More…

April 14, 2011January 12, 2016ERWhittington 4 Comments

… from Mr Gregory Brown.

Red on the bed:

The local bar owner presented Hannah and I each with a flower. I thought it should feature:

These were taken in some spare moments just after I’d finished packing up my stuff on the last morning, before we had to make our way to the airport:

I love the perspectives and angles on these – and I love the painting in the background, which somehow suits. Stairs are always fun (also did some cool stuff on these stairs with John Evans, who will be featured again v soon):

The place was full of books!

If any of these particularly stand out to you for my portfolio (and in fact any of the ones from this trip to Spain I’ve posted so far), speak now or forever hold your peace!

Untouched

March 28, 2011January 12, 2016ERWhittington 8 Comments

This is just a quick entry in between catching up on emails after a brilliant week shooting in Spain (more on that soon!). I just wanted to show a few shots from a photographer I worked with earlier this month (no link to his work online, unfortunately, but he knows who he is and this is posted with thanks!) at the Kennington camera club. I was sent these images straight after the shoot, just so that I could see how they look, but they aren’t finished products, in the sense that they are intended to become cyanotypes and carbon transfer prints, and a chosen few of them might be put onto copper plates later this summer. The photographer uses the techniques and process of the Nineteenth Century (mainly gravure and platinum printing) and is doing a PhD concentrating on representations of the body. The shoot was quite unusual for me, in that it consisted almost entirely of ‘acting’ (more properly so than in the usual sense of ‘modelling’); I was given roles to dramatise and unusual things to do while being photographed. I found it quite challenging, but in a refreshing way, and it was certainly fun! This was the first shoot during which I’ve ever been asked to be photographed while singing a song, for example! I love singing, but I’m pretty shy about doing it in front of people… I won’t tell you what I sang, but it is a childhood favourite!

Anyway, acting adventures aside, I thought some of the portraits I was sent were very nice in particular, and as they are in the ‘not quite what they’re meant to be yet’ phase (though, as I say, I think they’re great and very nicely lit), they are completely unretouched. To be fair, a lot of the work you’ll see in my portfolios and on here are also unretouched in this way (e.g. no skin work) and I’m a big fan of natural, simple shots. I hope you like them too.

Modelling for Workshops

March 3, 2011ERWhittington 3 Comments

I’ve noticed that some photographers think models might not be too interested in seeing their shots of you, as you have (as a photographer said to me yesterday) ‘billions’ of photos of yourself already. Well, I don’t think I quite have a billion(!) but it’s true I’ve seen renditions of my own mug a few more times than the average person. However, I’m always interested in seeing how things turn out – different effects and styles mean there are a corresponding billion ways my mug can manifest itself as a photographic image, and I genuinely love seeing the fruits of mine and a photographer’s labour!

SO, I am always particularly chuffed when budding photographers attending workshops I model for then add me on facebook, tagging me in shots they’ve taken, or email me to show me their results!

Here are two more from the Yerbury boudoir workshop I modelled for recently. I thought the glowy light in these was fantastic when I saw them! By Donovan & Donovan Photography:

I’ve also modelled many times for the British Institute of Professional Photography, for their fashion, portrait and bridal workshops (I’ll be modelling on 16th March for another bridal workshop). This is by Rob Grimes, for a workshop led by the lovely Kelly Hearn. Photographing through a veil can be difficult, focus-wise, but makes for a really nice effect:

Update!

October 10, 2010January 12, 2016ERWhittington

Here are some new images from Iain Thomson:

Rebecca Parker

October 6, 2010January 12, 2016ERWhittington 2 Comments

I worked with Rebecca Parker at the end of August. If you haven’t seen her creations before, you really should go and look at her website. Her images are exquisite – a wonderful mixture of dreaminess, drama, strangeness and simplicity. Rebecca does all of her photography and digital manipulation/processing herself, and now also does the make up (including mine, below). I think she’s secretly a control freak… Only joking. The multi-talent definitely runs in the family: Moonmomma made the beautiful pearl and blue-green headdresses I’m wearing below and they combine efforts often on various things. What a crafty team!

I’m so glad we were able to do these while I was in Birmingham on the way to a shoot in Manchester. Rebecca was exactly how I hoped she would be, after emailing each other for quite a long time, and I think we have such similar tastes that I totally trust her creative vision. The location was ‘Gentleshaw’, and we rocked some heather for some portraits, some lazy lavender fashion and then some mean gypsy styles indoors. Here is the evidence so far (there will be more images to come):

I also want to show this image I’ve recently seen. I flippin’ love it and keep going back to stare at it. Wow:

Rebecca will soon be organising some workshops/classes, to share her knowledge and techniques with other photographers and creative types. Definitely contact her for more info if you’re interested, and do feel free to hint heavily that I should be the model she demonstrates on… 😉

Glamoureuse

September 25, 2010January 12, 2016ERWhittington 4 Comments

One of the things that attracted me to working with Iain was his ability to create beautiful, light-filled, ‘airy’, soft glamour images, which are very fresh and romantic. These are more seductive than I usually do, granted, but they’re still pretty tame and relatively innocent, and I’ll never go beyond this limit.

First, some retro/vintage/pretty-style lingerie:

And:

The following are from the final set we did. A bit raunchier than anything I usually do! I love the fiery set up.

Diamante and Pearls, Ribbon and Ruching, Beads and Blushes

September 19, 2010January 12, 2016ERWhittington 2 Comments

I know, I know, it’s been ages since I’ve updated! I’ve had a lot of exciting shoots recently but am reluctant to post without the images – hopefully I’ll be able to remedy this soon!

Anyway, I was lucky enough to be asked recently to model for the new 2011 collection of Chanticleer wedding dresses, each made by the extremely talented bridal designer Tracey Salt in Cheltenham. One look at the Chanticleer website and I knew this would be a wonderful day; the dresses are exquisite.

We shot at Badger Farm, having stayed over the night before in the cottage. It was such a varied, beautiful location; the views all around were amazing (as you can see in one of the images below). It was a brilliant case of everyone pulling their weight and doing their bit; 2 models and 18 dresses to get through in one day (11 hours!), all with different hair and make up, and each needing help to get into and out of each dress, trains carried for walking outside between locations, beautiful shoes carried until the last moment for minimal mud-sinking, fluffy robes held to be thrown on between sets (there was a very cold wind on the day!)… We were well looked after! All in all, the shots below are due to the brilliant teamwork of the following:

Designer: Tracey Salt (Chanticleer)
Assistant: Natalie Russell (Chanticleer)
Photography team: Chris and Claire Hanley
Make up: Hannah Raison
Hair: James
Beautiful and lovely other model: Rachel Hetherington
Thanks also to Liz Parker, Tracey’s mum, and for the gorgeous jewellery and shoes (which I don’t have a link for but may be found via the Chanticleer website).

The theme of the collection is ‘Back to Nature’. Each of the 18 dresses is named after a fairy. Cute or what! Here are the 9 dresses I modelled…

Jocasta:

Oriana:

Aphrodite:

Cassandra:

Paloma:

Arabella:

Carmel:

Minerva:

If you like what you see and are feeling bridally inclined, you can visit visit both Chanticleer and Chris Hanley Photography at this year’s National wedding Show at the NEC, from October 8-10th October.

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Behind the scenes… 🙂

The Eeyore robe I fell in love with. WARM: