Litebook 2014/01 by Darian s.r.o.

litebook January-March 2014

the creative lighting magazine

Ian McManus I see beauty in every person and in every nook and cranny of the world

James Nader

Bananastudio It's not bendy and it's not painted yellow

shoots the world-famous lambertz calendar all lit with Bowens equipment of course...

Plus...Kevin Focht guides us through another super lighting tutorial...when action simply speaks louder.

C O N T E N T S

ig words and proud ambitions. It’s true. I’m normally a touch irascible at this time of year – bad weather, broke after overspending; pledging to get to the gym but never quite making it, and a pathetic victim of SAD (seasonally affected disorder). But not this year. This year everything’s new. A New Year, a new start for the economy (at least we all hope) a new MD at Bowens Towers; a new photography show at the NEC looming – and a great line-up of new and groundbreaking products on the horizon too. We don’t do kakorrhaphiophobia (fear of failure…but then you knew that) but we do do optimism and opportunity – and this latest edition of Litebook bears testament to our charmingly sunny disposition, alacrity and carpe diem attitude! Our new MD Emerson Roberts has already pledged to make changes in the way we do things – and all to our customers’ advantage. We are investing heavily in R&D and we’ve got some truly exciting events happening this year, including the launch of a brand new range of highly advanced ‘radio-tech’ monoblocs. We’ve appointed MAC Group, the leading New-York-based sales and marketing organisation as our exclusive USA distributor to help us bring new technologies and products to market more efficiently than ever before. All very exciting. Inside you’ll get to read (and see) what happened when James Nader took a month out to cover 5,000 miles in a ‘criss-cross Europe’ shoot to fulfil his brief on the prestige Lambertz ‘mystical European goddesses’ 2014 calendar shoot – along with a retinue of top models, including femme fatale Dita von Teese and stunning Czech model Petra Nemcova. Award-winning commercial shooter Eric Murphy (who admits he has Bowens kit embedded in his DNA) talks about his really cool Top Banana studio workspace in Newcastle. Ian McManus relates what happened on a vital shoot with hiphop group N-Dubz, ‘when everything went wrong – and you think the only answer is to shoot yourself in the head.’ Don’t miss the latest Kevin Focht teachings. And much more besides. New is good.

03. NEWS We’re sponsoring the Pro lounge at The Photography Show #upperclass for pro photographers. And we’ve got a new MD with some bigs plans for the future of Bowens. 04. PRO:FILE - IAN MCMANUS ‘Not enough photographers really understand light – that is my rant with the industry at the moment. Either learn the art of lighting or pay someone to do it for you. But get it right.' 12. working space Bananastudio...no it’s not bendy and no it’s not painted yellow. Owner Eric Murphy talks about his highly adaptable creative space used for photography, film making, music events, catwalks and makeovers...and of course Eric’s own super-cool commercial shoots. 22. Behind the picture Top fashion photographer James Nader gets a commission of a lifetime. We go behind the picture and follow team Nader across a 5,000 mile journey through Europe to photographer supermodels Dita von Teese and Petra Nemcova for the world-famous Lambertz calendar. 28. litebites - Kevin focht Let’s get sporty. Litebook lighting supremo Kevin Focht admits ‘This outstanding (Creo) system makes capturing action as easy as point and shoot.’

David Hollingsworth. Editor.

litebook: Published by Bowens International Ltd. 355-361 Old Road, Clacton-On-Sea, Essex, CO15 3RH. Tel: +44(0)1255 422807. Email: litebook@bowens.co.uk - Any prices quoted are correct at time of press but may vary by retailer and are subject to change at any time. All models and technical specifications featured are subject to change and without notice. ‘Bowens’® and ‘the power behind the picture’® are registered trademarks of Bowens International Ltd. © 2014 Bowens International Ltd. E&OE. // Cover image: ©James Nader - jamesnader.com

"What we offer are far more compelling workflow solutions for our photographer customers.” Emerson Roberts, Managing Director: Bowens International Ltd.

NEWS

Come see us at 'The Photography Show' owens is sponsoring the Pro and Retailer lounge area at Future Media group’s brand new Photography Show at The NEC (March 1-4).

