01. A single Lupo 1000 with a Scattergel brought this sequence to life.

02. I found the vintage sunglasses on Ebay, the shrug is from Top Shop and the halter-neck dress is from Jane Norman.

03. For this frame I added the Lupo 650 as a hair light.

04. The Pateshoff Hotel is a fabulous location secured by shoot assistant Mariana. I found the skater dress in Stanley Market in Hong Kong. The fascinator is from Shirley’s collection. I used a single Lupo 1000 for these shots too.

05. The wig was made by Shirley, the ‘Jackie O’ glasses are by Primark and the lighting was a single Lupo 1000 with a Scattergel.

06. The two part dress in Alicia’s own and looks fabulous.

07. “Push my button”

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09. Tutu and top from Ebay. Lupo 1000 spotlight with Scattergel.

10. I had the crazy idea to pay homage to Anne Geddes with an adult version of her classic baby in a flower pot genre.

11. “U can’t touch this”

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06. I do love black and white.

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08. My lighting style is all about beauty, cheekbones, facial structure and the wow factor. That’s why I and many of the top commercial photographers use hard light. No softboxes in sight. No brollies, paras or other light flattening kit were used in this shoot, just pure Lupo Fresnel led spotlights.

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Click on the picture for a bigger view.

01. I was working with my client on achieving optimum image quality with a shallow depth of field. We discussed focus position, depth of field choice and how the mood of the picture changed with aperture choice. I used a reflector outside the building to reflect the dull January sky onto Claire. My client shot the same scene with a Nikon 810 and 85mm f/1.4 lens using a monopod and I shot with the 56mm f/1.2 lens and again I used a monopod. Exposure was 1/125th second at f/1.6 at ISO 400.

02. Both of these pictures of Claire Rammelkamp were shot with the fabulous XF 35mm f/1.4 at f/1.4 for 1/125th second and ISO 640 Lighting decisions were being made without any lights being used. I used the ‘cloudy day’ white balance setting because we were working with reflected cloudy day light. My client shot with the superb Sigma Art series 50mm f/1.4 on his Nikon 810 and it was clear to see that the Fuji was more than holding it’s own when we compared the fine detail on playback.

03. I used the 56mm lens at 1/125th second at f/1.8 and using ISO 640 for this trilogy. I still used my monopod as I like to shoot with the shutter speed set to the inverse of about 4x the focal length on the X-Pro2 if I’m working hand held. Lighting was from a single Lupo 650 dual colour spotlight with the Alto Scattergel.

04. In a bid to explore the upper limits of exposure with jpeg only shooting on the Fuji X-Pro2 I really gave this shot some exposure. I set the scene for a summer day by using a Lupo 650 Spotlight as a backlight simulating the sun coming through a roof light. 35mm f/1.4 lens at f/1.4 and a shutter speed of 1/60th second on a monopod using ISO 500. I trim my exposures using the ISO and the handy lift and twist adjustment on the Fuji X-Pro2 is a wonderful change from the menu access on the X-Pro1.

05. Next it was time for the big guns. I shot hand held at 1/60th of a second using the XF 50-140mm lens at the 140mm setting. I used the optical image stabilisation and shot hand held wide open at f/2.8. I used the 140mm setting because I was running out of curtain in the background and I didn’t want to shoot off.  Claire is lit by the light from one window. All the other curtains were closed in the room.

06. This is nearly real sunlight. It broke through the cloud just as it was setting but soon disappeared so I rigged a Lupo 650 dual colour light to take over and set it to 3200K to capture this trilogy of shots. Top and left: XF 50-140 at 140mm and f/2.8 for 1/60th second and ISO 500. Bottom right: XF 35mm at f/1.4 for 1/60th second at ISO 200 on a monopod. I love the hair look that my star make up and hair artist Vicki Waghorn gave Claire.

07. We couldn’t leave Eastington Park without doing some shots with the wonderful staircase. Lit with a Lupo 650 dual colour set to 3200K to match the Chandelier.

01. The shot on the right of Allesandra in the fog was the first one that we took as a group. I explained how to set the Fuji cameras up to preview the manual exposure then showed how to finely set the ambient look. The is no one correct exposure. It’s a case of decide on the look that you like and go with it. Once this was set we added flash to taste. Nothing is simpler than using the Cactus system with and make of camera because they are universal and you can adjust the flash power from the camera position. For the shot on the left we used a lighter ambient exposure with just a hint of flash to make Allesandra ‘pop’ from the foggy background. Both shots were lit with bare Speedlights set at 90 degrees to the camera angle. There is no need whatsoever for 90% of all the Speedlight modifiers that are sold and I showed the delegates how to create beautiful pictures using bare flash.

02. This is one of my favourite pictures from day one. It is similar to the shot top left in set 01 but with a much more striking composition. I am always careful with lead in lines, verticals and subject placement. All these elements were discussed as we captured the shot. All the shots I took on day one were ‘figure in the landscapes’. It’s easy to shoot head shots, it’s hard to shoot the wide shots so I spent my time showing how to shoot to include the environment. I love the muted tones captured using the Pro Neg S film simulation on the X-Pro2 with the H tone set to -1 and the S tone set to -1. This image looks fantastic as a big print due to the ultra fine detail.

03. As the day wore on the light was changing. Tomasz and I had split the group into a 6 and a 7 so it was easy for them to work with flash. We just swapped groups every 45 minutes so that everyone got to shoot everything. The group working with me passed one Cactus trigger amongst us. The top shots here were taken one from each group some 45 minutes apart and the ambient light level had dropped two stops at least in that time. It’s interesting to see how the room lights begin to play a part in the exposure and how the blue dusk light shows on the un-flashed surfaces. The shot at the bottom used -2 stops of ambient exposure and a blast of flash to taste. Every setup was created from scratch using the Fuji LCD or EVF screens as our exposure guide for both the ambient and flash elements of the exposure.

04. I then showed how to recreate sunlight. The shot on the left was taken on the same grey foggy day using a single bare faced Speedlight to replicate the sun and the shot on the right used key and kick lighting from 2 Cactus RF60 Speedlights. By this point we were all ready to use Speedlights off camera with full knowledge of how to set them.

05. The next day we visited a palace and this time we had a different Allesandra modelling for us. Allesandra wore the gold dress that I had brought from the UK from top designer Molly Mishi May. Many photographers have taken pictures in this palace but to really do the place justice one needs to add light, beautiful light. I used a pair of Italian made Lupo LED spotlights, a 650 and a 1000. They are so easy to use and can run off battery too. The ‘1000’ light on the stairs was powered by battery and lasted about 2 hours on one charge.

06. I showed how I change my viewpoint to a high shot using the self timer and a monopod. (It works fine with the Fuji app too if you have a friend to hold your phone and press the button). We also shot at at 90 degrees to the light as before.

07. The palace is furnished with sumptuous fabrics that come alive when lit beautifully. So too does Allesandra. The shot top right was set up to show the group that this lighting style works well for Hollywood style head shots too.

08. Once we had shot the reflections in the polished floors and some classical images in the main ballroom from every angle it was time to introduce the group to the masked Venetians.

09. Tomasz arranged for these four Venice Carnival models in costume to meet us at the palace. They were easily directed into place using a sofa and a chair and lit them with a horizontal slash of light from a Lupo 1000.

10. The next morning we were up at 6am to head down to San Marco where a group of models had gathered for the photography groups that assembled. Every possible lighting rig was on show but most employed some sort of soft light coming from the camera direction. We used the same technique that I had taught on day one. We first set the flash at 90 degrees to the camera to simulate the light coming from an imaginary lamp just out of shot. Then we set our ambient exposure without the need to even shoot a frame using the LCD and finally we set the flash exposure to taste.

11. When we first arrived it was still completely dark and within 15 minutes the daylight had broken through. We had to work fast. Having just one Speedlight on a stand is a great rig for fast lighting changes and set moves.

12. The costumes worked well set against the inky backdrop. Even when we had lamp lights in the shot we added our carefully set Speedlight from just out of shot.

13. The lamps went off in Venice at 07:10 exactly but we carried on regardless. I could have added lit lamps in post but that defeats the point of my work. All you see here was created in camera. Even down to the film simulation and tonal feel of the images.

14. These shots were taken on the waterfront later in the day. When shooting with the Cactus flash system off camera we have complete control of the ambient exposure. When the ambient light level is really high in full sunlight for instance the exposure variation is limited without the use of ND filters.

15. On the dry days throughout the Venice Carnival period the masqueraders gather in pre arranged squares across the city. Photographing them is a case of finding where these places are and being there to meet them.

16. Church doorways and the sky make easy backdrops for natural light photography.

17. The Cactus Speedlight was put to good use for these shots taken by a church in a back alley.

18. It pays to set up and light shots beautifully.

19. The church pedestals make great settings for Venetian portraits.

20. Everywhere you look there are surprises.

21. A foggy morning light diffused the Venetian backdrop perfectly for a portrait of these two characters and their owl.

22. I wonder if the costume was designed to match the dog’s eye make up or perhaps it was the other way around. The character bottom right with the devil horns and Cardinals robes was shot in a Convent using two Cactus Speedlights.

23. Every now and then a close up is needed to capture the detail and majesty of the costumes.

24. Is that the crown of lower Egypt on the left? Tears of a clown on the right.

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28. It was a challenge to get this shot with the X-Pro2 because I’m used to the tilting screen of the X-T1. I had to lie in a puddle and was chuckled at by so called ‘pro photographers’ with DSLRS and big lenses clipped to various parts of their bodies. The shots they were getting were cluttered with buildings in the background and their on camera flash was not going to help.

29. Once a year in February the Venice Carnival plays host to elaborately dressed visitors. These players are from all over the world and are tourists too hence these phone pictures taken on board the water bus.

01. Carla standing in front of my grey painted studio wall that has been lit with a Lovegrove studio colour gel.

02. A one light shot on the left and a three light shot on the right.

03. Classic Lovegrove lighting control with just one ELB Quadra head and a small area of white wall. 

04. I shot with a punchier look for this late 60s early 70s inspired set of shots.

05. Another trio of one light portraits. I showed the delegates how to create even lighting with minimal fuss and yet maintain a ‘crunch’ to the shots that often gets lost with soft box lighting.

06. The Chinese fighter pilots helmet was a prop I happened to have lying around :)

07. One Lupo 1000 LED spotlight and a palm tree makes a perfect lighting set.

08. A few other looks taken on what was a full on learning and shooting experience. I always encourage my training customers to shoot behind the scenes wide shots showing the lighting positions used to create the shots. If you can’t get to the Lovegrove studio for a training day you can always get one on HD video here.

09. ‘Carla at a beach resort in the Bahamas’. With a bit of imagination, just one light, and some creativity it is easy to  conjure up a creative look.

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07. We spent some time working with the mirrors and the Lupo spotlights to ensure a punchy yet natural look. Crisp light gives healthy looking skin.

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09. This is my favourite from the mirror sequence. I lit Victoria with a single Lupo 650 to emulate sunshine.

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11. Boudoir photography is essentially photography in the bedroom but includes lingerie at times too. We used the Lupo spotlight to give these shots a more powerful look.

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01. The make up by Tatiana was a superb example of blending a contrast. I normally shoot minimalist make up but it was a delight to see such fine artistry. Thank you Tatiana.

02. To test the Cactus RF60 flash we shot Agata on the balcony of the hotel suite. I used a CTO gel and a 3400k white balance setting to give the city a cool tone. The flash was used bare without modifiers. It’s the best way to work if you can nail the light direction.

03. Our chosen palace has fabulous lions with cherubs atop. Google Street View gave us a good preview of our shoot locations. I lit this with a bare faced Cactus RF60 with CTO gel. The Police were out in force with 20 or so riot vans but they seemed to be waiting for us around the corner so we just set up and shot.

04. The cherub and lion on the left of the staircase had finer carving so we used it for the close ups. A security guard came out and once I showed him the picture on the screen of the X-Pro2 he was blown away. Art creation was the ticket we needed to continue.

05. I doubt that these sculptures have ever been photographed like this. The glancing light from the zoomed in speedlight is perfect here.

06. We went around the corner avoiding attention in Clouseau style and set up in the grand entrance. The ambient light was drifting away and the Cactus power was being reduced minute by minute until we reached the bottom at 1/128th.

07. These last shots with flash were taken with Acros G film simulation.

08. With the flash derigged it was time to concentrate on Agata in natural light. I kept the white balance the same throughout this shoot as I loved the tones with the make up design.

09. It wasn’t long before a jacket was needed and this leather jacket triggered a new edge to the shoot.

10. While the team warmed up in a bar I watched the light fade over Paris.

11. We were soon back on track and shooting. This time we used Paul’s Lupo 650 dual colour spotlight at 3200k and a setting of just 18% power. This was perfect to harmonise with the ambient lights on the bridge. Rigging continuous light in the street at night is quite fabulous. It draws attention and a crowd.

12. The colour of these pictures can be imagined. It is a bit garish and detracts from Agata.

13. We then retreated to a fantastic location to capture some Paris underworld shots. I still used the Lupo and it was perfect for this scene.

14. The tunnel of serendipity is a fabulous location to shoot at night. I did find myself lying in the gutter to get the shot on the left with the X-Pro2. The tilting screen on the X-T1 would be a great advantage here. 23mm, f/2.2, 1/30th second at ISO 1000.

01. The shoot got off to a bumpy start when one of the team was challenged at gunpoint by an elite team of anti terror police but after that mix up we kept our heads down and gained access to our first chateau. I lit this frame with a Lupo LED 1000 with a Scattergel. The Lupos run on batteries or mains so they really can go anywhere. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/1.4, 1/125th second, ISO 800.

02. Chateau one has quite a lot of opportunity for photographs within the main reception areas. Lighting: Lupo 1000 with Scattergel. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 35mm, f/4 at 1/30th second and ISO 400

03. ‘Art Nude’ Sheena is again lit with the Lupo and Scattergel. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 16mm, f/1.4, 1/30th at ISO 400

04. Chateau two has an interesting interior. It is in a really bad state of disrepair and that adds some crumbly magic to the pictures. I used the Elinchrom ELB with a Lastolite Ezybox and grid to light Sheena. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm, f/4.5, 1/60th second at ISO 500

05. The same scene lit using the ambient light on a bright April afternoon. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/1.4, 1/60th second with ISO 500

06. I changed the shooting angle and posed Sheena in a slightly surreal fashion to mimic the look of a 1970s album cover. I employed the wonderful calmness that comes from pushing the ambient exposure to reduce the contrast and trickling in the flash to taste. Elinchrom ELB, Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm, f/4.5, 1/60th second ISO 1000

07. We kicked off day two at an abandoned sanitarium. I love shots like this that deliver an eerie narrative. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 16mm, f/2, 1/125th second with ISO 400

08. I lit this frame with the Lupo from just out of shot on the left. You can see the shadows from the Lupo on the wall on the right of frame. The Lupo 650, 1000 and 2000 are all dimmable so controlling the light is really easy. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 16mm, f/9 at 1/125th second

09. I love it when I come across a bit of creative artwork. Sheena must think I’m a bit nuts but we had some fun here. Natural light. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 16mm, f/1.4, 1/125th second at ISO 400

10. Next up was the Lime factory. This frame is lit entirely with the Elinchrom ELB and the shot below taken from the same position is lit using just available light. Fujifilm X-Pro1, 35mm, f/16, 1/250th with ISO 200

11. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 56mm, f/1.2 at 1/250th second

12. The top picture this time is lit with natural light and the bottom one with the Elinchrom ELB with a gridded soft box. Top: 90mm, f/2, 1/250th at ISO 2000.  Bottom: 23mm, f/4, 1/250th second with ISO 200

13. I used the Elinchrom ELB to blast light in from beyond Sheena at an abandoned railway station. I like lighting from beyond or an up stage position as in shots 01, 03 and 07  above and 14, 15 and 16 below. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/250th second and ISO 200.

14. The railway station is in the middle of nowhere and has 4 very long platforms, waiting rooms, ticket halls and abandoned offices. I would have loved to spend more time there shooting but we had other venues to see.

15. Before we left the fabulous tour hotel on day 3 we did a mini 10 minute bedroom shoot as the light was fantastic.

16. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 35mm, f/3.2, 1/125th second with ISO 200

17. There are all sorts of abandoned places in Belgium including chapels. I lit the bottom frame with the Lupo and Scattergel combination. I couldn’t get the light far enough to the left because we ran out of choir loft so this is a bit of a compromise.

18. We ended our mini adventure in a coal mine. We got underground and managed to stay out of troubleThe top shot is strangely alluring while the bottom shot reminded me of the opening titles for a James bond movie. I saw this ventilation shaft when we were in the mine tunnels and I directed Sheena into the best spot for  composition. Top: 23mm, f/4, 1/125th second with ISO 200. Bottom: 35mm, f/1.8, 1/80th second with ISO 640

19. There’s something exciting about underground railways. We had just one hour in the mine before we left for the airport but that was long enough to get a few shots that captured the spirit. Pushing these wagons around was a noisy process so we had to be careful. Available light. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 16mm, f/1.4, 1/125th second, ISO 1250. I should have had my monopod down there but we had loads of other kit with us too and sometimes in these places you have to move fast.

20. The shot on the left was lit with the Elinchrom ELB using output B on minimum power. The one on the right was available light from the tunnel fluorescent tubes.

21. With more time and a second lighting stand I could have created something magical here. It’s nice to leave something more to capture on a return visit.

01. Lit with the Lupo 650 as a key light and the nifty little but amazingly bright Aladdin A Lite as a back light. Both the lights were set to 3200k and the X-Pro2 was set to 4300k to render the colour files warm. I always process the images in colour then create a virtual copy before switching to Acros camera profile for my black and whites. I find the Acros profiles will take quite a bit more contrast and the punchy look is perfect for Hollywood glamour photography. X-Pro2, 35mm lens at f/1.4 using ISO 640 and 1/250th second shutter speed.

