backstage
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Monday, November 12th, 2012
Some of my photography from backstage at the Haute Couture show which was held in Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. Regular visitors to this blog may recognise the tailor’s from Clements & Church (especially Richard) who I tend to photograph quite regularly. It was great to see them in their element, doing what they do best. I have lots of images to post so I’ll be drip feeding them as I get time to do so. I’ve been doing so much photography recently that my backlog is slowly building up. Apologies to anyone waiting to see their images.
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Posted in Ashmolean, Fashion, Oxford | No Responses »
Tags: ashmolean, backstage, D700, fashion, ofw, oxford
Sunday, November 11th, 2012
Here are the Fujiroids (aka Polaroids) that I shot last night, back stage at the Haute Couture show which was held in the Ashmolean Museum as the finale to Oxford Fashion Week 2012. When I think back at all of the amazing dresses and stunning models that were at the show I can’t help feel a little frustrated that this is all I managed to come away with in terms of instant pack film shots. The schedule was so tight compared to last year there wasn’t enough time allowed for photography – something that surprises me considering the benefit to everyone (designers, models, photographer and OFW). I did my best with the time and limited space I had to work in and came away with a set of images that I am pleased with but it’s the ones that got away that are hard to forget. I shot with a range of cameras, digital, colour and black & white film so there are plenty of more shots to come. Something I love about Fujiroids is that they are unique one of a kind gems. You want limited edition? This is it! The scans here don’t do the original prints justice.
Thanks goes to the back stage crew that helped me and to the models for being patient while I juggled different cameras and lighting. The shot in the bottom right corner is of two of the OFW crew that helped me test my lighting setup.
Haute Couture show, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. OFW2012.
Posted in Ashmolean, Fashion, film, Oxford | No Responses »
Tags: ashmolean, backstage, couture, emma appleton, fashion, film, fujiroid, hai lin, ofw, photoshoot, rb67
Monday, October 15th, 2012
Back in May I was invited to do some photography during the dress rehearsal of a theatre production called Killing Hitler by the director of the production. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it so instead I went along to the opening night to try to squeeze in a little photography during curtain up. You’d think I would have learnt my lesson from trying that during a production of Cabaret with not a huge amount of success but I felt it was worth a try. Needless to say the cast and crew had more important things on their minds than to make time for my photography so all I managed to get was these three shots. It’s a shame because the set for the opening scene looked really good with the lighting. My thanks go to the director, Lucie Dawkins and the cast and crew for putting up with me.
[Tech info:] Mamiya M645 1000S, 80/f1.9 lens, loaded with Fuji Acros 100 film, processed in Kodak HC110 (dilution b).
Posted in film, Oxford, Portrait, students | No Responses »
Tags: 645, acros, backstage, drama, film, hc110, keble college, o'reilly, oxford, portraits, students, theatre
Saturday, May 26th, 2012
There’s a Shakespeare festival here in Oxford at the moment and a few weeks ago I was contacted by the director of a one-off performance to see if I’d like to do some photography at one of their dress rehearsals. The actual performance is on 29th May 2012 at Blackwells Bookshop on Broad Street but these images were made at Lady Margaret Hall a few days ago. Only one of the cast is in elizabethan costume and I felt she’d make for better images than the others. For the colour shots I was experimenting with some film that expired in 2005 and I quite like the results. The black & white shots were made with fresh stock. If you do go and see it please leave a comment.
[Tech info:] Rolleiflex SL66 and 80mm/2.8 Zeiss lens, loaded with Kodak 160NC (rated at ISO100) and Fuji Acros 100. Processed with a Rollei digibase C41 kit and Kodak HC110 dilution H (8.5 mins).
LMH has nice gardens.
Window light.
Bounced light from the floor.
Dramatic.
LMH gardens.
Cast group shot.
Posted in film, Oxford, People, Photo shoot, Portrait, students | No Responses »
Tags: 6x6, backstage, black&white, film, hc110, oxford, people, portraits, students
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012
Earlier this evening I did a little photography at the O’Reilly Theatre in Keble College as the actors were warming up for the opening night of Killing Hitler, a production directed by Lucinda Dawkins. My original plan was to do photography during the dress rehearsal yesterday evening but I was unable to make it. You’d think I would have learnt my lesson about photographing during an opening night after I tried it at a production of Cabaret at the very same theatre but no, I didn’t learn so it was no surprise that the actors were busy preparing for the production so I didn’t manage to get many shots. Sorry. It was such a shame because the costumes, set and lighting looked really good. If you get a chance you should go and see it.
I might have time to go back again on Saturday, we’ll see. For now all I have to post is this diptych of Freddie who I had previously photographed during a dress rehearsal for POSH earlier this year. I manage to get a few other shots but I haven’t finished the roll that they’re on.
[Tech info:] Mamiya RB67, 90mm lens and diptych Polaroid back which allows me to make two exposures on the same print. This scan is from the reclaimed negative part of Fuji FP-100C instant pack film.
Freddie Bowerman as Anthony Eden.
Posted in film, Oxford, People, students | 1 Response »
Tags: backstage, black&white, drama, film, oxford, portraits, students
Monday, February 20th, 2012
These are the portraits I made of the cast and crew of Cabaret back stage at the O’Reilly Theatre, Keble College. Curtain up was probably around 20mins away so I was very rushed and also very cramped for space. These were done in a corridor at the bottom of the rear stair well, the bright lights facing the camera are lights on the wall. I thought they might look good as a background but they’ve turned out being brighter than I would have liked. I left my spot meter at home so I was unable to make very accurate exposure calculations. Overall I think these turned out well with all things considered. Thank you to everyone below that made time to be photographed.
I’m interested in doing more backstage photography on film so if you’re involved in a project or performance please get in touch.
[Tech info:] Mamiya RZ67 with 110mm lens loaded with Kodak Tri-X film rated at ISO1600. Processed in Kodak HC110 (dilution B, 1:31) for 17mins at 20c.
Cast member
I did a rough retouching job in Photoshop to erase the bright lights in the background of this image and I think it works better without them.
Cast member
Choreographer (right) and assistant choreographer
Cast member
Posted in film, Oxford, Photo shoot | No Responses »
Tags: backstage, black&white, oxford, people, portraits, RZ67, Tri-X
