Category Archives: photography

Photography: LookBook Hawaii Pt. I

For today’s Throwback photography post I take you to the LookBook inspired shoot with model Kristen in Hawaii. You might remember her from the title image on my post Photography and the Lies I Believed. Kristen was one of several models that partook in my ‘Model of the Month‘ project in 2010, being the cover girl for April. She also modeled with Alysha, the model of the month for March, showcased in my posts the Living Dolls and Colour Pop. For the LookBook series the clothing came from selected choices from her own wardrobe and we shot in and around her home with my lighting setup from AlienBees. It became a part one of a two part shoot as we met up soon after to shoot at Lanikai beach. My favourite moments of the day were making use of the amazing window light coming into the sun room which I used as backlighting against a monochromatic outfit choice.

Q: Which was your favourite Cover option from the three pictured above?

How to Take your Family Portraits

10 Replies

Family Portraits. We take them all the time to capture those we love and the memories and moments in time. Sometimes we even jump in front of the camera just in time to be in the photographs too. With families getting together for summer vacation, I have been asked to give some advice on how to take your family portraits. There are many variables to consider. The number one thing I have to stress is to have fun! Sometimes things just will not go to plan. Some of my most favourite family portraits are those unexpected moments that just happened to get captured on camera. In the image below my kids were not dressed especially for the occasion, nor were they matching. I was testing out a new lighting set up and they wanted to be included in the process. In the end this was my favourite shot from the session.

How To Take Your
F A M I L Y P O R T R A I T S

Prepare.
You can surely take an impromptu family portrait and love the results. However you could also prep for a more stylized family portrait and take them yourself. Look over this list of points to keep in mind before taking your portraits is key to satisfaction. But do not forget about your equipment. Make sure your camera batteries are charged and with you, that your memory cards have available space (and not just becoming storage to unbacked up photos) and double check your camera settings. If you shoot in lower quality for selling items on eBay, make sure to change it back to RAW or a higher res for your portraits to save from crying later.

Coordinate.

I do not suggest having everyone wear the exact same outfit. Just as I would not suggest those that travel to Hawaii to buy all matching ‘Aloha’ shirts and have their photo taken. The key is coordination and simplicity. Choose a colour palette and and let everyone dress accordingly. For balance check ahead of time what everyone has and what they are thinking of wearing. Otherwise you may have someone’s uncle showing up in blue jeans instead of the suggested khakis simply because he did not have any in his wardrobe. It will become a case of the ‘one of these things is not like the other‘. Especially if you are taking a family portrait on vacation you cannot plan on everyone having something that will match. Plan ahead of time so that you do not run into this problem.

My last family portrait was taken at Christmas time by our home here in Bath, England. I let my family know ahead of time what the colour palette was and sort of kept tabs on my mum and sister about what they would be bringing. When it came to plan out the outfits I let everyone ‘punch’ the colour of red in a different way. I wore a red cardigan, my sister wore red shoes and red accessories, my mum wore a red hat, my eldest son wore a red tie, and my youngest had red stripe detail in his dark plaid shirt. My husband did not have anything with red but matched the palette. Since we all punched red into the photo in different ways it did not matter that Ryan stayed neutral because it became a cohesive balance.

Timing.

A good rule of thumb for what time of day to shoot is the ‘Golden Hour’, which is the first and last hour of sunlight during the day since the lighting is softer. You can check online for sun calculators to determine what time you should be outside to do your photograph. I suggest working together and trying to get it done as efficiently as possible to avoid family members getting restless. I always tell my boys that if they work really hard to help us get the shot then we can move on quicker to something more fun. A little bribery never hurts.

Location.

This may be an integral part of your shot if you are on vacation in a place you would like to remember, like on Lanikai beach in Hawaii. It may be good to location scout first to make sure the place works and that it is a safe location. Simple is best and try not to have too much going on in the background. I have used brick walls, hedges, and even an open field to set the scene. Depending on your camera, the lens, and your settings you may want just the focus on the the group with a soft blurry bokeh background. I suggest keeping away from other people or anything that may clutter the shot and take away the focus. Let the outdoors be your photo studio and keep it simple so that it works with you for the shot.

Tripod, Timer and a Remote.

The family portraits I have shown where I am in the photograph have been taken with my camera on a tripod (or another surface) and with a timer. Easier would be a remote. It is how I take my self portraits for Self Portrait Saturday. I definitely recommend looking into all three if you do not have or know how to work them yet. The photo above where I am reading with my kids was taken with the timer.

Elements. Sometimes the best made plans can be tested by the circumstances like the weather. You could have a beautiful set up on the beach, perfectly orchestrated morning to get everyone looking just perfect and have the wind mess everyone’s hair up. Two of the family portraits we have done in England have been while it is raining. Of course the rain did not happen until the camera was set up on the tripod and we were ready to start. At this point you have two options. You can reschedule or you can attempt to do the best that you can given the circumstances.

Tips: Keep it fun. As soon as someone starts getting stressed out or upset it is going to show in the face or body language. If you are dealing with the wind turn your bodies so that the wind works for you, not against you. If you are dealing with the rain my best advice is to know what shot you want to get and get it. If you are not comfortable with the lighting and cannot get a good test shot, don’t force it. Go back out when the weather is better.

Lighting. Not enough and your portraits will not turn out. Too much and you will get harsh shadows on their face. Be aware of the lighting situation. When we lived in Hawaii if I wanted to shoot in the morning I would have to shoot early because by 1000 it would be too bright. In England where we have cloudy skies often it becomes one of my favorite lighting situations as it acts like a natural light diffuser. If you are shooting outside it is good to have your subjects in the shade with the sun light in front of them. I used this method above while shooting family portraits on a bright sunny day in Arizona. I also love shooting with the sun behind my subjects for backlighting.

Tips: If you are still practicing with backlighting try shooting your subjects with trees behind them and shoot so that the sun shines through the trees. Keeping your subject far enough away from the backdrop with a low aperture, can result in a nice bokeh affect of the sunlight through the trees. If you are still learning about shooting in manual and ISO settings check out the ‘Sunny 16 rule': http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_16_rule for shooting in sunlight.

Kids & Animals. They infamous quote is you should never work with children or animals. However of course those will be the two categories we want to focus on in our photographs. Keep the little ones in mind when going planning each stage of your family portrait. If you know the kids will be tired during a certain hour, obviously do not plan to shoot at that time. It is better to work around the little ones and their schedule. Make sure the kids present are neither tired nor hungry when it is time to pose. Bring treats and have something for them to look forward to after the photographs have been taken.

Props. They can be fun. Especially with the right group of people a few key props can pull a theme together. Kids especially will love things they can wear or play with and will be drawn to the excitement. However make sure you get your standard portraits first. Always aim to get the shot you want in the beginning and then from there have fun. It could be the shots you do not plan that may surprise you and turn out the best in the end.

Attitudes. Sometimes it is not the right time to take photos. If anyone is uncomfortable in front of the camera it will read in the eyes. If someone is upset it will not only show in their face but will affect the other people in the photograph. I have taken family photos as a portrait photographer where the husband was in a really nasty mood. It not only affected the child but made the wife very anxious. It did not matter what I did to get the mom and the child to smile, the husband was grumpy in ever single shot. For this very reason on family vacations with my husband’s family I have second guessed my decision to take family portraits. The camera does not lie and there are some things you just cannot fix in photoshop. Bottom line, do not force a photo shoot if the situation is already stressful.

————————-

Model of the Month: Ginger & Red Heads

3 Replies

When I was living in Hawaii I was reminded continually that I was on a small island. You ran into the same people, in the photography world everyone was shooting the same models, and you had to search hard to find anything that in a photograph would not scream ‘I live in Hawaii’. Perhaps that is why I was surrounded by so many male photographers who shot only young females in their bikini on the beach. I was on a hunt for something unique and that was when I discovered Alysha. I believe I was specifically looking for models with long hair and it was her striking ginger hair that caught my eye. Living in an asian melting pot of cultures you do not see a whole lot of pales skin or red hair. We found out we were both here because of the military as her boyfriend was stationed on Oahu at the time. Instantly my head flooded with ideas for shoots and that is how my ‘Model of the Month’ project in 2010 began. I decided I would work with one model every month and see what body of work we could produce together. I would then release her ‘cover’ shot and my favourite images from the shoots.

This shoot was one of our last shoot togethers though you might remember seeing her from In the Middle of a Dream shoot, Living Doll Shoot, the Mermaid Cove shoot, and the Colour Pop shoot. We shot this series all from my living room with the aid of my Alien Bees lighting. I pulled out a few props and we worked together for a few fun portraits for an outcome of her cover shot. I basically chose my living room wall as the backdrop to make sure her hair just popped in the photographs. When our month did come to an end I was quite sad because we had so much fun together. The best shoots I have done are the ones where the model and I were close or had worked together before. It is something I definitely miss about living on Hawaii. The network of models, photographers, stylists, and hair and makeup artists is quite like a family. I loved having an idea to shoot and calling up someone I had worked with to get together for a shoot. I did end up calling Alysha again to cast her for a photo shoot for a magazine publication…because of her red hair. I have to say that is her most distinguishing quality about her as a model and it is why I wanted to work with her in the first place.

