Photoshoot - Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato

For most, the thought of returning to work hours after landing back from holiday isn't appealing. That is, until you see whats booked in. At the London Motor Show in 1960, Aston Martin unveiled another masterpiece. Their DB4 GT had been placed in the capable hands of coachbuilders Zagato, where a smaller, lighter and more aerodynamic version was hand sculpted. With initial plans to build 25 cars, demand at the time was low and Zagato ceased production after their 20th unit. This makes the DB4 Zagato one of the most valuable sports car of all time, with opportunities to purchase one being extremely rare.

That is, until now. Built to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the original Zagato, Evanta Motor Company have created a classic Gran Turismo fused with modern day technology. This blend, on what is often regarded by many as the most beautiful GT car of all time makes the culmination of over two years hard work time well spent.

With just five days between completion and shipping it off to Monaco for auction, we headed to a contrasting location to capture some publicity shots. Evanta's creation is simply flawless, with it's one piece body shell being hand crafted from modern day carbon fibre and kevlar materials.

There's more to this car than meets the eye, as some of you may have noticed that this DB4 Zagato in particular features widened arches and no door handles. That is because this 1960's based Aston Martin has well and truly been brought into the 21st century.

Life for this car started out as an Aston Martin DB7, before Evanta removed the heavy exterior bodywork and reduced the wheelbase from 102" to the Zagato's original 93". The exterior stays true to an original Zagato (bar a few touches here and there), but the similarities end there. Nearly every component on this car is bespoke, from the suspension and braking system to the Oxblood Red Hide interior.

Evanta certainly made this DB4 Zagato look the part, and they wanted to make sure it had the power to match. Shoehorned in under the bonnet is the V12 engine from the donor DB7. That means that this classic GT features a modern day ECU-Driven, Tiptronic fed, Aston Martin V12 Supercar engine.

Creature comforts such as air-conditioning, airbags and remote controlled door actuators are all features on this car whilst a race-spec roll cage is hidden beneath the interior. One can only imagine what it is like to drive this race-bred GT, but being the only car of its kind in existence I doubt I will ever get to find out. If the noise it makes is anything to go by, it will simply be phenomenal.

The car is currently making it's way to Monaco to be auctioned. If your interested in finding out more about this truly unique, one off creation, you can visit Evanta's website here for a photographic build diary.

With a keen passion for everything car related, I really enjoyed working with Evanta and the beautiful DB4 Zagato. Look forward to seeing what other creations roll out of their workshop in the future!

Keukenhof, The Netherlands

Acclaimed as one of Europe's most valued attractions, the Keukenhof is unique in providing worldwide visitors with a vast display of 7 million flower bulbs each year. More than 44 million people have visited the park in the last 60 years and apparently holds claim to being the most photographed place in the world.

Keukenhof translates as Kitchen Garden, stemming from the 15th Century where the land was used for hunting and gathering herbs.

Having seen many idyllic images of the intricacy which makes the Keukenhof so unique, we jetted out in the early hours of Sunday from Heathrow. At this point, I might add that I was shooting a wedding in Dorset the night before, and as such arrived at the terminal running on adrenaline and caffeine after just three hours sleep.

Conditions were less than perfect, as grey overcast clouds and spits of rain seemed to be the theme for the two days we were staying in Holland. Not to be deterred, we spent two full days walking the Keukenhof and their 10 miles of footpath.

To our luck, a 'Bird of Prey' display was taking place on the days we were visiting. Fascinated by the nature of birds and their sheer beauty, we stood patiently in the rain whilst these magnificent creatures soared about the grounds. I lied, we actually knew about the show and as such I packed my 70-200 F2.8 IS L and 2x Extender to make the most of this opportunity. Love this next shot of the Bald Eagle as rain falls from its beak...

With the weather taking a turn for the worse, we turned our attention in trying to capture a different look on the flowers at Keukenhof. Hannah recently purchased a Canon 100mm F2.8 IS L Macro lens and it really came into it's own. Close focusing distance, incredible 4-stop image stabilising system and being tack sharp open wide, it shot this almost 'fine art' image of a rose bud at 1/10th and F2.8

Rainfall really brought out the scent in the flowers, and despite the wet weather we had a fantastic time. The precision in which these flowers are grown, and the colour combinations really make it a visual feast.

In summary, the Keukenhof is a great place to visit. Being a short flight from the UK (about an hour) it makes an ideal weekend break and I can certainly see ourselves returning in the future. One thing I can highly recommend is the waffles, you can't beat waffles. To finish up heres a few more images from the weekend away...

"I Am..." A Cameraman

Planet Earth, Frozen Planet, Blue Planet, Human Planet, Life and Ocean Giants are documentary titles you're probably familiar with. Created by extraordinary individuals, these programs are filmed over lengthy periods of time in often what are uninhabitable conditions.

