Pure Curvation Shoot: Charmaine Charuma

I pulled up to Pete Baldrey's house on Sunday 18th March and unloaded my studio gear. We were shooting some of the Pure Curvation girls today. Pete was working with Natasha Teixeira who has returned from extended leave and needed some fresh portfolio images and I was test shooting Charmaine Charuma, the new girl.

Pete set up the backdrop and I set up the lights whilst waiting for the girls. Pete then went to collect Charmaine from the train station making us ready to shoot for about 11am.

Charmaine and I went for something a little soft and feminine initially and I went for four of the lights as we had the option today. The two D-Lite 4's at the front and the two D-Lite 2's whiting out the backdrop on almost full throttle.

 

Charmaine actually came to us via another of the PC girls, Yvonne Gumbere and we're very pleased she did. Charmaine was a total natural.

Next we untied Charmaine's plait, separated them for more of a dreadlock effect and went for a baggy shirt and leggings.

Interestingly, Charmaine and Yvonne actually have the exact same pair of leggings. XD

This next outfit was my favourite. I love turquoise for a start but get a load of this...

We were just wrapping up from this one when Charmaine put these glasses on and we just had to get some pictures!

This is by far my favourite from the shoot!

A bit Nicki Minaj? Wouldn't you say?

Finally we went for shorts and vest for a more hip hop feel.

Sexy, right?

This delightful new addition to the Pure Curvation team can be booked already via their website or by emailing bookings@purecurvation.com.

Well quick! Go on!

Gabriella Howson: That Leggy Bird

My first subject since the upgrade to my beloved 7D, Gabby, was back again. This time for a studio shoot.

She got to Farnborough at 11am and we had our first cup of tea, unzipped the suitcase of womanly wonder and caught up a bit. She told me about all the bits and bobs that she had brought to wear including all the new holiday clothes, her 'Sienna Miller' dress and also, my favourite: ‘The Disappointment Hat’.

I have to explain the disappointment hat now that I have mentioned it’s name so that you know why it is disappointing: Gabby and Dom (brother) went to London Fashion week one year and Gabby found this really neat hat and belt, which she was dead chuffed with… at first… but then (the cheeky git) Dom ends up finding various amazing pieces including a really nice jacket, and I think a suit? and some other bits, leaving Gabby feeling a little disappointed with her items (or lack thereof) come home-time. Hence this becoming ‘The Disappointment Hat’.

Well, OK fine, I guess you had to be there.

So moving on (tough crowd…) O_O

We started out ‘Simples’ as is the norm. A bit of warming up. Howson got her green cardigan on and we did a couple of headshots. Literally a couple. Then we ended up chatting for about 2-3 hours drinking approximately… 120 cups of tea? Approximately.

Then we decided to change outfit. The cardigan was nice and all, but a bit boring, which Gabby is not.

Light green. Bracelet, top and necklace. Holiday wear to be precise:

What a face! So beautiful!

(I really am quite lucky in that I have so many beautiful friends really.
It sure helps with a profession like photography!)

Lovely. And looking a bit like Lena Headey again in that last one!

Our 121st cup of tea:

We went for an elegant black outfit, again on black and Gabby was looking amazing as per. She scrubs up lovely for a posh bird (as Bill Bailey would say).

OK, then we had the snazzy looking cardigan. Wicked colours for a good start on the white:

In which Gabby started pulling her Lena Headey face again.

Seriously, do you not think so!? Sometimes, she really does look like her. Or Lena Headey looks like Gabby. More than likely. I knew Gabby before I saw Lena.

I'll just have to dress her up as Cersei Lannister and then you'll see. Oh yes. You'll see...

OK. NEXT! Look at this dress:

I ♥ this dress SO much.

It's all officey, heavy material and grey (though I like grey) but then the cut is just fantastic. WANT!

And Gabby in this dress is just… well…

Thanks Wayne. That's exactly what I was getting at.

Party on.

So, While we're on dresses, we got through a couple of those too.

There was the colourful, patterned one with the hat:

There was the 'very expensive oneo (don't touch it, don't touch it, don't touch it...)

Cute as hell.

Then we had the extremely colourful holiday dress. Which I also love:

She looks so catalogue in that one. :D

Backlit, for a lovely headshot. Mwah.

Close up.

And then more of an artistic Beauty shot. :)

Finally, as is seemingly becoming tradition on my shoots (I swear that this is not mandatory!), we had a little bit of partial nudity...

And the last in a 300 style colouring... for no particular reason...

<_<

>_>

Well folks, that's a wrap for that shoot though keep your eyes open as one, you might fall down the stairs otherwise and two, our stunning, 6ft tall, leggy IT/LARP geek goddess may well be coming back to see yours truly in January/February for another round.

*ding ding*

Wicked.