thomasholmphoto

Wiana studioday #2 - 3

Wiana studioday #2 - 1

Wiana studioday #2 - 6

Wiana Shibari day II

Adding to yesterday, here is some more content and concepts we covered during the studio day.

Let me hear your thoughts about the studio day concept please (see yesterday's post for the explanation)?

It’s pretty standard in the UK but not so much elsewhere.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about simply showing up and having 2-4 hours to shoot in a studio with great backgrounds and preset light (you can change), so there is no time wasted while shooting…

Wiana Studioday 4

Wiana studio day 3

Wiana Studio day 2

Wiana Studioday 6

Wiana Shibari day I

I hosted a studio day with Wiana, themed Shibari and BDSM.

A studio day is when a model is hosted in my studio, and we make four different 2-hour time slots available.
I’ll prepare some lights and sets so each photographer can show up and spend the whole time taking pictures, which means you can do a lot of concepts in a day.

On this particular day, I helped rig/bind Wiana and did various designs and suspensions, and I thought I’d show some samples from the day.

Wiana Studioday 5

Wiana Studioday 7

Studio day 1

Clips from Wianamodels studio day, themed BDSM.

Loulou looking for rocks

Some shots with Loulou at my favorite rocky hangout, Kullaberg in Sweden.

In the first image, she is standing at the edge of a cave, so only light from the background seeps in, creating a backlit scenario.

On the second, I had to battle one of my prime pet peeves when shooting near water:

Handling the horizon line that cuts the model in two.

Here, I decided to obscure as much of it as possible with the rocks in the water.

At some point, I noticed that the slope of the right rock looked like an extension of her waist, so I kept working that angle which distracted me enough to forget about the horizon line.

Sometimes, if I have to include more of the horizon, I will lighten the water so it becomes almost the same lightness and color as the horizon, making it easier to see the contrast.

Do you have any favorite pet peeves (things you hate in images)?

Loulou picking up rocks

BTS movie from shooting Loulou at Kullaberg

Loulou looking for rocks - BTS movie

Loulou stumbling upon some rocks (literally).

Black Beach Siren

The versatile and ever-wonderful Wiana model on one of the Black Beaches in Lanzarote. I wanted a “dark” look to complement the environment, and I went for a more dramatic look, both because we were shooting early afternoon when the sun was high and because I thought the entire scene and sky called for a bit of drama.

As I struck off bad luck (forgetfulness really), I failed to pack my go-to 24-70mm and only brought a 16-35mm lens, so all these were shot with this lens, also contributing to my strategy.

All in all, I like a couple of these, especially the first and sixth. They both have a bit of drama and relatively clean backgrounds, and the model looks fantastic.

Do you have a favorite, and why that one?

Sisters in Cloak

When I have the option, I love to create more conceptual images, and I did indeed have the choice here with CB. Modeling, Georgia Brown, The Endless Sinner, and Wiana model at the water cave in Lanzarote (same place I shot Cassie in the post from June 3rd.

I was going for a more mysterious cult-like feel, but obviously including nude women, which, as you know, is my thing.

The models are always up for making new and interesting things like this, as it’s such a rare part of what they usually booked for.

I have some cool ideas for this autumn's workshops in Lanzarote, which I know will be amazing!

Sisters in cloak - BTS

Conceptual shoot near the blue cave in Lanzarote.

The Pearl & The Spreader Bar - multicam BTS

Apologies for this: i did do subtitles on this but something in that prevented it from being published, so here is a version without.
I'll work on getting the subtitles attached whenever I can (or have the bug sorted out).

Forget Diamonds; Pearls are a girl's best friend

The gorgeous CB Modelling is showing off her new pearl panties. I shot it in natural light from my studio windows.

This is a seven-image series, but I decided to put six images on Discord, exclusively for the Photographers and Vault tiers.

Also for these tiers, you can watch a 27-minute Multicam BTS movie, followed by another half-hour Spreader-bar movie released earlier.

Triplets

When you work with multiple models, there is always some group dynamic, sometimes a pecking order, and sometimes a feeling of being left out for some participants.

One of the techniques I use is to make sure everyone is touching someone else.

First, it creates a connection, both in real life and in pictures, and second, it allows the models to concentrate on physical touch instead of just posing.

I don’t want to call out anyone, but sometimes I see three models doing artful poses standing on top of a rock, but there are no coherence or reason for the pose.
They might as well have been photoshopped from different images shot in a studio.
There seems to be little reason for them being where they are or posing the way they are, because they have nothing in common (except being nude).
They don’t interact with anything around them, but pose in front of something beautiful.

This shot with Kessie, Rebecca, and Regina from a pre-COVID workshop is a good example of how little it takes.
None of them is the center of attention, and they use the sofa in different elevations to get closer together.
The pillows bulge under the models' legs, indicating that they influence the environment and are actually there.
They have something undefinable, a illustrated by a light touch that somehow seems to be a situation.
That was the starting point I set up at the workshop to show how little it takes to get started.
From there on, you can evolve the concept any way you want.

The Mistress Bedroom

I guess this would be the Master Bedroom if a real estate agent were selling the apartment, but I think Mistress is more pertinent here😜.

This is Zsan of Sweden in her bedroom in January.

There are always challenges with home shoots:
Often, there are too many distractions for my liking, the space is limited, and the lighting can be less than ideal.

In this case, everything worked out nicely though.
I shot the set with a Sigma 35mm ƒ1.2 to get a more selective focus and blur the background as much as possible.

I ended up on ISO 400 and an aperture between ƒ1.2 and 2.2.

I do love the cat in the last image.

If you are on Discord, Photographers and Vault tiers you should check out the extra material.

Don't know how to connect your Patreon with Discord (or set up a Discord)?

Read this guide.

Railing Stretch

Nat is stretching on the railing in the old control tower near my studio.

It’s lit with natural light and a window almost right behind me, straight in front of it.

I’ve been to this location many times.
It has excellent light but very little space, so the main problem is creating new poses and angles. I think it’s interesting how much you can get away with as long as the light is good and you have a nice facial expression…

I love all the leading lines from the staircase and her lower leg, as well as the horizontal railing and the straight leg, though.

Railing Stretch BTS movie

Nat doing her thing on a railing.

About last night

This was actually shot last night.
Or to be more specific, last night we spent in the Airbnb I had rented Lanzarote for the workshops last autumn.
The sun had set, and all we had was the afterglow in the sky reflected off the windows, which I thought, via the vegetation, was a great way of illustrating warmth and exotic location.

I shot The Endless Sinner and Wiana with my trusty old Canon Dreamlens to induce a dreamy look.

And because of the wide-open 0.95 aperture, I didn’t have to crank up the ISO too much.

A good handfull - BTS

I think this movie is a good example of how much it can take to make a single image, in this case, 5 min photo and probably 30 minutes to edit the image and about 15 to select the best one.

A good handful

As it happens, models sometimes get their periods at inopportune times, which was one of them. The bleeding is manageable, but sometimes tummy bloat and Wiana preferred shots from the back, and I came up with this idea, which (possibly) might even be usable on Instagram.

It’s hardly an art piece, more like an attention grabber (pun intended), but I included it with this little anecdote as a reminder to think outside the box.

Sometimes, even the best-laid plans fail, so it’s a good idea to have a collection of concepts that focus on various body parts or are things you wouldn’t normally do.

Golden opportunity

At last year's Lanzarote workshop, the models Coordinated dresses and got these golden semi-sheer dresses to do some matching groups. On the last day, we realised we hadn’t shot any solo images of them wearing them.

I placed Wiana next to the pool, found a ladder, and climbed to the top of the house roof, shooting down at a steep angle, as I thought the pool’s blue was a great match with the warm hues.

And although it was all about the dress, it somehow kept creeping up 🤷‍♂️😇

Intimate Chaiselong

Belzen is creating some sweet anonymous nudes on my studio vintage chair. (Add an Ottoman, and it becomes a chaise longue.)

Like yesterday's post, they were lit with natural light from my studio windows and shot with my Canon Dream lens ƒ0.95, which created both the unique bokeh and very selective sharpness.

I had difficulty deciding whether to go color, black and white, or even a Mix, and as you know, I rarely post different versions. However, I'm genuinely in doubt here and interested in your opinion.

I think all three have a premise.
I often default to B&W as more “Art,” but I think the mixed and the color also have some great qualities here.

What do you think works best, and why?

Georgia and the booty chair

I can confidently say Georgia never holds back when she’s posing, and she did a unique job in my booty chair.

These were shot with natural light from the studio windows, my 50mm ƒ0.95 Canon Dream lens, which produces the unique bokeh and extreme narrow depth of field.