Doug Allan is one of those cameramen, pushing boundaries, risking life and limb for our viewing pleasure. Winner of four Emmy and four BAFTA awards, he's clocked up over 500 hours of filming under the ice and can often be found at the poles capturing unforgettable footage.

Having just finished his "Life Behind The Lens" tour, it was now time for him to step in front of mine. I was lucky enough to attend Doug's nationwide tour in Somerset where he had me hanging off his every word. During the interval and in between book signings I approached Doug and asked him if he'd feature in the "I Am..." series. A few quick e-mails later and we have a date for our photoshoot.

The whole idea behind the "I Am..." Series is to capture the individuals in their working environment, however as you can imagine it would be hard to get out to Antarctica for a day! We tried contacting a few locations to see whether they would let us in to photograph, but sadly to no avail. Not to be defeated, Doug grabs his dry suit and we head down to Clevedon to simulate what Doug is widely known for, filming in and underwater.

I must stress at this point, to spend the day talking with someone who is an inspiration to you is a real privilege. Conversations from camera equipment to tales from the Artic left me feeling like I’d known Doug for years.

I'm often mocked for the amount of equipment I take on location, however Doug put that to shame as we piled in the numerous Peli cases. Parking up as close as we could, families on their easter holidays were relaxing nearby. It amazes me, that despite Doug walking through the car park in a full dry suit carrying the 25-30kg underwater camera housing that was used in "Ocean Giants", and myself lugging various bits of lighting equipment around we drew very little attention. Doug thought it must clearly be an everyday activity for them.

The coast is always windy, and I started to feel a little bit sorry for Doug on his day off as he climbed into the cold Bristol water, however when you consider he's used to temperatures of -25°C in Antarctica I’m sure it felt relatively warm.

As unprepared as I was, Doug very kindly lent me his wellington boots to wade out in. With my Elinchrom Quadra kit on the nearby dry bank and the fact my boots were now filling up with water, the distance we could head out was limited. Doug found that he was too buoyant to get any lower in the water level, and proceeded to weight himself down with large rocks placed on his legs! Kind passers by helpfully held my Deep Octa as it started to take on the properties of a kite in the wind. Trying my best to lean over and get my 5D Mark II as close to the water level as I dare, without filling up my boots with any more water it made the shoot a challenge.

Ironically, I think I ended up wetter than Doug did. I cannot thank him enough for taking the time out of his busy schedule to feature in this series; he's an absolute legend! If your interested in learning more about Doug and his fascinating career, feel free to take a look at his website here. The next time your watching a documentary such as those listed above, you can think of Doug as he spends nearly ten man hours filming for one minutes worth of television.

I can thoroughly recommend his book "Freeze Frame - A wildlife cameraman's adventures on ice", packed full with 35 years worth of unseen imagery, thoughts, tales, and insights from the far ends of the earth. Jokingly, as we parted company Doug mentioned the next time we shoot it should be underwater... More than happy to take you up on that offer! :)

"I Am..." A Rower

His accolades boast becoming a world rowing medallist in the lightweight men's four for both 2010 and 2011. This time however, Chris Bartley is aiming for gold at the London 2012 Olympics.

Chris is another olympic hopeful who i've been privileged enough to meet and photograph as part of the "I Am..." Series. In the space of 24 hours, we arranged to meet at the Borlase Boat Club near Marlow where Chris both works and trains. As we were photographing on a launch which was in constant use, I decided to keep things simple and make one light portraits. With the club being supported by 2XU Clothing and Hudson Sculls, Chris was quick to get changed and step in front of the camera.

Given the recent bout of sunny weather, I used my all time favourite setup. An Elinchrom Quadra system combined with a Deep Octa, Tiffen 77mm VariND filter and a low aperture lens. I used a number of different diffusion setups with the Deep Octa, making it one of the most versatile pieces of equipment I own.

Chris is pictured in a single scull, however he is better known for competing (and achieving several gold medals) in the Lightweight Mens Four. After shooting some portraits on dry land it was time for Chris to get changed and hit the water.

With a whole host of titles under his belt, many years of experience and backed by Rampant Sporting, Chris is certainly a strong contender for this years games. Best of luck Chris!

"I Am..." An Olympic Long Jumper

He's at the top of his game, which is a good job when you consider that jumping is his living.

JJ Jegede is one of Britain's elite competing at this years Olympic Games in London with high hopes to take home the gold in the Long Jump event. Twice English Champion and 2012 UK Indoor Champion, if JJ isn't leaping over three minis or twelve brides, he's coaching and mentoring as a personal trainer and speaker.

Being born less than one mile from what is now the Olympic park, and his first passion being athletics, JJ has his sights firmly set on achieving his dreams of a gold medal at his home ground. With an incredible personal best of 8.04 metres in the long jump i'm sure we'll all be cheering him on come the summer. You can check out his personal website here.

