On Commission | Astro Fertility – 01|01|11

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Astrology can make you pregnant...

Did a quick commission for the T2 today. Nicola Smutts an Astrologist from Bath claims to help couples struggling to get pregnant by analysing the stars and the planets...

The brief for this job was to create a simple engaging  portrait that alluded to Nicola's astrological abilities, "nothing too obvious" I was told , there goes my holding astrology books up to the camera idea.  Nicola's garden space was incredibly well designed with beautiful topiary and strange artefacts which made for the perfect picture.  Although the supplement didn't run with this image it was easily my favourite from the day.

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Set-Up

 This photograph was created by exposing 1/2 a stop under the ambient on a bright overcast day, two speedlites were fired through an octobox about three foot away from the subject's face.  The lights were brought in this close for two reasons. Firstly I needed them in close to get the most juice out of them, they were both on full power and struggling to overpower the ambient. Secondly bringing lights in a big modifier this close creates a very nice fall off on the subject which added to the mysterious look

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In Print

Here are the images used in the paper. For the front page they used an upright of Nicola in her garden and for the inside page they used one of her in her conservatory with animal skulls behind her.