A few weeks ago on a very cold November Saturday, I was to shoot a set of fashion photographs for Lacry Couture. Our main theme was “Duchess”. Designer, Lacry Puravu had created three outfits for this theme. Our location, the grounds of the stunning Royal Holloway University Campus, just west of London.
Dark Beauty
However, Lacry Couture had another, albeit rather smaller shoot for us to complete first. There were just one fashion shot, and two or three beauty shots to make, in a Windsor Great Park woodland setting. Given the temperature, working swiftly was critical. Even the most attractive model in the throws of hypothermia tends not to look their best, however skilled the makeup artist and photographer.
Duchess
By our team of brilliant MUAs, Sonya Kaur and Aga Malinowska, had done their magic, wardrobe swaps were completed, and we were starting to shoot the main session, Duchess, the sun was setting. But sadly, it was doing so above the thick clouds. Therefore, daylight was in short supply and the little light there was, was very dull. Fortunately, I have an Elinchrom Quadra ELB 400 HS to provide the best in studio quality light, even in such an outdoor location, where access to mains electrical power would not have been convenient and would have been fraught with risks that would need managing. Add a golden gel, and let there be light. And it was good!
One of our models had telephoned that morning to say she would be unable to attend. So Lacry very bravely volunteered to step-in as a model. She worked very hard with our other model, Ana Maria, in clothing that was never intended for such bitterly cold weather. Both models were amazing. They never once complained about the conditions. And somehow with the help of our brilliant makeup artists they were able to hide from the camera how cold they must have been. Of course, careful lighting and a touch of judiciously applied photoshop editing helped a lot.
Support
My daughter Rebecca had come along to help out. As always she was a very useful assistant. As a bonus, she shot numerous behind the scenes images, which she always does beautifully. These Lacry Couture and all of the team members were able to use for their social media marketing. Excellent.
I am a creative Photographer and Filmmaker. I also work as a Lighting Cameraman & Director of Photography, in television, film and digital media.