We’ll have a special demonstration area where you can get ‘touchy feely’ with our very latest products, and of course our experts will be on hand to talk you through ‘all things Bowens’.

The show, which takes over where Focus left off, will open its doors to many thousands of visitors including seasoned professional photographers, enthusiasts and trade visitors – and if you are visiting as a pro or a retailer we are offering you free and exclusive access to our lounge area.

The show organisers have signed up over 200 exhibiting brands for this new live event and top names like Rankin, Steve McCurry and Joe McNally will take to the stage to share their experiences and photo-techniques. There’s even a professional catwalk for portrait and fashion photographers to practice their shooting skills.

Take a break from the hustle/bustle of the exhibition floor and meet with colleagues, enjoy light refreshments or just come and use the area just to catch up on some work with our free WiFi.

e've got a new MD. And he’s got some big plans for Bowens. Emerson Roberts (40) has pledged to invest heavily in new product development and expand our global market share with a raft of new strategic initiatives in coming months. Formerly sales and marketing director at the hugely successful west-London based Brompton Bicycle company, Emerson comes to us with an impressive commercial track record. On his seven year watch at the folding bike company exports increased 80%, sales tripled and profits quadrupled. He tells Litebook: “It’s time for a (Clacton-On) sea change in the way we do things. We need to have a sharper focus on product inventory and expansion rather than be permanently obsessed with cost reduction tactics. Just look at this company’s outstanding heritage. Bowens is nothing if it isn’t doing something important with technology. Frankly, it’s what is expected of us. There are dozens of ‘me too’ manufacturers in the Far East who can just copy what is out there

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So please do come and bump into us at The NEC.

and push down on price. What we offer are far more compelling workflow solutions for our photographer customers.” He adds: “There is no reason why we can’t operate very successfully as a two-location business, taking advantage of lower manufacturing costs abroad and still retain the core of our expert team here in the UK. But now we must drive on and rebuild. R&D will be my priority, alongside freeing up our gifted and awardwinning marketing team to create and fulfil exciting new campaigns and promotions to exploit our growing portfolio. We do not need to concede on price. We build premium products.”

Profile

d n

IanMcManus

z b u d Ian and Bowens have been joined at the hip for years – in fact ever since he first got serious about photography.

‘I nearly took the rap from hip-hop group

– but Bowens saved the day.’

You know those days when everything goes wrong and you reach the conclusion that perhaps shooting yourself might not be the worst idea?

Manchester-based commercial photographer Ian McManus experienced one of those commercial nightmare events on a London studio shoot with hip-hop outfit N-Dubz – but thanks to Bowens there was no need for blood on the tracks that day.

‘Not enough photographers really understand light. Either learn the art or pay someone to do it for you. But get it right.’ Ian (35) tells Litebook: “I had been commissioned by Blackburn-based record label AATW (All Around The World) to photograph the then wildly popular hip-hop group N-Dubz for an album cover and a book. I drove down to London and picked up the keys to a studio I had hired exclusively for the shoot. It was about 10:30 in the morning and I rapidly assembled the required retinue of assistants, stylists and make-up artists and linked up with the group’s own management team. I think N-Dubz had been at The MOBO Awards the night before and turned up at the studio pretty much out of their face. Frustratingly, it was mid-afternoon before we were anywhere near ready to start taking pictures. And no sooner had I picked up my trusty Canon EOS-1Ds MKIII than all the lights went out. The power had gone down everywhere in the area. But my dilemma was that the images HAD to be done that day. Panic was in the air. Everyone was looking at me as if I was going to ‘magic’ a way to restore electricity (and with it, normality). Of course I couldn’t do that – but I did find a solution to the immediate