02. Expertly used hard light from a fresnel source like the Lupos deliver sculptured faces in a way that no soft light can achieve. X-Pro2, 50-140mm zoom, f/2.8, 1/60th second at ISO 640.

03. I set the white balance via the K setting to give this lovely warm look. All the shots were intended for monochrome conversion with the ‘Acros’ camera profile but I also love the colour ‘Pro Neg s’ set so I’ve included some of these too.

04. The Acros look is detailed, punchy and has a subtle refined grain. Comparing it with the standard monochrome conversion in Lightroom or the Bg profile on other Fuji cameras the differences are subtle and would hardly be noticeable at web resolution after a curves tweak or two but I find myself getting the look I want faster and in turn this makes me feel better about my images. Fuji X-Pro2, 50-140mm lens, f/2.8, 1/60th second at ISO 400. Lit with the Lupo 1000 set to 5600k.

05. The bed scene was next up and I used a Lupo 650 from the left and a Lupo 1000 from the right. Both lights were set to around 50% power and to 3200k. The exposure was set by the wall lights and the Lupos were added to taste. X-Pro2, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/60th second at ISO 250.

06. Exposures as above but this time with the Lupo 1000 switched off.

07. 50-140mm lens (115mm setting) at f/3.6, 1/125th second and ISO 640.

08. As above but at the 140mm setting. Notice how beautifully this hard light renders skin. Lupo 1000 as a key light set to 3200k and a Lupo 650 as a back light set to 5600k.

09. I used a Lupo 1000 with a Scattergel as a key light and a Lupo 650 to simulate the light from the Chandelier. Fuji X-Pro2. Top left 35mm lens, f/1.4, 1/200th second at ISO 800. All the other shots 50-140mm lens, f/2.8, 1/200th second at ISO 4000.

10. These shots were lit with the Lupo 2000 with three sheets of a light frost gel to soften off the light. Fuji X-Pro2, 35mm, f2.2, 1/320th second at ISO 400.

11. I showed the group how to do classic key and kick lighting using a mirror and one Lupo light. It’s a simple technique that delivers a great look with minimal rigging. X-Pro2, 35mm, f/1.8, 1/320th second and ISO 400.

12. Lighting as above but this shot was taken with the excellent 50-140mm lens. f/3.2, 1/320th second at ISO 400.

13. I swapped my 50-140 zoom with a delegate and used his 56mm lens at f/1.2 for these portraits.

01. The stool was my only prop and the white cove my only background. At one point I used a black curtain but I lit it to be shades of grey.

02. I started the session with a single flash head fitted with a 70cm beauty dish and grid. I showed how to light the subject and background with just one light. I varied the background tone to change it’s density with careful light positioning.

03. Here I used a striplight softbox and a spot of light on the background too. The shot on the right is the same frame but given a different look in post production.

04. Top: I showed how to use and light black curtains as a background. When I want a deep midnight blue in a studio I stretch a black cyclorama cloth and light it with a gelled light. Bottom: Three point portrait lighting and a subtle spot on the background. The variation of the same shot on the right is an Acros conversion with a slight shadows dip. The vignetting on the background is done with the lighting.

05. Two upstage striplights on Rosalinde give these shots a fab look.

06. In the afternoon I gave a live Lightroom demonstration showing how the camera profile changes the look. I also showed how unlock the power of curves to make interesting presets (top and left). Bottom right: A white balance shift was all I used to create this cool look.

07. We explored mixing flash and Lupo daylight balanced continuous lights in the same shot and I also mixed modelling light with Lupos too (bottom right).

01. For our first shot of the session we started with both of our models on set and I closed the curtains to simulate evening light. We used a single Lupo 650 LED spotlight for this shot of Agata standing and Alicia seated. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm lens at f/1.4, 1/60th second with a monopod using ISO 400.

02. For this sequence I swapped the LED spotlight for daylight by opening the curtain just a little bit. Fuji X-Pro2, 35mm at f/1.4, 1/60th second with a monopod using ISO 400.

03. This shot was lit with the same glancing daylight as in shot 02 above and the same exposure settings too.

04. I love the ornate railings on the balconies in Paris. We were 5 floors up so unlikely to stop the traffic in the streets below. Fuji X-Pro2, 56mm at f/1.2, 1/4000th second using ISO 200

05. The sunlight projected forward leading shadows into the frame and I chose to shoot directly into the sun for maximum effect. Fuji X-Pro2, 23mm lens at f/2.5 for 1/1000th second using ISO 200

06. I swapped out the 23mm lens for the 90mm for a more compressed frame that isolated the ironwork against the busy houses in the background. The shallow depth of field of the 90mm lens wide open rendered the houses beautifully out of focus. I realigned Alicia for a simpler composition. Fuji X-Pro2, 90mm lens at f/2, 1/1000th second using ISO 200

07. I particularly like the character profile shot of Alicia on the bottom right of this set. I used the superb 56mm lens on the X-Pro2 for these frames and I shot at f/1.2 for 1/1000th of a second using ISO 200

08. I changed my settings for the balcony railings in this frame of Agata. I dialled in a bit more depth of field to make them stand out enough without them being crisply in focus. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 90mm f/5, 1/60th second using a monopod at ISO 800

09. The lure of the balcony gave way to the bed for a few frames before we said goodbye to Agata. Agata had worked with us the evening before for this striking set of images on the streets of Paris at twilight. These two frames were lit with the Lupo 650 to simulate sunlight coming into the room and glancing across the bed. Fuji X-Pro2, 56mm f/3.2, 1/30th second using a monopod at ISO 400

10.Using the same lighting set up as above we tweaked the settings to create a more contrasty look and a dramatic feel. This control is made easier by the fact the Fuji cameras give a live preview of the shot before it is taken. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 56mm f/1.8 hand held for 1/200th second using ISO 400

11. Alicia picked up the baton after lunch and I set the curtains narrow again for these striking portraits. Fuji X-Pro2, 90mm f/2.5, 1/125th second with a monopod and ISO 800.

