Lighting set up per servizio fotografico 'generation technology' in studio

Ci stiamo preparando a scattare un servizio fotografico per Image Source, tema 'generation technology', in cui una serie di persone di varie età, sesso ed etnie comunicano ed interagiscono utilizzando nuove tecnologie. Vogliamo unire concetti semplici come "comunicazione, connessione, vicinanza" e associarli ad un modo di usare la tecnologia che risoluti "semplice, immediato, sorprendente".
Abbiamo deciso di utilizzare per la prima parte del servizio fotografico un background nero e per la seconda parte uno bianco, per avere due diversi mood, uno più magico ed evocativo ed uno più naturale.
Per entrambi, utilizzeremo prevalentemente un look retro-illuminato, con due flash vicino al fondale e puntati direttamente ai modelli per creare le highlights. Due grandi riflettori e un octabox a -2 stops serviranno per creare una luce di fill/riempimento e un beauty dish (parabola?) in alto e a destra della macchina fotografica sarà la luce principale per illuminare i volti, le mani e i prodotti tecnologici.
Infine, un softobx con gel colorati puntato direttamente e dietro ai modelli aggiungerà il colore, saturazione e contribuirà a dare quel senso di 'meraviglia' che vogliamo creare.
Come promesso, ecco il risultato finale:

Idyllic Childhood

Sneak preview from our first of the cross media shoots in Elba Island.
Location is the amazing 'Tenuta La Chiusa' and the models are 5 local kids, aged 4 to 10. They were lovely and absolutely filled with incredibly energy... and of course sometimes a bit hard to handle!
But we let them run and play through the olive trees, the fields and on the shore... by the end they were sleeping for real in the gorgeous tent that Tanya put up for them!

 

Photoshoots in Elba Island

The last few weeks have been a very busy and exciting time.
Firstly, I finally moved into the new Florence studio & office and it's looking and feeling great! I then went with all the team for a week of cross media shoots on the beautiful Elba Island, just off the Tuscany coast.
We shot 5 cross-media collections for Image Source, and my favourite Art Director Tanya Lefevre who flew from London with her usual bag of amazing props and ... a new underwater casing for the D5 that we were testing, resembling a very cool sixty-handbag - basically, a plastic bag!
The weather was beautiful, with endless blue skies and an amazing strong sunlight. David Steven Lee was doing video as usual but this time with his new Panasonic GH2, and my Italian assistant Vanni proved to be absolutely untiring throughout the week!
We had lots of fun and some great adventures - shooting underwater was amazing - and I will be posting some photographs and videos as soon as they go through editing and retouching. To be expected: a couple of vintage cars to die for, a bunch of wild kids, a beautiful bride, 5 stars hotel treatment, SPA, romantic sunset, young and free teenagers ....

Lovely day for a wedding

Yesterday was a wonderful sunny day for my first shoot in Florence!
Luca & Deborah were in front of the camera and hair & make-up was by Silvia Gerzeli. I cannot thank enough for her kindness, invaluable help and of course talent!
First half of the day was around San Miniato Church and the second half in a park nearby my new office (that is almost ready!) for a more relaxed look.
I am enjoying shooting out of the studio and with (almost all) natural light... everything is a bit more relaxed and spontaneous, and I will be getting a tan soon!

Girls with attitude

These are girls with a serious attitude!

It's what can happen during a little get-together of toddlers with a good dose of outfits and music instruments. There was also a gorgeous bright pink V-shaped electric guitar that proved just a bit too much... with tantrums and real pop star fights!
Available for commercial licensing at Getty Images.

Romantic Week-end in Florence

A great way to start the New Year, with a photoshoot of a romantic weekend break in Florence. The day was lovely, the models were lovely, and it was great to be in the middle of my home town for the first time to shoot some commercial lifestyle images!

I guess I will be back soon, and possibly for good!

Available for licence through Getty Images.

Back to School II

Sweet home-work dreams

Back to School I

From a series of lifestyle photographs shot for Getty Images on location.
The main challenge for this shoot was obviously the production but we managed to find the perfect library and get access to it.

Morning on the beach, Elba Island

Today I did a photo shoot of local models playing on the beach. Location was the beautiful "La Biodola" beach on Elsa Island, just off the coast of Tuscany.

The kids were upset with such an early start but were soon bribed with delicious Italian pastry and ice cream.... mhhhh!

Cool Camping

Our "Cool Comping" cross media shoot is on the opening page of the Image Source website. We shot both photographs and videos in a lovely farm in Guildford at the beginning of the English Summer, on a beautiful day. David and i (on the other Canon 5D mk11 doing the videos) drove there in the custom 1971 Doormobile 'Early bay' VW Campervan also featured on the shoot - courtesy of Nick from www.dubhire.co.uk

It was a great day and I really enjoyed shooting out-takes while David was filming the models and directing them. It felt like being an invisible camera and I think lots of the images captured feel so natural because of this. It was also one of my favourite teams ever, with Tanya (Art Director) & Lyndsey making everything seem easy and fun and Beatriz Lopez mastering hair & make-up. Oh and lending us her bike!