January 2019 - Richard Spurdens Photography

Natural Light shoot with Nicky Phillips

Here are 4 natural light shots with Nicky Philips from a recent studio session in Cleckheaton. I was using Silkwood studios for the first time as it has some large windows which I thought were worth exploring as a light source for some fashion and portait image.

Model: Nicky Phillips
Photographer: Richard Spurdens
Lighting: Natural window light
Camera: Canon 5D MkIV with a EF70-200 f/2.8 II
Outfits: Models own

Having worked with Nicky before I was confident that we would produce some good shots

For this image I used the simple yet beautiful natural light coming from the window to the lhs which was giving some nice soft side light.

portrait photography - portrait photographer -a monochrome natural light portrait of the model nicky she is wearing a blue demin jacket open in a vee shape one eye is hidden by her hair the other is looking directly into the lens — Richard Spurdens Photography – Studio Session with Nicky Philips at Silkwood Studio, …………Camera Data……….. Model:Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Lens: EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM 1/60 sec @ f-4 / ISO 400

Putting Nicky closer in to the window light source gives some nice soft lighting across the body.

portrait photography - portrait photographer -a monochrome natural light image head shot of the model nicky to the window net curtains it is shot on an angle so the curtians are angled at thirty degress and nicky is looking over her should away from the camera and her arms at held tight to her chest — Richard Spurdens Photography – Studio Session with Nicky Philips at Silkwood Studio, …………Camera Data……….. Model:Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Lens: EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM 1/60 sec @ f-4 / ISO 400

Each of the windows had some net curtain material drapped across them so that helped to soften the natural light. By putting Nicky into the window and then angling the camera it produced some nice tension to the image.

For this shot I put Nicky into the corner which allowed light to come from two sources; the window behind and the window to the rhs. I kept this one as a colour version and added a slight colour grading to it

fashion photographer - fashion photography - a natural light colour image of model nicky phillips wearing jeans and a tarten top — Richard Spurdens Photography – Studio Session with Nicky Philips at Silkwood Studio, …………Camera Data……….. Model:Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Lens: EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM 1/80 sec @ f-4 / ISO 400

I was pleased with the results we achieved using the natural light, for this section of the shoot.

Events, News, Photography

Printing Images

Having just spent the last two days preparing and printing images for an couple of upcoming exhibitions, I thought I would do a short blog post on why I enjoy seeing the final image in print form. It’s alright seeing the image on the computer screen but you can’t beat seeing the final printed image…

…knowing that it is going to go into a frame and be hung on the gallery wall. to be viewed.

It’s worth all the work in preparing and printing and then mounting the printed images. I always print from Photoshop and once I have sized the image on the canvas I apply some sharpening as the final output stage. The amount can vary but I always check to see the effect the amount of sharpening to the image is having at 100%. Its not easy to know the exact amount but with practice you can usually judge what is the right amount.

Before I do any printing, I always set my monitor to a print calibration profile which I have stored. Having done a lot of research and testing I find that these settings give me the results of what I see on the screen matching what the print output produces. These settings are White point: D55 and intensity: 90 cd/m2

My current printer is an Epson P800 and I am very pleased with the output I get from it. When printing monochrome images, I use the Epson black and white print driver which gives great results for monochrome. (Don’t forget to turn off the “Photoshop manages the colours” setting in the print dialogue).

My current paper choice is Epson Traditional Photopaper Soft Gloss. This has a Fiber Photo Paper Base of 300 gsm. The results from this paper are really good and it produces great results both in colour and also black and white.

A few of the images going to the exhibitions

Dance Photographer - Dance photography - a colour image of dancer alya rose with bent legs and leaning back on her left arm with her right reaching up towards the light — Richard Spurdens Photography – Studio Session with Ayla Rose at The Loft Studio, …………Camera Data……….. Model:Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Lens: EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM 1/125 sec @ f-4.5 / ISO 100

Fashion Photography - Fashion Photographer - an interior shot of the model wearing a white trouser suit and floral head piece in the white stair way — Richard Spurdens Photography – fashion images from a Walter’s Wardrobe location shoot at Ragley Hall Stylist: Jen Brook Production: Walter’s Wardrobe …………Camera Data……….. Model:Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Lens: EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM 1/80 sec @ f-4 / ISO 320

artistic nude photographer - artistic nude photography - a tonned monochrome image artistic nude model Micshkan she is posing in a rock opening, her arms are pushing at the sides and she is nearing on one leg and the other is pointed into the opposite corner. shot on location Guys Cliffe. — Richard Spurdens Photography – Micshkan in the rock opening -Model:X-T2, Lens: XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR