Only-Way Bridesmaid - The Junior-Way Dress
In April I returned to Only-Way HQ to photograph the latest addition their collection, a gorgeous, cap sleeved maxi gown for Junior bridesmaids modelled here by the truely lovely Mabel. Rory got to hang out with her favourite grown up model friend, Ashton, and we all learned that these dresses are just amazing for twirling in.
You can find more of The Only-Way Dress range at onlyway.co.uk
Colour and Light
Easter provided me with a little bit of a break between photo sessions, so I decided to spend an afternoon playing around with some light set-ups in my studio at home, using enough colour to make a unicorn's eyes water to create a set inspired by Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House (points if you get the reference) and to test out the cyan+magenta+yellow=white light trick. It worked!
March
The spring has been so long awaited this year, with all of the gloomy weather and dark, dark mornings I feel like winter went on forever!
2017 so far been all work, work, work, which is amazing, it's the greatest kind of busy to be and I'm relishing it.
At the beginning of February I began training for a 22 mile walk through the Shropshire countryside along with my friends to raise money for Birmingham Children's Hospital (you can find the JustGiving page here) which has been interesting to say the least. I'm much of a recreational exerciser, but I am determined and so it's been fascinating to see how my determination can override the pain of sore legs.
Rory started school, so I've been using the extra time to take on local photography work with some wonderful business, and it's been great. Of course 2017 hasn't been all sunshine and roses, but the sky is getting brighter, the grass greener and there isn't much a little sunshine and colourful gardens can't do to put a smile on my face.
Onlyway Dress Session 2
On day 2 with The Onlyway Dress we set up a studio at Onlyway HQ, using the gorgeous Ashton and my own little Rory to model the dresses. I'd been a little uncertain about having Rory model, as 3 year olds have a tendancy to get their kicks from making their mom's lives tricky. But both days she had an absolute blast with the ladies of Onlyway and their models.
The Onlyway Dress Session One
In February I did a couple of commercial photography sessions with The Onlyway Dress, a multiway bridesmaids dress company based in Shropshire for the launch of their new wrap flowergirl dress The Littleway Dress.
Day one of the shoot took place at Detton Hall, a beautiful manor house in Kidderminster where we'd planned to shoot something gorgeous and sunny on the grounds. The weather, however, had other ideas and so instead of attempting to fake a summertime on a cloudy day we were faced with the impossibility of faking summer in the snow. So we took the shoot indoors, using the period architecture of the Hall itself as a backdrop, changing the vibe from summertime dreaminess to vintage glamour.
That's Nice Interiors Session 3
For this session with That's Nice Interiors, we ushered in springtime with fresh flowers, minimalist glassware and handmade tableware. Shooting the catalogue for the new online store has been a real treat for me. It's always a privilege to work with a fellow local business here in Bridgnorth, and shooting the products over numerous individual sessions means that we get to cover a wider range of stock as it's updated, incorporating seasonal styling and complimentary lighting techniques to make the separate sessions individual while still maintaining the store's aesthetic.
Bridgnorth Musical Theatre Company: Annie
Back in December of last year I returned to Bridgnorth Musical Theatre Company to photograph their company headshots for their production of Annie. The show kicked off this week, and I was very kindly invited along to their dress rehearsal and so of course my camera came along with me.
I found myself a seat behind the tech person (I have no idea if that's the official title, but that's what I'm calling him) and over the course of the evening developed a deep appreciation for how much attention goes into deciding and managing the colour, placement, shape and intensity of light on stage, but that was only one of the numerous aspects of the show that made it outstanding. The kids were amazing, the singing and orchestra, the sets, the choreography, the costumes, everything.
These are some of my favourite images from the show, but they can by no means do justice to seeing the performance yourself, in person. I've never been so frustrated that my camera can't capture sound as I was that evening. Who knew there were so many talented performers in our own little town? So grab yourselves some tickets before they sell out and see for yourselves!
Photo Challenge Week 6 Artistic: Candy
This week payed homage to last years artistic: Candy theme, but this year no actual candy was allowed in the picture. So I used this chocolate makeup pallet with instead. Still looks (and smells) good enough to eat.