This is my beautiful friend, Rachael.
A while back, maybe a year or so ago, I would take my camera everywhere. Yes… everywhere. Mainly it would be of me and friends and a little ‘club’ we have. It’s a drinking club. It’s very exclusive. No, you can’t come along.
I wanted to start using my camera for ‘professional’ photographs rather than documenting my life. Mine and Rachael’s friend needed a little modelling practice for a friend of hers so we had a little impromptu photo shoot.
Now, our friend is a rock & roll maven! Her wardrobe is fantastic. Lace, leather pants, shoes galore (I really wanted to steal a pair), gentleman’s hat… the list goes on.
At the time I didn’t have any professional lighting but I wanted to test the lighting in the bedroom we should be shooting in. All I used was the window and couple of domestic lamps as light sources.
Considering the limitations with light, I love how they turned out. Simple and natural.
It’s a shame I’ve let myself fall out of habit of taking photographs because it’s something I want to improve on. I have a massive fear of forgetting. I’m slowly getting back on track and I’ll have a lot more opportunities to take more portraits. Friends, family… pets! Whatever. Need to get back to picking up my camera. For now I’m gathering inspiration from one of my favorite photography books.
The Half by Simon Annand
I adore this book. Photography and acting all in one. I love how Simon has captured those moments so few get to see.
Whatever theatre actors do during the day, each evening they go on stage to give a performance as “somebody else”
The dressing room is a physical space that allows for concentration and privacy so the psychological negotiation between the actor and this fictional character can take place
When ‘The Half’ is called over the loudspeaker backstage, it is the start of a 35 minute countdown to facing the audience and there is no escape
It is rare to see actors at this point in their work
Some of his photos are quite dramatic, intense even and some I found are hilarious. It’s interesting to see the change from page to page. Everyone has their routines or pre-show rituals. Some more obvious. Some look cool as a cucumber. But what I like most is how you can see the clockworks in their heads just ticking.
I advise you beg, borrow or steal this. A great source of inspiration for me.
http://www.simonannand.com/the-half/
J
X
P.S. Don’t steal. It’s bad.
Here a couple of photographs from a shoot I did with my dear friend, Henry. He really had this 1950′s rockabilly look going on so I had to take some photographs, plus he’s always up for a a few beers and being in front of the camera.
