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Duncan: Posted on 30 October 2011 21:24
Following the intermission we were dropped into true fashion madness. Fun and wildly OTT, Isla Scott's designs now graced the catwalk. The models makeup then became the star again as they accentuated the tribal headdresses of Fair Feathered Friend, the Dia de Los Muertos designs were well suited to the halloween influence on the evening. Eleanor's Riot then came out to play, a delicious series of outfits with a decidedly retro and almost doll like look to them. This was followed by cartoons and android women in the guise of Velvet Elvis's fabulous designs. Helena O'Neill's work was striking in the contrast. Dresses and and jackets that seemed to have flowed like paint and water over the models and a coat that could have been straight out of the Matrix. Aimee Donofrio was next up, asymmetry ruled here, with clothes cut oddly and unexpectedly. Given the night's theme this kind of jarring style almost had an air of menace to it. The final entry in the show was a combined effort by Bonnie Bling and Raksa. This was a full on tribute to darkness and horror, ending the night with a steak knife in the head. Shoes were by Dawntroversial. I should also mention the discordant and moody music that fitted the show perfectly as well, rising and falling to take us through the night. The only thing I could have done without was the strobe lighting that sometimes lasted just long enough to be uncomfortable...but I guess that was the intention. |
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Duncan: Posted on 30 October 2011 20:46
So a little while later and I have woken up enough to continue the story of the fashion show in the Sub Club in Glasgow.  The show opened with Sweet Danger. Born of the mind and hands of Leelah Macauley, this range of negligees and nightwear with an edge had also featured in the Oohfashion show across in Edinburgh.  Lilly Love Lock were next up. I'd met Domonique in her other guise as a model, so was thrilled to see her with her other hat on, as a designer. Her Stars and Stripes playsuit drew cheers from the crowd and her T-Shirts caused a stir as well. Her style has a very accessible edge to it, pushing boundaries without trampling them. Meemee Couture was a little step beyond with wild golds and unexpected frills. Wild fabrics and interesting designs made for an exciting visual experience. Jenivieve Berlin Millinery were next up. I'd also seen Jenivieve's work at Oohfashion and before that at Inspire the Attire. Her latest series, lace and chain certainly took the darker theme of the night to the edge, with the models gagged and sometimes bound, the only sign of freedom being the wild explosions of feathers, and colours on the models' heads. Jennie Loof had also been at Inspire the Attire. Her current collection is a lot more inspired by Scottish styled fabrics but with contemporary cuts and styles. Following Chouchou Couture's display of Holly Hoods, I will never be able to look at bubble wrap the same again. The hoods made for some interesting visuals with the zombiesque makeup the models were sporting. Linzi Austin played with fashion in interesting ways, from a full bodysuit with green prison arrows to materials and designs that played with the female form. Athif Dean took things a step beyond again with one outfit made, it seemed, out of hair extensions, and trousers that trailed goat like hair behind. Plus this gothic dress with an impossibly long train. Then came the intermission. |
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Duncan: Posted on 26 May 2011 09:35
Well, I have to make the most of a peaceful weekend this week as next week I kick into full gear. On Tuesday 31st I'm at a wedding rehearsal in Greenock.  On 3rd June The Garage in Glasgow is playing host to "Inspire the Attire", a charity fashion show in aid of Diabetes UK, organised by G2E Events. I'll be one of the brave photographers at the end of the catwalk to capture the inspiring and inspired clothing thought up by some of Glasgow's talented fashion designers. On 4th June it's back into wedding mode as Julie and Jamie tie the knot in Greenock (fingers crossed for good weather folks!). On 5th June the West End Festival has its big Sunday carnival style parade with samba bands, live bands on various stages, stalls and all sorts of fun. I try not to miss this one as it is always a great atmosphere, lots of colour and lots of toe tapping beats. When Sunday evening finally draws me home I would imagine that I will be spending the forseeable future tied to my computer. On an unrelated note, the Skinny Villains who played the Flying Duck a few weeks back have included some of my pics on their Facebook pages, |
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Duncan: Posted on 04 May 2011 10:15
 Following a somewhat random invite from a previous graduate of the course, I went along to the James Watt College's Make-up Masquerade. This was held at Oran Mor up in Glasgow as a graduation show for the HND students.With the car in the garage it was easier to get to than Tuesday night badminton in Greenock.  The various make-up artists used film, music, stage and imagination to inspire them to produce some dramatic, horrific, interesting and beautiful results on their subjects. There were some great results from the MUAs and Models, and I just wish my photography could do full justice to their work. The high ceiling (Oran Mor is a converted church and their function room upstairs has a high vaulted ceiling) and odd lighting made for some challenging conditions. Next time I'll take my magic brolly to bounce out of. |
