I, Horse│ November 2009 │4074

I, Horse│ November 2009 │4074, originally uploaded by Photoportunity.

Travel can be a bind especially if you don't have your favourite photoediting stuff installed on your work laptop.
Finally finished the last 8 of the shots from my photoshoot with Dizzy out at Bathford.
This one I love. I know the background's messy but, to me, it somes up Dizzy's gentleness and her soul-piercing eyes.

Hands and Horse│ November 2009 │4021

Hands and Horse│ November 2009 │4021, originally uploaded by Photoportunity.

After shooting Nardo in October, I received an invite to shoot Nardo's friend Dizzy some two weeks after. This is the first of a series of shots featuring Dizzy's head and the hand or hands of Sally, Dizzy's owner.

As soon as I saw them in the LCD I knew I had something to treasure. Not being familiar with horses, I wondered how I could capture the obvious affection between Dizzy and her owner and best friend. This - I think - says everything.

Raggety Ann

Raggety Ann│ November 2009 │3920, originally uploaded by Photoportunity.

Sunday the 15th I had the opportunity with Stef Wakeman, a new model. New to me anyway.

The idea was to produce a Skinhead Girl shoot based on Claudette's 'Queen of The World' but the shots we took that have a more natural feel are turning out to be some of my favourites.

No lights, just a gold reflector (note to self: figure out a way to hold a reflector in a high wind, don't clip to tripod and watch the whole thing fall over busting a flash).

The Devil is in the...

The Devil is in the..., originally uploaded by Photoportunity.

One of my old bosses, Michael von der Nuell (sadly no longer with us), was fond of saying to me "Steve, the devil is in the detail" every time I discussed an aspect of how we were doing.
And it is. Michael taught me to look beyond the surface info in a report or set of data for what's really going on. Take nothing at face value.

Retro - inspirational stuff - campery for a Saturday morning

Perfect for for the working on the Lily Belle photos to

3 feels with no-budget light modifiers

On Sunday I was lucky enough to attend the huge Bristol Strobist Meetup at Ashton Court and 2 work with Louise as a model and Declan as my honorary lighting assistant. With the bare rudiments (a stofened gridspot and a pringles tube), we managed to create 3 'looks' in 30 minutes (actually. there's a 4th which has a Juergen Teller feel but I'm still working on it)
Inspired by Joy Division's She's Lost Control
The second very much a Film Noir attempt

and this, a simple Caravaggio shot

Equus Sum

Equus Sum 3439, originally uploaded by Photoportunity.

2 weeks ago, I received a mail through the website to take a photograph of Bernardo, a horse with a terminal condition. On Sunday I went out to Staverton in Wiltshire and spent two hours with Bernardo and his owner working in the practice ring whilst Nardo took his exercise.

I came away having made a new equine friend and feeling that I'd been in the presence of a one of nature's gentlest.