I was lucky enough to get in contact with JJ and arrange a photoshoot for the "I Am..." Series. An honour to meet and feature someone at the height of their career, I was out on location all day to grab just five minutes shooting time with JJ because of his hectic schedule.

That in mind, I needed to be quick and organised. Simple three light setup and a good chance to test out my Elinchrom Quadra kit with the Deep Octa. The athletics track was undergoing refurbishment ahead of the this years games, so I wanted to shoot wide open at F2.8 on my 70-200mm lens to minimise any distracting objects and keep the focus on JJ.

Silver reflector inside the octa, no diffusion, two kickers (speedlites @ 1/4 Power, 105mm) and wide open with a Tiffen 77mm VariND filter (set at ND4) we have our first frame in a matter of minutes, job well done.

Really enjoyed my brief time shooting with JJ, and after suggesting a few creative ideas it had us both inspired to do more. Fingers crossed in the summer we'll be able to do a full shoot together, albeit this time with a gold medal around his neck. Rooting for you JJ!

Athletics and photography go hand in hand. If anyone is reading this and is interested in being featured for the "I Am..." series, feel free to get in touch.

Focus On Imaging 2012

Well that's Focus On Imaging over for another year, a great chance to catch up with everyone at Domke, The Flash Centre and our American friends PocketWizard. Early that morning some may have noticed I posted this on my twitter account...

With the overwhelming response i've received for the ongoing "I Am..." Series, combined with my love for themed and theatrical environmental portraits, the idea of expanding my location lighting setup has been around for sometime. It's a good job I didn't make any promises earlier as thanks to Chris from The Flash Centre, i'm now the proud owner of an Elinchrom Ranger Quadra setup will allow me to explore new possibilities in the world of location lighting.

The way I work and my style of imagery has always revolved around lighting, and to date the speedlites I use have been nothing short of brilliant. I'll still be keeping the speedlites and aim to use them alongside the Quadras in my pursuit for the ultimate lighting setup. Over the next couple of weeks the Elinchrom equipment will be put through it's paces and i'll report back with a review shortly. Initially though, I love it!

Less about my shiny new toys, it seems that "Focus" this year is bigger and better, with manufacturers pushing the boat out on their displays. Hannah and I spent the entire day there and between us must of spent a small fortune.

We both agree on the fact we shouldn't of picked up the new 5D Mark III. Canon have listened to what photographers want and created what I think will be the new 'industry standard' body. Little features like dual card slots (CF/SD), 100% viewfinder coverage and a silent shooting option alone make this camera a worthwhile upgrade, but that's before you even look at the new focusing system borrowed from the 1D-X. 61AF points and 41 cross type points make this camera a revelation. The 5D2 has been known for having focusing issues on low contrast areas, particularly when using outer focus points, but in both AI Servo/One Shot focus modes, the 5D3 was accurate and held focus on solid dark objects.

Being a location photographer there is always travel involved, and the ability to rate images in camera ready to use in your workflow is a nice little touch. I could rabble on for hours about how great this camera is, but i'll save that for when I can afford one... ;-)

Last and by no means least, I want to give a brief shout out to my partner Hannah, who i'm extremely proud of as we spotted five of her images on display within the exhibition! She's awesome and you should check out her website here. More to come soon...

"I Am..." A Chef

If you can't stand the heat, get out the kitchen...photograph it. I'd like to think I can cook, but when you spend five minutes in the company of a professional chef it dramatically brings you back down to earth with a bump.

In the idyllic setting of Potten End is Martins Pond, a friendly family run pub with a fast growing reputation for great food. Owners Melanie and Neil have developed an uncompromised commitment to flavour using the finest quality, fresh and locally sourced ingredients put together with a fine dining twist.

To say I enjoyed the experience of being in the buzz of a working kitchen is an understatement, and was thrilled to meet Andy Mayersbeth (head chef at Martins Pond) who showed the same kind of passion and devotion to food as I do photography. Watching somebody with this level of skill at work was a joy.

With the aim of creating environmental portraits, I wanted to depict the heated and pressurised environment a chef works in. Flambé, a technique Andy was only too happy to demonstrate as flames licked up the kitchen walls. Neil (owner and chef) meanwhile stands calm and proud in the foreground leaning on what I later found out to be a very expensive knife, oops. This image can be seen at the top of this post, and was created using two speedlites. A Canon 580EXII was placed camera left into a 38" Softbox with a 1/4 colour temperature orange gel whilst a 430EX speedlite hides out of shot, carefully positioned behind the left pillar to illuminate Andy, his mountain of fire and provide a rim on Neil's knife. All of these lights were triggered via the PocketWizard Flex system which makes setups like this quick and easy.