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Duncan: Posted on 03 April 2011 11:37
This was another great chance to broaden my photographic experience and try something new. I heard call from the delightful Morv to come and take pictures of the band, I'm Sick, at Slouch in Glasgow. I had a quick listen to the tracks on their MySpace page and answered the call! I can't deny a little trepidation, gig lighting is notoriously tricky with the venue being dark, often there's the flashing lights and lots of movement from the band. I figured though, it can't be any worse than DJ Disco lighting at a wedding for the first dance! As it was a gig I made a few technical decisions in advance. My ISO was bumped up to the max. This process does add noise (speckling in the dark areas that is sometimes called grain, but isn't really) but I thought it would add to the mood a bit. I brought along a flash, just in case, though for some shots it did more harm than good, so most of the gig itself was shot without it.  As we had a while to wait we took a few shots in the cold and wet outside to kill some time. This one was in the lobby as you come into Slouch.  Their turn was supposed to start at 9:30, but some of the other bands had to be home before midnight, so I'm Sick became the crowning glory of the night around 11 p.m. The other "warm up" bands were mostly not that bad, in fact some were quite good, but I was pleasantly suprised that I'm Sick had a much more polished routine, some general silliness and lots of energy! Along with some great tunes of course! Congratulations to Morv (singer), Chapman Grove (guitar), Sir Belvedere (bass) and Funky Bo1 (drums), for a truly excellent gig experience! You can find the full set here on Flickr |
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Posted on 20 February 2011 18:28
First impressions count. Though your work, or word of your work, often precedes you as a photographer. There are many practical questions that you might ask your potential photographer: Price Packages and what they contain Experience Qualifications or membership of professional bodies The main thing to ask yourselves, once you've decided you like the photos, is really can you stand to spend several hours in the company of this relative stranger! (you'll have your share of strange relatives...but that's another post for another time) A wedding photographer will (or should) have good people skills, be able to draw a smile from the dourest Scottish patriarch. He or she should also have the good sense to get out of the way when the couple need a break and some time together. I believe that a good photographer has to be flexible, adapting to what the couple want and need from their photography, I also need to be giving them realistic expectations within the constraints of time and location. For most couples I will meet this is their first time down the aisle, so they will not always know the questions to ask, they might have checklists or inspiration from a magazine, or will have no idea what they actually want. So when I go through my spiel, show my wares and a broader selection of past wedding photographs, I also try to go over the ins and outs of the taking of the pictures. Some formals are always handy for family or the wall, some reportage is nice to capture the moments amongst the wedding party and guests. Opportunity, time, light and subjects permitting I adapt and flex to the demands of the couple and the day! Having visited the Scottish wedding Show up at the SECC today as well, I saw similar skills in play from the photographers there. Most snappers had their wares on display, some arguably better than others, but the ones that seemed to draw more than passing interest, were the ones that took the time to sit down with the prospective customers and talk to them. Many of us use the same labs or suppliers, a certain level of technical skill is a given, but dish out all the flashy leaflets that we want, design the best beels and whistles packages, and we won't make the same impression as the person who listened to what you wanted and made a connection. Now I just have to work on some newer sample albums and photo books to bring myself up to date! |
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Posted on 30 January 2011 10:19
 Now you might wonder what business a wedding photographer has attending a demonstration in Glasgow city centre. But, a. I'd never been to one b. I had nothing better to do and c. with all the craze for pseudo photojournalistic photos at weddings, it was a good chance to practice capturing unexpected moments. Anyway, the results of my endeavours can be found on my Flickr pages here. All in all I was quite pleased with the results, after having subjected some to different filters and effects. As with any such totally spontaneous photos though, there is a hit rate of keepers and discards. I did quite well here with around 1 in 5 making the cut, something that I would have considered a disaster back in the distant film days! At weddings it can be harder, spaces are more confined with limited room to move, people can be quite restrained and less expressive and time is always a factor. |
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