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challenge of having no lights for the shoot. It came in the shape of two Bowens state-of-the-art Explorer 1500 portable battery generators. I always carry one with me…and the photographer whose studio I hired also had one in-situ. These outstanding pieces of kit enabled us to use four lights on the shoot. We worked with them for a full hour before the mains power returned – and without a doubt they saved the day.” Ian and Bowens have been joined at the hip for years – in fact ever since he first got serious about photography. And he recalls he started thinking positively about the photographic profession after making an appointment to see a careers officer when he was a teenager. “They sit you in front of a computer. You tell them what you like and what you dislike on the jobs horizon and yet they always seem to come up with the same two options: a chef in the navy or a photographer!” His granddad was a key influencer. “He was a very keen photographer and one day he presented me with a Chinese SLR

camera. I just loved it and I went off and took hundreds of pictures of my mates.” Ian went on to do a national diploma in photography: “That didn’t turn out so well though” he reflects. “I learnt the basics of the camera but they couldn’t afford much in the way of lighting at Blackburn College so they sent me off on work experience – which I didn’t enjoy at all. I ended up getting a job at Jessops and then went back to college study for an HND – but the truth is that really I was teaching myself more about photography and lighting than I was actually being taught.” He recalls: “One day a top photographer called Ray Watkins turned up at college to talk to the class about the world of professional photography. It turned out that I was the only student interested in listening to him – so when he went to the pub I followed him and sat at the next table. I just peppered him with questions about what he did and how he did it. He’d actually just done a shoot with David Beckham for the cover of the footballer’s autobiography, and another shoot with rock star Robbie Williams – and he was

'My style is to shoot with a lot of lights and this equipment (Bowens) never ever lets me down.'

Q: I love this profession because... A: it helps me see beauty in every person, in every nook and cranny of the world. working with big names like Adidas too. I said I wanted to do some assisting – and he joked: “Well you can – but only if you first polish my shoes.” I’m afraid my reply was short – just two words actually – but the next day he called the college and asked for ‘the lad who told me to **** off yesterday.’

a softbox.” Ian secured some important initial commercial commissions with a big Bingo company based in Scotland – thanks to some help from his sister who, as the influential creative director of an advertising agency, was wellplaced to lend a helping hand.

But then Ian left to work in a Preston studio before setting out on his own.

When at the last minute a photographer couldn’t attend an important shoot at the ‘All Around The World’ label Ian got another helping hand – this time from a girlfriend who worked at the record company and recommended him for the session. Ian stepped up to the plate and did the gig. “Afterwards I sent a huge print to the offices – and lots of people saw it and commented. It was a great bit of PR” he smiles.

“The notion of self-employment terrified me at first” he admits. “But I got myself into a little studio in an old gasworks building and it cost £40 a week. I was armed with a Fuji digital camera and a Mac PowerBook and then I went to Calumet to talk about lighting. That meeting resulted in my first investment in Bowens equipment: a 500Ws kit with two brollies and

When the BBC migrated to Media City (its new base at Salford Quays, Manchester) Ian seized on the opportunity. “I grabbed a unit just behind them. It’s not huge – about 1500 sq. ft. – but it’s fine for me as I am mainly photographing people. It has a mezzanine floor; make-up rooms and even an office at the back. Of course all my equipment is

I ended up assisting Ray (for no money) whilst still at college but it was a great learning curve for me. I really learnt lot about creativity and I went on some great shoots with him both in the UK and abroad.”

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still Bowens. After the 500 heads I bought 1000Ws options; a Duo 2400 power pack and then 750Ws heads; a Travelpak and then the QuadX3000. Everything I have on the lighting front has a Bowens logo. My style is to shoot with a lot of lights and this equipment never ever lets me down. I’ve collected all the usual accessories too – and I particularly cherish the Sunlite reflector, which I tend to use as a fill light.” Ian confesses he is ‘a touch OCD’ when it comes to lighting. “I admit I am very precise about what I need and how I want to use it” he says. “I am also a retoucher - but I believe it is vital to get the light right in the first place. I believe that too many people over-rely on retouching. There is a need to ease off on Photoshop and first get the light right. If you do that then the retouching element of the job is much, much easier. Not enough photographers really understand light – that is my rant with the industry at the moment. Either learn the art of lighting or pay someone to do it for you. But get it right.”

"Everything I have on the lighting front has a Bowens logo."

Ian’s Key Equipment

QuadX

60º Reflector & Grid Set

"I have four of these and they never let me down.

"This gives a beautiful soft even output when used as a key light.

All the power I could ever need."

And absolutely the best fill light on the market."