12. Exposure as above.

13. This is one of my classic portrait lighting looks. I love exploring shapes, curves and lines with this simple lighting setup. Fuji X-Pro2, 90mm f/2, 1/250th second using a monopod and ISO 800

14. This kind of study of feet and legs makes a Lovegrove boudoir shoot unique. Just like in wedding albums, close ups add to the complete set of images. These delicate shapes, enclosed triangles, contra jour lighting and simplicity help illustrate the narrative. Fuji X-Pro2, 90mm f/2, 1/250th second using a monopod and ISO 800

15. One of my favourite shots from this set is this profile of Alicia lit with the Lupo 650 spotlight. Fuji X-Pro2, 90mm f/2, 1/60th second using a monopod and ISO 800

16. Lighting from the Lupo and exposure settings as above.

17. I just used simple window light for these portraits. Fuji X-Pro2, 90mm f/2, 1/250th second using a monopod and ISO 400.

18. With the curtains wide open the light was superb right back into the room some 20 metres away. Fuji X-Pro2 f/2.5, 1/125th second using a monopod and ISO 800

19. Exposure and lighting as in shots 18 above.

20. Exposure and lighting as shots 18 above.

01. Fujifilm X-T2 • XF 35mm • ISO 400 • 1/500 sec • f/1.4 It’s all about lines, shapes and curves. For the shot of Margaux on the left of this panel I draped her over the edge of the bed like water over a cascade.

02. I like to keep the sessions fun and engaging. All the lighting in this set of pictures comes from a single Lupo 1000 LED spotlight with an ‘Alto’ Scattergel.

03. Messy hair, clean eyes and simply shot beauty.

04.  Fujifilm X-T2 • XF 23mm • ISO 400 • 1/200 sec • f/1.6 I stood on a chair with my X-T2 and used my tilting screen to frame this shot of Margaux on the bed

05. Lighting on Margaux was from a Lupo 1000 with a ‘Crunch’ Scattergel. I closed the curtains quite a bit to increase the contrast for these bed shots.

06. The top shot is with the curtains open and the bottom shot is with the curtains closed. Both shots are lit with the Lupo 1000.

07. I love detail, shape and texture.

08. Inspired by the work of Helmut Newton but very much a Lovegrove.

09. A beautiful face shadow on Margaux’s arm was drawing me in for this close up.

10. Fujifilm X-T2 • XF 35mm • ISO 800 • 1/30 sec • f/1.4 using a monopod. Lighting here was from the bathroom window that came through the sliding door to glance across Margaux’s figure.

11. There is a gritty tension in Margaux’s look and that represents the moment so perfectly.

12. The spotlight was never meant to be in the shot but sometimes mistakes just work.

13. A scene from an art movie perhaps.

14. I’m always looking for a pattern. This time the sun came out for a few moments and cast stripy shadows from the net curtains.

01. Amber in the cellar of an abandoned mansion. Lit with available light from a pair of small side windows. 56mm lens at f/1.8, ISO 1600, 1/200th second. My monopod was still in transit from the UK when I shot this frame, otherwise I would have used 1/60th second at ISO 500.

02. All this set were lit with available light. The shots on the left and top right were taken in San Gimignano in a subterranean alleyway. Bottom right was in an old farm building.

03. I love dark interiors of abandoned properties to shoot in and Tuscany is peppered with such venues. You just have to know how to find them. All three shots were taken using available light.

04. I lit Amber with the Lupo 1000 spotlight to create the classic Hollywood cheek triangle and to give Amber’s skin a healthy glow. Getting life into black and white portraits is a combination of using great light and having the right camera settings.

05. This old cattle shed was perfect for a series of full length shots. As my group were all advanced photographers we shot movement and lit the shots to a high level. Lupo 1000 with a Scattergel. The Lupo 1000 can run for several hours on its battery (available separately) and it makes it the perfect light for urbex locations especially if you are shooting video.

06. Classic two point lighting from a pair of Lupos.

07. Available light.

08. Amber enjoys the morning sunlight in the entrance to my suite at the villa. The dappled light makes this shot and is the motivation for my Scattergels.

09. Amber wears a white cotton top I bought years ago and looks fabulous with this super messy hair. I wanted to create a really different look for Amber that is the polar opposite of her hair modelling assignments and we had fun doing it.

10. We had rain on a few occasions so we shot interiors at the villa. The creative exposures in these shots give the impression of a sunny day. Making sunshine on a rainy day was a technique Julie, my wife, and I used a lot in our wedding photography business back in the day.

11. I was hooked on the messy hair look for Amber. You will see a lot of examples of it in this set. The shot is lit with natural light from a window in an adjacent door.

12. The shot on the left is lit by evening sunlight just before sundown and the shot on the right is lit with a Lupo 1000 and features a full moon.

13. I used the Lupo for both of these shots. I bought the ‘Bardot’ houndstooth print body on Ebay. Ebay is a great source of new styling items at single use prices.

14. I like to shoot upside down shots with Amber and several of them appear in my Portraits book available here.

15. The grounds at the villa made great locations for portraits with olive groves, grasslands and spectacular views. There will be more of those in my next blog featuring Mischkah Scott.

16. As the direction of the sun changed we went around the grounds shooting into the light.

17. It’s rare that I shoot out of focus foregrounds but olive leaves are a beautiful shape and they add to this composition.

18. Bob Zeiste, one of my clients on the first workshop, brought an Elinchrom ELB Quadra in his hand luggage, so we used it for this shot of Amber by the pool in the early afternoon. ISO 200, f/14 at 1/250th second. My ND filters were still in transit otherwise I would have added a 6 stop filter to get to f/1.8 on my 56mm lens. With the HS head on the Quadra and a pair of Cactus V6 triggers it is possible to use this kit with HSS on the Fuji X system. As Fuji shooters know, at the time of writing Fuji are in the process of rolling out the new flash firmware to the complete range of cameras. Once this is done it won’t take flash manufacturers including Elinchrom and ProPhoto much time to catch up and provide HSS triggers for Fuji users.