Despite the crazy atmosphere of a kitchen, the attention to detailed carried out by Neil's team is second to none which really shows the passion for their trade. Each dish is lovingly prepared and presented with absolute precision in a way that can only be described as art. Every plate that leaves the kitchen really does taste as good as it looks.

The pub itself dates back to 1924, however the actual site of the public house has been a source of hospitality since the 17th century. Under the watchful eye of Neil and Melanie the pub has undergone a recent transformation which sees customers attracted from far afield. I'll have to admit that one perk of this photoshoot was sampling the delights that come out of the Martins Pond kitchen in their recently refurbished dining room. The Sous Vide Beef was quite simply out of this world!

Interested in visiting Martins Pond? Check out their website here. The extensive hand selected wine list and local real ales are a great accompaniment to their menu, especially after you have walked through the beautiful surrounding area.

If you're interested in having your career featured for the "I Am..." series, feel free to get in touch. Thanks to Neil and Andy for taking time out to feature in this project. Look forward to having you on the website once it's launched.

Doug Allan - Life Behind The Lens

Millions will have tuned in to watch breathtaking documentaries such as Life, Frozen Planet, Blue Planet and Ocean Giants but one man has experienced them all. Doug Allan is an award winning freelance wildlife and documentary film-maker who is currently touring the southern UK with his 'Life Behind The Lens' talk, and last night we were lucky enough to travel 290 miles to hear what he has to say (you'll have to excuse the iPhone picture).

I always enjoy good photography, but when someone such as Doug can recall fascinating stories of encounters and adventures (often with added humour) which backup those images, it's a captivating experience that had me hanging off his every word.

Throughout the evening, Doug conveyed just how much behind the scenes work takes place in order to produce a series such as Frozen Planet. The sheer scale of the operation is mind boggling and really makes you appreciate what these dedicated and extraordinary individuals goto for only minutes of television. Whilst I thoroughly enjoy photographing the natural world, the thought of plunging down a 10-15ft manmade shaft in the thick ice of Antarctica which can freeze over in only a matter of minutes seems a tad wild. Still, Doug has managed to clock up over 500 hours under the ice and goes to show why he's the best in the business.

We were lucky enough to purchase a copy of Doug's new book "A Wildlife Cameraman's Adventures On Ice" which he was only too happy to sign:

It was certainly worth the long drive and really opens your eyes to the world out there. As Doug said, we're keen to spend thousands upon thousands in researching alien life form in outer space, yet there are creatures under our seas which we don't fully understand. Doug currently has a number of stops left along his tour and if your interested in learning more, check out his website here.

Catching up with Tearsheets...

I've been pretty slack in keeping up to date with my latest tearsheets, however I count myself very fortunate lately to be featured in a whole host of different publications. In an effort to catch up, i've created a tearsheet folder on my facebook fan page with all the latest additions including tearsheets from; Professional Photographer, World of Photography, Digital Photographer, Photography Monthly, BBC, Daily Telegraph and several calendars.

Feel free to check them out and leave me a comment :-)

"I Am..." A Baker

Sunrise, 7am and 4th generation artisan baker Steven Oxford has already been working through the night to prepare Oxford's traditional English breads.

Established in 1911 by Frank Oxford, the Sherborne based bakery recently celebrated its 100th year anniversary. Despite the introduction of modern plant bakeries over the years, Oxford Bakery still prides itself in producing 'real bread', handmade using locally sourced ingredients.

I wanted to ask Steven to star in the "I Am..." Series as I grew up in the local area, eating their freshly baked goods and because I feel they have a great story worth sharing. Little did I know how passionate Steven was, and before long he had taken the time out to show us the in's and out's of baking. Truly gripped by his enthusiasm for the subject, it really hammered home why I want to do this project.

Testimony to their skill and dedication for the industry, Oxfords haven't changed their methods or recipes for over four generations and is what I believe is key to their success.

Ingredients are still combined using the original 1911 dough mixer, before being moulded by skilled hands using techniques that have been passed down between generations. Finally, it is left to "prove" before being cooked in the original Edwardian oven.

With Steven now at the helm of Oxfords Bakery, he's keen to teach and spread the word about 'real bread', running workshops from their bakery near Sherborne. Head on over to their website to find out more.

The original image in this post is my favourite of the shoot and will be featured on the "I Am..." Series website shortly. Shot on a 17-40 F4 L Wide Angle Lens with a Canon 580EXII Speedlite and 1/4 CTO Gel Camera Left in a 38" Softbox. The "rising sun" was courtesy of a Canon 430EX Speedlite with Full CTO Gel outside the window, triggered via PocketWizard Flex's.

A huge thanks to Steven for letting us in their charismatic bakery, a great insight into the history of baking!