"Versatile. What more can I say, used day in day out in my studio. Useful for backlights, clips, fills, and key lights. A studio must have."

Bowens.co.uk

He adds: “If I am on a beauty shoot session I will use a Bowens Beauty Dish as my main light; a Supersoft as a fill and then two strip boxes on the side as highlights. I like my images to ‘pop’. I need them to stand out. I use a Bowens softbox at the top on a boom arm for a hair light – and then add whatever backlight is required.” But Ian is no photo-dictator in the studio. “Far from it” he insists. “I like working as part of a team. I want to hear people’s opinions – make-up artists; stylists, assistants, models. I will listen to anyone who has something constructive to add to the shoot process. The fact is we are there to make the best image we can – and I don’t want anyone to be precious about it. If everyone works as part of a team, then from time to time, someone will throw out an idea that you haven’t thought of.” Adds Ian: “And I always talk at length to my models before a shoot – get to know them and make them feel comfortable. It’s all about psychology. If they are not getting on with you then you cannot expect to get the best out of them. It’s very important to listen.” The toughest challenge Ian

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Sunlite & Supersoft

has to deal with as a commercial photographer is dealing with prima donna music artists. “One guy I had to photograph is very well-known for walking out on video shoots. The record label told me they just needed me to get a couple of shots of this artist – and added: ‘If he leaves, he leaves.’ “We booked studios for 9am and this guy turned up at noon. But I didn’t lose my cool. I just sat down and talked with him for half an hour – it was almost like counselling. He went back after the shoot and told the label it was the best shoot he'd ever done.” The McManus genius for photographing faces was recently employed by Lancashire County Council for two major campaigns. Says Ian: “One was to make libraries more appealing to young people. We did a shoot with a small boy – and the uptick in business was 90% when the campaign rolled out. I also masterminded the nowfamous campaign on speed limits. This was all about photographing a little girl to visually highlight the effects of being hit by a car

travelling at 20 mph and then a car travelling at 30mph. That shoot won an award.” Although Ian loves what he does he has recently learnt another hard lesson. “Last year I was playing football and broke my hand badly in two places. I had just opened my studio but after the accident I couldn’t even lift a camera for nine months. That was a signal moment in my professional career. It made me think about priorities – and playing football just wasn’t one of them.” But now the McManus photolocomotive is expanding. Ian recently formed a brand new partnership with Ray Watkins (the same talented photographer who had so inspired him at college) and together they now run The Bee Foundry – a new photography and film company. Adds Ian: “We now plan to build up the client portfolio and collaborate with leading brands in the industry”. TheBeeFoundry.com Interview by: Trevor Lansdown.

STILLS /FILM - STUDIO - VENUE

Bananastudio in Newcastle is one of the most popular hire facilities in the North East, and it’s also proving to be a highly flexible workspace for award winning commercial photographer Eric Murphy. Some names just stick, don’t they? With this in mind there’s really only one first question to put to photographer Eric Murphy, the man who created this beautifully designed and highly regarded space; why exactly is it christened after this particular variety of soft fruit? Sadly the answer isn’t that it’s slightly bendy and painted bright yellow: instead there are historical reasons why it’s received such a memorable moniker. “The name Bananastudio came from my original studio,” says Eric. “That consisted of 8,000 square foot at the top of a warehouse, and it was a space that was used to ripen bananas from the quayside trade in days gone by.” Eric’s current Bananastudio has gained an enviable reputation for being one of the coolest places to shoot in Newcastle - and for good reasons. For a start it’s highly adaptable, and has over the years served as a venue for a multitude of creative events, photography, film making, music events, catwalks and makeovers. It also serves as the base for Eric’s commercial shoots, and he works out of here for around 60% of the time, with hires making up the remaining 40%.

