Stranger #25/100), Las Vegas Venice
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Baleria (Stranger #24/100), Las Vegas Aria
Via Flickr:
Baleria agreed to have her portrait taken just across from the new, silver frontage of the Aria casino in Las Vegas. All in I saw just five people say yes to a portrait, versus some twelve rejections. Maybe it was the heat, or number of touts, or lack of locations, but Vegas was very hard to shoot strangers in.
That made Baleria's stopping all the more appreciated. She was on her way to meet friends for a hen party; hence the fantastically presented hair. We chatted about her life in Stuttgart and holiday to family in Mexico; a great, energetic conversation that indicates she's every bit as full of energy as the 4,000W smile suggests.
This is portrait #24 of my 100 Strangers Project - check out the group page and get involved.
Sunday, 5 May 2013
Jarnail (Stranger #23/100), London Soho
Via Flickr:
Just a quick post, due to intense work which has kept me away from Flickr for a couple of weeks, whilst my grandfather's recent death has taken up some personal time as well. Jarnail was a great guy to meet and I feel hugely guilty that sharing his pictures has been delayed.
We meet in Soho after a day shooting with bomvu. His incredible turban and Canon camera (good choice, sir) stood out and necessitated my asking for a moment of his time and a portrait.
It turned out Jarnail is a model for a traditional music and cultural troupe, and that came across in his fantastically intense eye contact and posing. My first few shots were a little wayward as I experimented shooting full length, but after a good twenty minutes learning about the significance of his turban and Sikhism in general, we took a moment to grab some headshots. There's one in the comments, perhaps a nicer crop with the extra step back. I went with the main shot though, as the other has a slightly distracting lady and bag, and the impact of Jarnail's challenging stare is a notch higher.
Thanks for taking a moment to stop Jarnail - and for your patience whilst I processed your shots. I how you like them and hugely encourage you to get involved in the project yourself. You'll love it.
This is portrait #23 of my 100 Strangers Project - check out the group page and get involved.
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Natalie (Stranger #22/100), London Soho
Via Flickr:
This weekend seems like it's going to stand as the start of spring in the UK. I spent it shooting with bomvu. Part one was a great model shoot that Colin organised with the fantastically talented Saffron - photos to follow. Part two's Strangers session was less successful; I think at one point we were 6-0 in terms of rejections...
It was late on with the sun dipping behind rooftops that Natalie and Andy put an end to that ghastly losing streak.
They're a fantastic couple, with tonnes of good humour and stage presence. Andy was visiting Natalie, down from Scotland for the weekend.
Andy's holding the reflector in this one, with fill from an on camera softbox. In the comments there's a close up with the flash dialled down. Things were pretty rushed; by the time we'd met the shadows were visibly closing across the street. With no background at hand and two foot beam of sunlight I figured a powerful backlight was a neat way of catching the summery vibe to the evening.
This is portrait #22 of my 100 Strangers Project - check out the group page and get involved.
Monday, 8 April 2013
Onai (Stranger #21/100), Venezia Arsenale
Via Flickr:
Onai and Helen were wandering through the Arsenale when I stopped them for a shot. At the start of my project I was always concerned with asking couples, but it's quickly become my preference. People understandably seem more comfortable interacting when they have some backup, and an extra pair of hands is much appreciated when you're juggling reflectors and so forth.
Helen's helping out on this one with a gold/silver reflector to bring some extra light into this tight shaded corner of worn brick.
Tempting as it was to shoot Onai with shades deployed, I prefer the connection without them. In this case, shifting then back allowed for a reflected Arsenale tower to come into shot. Onai noted this appropriate, as he's (also) an Arsenal supporter. As we chatted he referred to the new ground correctly as The Grove, adding further evidence of his quality of character.
Onai and Helen - Thanks for stopping guys and for following up by email. Glad you like the shot!
This is portrait #21 of my 100 Strangers Project - check out the group page and get involved.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Tristan (Stranger #20/100), Venezia Rialto
Via Flickr:
Tristan Rà is a French painter currently working in Venice ahead of a December exhibition in Zurich. I'd hugely encourage everyone to check out Tristan's work here.
Tristan - thanks for your time, thoughtful conversation and email. Really looking forward to seeing how your Venice project evolves.
He let me interrupt his work on the Rialto bridge, where he was painting "small" 4'x4' canvases which he'll take back to his studio to transform into vast final versions over the rest of the year.
We chatted in an enjoyably juggled mix of English, French and Italian over fifteen minutes, noting the vast assortment of tools we both used in pursuit of our respective art forms (reflector, softbox, etc. vs. oils, thinners, brushes, etc.).
Having taken a few quick shots whilst he worked, and not wishing to intrude too far with the light changing, I suggested a final shot with eye contact. Tristan rounded on the camera with storm-front level intensity and a twinkle of a smile. He noted with a wry smile the abstract feel graffiti behind him and that he felt it appropriate, and then we were done.
In terms of any image, it's easy to dream up extra kit that would have been nice to have. This is one, however, where I feel the need for a second flash goes a little further. The reflector and on camera softbox give a neat fill, but I'd love to have shot a rim light between Tristan and the backdrop to give a little more drama to the separation.
This is portrait #20 of my 100 Strangers Project - check out the group page and get involved.
Hope everyone is well and enjoying their weekend. I've been off Flickr for the last week and a bit, so am looking forward to catching up.
Monday, 1 April 2013
Rain Shadow (Blea Tarn Rain Clouds), Lake District
Via Flickr:
A quick posting as I try to keep on top of a New Year's resolution to upload more the shots I'd normally let slip into archive. This one's deeply imperfect, but the rain drops splashed across the front element kind of capture the grim weather I enjoyed that afternoon.
I went for a slightly heavier black and white processing than normal, so any thoughts on that would be appreciated! Too much?
Slowly catching up - hope everyone is well.