Side note: I am glad I made use of this wall because I have never spent so much time doing a DIY painting project before. This was our first home to own and where I could finally paint my walls. My husband and I of course fell in love with a labour intensive technique that involved not normal paint brushes but a metal spatula of many coats for a faux finish. It looked pretty but took days to complete.

Did you see the Behind the Scenes video

for making In the Middle of a Dream shoot?

In the Middle of a Dream from Bonnie Rose on Vimeo.

Photography: ‘Inside a Dream’

6 Replies

Throwback thursday and I bring you today my concept shoot ‘Inside a Dream’.

This was one of my very first shoots back in 2010 on Oahu, Hawaii.

For those of you hoping to travel to Hawaii some day,

know that there is much more to the island than just the beaches of Waikiki.

My husband and I had done some location scouting

on one of our hikes in the Nu’uanu area with our kids.

Amongst the amazing Hawaiian jungle and waterfalls is

the Kaniakapupu ruins, reminders of Oahu’s ancient past.

It is an amazing and beautiful area and brought to my mind

a feeling of being lost inside storybook.

My concept was to bring together two characters

lost in a dreamworld.

Models: Alysha Busha & Rob Bozada

Make up: Dhyana Leung

Wardrobe: JAM Design

Assistant: +Ryan Aherin

Hair & Photography: +Bonnie Rose

* For information regarding the use of photography by Bonnie Rose and photographic services contact bonnie[at]bonnie-rose[dot]co[dot]uk

My favourite place to shoot in Hawaii

2 Replies

Another Tuesday and I look back together with you

some of my photography work through the last few years.

Today I want to share with you one of my favourite places to shoot

on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

North Shore. It is also my favourite place to drive off towards

when we needed a little break from our busy lives.

It is the opposite feel of Waikiki which is bustling with activity and tourists.

Depending on the time of day and location

you can have the beaches practically to yourself.

It truly was living on our own paradise.

When I first started out with photographing other people

I went to the places I knew. Places where I went to explore, where I worked out,

and where we went to relax. So it only seemed natural to take model, Melissa,

to my favourite hideaway spot.

We started our drive from Wahiawa and once we got to the coast,

we drove north until we could not take my car any further.

You can head the rest of the way on foot.

With the big green rolling hills of mountainside

and the vast blue waters on the ocean side

it is a perfect harmony of serenity.

Hawaiian Life.

Love.

*All Photographs belong to Bonnie Rose Photography at www.bonnie-rose.co.uk
** Images can not be used without written consent. Please get in contact if you have questions.

Italy and the Path Less Taken

4 Replies

Having spent a significant part of my childhood in Italy has left

an equally significant part of my heart in Napoli.

It meant so much to share this corner of the world

with the man I love and with whom I share life.

I cannot wait to bring my sons home to Italy

To watch their eyes light up as they taste pizza.

To which Napoli is the birthplace.

Though I may be biased I always recommend Napoli as a travel destination.

There are so many sightseeing stops for tourists.

The islands of Capri, Ischia, and Procida. The coast drive of the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento.

Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii and Herculaneum. Not to mention all the museums and churches.

Sometimes its about taking a more organic approach to traveling

which gives you a more rounded experience in another country and culture.

Take the path less traveled or not traveled at all.

One of my good friends Liisa, from our time together in Hawaii,

was living in the heart of Napoli last summer when we visited.

She took us on a walk I had not experienced in my time growing up in that city.

It was on narrow pathways up to the top by way of many cobbled steps.

There was both beauty and destruction to be found.

Art to behold in many facets on our walk.

I was constantly snapping photographs with my camera

just to remember and nto let any details get missed.

We saw some posters of a self portrait put up by a local photographer my friend knew.

Remnants of old mixed in with the fingerprints of the modern world.

To top it all off was the stunning view from the top before we made our way down.

The bay of Napoli with Mt. Vesuvius in the background.

Perfection not to be missed.