Originally from Glasgow, Eric started out photographing down and outs and alcoholics on the town’s quayside, and as his interest grew he signed up for a course at Blackpool and Fylde College. From there he travelled down to London to pay his dues as an assistant for a while, finding his jobs and making his contacts via the notice board at the Association of Photographers HQ. Eventually, having gained sufficient knowledge and experience, he left the capital behind and moved north to Newcastle, where he’s been ever since. Today he’s a highly successful multi award-winning photographer of twenty years standing. He was named the BIPP North East Photographer of the Year for

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2011-2012 and made it onto the shortlist for the prestigious BIPP Peter Grugeon award for the best Associateship submission. He thrives on covering a multitude of different jobs for commercial and industrial clients, and loves the variety of challenges he constantly finds himself having to face. “When I first moved to the North East I worked for all the major studios in the region,” he says, “but sadly not many are left these days. I launched Bananastudio in 2008, at the beginning of the economic downturn, when I identified that a lot of new photographers didn’t have the capital to set up a studio from scratch. I saw a gap in the market in the North East, and we were the first hire studio in the region at that time. We remain the only

studio around with the BIPP and SWPP letters after our name.” Creating a rather special Studio: From the outset Eric strived to make the studio special, a place that was a cut above the ordinary, and over the years it’s gained a huge reputation for the quality of its facilities, and the convenience of its location. It’s just five minutes from the Metro Centre with direct train links throughout the UK. One of the space’s most noteworthy features is its impressive infinity curve; probably one of the best in the region, and the list of equipment is extensive and is being added to all the time. “The studio is a full working commercial studio with everything you need for a shoot,” says Eric.

Bananastudio’s Key Equipment

Softlite

Travelpak

Gemini 500R Twin-Kit

"I love the light quality from this reflector. Perfect for beauty and fashion. It's the first reflector to go in the location kit'.

"A game changer for location work. I'm now able to light on location the way I do in the studio with this perfect piece of kit."

"This is the first thing in the car when we go on location. A brilliant, well designed compact kit. Perfect for studio or location work"

Bowens.co.uk

"Our policy is to only buy Bowens gear since it’s tried and tested in a studio that can sometimes be operating for as much as ninety hours a week." “We often get complimented for the range of softboxes, beauty dishes and modifiers we hold in stock. In terms of the lighting we use we’ve tried out a few brands over the years, but nothing stands up to the constant use that our Bowens equipment gets. Now our policy is to only buy Bowens gear since it’s tried and tested in a studio that can sometimes be operating for as much as ninety hours a week.” So happy is Eric with the quality of his Bowens gear in the studio that it’s also his lighting of choice when he hits the road. “I use Travelpaks when I’m working away from base,” he says, “and in my opinion they are the best portable packs in the business. They have been a real game-changer in terms of how I can tackle my location shoots.” Some idea of how well equipped the Bananastudio is can be garnered from a run-through of the inventory of Bowens lights

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that can be found there. For example, there are five Bowens 500 heads, three 250 heads and two 1000 heads plus three beauty dishes; every type and size of softbox and a two metre Octobox. In short, everything you might possibly need for even a large scale shoot, and it’s scarcely surprising, given the competitive hire rates that Eric charges, that he’s increasingly taking bookings from London agencies and photographers who are anxious to find a place to work where the cost is more realistic.

take up any slack in bookings that might have arisen as the recession has bitten. For example, we now offer tuition and workshop days, where we’ll invite along top quality models and teach lighting, showing the effects of different heads, modifiers and shapers. We’re very proud when we see delegates winning awards and professional distinctions with the work that they’ve produced on one of our workshops.”

There are also a rising number of filmmakers beating a path to the door, as HD-enabled DSLRs make it ever simpler for photographers to look at stepping into the world of video production.

Eric remains optimistic. “Evolving technology is going to mean that the nature of capturing devices might change,” he says, “but we are always going to need quality of light. I think of myself as a lighting technician with a creative flare for lighting, and that kind of skill will always be in demand, whatever you might happen to be recording the image with.”

“Most hires come from hobbyists, aspiring professionals and local film companies,” says Eric. “We’re also branching out into other areas and are constantly evolving in terms of what we offer here, to

So what does the future hold for Bananastudio?

TheBananaStudio.co.uk

Creo by Bowens

The Creo from Bowens is the pinnacle of performance, reliability, robustness and value. These professional power packs come in 1200Ws and 2400Ws models, both boasting specifications that, until now, could only be found on the most expensive generators. Creo means ‘to create’ - the ease and speed of operating these professional, feature packed generators allows you to do just that with no complications.

