Today’s image is again from Sunday’s workshop and shows how, when photographing a couple thought should be given to the pose, especially the male, and the message that the photographer wishes to convey in the image, here it is all about love and emotion and forgetting that the photographer is around and getting the moment when the couple connect. My question in the header is about the current trend toward the latest buzzword, or words, off camera flash! Now to me off camera flash has been around for ever, in the late 60′s early 70′ it was either a Metz or a PF60 or PF100 bulbs off camera so I certainly know what its about but fail to understand why so many photographers wish to learn the technique when it is clearly evident that they have not yet master off camera daylight! Daylight is by far the most effective lighting available and many photographers who are new to the industry would be well advised to look at creating images with what they have available and instead of spending vast amounts of money on even more new kit, all with fancy names and the accompanying fancy prices,  learn the basic camera craft, posing clients and using natural daylight effectively. Posing, getting the clients to relax and enjoy their session seems to have been overtaken by an overwhelming desire to hit everything with a flash head irrespective of the light that is available! As many readers of our journal already know  I am a strong believer in simplicity which is why, when shooting digital (which will soon be ending) I use a simple camera and a single lens. All I ever change are the ISO, aperture and speed. Everything else is as it was set on when the camera left the factory. My one plea to photographers who are wishing to learn more is forget the technology and fancy kit and use your eyes to see and your heart to create.

We have one place remaining.

This is from a 10×8 negative made on a Canham using FP4 stock.

Last weekend one of our favourite models came to simply chill out for a couple of days.  Good food, good wine and a good rest and she left refreshed on Sunday morning just before we left for our workshop in Nottingham on Monday. However will she was with us we could not resist the opportunity for Faye to practice her finger waves and for me to shoot a couple of rolls of TriX on the Blad and 150mm lens. Taken in our sitting room with natural daylight and a small reflector.  I deved the film yesterday and scanned them in this morning, and yes I did only shoot 2 rolls although I did also expose a couple of 10×8′ sheets on FP4. This was my first choice from the 120 images and it is a straight scan, some levels and spotting with a slight tone added. More to follow.

Once again I have been looking at some archive material and came across this 10″x8″ negative from the mid 80′s of one of our favourite models Miki. The ruin was somewhere in Angus I think, we just came across it by accident while out looking for suitable locations. Once again shot on the 10×8, T Max100 with my favourite 12″ Dagor lens. God how I miss that lens! This is simply a straight scan on the Epson V750 and some tone added that come close to my favourite Ektalure & sepia toner combination. This whole experience looking at our archive work could have an effect on our future work. “Sometime you have to look back in order to move forward”

Yet another image from this series. A limited number of these image will be on the new website and will be for sale.

We are currently planning a very special workshop for next summer to take place at wonderful venues in either Turkey or Italy. Early days yet but we are looking at a 5 day workshop with around 12 delegates accompanied by 4 of the finest art nude models so a great ratio of model to delegate and they would rotate over the period of the workshop. Delegates will also have to opportunity of one2one sessions with the models.  Also included will be post production mini workshops and evening critique sessions discussing delegates work. Good food, good wine and good company are our aim as well as producing some remarkable images. To receive advance notice of venue and dates drop us an email to info@yerburygallery.com

Another image from the Victoria’s Summer series made during the summer of 2003. Contax G2 loaded with Ektachrome 200 push processed. One day we must get around to doing something with the several hundred images we have selected from this series of Victoria!

This is the full size image of the crop which I put on FB yesterday  which showed nothing offensive, nowFB, after a final warning has now banned me for 30 days for uploading images.  What is more disturbing is that my FB wall is only open to ‘Friends’ so I can only assume that a ‘Friend’ made the complaint to FB. Would it not be easier to simply unfriend yourself! Some very sad people out there if they find this image offensive!

We now only have 1 place available on our next Art Nude workshop which will take place here at Claremont – EH47 oJY on Sunday the 10th of July with one of our favourite art nude models. On location, ruined mansion, woods, stables etc. etc. For more details email trevor@yerburygallery.com

This image is another from Monday’s art nude workshop @ Muansel House