Well, it’s 2008 and we’re off to a flying start! January is traditionally a quiet month – at least photographically speaking, particularly given the UK’s traditional grey, misty and generally sodden skies at this time of year – however, it looks like this is going to be a busy one!
This studio-based shoot was really good fun and has kicked off the year in the right sort of vein – nice clients and plenty of entertainment. The boys (Jonah & Eliot) were full of life (as they should be) and I spent a good deal of time trying to keep the camera focused on them as they hurtled around the studio. Thankfully, they were also more than happy to stop and pose for a while so we have some great shots of them “working the camera”. Bring on that modelling contract.
Although most of the shots are destined for colour, I’ve switched a couple to black & white. Call me old fashioned, but there is still something magical and timeless about black & white images that seem to amplify the emotion perhaps a little more than colour does. I think these shots work really well with the neutral tones of the outfits and the grain in the wooden flooring. I love the energy and life you get in the colour images – particular wherever there are strong colours such as the red t-shirts or the speckled gold in an autumn scene but I also love the emotion you get in the black & whites.
I love the shots of Andy & Sarah – particularly Sarah leaning on our gate just as they were leaving. I love impromptu shots like this as they feel almost like an afterthought and are often more relaxed and natural. I always try to catch these if I can – often, I am sure, to the frustration of our clients who are trying to leave. Still, you can’t fault me for always working to get “that shot”!
Well, let’s hope that 2008 continues as it began. Brilliant.
#1 by Andy Woodward - January 4th, 2008 at 16:49
Sarah, myself and the boys had a great time, and Paul made us feel relaxed right from the start. We were hoping for that relaxed, almost ‘classic’, family shot but didn’t want something too rigid or posed. We can’t wait to see the whole collection, but judging from these samples, I think the casual and fun atmosphere we experienced has come across well.