Full Steam ahead.

Had the good fortune of photographing on Worth Valley railway last weekend,both at Keighley Station and at Ingrow Vintage Carriage museum(links at end) with model Loula Belle on Purpleport. Despite lashing rain We got some great photos and Im very pleased with results seen here.

Vintage Carriages Museum
Model LouLa Belle
Fashion Photography Yorkshire

Model Agency scams

In the rush to set foot in the modelling world and get work,many models are answering adverts that promise "top end client work" for stores such as Top Shop, Next etc. Usually on sites such as Gumtree.Why cant Next recruit models via model agencies who don't need to advertise such as Storm?!
So let's look at one "agency" and point out the tricks to lure unsuspecting models. This is the Ad http://www.gumtree.com/p/jobs/ever-thought-of-doing-modelling-in-your-spare-time-and-earning-extra-money/1042659489
Sure to entice the naive starter models for certain no website details,just empty promises.I know of a friend who applied and they wanted her to travel to the agency in London(at her own expense) pay £50 "deposit" for a "free" shoot with hair and make-up provided. Now comes the catch,she would have to pay for her images from the photoshoot! Which is likely to be in the hundreds! Some casting eh?!
Here's more spiel from their company to the model
"Like any reputable agency, we do not charge any fees whatsoever to have models on our books"
Which is the law fair but they wont accept you without attending their own photoshoot and spending almost a thousand pound!

"As for your current crop of images, we are unable to use these due to the fact (that of the professional looking images youve sent), they are not bad images but instead are neither strong or relevant enough Laura."

Quelle suprise! Check out the images on their own website(linked at end)hardly amazing!

 "We need fashion images with range and we do not accept TFPs which it seems your images are also."

TFP =Time for Prints, a trade where neither photographer or model pay and bth get images without restriction. How the agency tell whether girl paid for her shots by just looking is a skill indeed! Why would they not accept them? I think we know why! £££££!

http://24-7models.co.uk/About_Us

Whilst these companies such as 24-7,Diesel Models,Blue Room Photography,Models Direct etc. may well  get models work,they are making their money from misleading advertising and charging large fees for photo shoots.

 Any model agencies worth anything will not charge you for a photoshoot, nor will they insist you need a portfolio.The best models have been hired from polaroids or snapshots! 

Don't be lured by false promises from flashy websites in London,they only want your cash,and generally will do anything to keep you there until you spend.

 

More fashion at Hippodrome

Another trip to Hulme Hippodrome Manchester for a fashion shoot, this time with model India Charlotte.Some portraits shown here,others are available on the website and Flickr page.

Beckiimay

For this photo shoot with Model Mayhem model Beckiimay the idea was a clash of ideas.On one hand we had a glamour style shoot(red lipstick,partial nudity)then the religious iconic theme of a crown of thorns,handmade by Liv Free also a model as well as making accesories.

You can see the headpiece here,it was real and sharp! Care was taken not to press it down too far onto Beckii's head! Using the red lipstick I wrote on her arms ,in mock self harm imagery but also it obviously being lipstick lent itself to glamour angle.Other shots on the website eventually-will show the words "repent" and "Sacrifice" on her left arm.

For this shot below, which was inspired partly by fashion photographer Miranda Kerr and partly by scenes in horror film Jacob's Ladder where strange faces blurred as they thrashed around. It took numerous attempts using motion blur flash technique,having Beckii move her head during exposure. A little post processing to give it an ethereal look and maybe it was something near my vision.

More shots will be featured on my Fashion photography website soon(at time of writing this anyway!) anyone wishing to have a portfolio photoshoot get in touch via the site above. Thanks.

Zara Abigail

Gorgeous redhead Zara Abigail had a model shoot with me recently,with a mass of red curls which came in handy on some shots. Abigail was classic fashion model size, slim and tall ,and we rattled through a two and a half hour shoot on a  high fashion theme. Later that day she came second in a national beauty contest too, so a job well done.See more shots of Zara in the fashion photography gallery

Model portfolios

Victorian theatre shoot

Obtained permission from Leeds Grand Theatre for a model shoot  .I liked the Victorian archeitecture and wanted a mdoel to compliment this. So recruited Model Mayhem member Necromantis(Law)and managed to negotiate narrow aisles and position lighting at the same time. Stage hands were busy setting up for the night's show and came in handy for a mains extension!
The idea was to keep ambient light of the hall with some fill in flash to light Lauren. Time was limited and not all shots worked as hoped, but got some images as seen below I think came out well. Check out more model shoots on the site thanks.

Up in the"Gods" for this next shot, I was juggling lights and tripod whilst trying not to fall off the balcony!

Fashion and model portfolios

Kick Ass

An unusual model shoot this weekend, the girl who came down for a  model fashion shoot  was a part time Thai Boxer!! Or Kick boxer in general terms, although she is a sweet and friendly girl and hard to picture her kicking hell out of someone!
 I tried some different style of shots and processing on the final shots,see what you think.

We did a few shots of Lauren wearing her Kick boxing attire too, dangerous girl! :)

                                       See more of Lauren on fashion model portfolios gallery.
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