19. Mesmerising. Amber and I worked hard at creating a gravity and intimacy in these shots.

20. All naturally lit shots.

21. The variety of boudoir images we created was striking. The shot on the right was lit with a bare Lupo 1000 spotlight.

22. I love these natural shots – all of them lit with window light.

23. We kept the styling simple with a plain vest top I bought in Primark and knickers we bought from the local supermarket in Italy.

24. Natural light was the way to go in this room at the villa.

25. I like to find a space and build the shot into it. Natural light.

26. On a 1:1 shoot session in Volterra I set up this sequence of shots of Amber. We scalped her hair back and secured it with a band. The lighting was full sun and we shot against the sky. I exposed for the highlights for a change and just used the EVF for accurate feed forward.

27. On the same 1:1 we took these dancing shots in full sunlight that penetrated deep into an alleyway. The late afternoon sunlight was quite easy for Amber to look into because we were shooting with our backs to a dark wall in shadow.

28. Taken with the 56mm lens at f/1.2, ISO 200, 1/1000th second. The 56mm lens delivers a really cool look for head and shoulders shots when used wide open at f/1.2. To get this tight with the 35mm lens, the camera needs to be just that bit closer and it starts to distort the perspective.

29. These head shots were taken with the 90mm lens at f/2. I used ISO 1600 and 1/500th second. I try to keep the shutter speed up to 1/500th when I’m hand holding the 90mm lens to avoid camera shake. All the fast Fuji primes are pin sharp wide open, so that’s how I like to shoot them most of the time.

30.  I directed the moment and Amber flowed. Her iridescent dress catching the light. This looks like a sculpture and I love it. Natural light. 90mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/500th second at f/2.8

31. I love to use details in my work like this ring on a building in Volterra used to tie up horses. Hazy sunlight and a 50/50 vertical split complete the shot. I find it best to enact the pose when shooting this kind of thing so I showed Amber what I wanted her to do and it worked a treat. Her eyes are dark and mysterious, her jaw line is beautifully lit.

32. A splash of Cactus flash added the punch needed for these doorway shots in town.

33. Every corner you take in an Italian hilltop town delivers shooting opportunities.

34. Natural light.

35. Natural light: Left and bottom right. Cactus RF60: Top right.

36. Archways and alleyways make perfect spots to discover great natural light. Shot on the left: 56mm, f/1.2 at 1/250th second. Right top and bottom: ISO 2000, 90mm lens 1/250th at f/2. I had to take a few frames at 1/250th on the 90mm lens without a monopod to get pin sharp frames. If I had my monopod with me I’d have shot at 1/60th second and ISO 500.

37. Lovely moments, lovely light, great times.

38. 90mm lens at f/2, ISO 1600, 1/500th second. I love the slightly smudgy lipstick and the attitude in the shot on the right. The tussled hair completes these shots for me.

39. Natural light.

40. These stairs in Volterra gave a great two point lighting opportunity. Natural light. 35mm lens at f/1.6, ISO 640 and 1/500th second.

41. Amber is lit by fading afternoon sunlight. The heat coming off this wall was tremendous.

01. Our villa is set on a hill overlooking beautiful olive groves and agricultural land. Bottom right is a behind the scenes of a couple of my workshop attendees photographing Amber in the evening light. Middle right was our first urbex location. A large abandoned house called La Rocca.

02. Villa le Capanne made a perfect home for us. We booked the whole place exclusively so we had free run to shoot and relax as we wished.

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04. The sunflowers had peaked as we were well into September when we were in Tuscany.

05. The olive groves proved great shoot locations for the workshops.

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07. The light and tones in the basement of La Rocca were splendid. I can see where the Italian artists got their inspiration.

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09. I had a very dusty lens and I love the flare it gave me for this shot.

10. The cattle sheds at La Rocca were wonderful spaces to shoot in.

11. We ventured out to abandoned farm buildings in the neighbouring countryside. It was great being undercover and sheltered because we had rain on most days. The tracks to these places were rough and I’m glad we had hire cars.

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13. The glow effect comes from a dusty front element being lit by a small window just out of shot to the right of frame.

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16. Back in the villa.

17. I took these on a 1:1 session with a client from New York. We shot on the streets of Pisa in the afternoon sunlight.

18. Pisa is an often overlooked city of wonder. It has far more to offer than the leaning tower.

19. Mischkah’s cool Italian look.

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23. A bit of boudoir back at the Villa.

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01. A Lupo 1000 was rigged outside the power station to throw light through the grubby overgrown window. I used a Scattergel to break up the light. It is worth noting that I get over 2 hours of use of the LED 1000 on full power from one battery charge.

02. Claire Rammelkamp stands by the empty switch gear boxes. A few red neon lighting indicator lamps were lit so we took great care to not get zapped. A splash of faint sunlight from a window up high illuminates Claire.

03. The fabulous doors to the power station let you know just how important this place was back in the day. A lot of bramble clearance and a big push was all we needed to get one of the doors to open. If you don’t try you will never know ;)

04. The turbine hall is still pretty much intact. I lit Claire with the Lupo 1000 and Scattergel.

05. The disused quarry under the cliff is the location for this dramatic shot taken on the recce. We had threatening skies and a dramatic landscape to work with.

06. Another part of the same quarry was ideal for this backlit shot taken on one of the workshop days.

07. Claire loved the flowing nature of my long red dress. I had commissioned the dress to be made in China for my adventure tour of the high deserts in the USA and it served me well here too. I’ll be commissioning more dresses for the 2017 USA workshops. The USA 2017 events have been promoted from adventures to workshops because the recces have been done and the itinerary for each tour has been finely tuned. If you can only get on one of my workshops in your life make it the high deserts of the USA in the wild, wild west. Those events will be career peaks for sure.

08. This abandoned chapel high up on the banks of the river valley was captured with a Samyang 8mm fish eye lens designed for the Fuji X system that I borrowed from one of the photographers. I just positioned myself carefully to get the sun flare. This kind of lens is not my cup of tea but I love the way you can put someone anywhere in the frame and it doesn’t distort or stretch them.

09. Access to our second abandoned power station was easier than the first. The machinery has already been partly dismantled but there was a magical bit of light in the blue room upstairs.

