This photoshoot was a massive personal challenge on my own part. I never really use the studio for my own work, i tend to just watch people use it. Within workshops with Phil i have found myself to be a slow learner too, which isn’t the best quality to have as an aspiring fashion photographer. However i have shocked myself within this particular piece of work in my abilities in terms of lighting, self-direction and my dealing with technical difficulties.
The lighting i chose to work with was difficult to work out at first, however once i applied a softbox and a higher-lighting style, i was on a roll. As this photoshoot was a self-portrait project, i had decided to make use of a trigger. This was in favour of a self timer as i knew exactly when the shot was coming and had time to choose my pose without being rushed. This trigger was tricky to work out, my peers not knowing anything about how to use the device made the set-up all the more confusing. This was soon rectified however considering an instructions booklet that i was able to figure out fairly quick paced.
To take the images, i placed a mirror behind the camera (a trick i had learned when modelling for my friend Nicola), and directed myself successfully. I was able to see which angles looked best in terms of lighting and technical use, as well as being able to see the framing within the small screen of the camera.
I am very proud of the shots i have produced. I think they emulate the ideas that i had following up to the creation, this is something i value within my work as a concept based artist. The colours i chose to work with and the poses i managed to pull off really work together to produce a brilliant piece of work, in my own humble opinion. In the future i really am inspired to take more self portraits, not due to my own ravishing beauty or immaculate self-direction, but due to the enjoyment of the process, as well as the ridiculously obvious ego boost i get afterwards.
(images shown below, all shot by me, Ell Sirs).
ELL, FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY 