Modelling with a Gas Mask and a Smoke Machine

In the last blog entry I mentioned the studio shoot that I did with Jen Latham, a film maker and photographer taking her first turn in front of the camera.  Jen's an unconventional kinda person, and so the photo shoot was somewhat unconventional too.  We'd bounced a couple of ideas around, taking the notion of traditional glamour photography and doing it with 'alternative' props and costumes.

I own a gas mask.  It's just one of those things that I bought a few years back just because I thought it would be a quirky thing to own, and so when Jen was looking for one for a photo shoot, I lent her mine.  We got talking about using it in photo shoots, and the idea began to form.

A big part of glamour imagery is the connection between the model and the viewer, or the viewer-substitute:  the camera lens.  Eye contact is a key part of this, the notion of being able to look the model in the face; this is what we wanted to play with.  Eye contact is still possible, but when the face is hidden it makes a connection harder.  Factor in props that aren't traditionally associated with glamour, such as gas masks and lab coats, and that makes for an alternative glamour shoot!

When you have a gas mask, you need to have gas.  Or more photogenically, smoke.  I borrowed a smoke machine from two local film-makers, David Gammon and Dan Barlow, and whilst it was being dropped off I got talking with Dan about the concept for the shoot.  Dan mentioned that he had some props that might be suitable and went off to fetch them before coming back with a case full of military paraphernalia.  Coupled with the outfits that Jen had brought along, we were able to put together some visually stunning combinations.

We also found time to do some more traditional portraits during the shoot, but Jen still managed to make them quirky and interesting in her own way!

The shots are being released gradually in this online album: Jen Latham photoshoot
Keep checking back as more shots are uploaded!

Sleepy Moggies, Snails, and Shootin' Nazis at Tutbury Castle

It's been a busy weekend with the camera, with a couple of small unplanned shoots on Saturday and a trip to an outdoor event on Sunday.  Saturday's impromptu shoots occurred during the hot weather as Yol and I tackled the garden, and the cats sought out places to hide, sleep and keep cool!

During the clearing out of the rocks from the garden (long story, suffice to say that I think we had lazy builders when it came to getting rid of rubble when the house was built) we uncovered some snails who'd been setting up home (well, mobile home) in a wet trug full of slab parts.  So, when they were set free to roam very slowly in the grass, I grabbed my camera and +4 magnifier adaptor, and got this shot:

Sunday saw the main photography action of the weekend, with a trip to Tutbury Castle with Yolanda.  The castle was hosting a 1940s themed weekend,  and so we loaded the camera into the car and off we went!

The population of the castle that day were really getting into the swing of things, plenty of people in 1940s costume and military uniforms, with vehicles and tents pitched up on the castle's lawn.  Before we'd even entered the grounds we were being watched from the castle walls by re-enactors in German military uniforms:

We also bumped into friends and fellow snappers Glyn and Claire Wade, who'd also chosen to visit Tutbury Castle and document the day's events, and so for various parts of the day we were shooting people mob-handed!

The castle itself consists of three sections of ruins, two of which are still accessible and can be climbed, and a newer section called the Great Hall.  All of the sections are somewhat photogenic!:

The main attractions of the day though weren't the venue itself, but the people in the various uniforms and costumes of the era.  Whether re-enactors or veterans, the military influence was everywhere, from the Gatehouse to the Castle. All of them were willing to stop for a photo, a real blessing for a portrait photographer:

The highlight of the day's proceedings was undoubtedly the battle re-enactment, with the German forces holding the castle and the Allies attacking across the grass.  A full safety briefing was given to the crowd beforehand, and then it was all kicked off with a bang!

The full set of photos from the day can be seen here on Flickr: 1940s Weekend at Tutbury Castle

Thanks for reading!