10. This blue room was once an administrative centre for the power station. The light coming through the partly boarded up shutter was fabulous.

11. The shot on the left was taken in the blue room. The windows set into the big power station doors framed Claire beautifully.

12. The gothic sheer top embellished with velvet roses came from Next and Claire wore her hair up in a loose bun to complete the look with the tutu that is just out of shot.

13. On the recce the light was flat but we still checked out the access route through the river to my chosen rock for Claire. The mill building behind Claire was a non starter so we ignored it, preferring to concentrate on the power stations instead.

14. The light was punchy and the reflections were beautiful on the workshop day. Claire wears a houndstooth body with a Bardot neck line that I purchased new on Ebay.

15. The tunnel of love was our next shoot location. This was the shortest of several tunnels. We drove through them all including far longer tunnels where no natural light exists. They were once used for a single track railway line.

16. I like a good cactus and these aloes are no exception.

17. On the workshop day we had changeable lighting as the sun came and went. Shots like these could look great in infra red too.

18. This shot of Claire in the ruined cottage atop a mountain was lit with a Godox 360Ws flash unit that I borrowed from Jonathan Knights. I was so impressed with the power to size ratio that I bought a Godox Wistra 360 mk2 for myself. I’m just waiting for the Fuji HSS firmware to settle down and for Cactus to catch up with their V6 mk2 before putting the combination through its paces and doing a full writeup.

19. We visited a monastery to capture a few shots as you do. I love this timeless look styled by Claire.

20. In the grounds of the monastery I found some perfect foliage for some high key beauty shots. It was hard to see the wood for the trees but I got there in the end. This is one of my favourite sets from our time in Spain.

21. This avenue of plane trees led the way to the monastery. I popped a Cactus behind one of the trees to create a slash of sunlight for Claire.

22. A pile of leaves in the car park was another shoot opportunity.

23. On the way up a mountain we passed this old cottage that is no longer used as a dwelling. I lit Claire with a Cactus RF60 shining through a branch of palm leaves I found lying around. It gives the flash a Scattergel look.

24. I used soft natural light for these shots of Claire.

25. One of my favourite locations was this abandoned brick factory. Getting in was a challenge that needed some thought. I made an impromptu ladder from some palettes and we were over the wall in no time. There was no one around and we left everything as we found it. This kind of urban exploration or urbex as it is called is exciting and rewarding too.

26. Claire stands in the baking sun with sweat running down her back and the moment is intense. I decided to stand back and set her in the industrial landscape.

27. I used a Cactus (top) and natural light (bottom) for these tutu shots of Claire in the brick factory.

28. The factory itself has so many details to capture.

29. In one of the storage shed there were these rather spooky characters.

30. I love to shoot simple intimate close ups wherever I go. The success of a shot like this relies on the connection between photographer and subject.

31. The sun was doing the job that the Cactus did in shot 21 above. Cobbled Spanish streets like this are almost empty after lunch and make great playgrounds for photographers.

32. The 90mm lens did a great job of compressing the perspective here.

33. The houses are unique, the details are very personal and I could spend all day just shooting around town.

34. The play of light on the walls always makes interesting pictures. Shooting into the light (right) is my normal way of doing things.

35. When I saw this woman coming down the road I set up a pose for Claire. The whole shoot in Spain was lifted with fun moments like this.

36. Our last location on one of the workshop days was an olive grove in the ruins of a castle. Here I used the low angle sunlight coming through a tree as the key light.

37. Contre jour lighting never lets me down.

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39. A flick of the skirts and a fun moment complete this set.

01. I was working with my client on achieving optimum image quality with a shallow depth of field. We discussed focus position, depth of field choice and how the mood of the picture changed with aperture choice. I used a reflector outside the building to reflect the dull January sky onto Claire. My client shot the same scene with a Nikon 810 and 85mm f/1.4 lens using a monopod and I shot with the 56mm f/1.2 lens and again I used a monopod. Exposure was 1/125th second at f/1.6 at ISO 400.

02. Both of these pictures of Claire Rammelkamp were shot with the fabulous XF 35mm f/1.4 at f/1.4 for 1/125th second and ISO 640 Lighting decisions were being made without any lights being used. I used the ‘cloudy day’ white balance setting because we were working with reflected cloudy day light. My client shot with the superb Sigma Art series 50mm f/1.4 on his Nikon 810 and it was clear to see that the Fuji was more than holding it’s own when we compared the fine detail on playback.

03. I used the 56mm lens at 1/125th second at f/1.8 and using ISO 640 for this trilogy. I still used my monopod as I like to shoot with the shutter speed set to the inverse of about 4x the focal length on the X-Pro2 if I’m working hand held. Lighting was from a single Lupo 650 dual colour spotlight with the Alto Scattergel.

04. In a bid to explore the upper limits of exposure with jpeg only shooting on the Fuji X-Pro2 I really gave this shot some exposure. I set the scene for a summer day by using a Lupo 650 Spotlight as a backlight simulating the sun coming through a roof light. 35mm f/1.4 lens at f/1.4 and a shutter speed of 1/60th second on a monopod using ISO 500. I trim my exposures using the ISO and the handy lift and twist adjustment on the Fuji X-Pro2 is a wonderful change from the menu access on the X-Pro1.

05. Next it was time for the big guns. I shot hand held at 1/60th of a second using the XF 50-140mm lens at the 140mm setting. I used the optical image stabilisation and shot hand held wide open at f/2.8. I used the 140mm setting because I was running out of curtain in the background and I didn’t want to shoot off.  Claire is lit by the light from one window. All the other curtains were closed in the room.

06. This is nearly real sunlight. It broke through the cloud just as it was setting but soon disappeared so I rigged a Lupo 650 dual colour light to take over and set it to 3200K to capture this trilogy of shots. Top and left: XF 50-140 at 140mm and f/2.8 for 1/60th second and ISO 500. Bottom right: XF 35mm at f/1.4 for 1/60th second at ISO 200 on a monopod. I love the hair look that my star make up and hair artist Vicki Waghorn gave Claire.