Bowens.co.uk ‘Bowens’® and ‘the power behind the picture’® are registered trademarks of Bowens International Ltd.

©Steve Brown stevebrownphoto.co.uk

creative freedom without compromise

creative freedom without compromise The Pixel is a compact, rugged 300W focusing floodlight designed for a wide range of photographic and video lighting applications. Featuring a dedicated, in-line control unit, the Pixel combines a soft-start on/off switch, a rotary dimmer and multi-voltage AC mains operation. Barn-Door accessories available along with daylight & diffuser glass filters. Also available as a three head kit.

Limelite.uk.com ‘Limelite’® is a registered trademarks of Bowens International Ltd.

Pixel by Limelite

BehindThePicture

Litebook gets a unique peek behind the scenes at James Naderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lambertz calendar 2014 shoot:

JamesNader

A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

o top fashion photographer James Nader is sitting in a Jamie Oliver restaurant enjoying his birthday meal with his family when the email came through.

Lambertz â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a leading German biscuit manufacturer (just so you know, they first started making gingerbread cookies in 1688) wanted him to shoot their prestigious 2014 calendar.

'My weapon of choice was one of my Gemini 750Pro heads powered with the Travelpak.' he world-famous Lambertz calendar is up there these days with Pirelli’s version in terms of quality and prestige. This year the theme was set to be: ‘mystical European goddesses’ - and the chosen mystical monthly models would include Dita von Teese, the acclaimed femme fatale, burlesque dancer and model and the equally stunning Petra Nemcova - a Czech supermodel who in 2004 had clung, seriously injured, to a Palm tree for eight

hours when she was trapped in the Indonesia tsunami that also killed her British photographer boyfriend, Simon Atlee. The rest of the calendar collaboration to complete the ‘dream team’ line-up would include Miss Germany, Miss Croatia and similar manifestations of Euro-pulchritude. Guess what? James decided he’d take the commission. It would take a month to shoot, require serious forward planning

and a comprehensive inventory of Bowens lighting equipment. It would also require a 5,000 mile road trek; plus flights where needed – and it had to be completed on a strict budget. So no pressure at all really. A plus point was that the models already knew how professional James is with his shoots and that respect turned out to be an invaluable ‘positive’ throughout the 30 day-long test of creativity, perseverance and sheer logistics.

'I have never been interested in shooting the clichéd ‘haystack girl’ calendar but I knew the Lambertz shoot would be all about focusing on high quality fashion'

Dita von Teese told the ‘behind the scenes’ camera crew: “James always knows what he wants. He quickly got it all set-up and shot. He made me feel that he always knew exactly what he was doing – so I wasn’t stressed at all.”

hired a car in the UK and, via the Eurotunnel; we travelled through France, The Netherlands and Belgium to link up with the rest of the team in Germany.

James tells Litebook: “I have never been interested in shooting the clichéd ‘haystack girl’ calendar erotica but I knew the Lambertz shoot would be all about focusing on high quality fashion, so it proved to be a terrific commission for me. I knew this calendar would help develop my composites side of the business too.”

We started shooting the ‘behind the scenes’ story from Munich and then we drove to Austria to stay at a traditional alpine house near Innsbruck. On our first full day there we did a full recce of the mountain and took a load of snaps. It was a superb and sunny day as we took about four cable car rides 12,000 ft up the mountain to the shooting area we had selected.”

“The brief was to criss-cross Europe over thirty days. We

James and his assistant and brand manager Phil Connor spent over

'James always knows what he wants. He quickly got it all set-up and shot. He made me feel that he always knew exactly what he was doing.' Dita von Teese two days shooting the ‘goddess on the mountain (with dog)’ shot. “It was a pure shot just lit with a Bowens light at 12,000ft - and during the session we experienced just about all the weather you can get including freezing cold, snow and sun too. My weapon of choice was one of my Gemini 750Pro heads powered with the Travelpak. I used it without any light control at all – to balance the sunlight and to make the scene just a little more punchy. I knew

we could control it all in postproduction. The client brief had originally assumed this shot might be accomplished with a competitor lighting product but the truth is that had we relied on that instead of my trusty Bowens kit we would have been stuck at the top of that mountain – because the other kit wouldn’t work! That is the great thing about Bowens. You can always trust the brand. The equipment just does not let you down.”