** If you are interested in using photographs or for more information about photographic services, contact bonnie@bonnie-rose.co.uk

London Fashion Week

Leave a reply

London Fashion Week: A Photographer’s Perspective
I have a special surprise for you today! A guest blog post by fashion photographer Gareth Gregg of SunshineLens photography. Gareth recently had the opportunity to work at London Fashion Week. I was so thrilled for him and asked if he take some time to share some of his wonderful photography with you all. He has graciously obliged and has taken a unique perspective and shared his experience as a photographer at LFW.

I hope you enjoy the sweet surprise and a great lead up to Bristol Fashion Week post which I will share with you at the end of the month!

Without further adieu I leave you with Gareth.

— Bonnie Rose

London Fashion week consists of two 5 day events each year that showcase collections by some of the world’s foremost designers. It is one of 4 fashion week events that run one after the other. For me I was just shooting London as do most. But for some they shoot the whole season leading to some very tired and grouchy photographers!

My brief for LFW AW13 (we work a season ahead) was to work within the Courtyard space in Somerset House. Somerset house is a beautiful building which I guess you could term as being the main building for LFW. Within its large courtyard they erect a temporary building which houses the main Catwalk along with backstage and the Photographers media lounge. Within Somerset house itself you have various exhibitions, coffee shops, as well as other rooms for smaller catwalk shows.

Working within the courtyard space is prime spot and where most of the main shows exist. It is also fantastic for ‘Street Style’ photography. For this part of the fashion show the photographers brief is almost as important as shooting the shows themselves. It is either candid or posed and is an element of shooting catwalk that I love. I will show you a few of these shots later on.

For kick off im going to show you some pics from the Felder Felder show. I love this show as the clothes are stylish and elegant. The models were awesome, which of course gave way to some great shots:

I took these shots at the top of a three step ladder right at the back of the pit. As it is very high and you can shoot down upon the models, it is a cool angle to get some really awesome shots. At the end of the day though you are standing at the top of a step ladder which gets a touch tiresome. Seeing as I am a touch on the clumsy side, I could so see myself being launched into a sea of photographers. The following days I ended up placing myself much closer to the front. Almost on the floor it is a bit more chilled and I prefered the shots. Just personal preference. Here are a few shots from the Issa show of which I adored:

Here are some shots from the Jasper Conran Show. This was also awesome. They have laid a red plastic covering along the catwalk which gave a wicked effect:

When people ask about what it is like to shoot at London Fashion Week I talk about the dynamics between the photographers. Everyone gets on so well and makes the effort to talk to each other. However nothing gets in the way of the need to get a good shot. Quite often photographers will stand in the way of your camera. It happens all the time and you really have to be prepared to have an argument to hold your place! Funny thing is that all the time you hear this going on but nearly always it ends with everyone laughing a little and giving way to each other so we can all get our jobs done.

With the following sets of shots, which are from the David Nova show, I managed to get an absolute prime spot for shooting. As said before fashion week runs from Friday to Tuesday. On Thursday the photographers can go in and mark up their spaces. This gives you an opptortunity to lock in a space in the pit. It is essentially a square on the floor in the photographers area with your name on it. If your name is there and you arrive to find someone else is in your spot, you can ask them to move. It is a gentleman’s agreement between photographers. It is not like if they refuse to move you can go grab security. But it is just simply what you do. I did not have a space marked up but its rare that everyone is there at the same time. You can nearly always get a spot to shoot during the shows. As I was saying though, with the David Nova show, I saw the spot and grabbed it. As you can see from the shots I am pleased that I kept it!

I love it when they really do up the catwalk set. Look at the following shots and you will see what I mean. The blue strip lights at the back really shine off the catwalk and reflect giving a wonderful effect. I loved this show by Osman:

I mentioned earlier about Street Style photography. This is basically shooting well dressed people over fashion week. It is really important and as a photographer I love it. It gives you the chance to indulge in street photography without someone moaning at you because you have taken their picture. All these people want to be snapped. Best of all you can stop them in the street and get advise their posing to get the shot.

I really cannot wait till next year. Although I had the full pass some of the larger shows you still have to gain approval from the designers PR agency. Come September I will make sure I get some emails sent off, to get a pass and shoot some of the really big designers.

Big thank you to Bonnie for asking me to guest blog for her website!

– Gareth Gregg

*Images with courtesy of Fashionbite.

** Connect with Gareth at SunshineLens Photography.

***I do not own these images. If you have any questions please contact either of the above parties.

SPONSORED: How to Quickly Catalog, Cull, and Edit Photos using Lightroom