07. We couldn’t leave Eastington Park without doing some shots with the wonderful staircase. Lit with a Lupo 650 dual colour set to 3200K to match the Chandelier.

01. The shot on the right of Allesandra in the fog was the first one that we took as a group. I explained how to set the Fuji cameras up to preview the manual exposure then showed how to finely set the ambient look. The is no one correct exposure. It’s a case of decide on the look that you like and go with it. Once this was set we added flash to taste. Nothing is simpler than using the Cactus system with and make of camera because they are universal and you can adjust the flash power from the camera position. For the shot on the left we used a lighter ambient exposure with just a hint of flash to make Allesandra ‘pop’ from the foggy background. Both shots were lit with bare Speedlights set at 90 degrees to the camera angle. There is no need whatsoever for 90% of all the Speedlight modifiers that are sold and I showed the delegates how to create beautiful pictures using bare flash.

02. This is one of my favourite pictures from day one. It is similar to the shot top left in set 01 but with a much more striking composition. I am always careful with lead in lines, verticals and subject placement. All these elements were discussed as we captured the shot. All the shots I took on day one were ‘figure in the landscapes’. It’s easy to shoot head shots, it’s hard to shoot the wide shots so I spent my time showing how to shoot to include the environment. I love the muted tones captured using the Pro Neg S film simulation on the X-Pro2 with the H tone set to -1 and the S tone set to -1. This image looks fantastic as a big print due to the ultra fine detail.

03. As the day wore on the light was changing. Tomasz and I had split the group into a 6 and a 7 so it was easy for them to work with flash. We just swapped groups every 45 minutes so that everyone got to shoot everything. The group working with me passed one Cactus trigger amongst us. The top shots here were taken one from each group some 45 minutes apart and the ambient light level had dropped two stops at least in that time. It’s interesting to see how the room lights begin to play a part in the exposure and how the blue dusk light shows on the un-flashed surfaces. The shot at the bottom used -2 stops of ambient exposure and a blast of flash to taste. Every setup was created from scratch using the Fuji LCD or EVF screens as our exposure guide for both the ambient and flash elements of the exposure.

04. I then showed how to recreate sunlight. The shot on the left was taken on the same grey foggy day using a single bare faced Speedlight to replicate the sun and the shot on the right used key and kick lighting from 2 Cactus RF60 Speedlights. By this point we were all ready to use Speedlights off camera with full knowledge of how to set them.

05. The next day we visited a palace and this time we had a different Allesandra modelling for us. Allesandra wore the gold dress that I had brought from the UK from top designer Molly Mishi May. Many photographers have taken pictures in this palace but to really do the place justice one needs to add light, beautiful light. I used a pair of Italian made Lupo LED spotlights, a 650 and a 1000. They are so easy to use and can run off battery too. The ‘1000’ light on the stairs was powered by battery and lasted about 2 hours on one charge.

06. I showed how I change my viewpoint to a high shot using the self timer and a monopod. (It works fine with the Fuji app too if you have a friend to hold your phone and press the button). We also shot at at 90 degrees to the light as before.

07. The palace is furnished with sumptuous fabrics that come alive when lit beautifully. So too does Allesandra. The shot top right was set up to show the group that this lighting style works well for Hollywood style head shots too.

08. Once we had shot the reflections in the polished floors and some classical images in the main ballroom from every angle it was time to introduce the group to the masked Venetians.

09. Tomasz arranged for these four Venice Carnival models in costume to meet us at the palace. They were easily directed into place using a sofa and a chair and lit them with a horizontal slash of light from a Lupo 1000.

10. The next morning we were up at 6am to head down to San Marco where a group of models had gathered for the photography groups that assembled. Every possible lighting rig was on show but most employed some sort of soft light coming from the camera direction. We used the same technique that I had taught on day one. We first set the flash at 90 degrees to the camera to simulate the light coming from an imaginary lamp just out of shot. Then we set our ambient exposure without the need to even shoot a frame using the LCD and finally we set the flash exposure to taste.

11. When we first arrived it was still completely dark and within 15 minutes the daylight had broken through. We had to work fast. Having just one Speedlight on a stand is a great rig for fast lighting changes and set moves.

12. The costumes worked well set against the inky backdrop. Even when we had lamp lights in the shot we added our carefully set Speedlight from just out of shot.

13. The lamps went off in Venice at 07:10 exactly but we carried on regardless. I could have added lit lamps in post but that defeats the point of my work. All you see here was created in camera. Even down to the film simulation and tonal feel of the images.

14. These shots were taken on the waterfront later in the day. When shooting with the Cactus flash system off camera we have complete control of the ambient exposure. When the ambient light level is really high in full sunlight for instance the exposure variation is limited without the use of ND filters.

15. On the dry days throughout the Venice Carnival period the masqueraders gather in pre arranged squares across the city. Photographing them is a case of finding where these places are and being there to meet them.

16. Church doorways and the sky make easy backdrops for natural light photography.

17. The Cactus Speedlight was put to good use for these shots taken by a church in a back alley.

18. It pays to set up and light shots beautifully.

19. The church pedestals make great settings for Venetian portraits.

20. Everywhere you look there are surprises.

21. A foggy morning light diffused the Venetian backdrop perfectly for a portrait of these two characters and their owl.

22. I wonder if the costume was designed to match the dog’s eye make up or perhaps it was the other way around. The character bottom right with the devil horns and Cardinals robes was shot in a Convent using two Cactus Speedlights.

23. Every now and then a close up is needed to capture the detail and majesty of the costumes.

24. Is that the crown of lower Egypt on the left? Tears of a clown on the right.

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28. It was a challenge to get this shot with the X-Pro2 because I’m used to the tilting screen of the X-T1. I had to lie in a puddle and was chuckled at by so called ‘pro photographers’ with DSLRS and big lenses clipped to various parts of their bodies. The shots they were getting were cluttered with buildings in the background and their on camera flash was not going to help.

29. Once a year in February the Venice Carnival plays host to elaborately dressed visitors. These players are from all over the world and are tourists too hence these phone pictures taken on board the water bus.