Then it was mountain high to river deep as James & Co moved on to the ice cave session. Explains James: “This was the goddess with sword shot and my saviours here were my highpowered Bowens Limelite LED lights. The shoot area was very, very tight. It was very cold, very wet and I was at one point having to stand right on the edge of cracked ice that had slipped into deep water.

'The Limelite Mosaic LEDs performed exceptionally well in that extremely challenging environment and without them it would have just been far too laborious and time-consuming.' It was a real test for the model (who was freezing), the team and the Bowens equipment…but I was just pleased I had made sure we had a surfeit of the LED lights with us on the trip.” He adds: “I come from a film lighting background in terms of classic lighting techniques – as opposed to flash - and these new LED panels were perfect for that shoot because with flash down there you would just need a huge amount of light to try and

generate sufficient illumination. And bear in mind there was water running and dripping, and it was dark. We had to climb through a small hole on the side of the ice wall and down eight feet to the bottom of the pit. We ended up with four or five of these holes to climb through but they were holding these LEDs to try and illuminate the top. Then, down in the ice cave I positioned one light panel and

then a second at the very back of it shining at the back of the background.” He adds: “The Limelite Mosaic LEDs performed exceptionally well in that extremely challenging environment and without them it would have just been far too laborious and time-consuming.” “The LEDs gave us instant lighting and we used them because they are easily set-up, easy to balance and easy to shoot with…our

'The bottom line here is that I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use anything else. Bowens equipment offers me exactly what I need.'

James’ Key Equipment

Creo

Limelite Mosaic

Simple to use, brilliant colour consistency, fast recycling, short flash duration. This generator is a fashion photographers dream

Beautiful instant light. Easy to set-up, easy to balance, great output and really portable. I love using these Mosaic LED lights.

Bowens.co.uk

Limelite.uk.com

Gemini 750Pro My go-to monobloc unit. Loads of power, truly portable & easy to use...another really great piece of kit from my favourite lighting manufacturer. Bowens.co.uk

'Bowens and its Limelite videography division once again proved priceless' model wasn’t wearing much and it was zero degrees in that cave.” Bowens new high-spec Creo power packs (1200Ws and 2400Ws) proved their worth on the calendar shoot too. Notes James: “We used them at the amphitheatre shoot in Pula and for the shot of the goddess with the sword by the tree. That shot was taken with the help of Creo. The thing is I wasn’t using Creo for speed (of which it has plenty by the way!) I was using it for its power and the quality of the light. In fact there was so much power I occasionally had to turn it down and manage it for whatever we were doing at that point. Another great shot using Creo was executed in Belgium with a model holding an eagle.” He enthuses: “This was lighting for all seasons and all occasions. I don’t just use one type of light. I use a lot of ambient light mixed

with LEDs. My rule is to use what light there is on location and then simply add what you need. I went on this trip with the intention of being able to cover absolutely every angle necessary.” James also took a full range of Bowens modifiers; softboxes and beauty dishes. And the toughest part? Confesses James: “Well the cave shots were probably the toughest to fulfil but every shoot had its moments, for different reasons. The Stonehenge session, for example, was almost blighted by the often ludicrous British Health & Safety rules. We were being watched every minute – and don’t forget it had cost £1,000 just for the shooting rights for three hours. I wasn’t allowed to put a tripod on the grass and we had to cover all stands with cardboard and gaffer tape. Frankly it was ridiculous. This all added to

our stress levels because Petra Nemcova was coming and the light was beginning to go grey. We even had to get permission to shoot the Epping Forest scene. I guess I just hadn’t written all this bureaucracy into the script. Sometimes it’s not easy shooting on location.” But the end result was a superb calendar. “Looking back at it all now I am delighted with the result” he notes. “Bowens and its Limelite videography division once again proved priceless – and access to their LED panels saved us a fortune. The bottom line here is that I won’t use anything else. Bowens equipment offers me exactly what I need.” Jamesnader.com (Look out for new RAZR mag) Interview by: Trevor Lansdown.

shotone

KevinFocht // kevinfocht.com

WHEN S I M P LY

fter spending time in a number of cosmopolitan cities like Athens, Miami and London I now find myself based in Portland, Oregon. And, as that is home to Nike and Adidas in America, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no great surprise to find myself shooting a lot of sportswear these days.

I have been shooting fashion for decades, but now, as I am resident in the land of cool sports clothing, I need a fresh look and perspective to garner the attention of this new market.

Stylistically I started shooting sportswear just like my fashion work, with not much movement. After meeting with several art directors that loved my style, but commented that they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see a lot of action

in my book, I knew I had to show them my full range of shooting capability. To me it seemed like a given that I could shoot action, but they needed proof.

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KevinFocht

'I was totally amazed at how the Creo system was always just spot on with exposure, frame after frame.'

Enter the Bowens Creo. LIGHTING SET-UP D

A C

E B

EQUIPMENT USED: A: OCTO90 B: Creo 1200 Pack C: White Poly Board D: CREO FLASH HEAD E: Creo 2400 Pack You can also use a Jetstream wind machine for added effect if desired.

This outstanding system makes capturing action as easy as point and shoot. Pre Creo I would have to time my studio action shots to try and capture the peak of whatever motion I was shooting. This can be very hit and miss. For years, I would struggle, trying to capture motion by taking one shot, because the strobe system I was using couldn’t recycle fast enough. That challenge has now been consigned to history - thanks to Bowens Creo. My lighting always begins with my main light source. I tend to use one light and then add accent or background lights as needed. For this shoot I used

the Bowens Octo90 with the front baffle removed, like a large parabolic umbrella. I wanted a soft light with a hard edge and this was the perfect match. I attached a Creo Flash head to my Creo 1200 generator for my main. I then lit the background with two “V” poly-boards with a Creo head with no reflector in each, connected to a Creo 2400 generator. I also used a Jetstream 250 wind machine to help create movement in the clothes. Using the Creo system allowed me to use the motor drive on my camera and I simply instructed the model to move and jump. She was a dancer, so that was easy for her.

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Kevin’s Key Equipment

Creo

Octo90

Creo Flash Head

"A truly outstanding piece of kit. Really simple to use and amazingly quick flash durations and recycle times."

"This has turned into one of my favourite modifiers. The output is simply brilliant. It's incredibly soft at any set flash power output."

"Super great flash heads. Really compact and made to the usual Bowens tank like specifications. I love working with these."

Bowens.co.uk

'Things that I just couldn’t shoot in the past are now very easily accomplished. Now I am looking forward to pushing both myself and the Creo system to see how far we can go.'

I must admit I was totally amazed at how the Creo system was always just spot on with exposure, frame after frame. I was able to capture all movement both good and bad - and I just picked the best of the series. Before Creo all I could do was try and click at the peak of the movement – and that’s not exactly a satisfactory strategy. The hardest part of a shoot like this is capturing the right

type of movement. Some dance moves just don’t translate to still images, but through trial and error you learn what works and what doesn’t. The key here is to be able to just shoot the whole movement and then cherrypick the elements that really work. One tip is to make sure your ambient is down if you have a slow flash sync on your camera. If there is a lot of ambient, you might pick up ghosting around your edges. I metered the background to be 2/3 stop over my main,

that way I had true white with a little bit of bleed. My Creo system has opened up a whole new realm of photography for me now. Things that I just couldn’t shoot in the past are now very easily accomplished. Now I am looking forward to pushing both myself and the Creo system to see how far we can go. Kevin Focht kevinfocht.com thecreativeorange.com

Gemini by Bowens

Step up to consistent color stability and precision lighting control. With unmatched durability, it’s easy to see why Bowens has been a premier lighting brand for over 50 years. Gemini is available in six models, from 400Ws to 1500Ws. Choose AC power or the optional battery pack for the most versatile flash lighting system available today.

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‘Bowens’® and ‘the power behind the picture’® are registered trademarks of Bowens International Ltd. Photo by Ian McManus • Model: Vera Bartsch @ Nemesis Model Management • Hair: Lisa Booth • MUA: LucieMUA • Styling: Bernard Connolly

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