Story behind the shot: Number 6

This shoot was based on an idea a model friend had. She was inspired by another photoshoot she had seen with balloons in the background.

I hate just doing a shoot with random elements,  I like these photography collaborations to be themed around a story. So we set about thinking up a story of why someone would be in a lovely dress and have balloons. I suggested a jilted girl, stood up on a big prom date.  She would be dressed up fancy, with lovely hair and makeup and the balloons could have been an extravagant present like folks do on American prom dates.

So we set about planning.  After searching locally for something suitable I ended up buying lots of red heart-shaped balloons on the internet.  While we waited for them to arrive, from China if I remember rightly, we worked on the other elements. The model decided on a lovely little black dress with diamond accents and we both hunted for an urban location that could match our “stood up” prom date idea.

We finally decided on a landmark in Belfast, the “big fish” at the Lagan Weir in Belfast. The Belfast City Council had recently finished redeveloping the area around it with a nice urban park with some nice shrubbery and benches.

So to the day of the shoot, we both arrived at our agreed meeting spot, a cafe next to the landmark.   The model had brought a party canister of Helium to fill the balloons and I had them and some ribbon. We both got a coffee and set about filling the balloons.

Never underestimate the preparations that go into a shoot.  The model spent a lot of time on her hair, makeup and dress.  And I spent a lot of time finding a location.  Then on the day, it took us a good hour or two to fill the balloons!  By the time we were finished the normally murky Northern Ireland weather had taken a turn for the worse.  It didn’t rain too badly but the wind picked up substantially so my idea to light the shoot with an 8-foot umbrella had to be abandoned. We tried to make do with other lighting but the wind was so strong one of the key elements of the shoot, the big mass of balloons, just wasn’t working.

We decided to get another coffee and rethink, which is when the article head shot and this one were taken.  I really like the portfolio shot because the model looks a little down heartened and upset, the outcome of being stood up? or the result of trying to shoot out in the wind and the rain in a thin evening dress? 

While inside we spoke to the owner of the boat tours place next to the coffee shop who ended up offering us their boat to shoot on.

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth we decided why not? The boat location would explain the windswept nature of the shoot at least. So we both did our first ever boat based shoot.

Shooting on the Lagan river on a windy day is a whole other adventure.

So the moral of this story?  There is a lot of planning that goes into these type of shoots, but the real skill of being a professional photographer is being able to problem solve quickly.  I had to change my location plan because of the weather and an unforeseen opportunity and my lighting equipment too but still got beautiful shots.  I hope you like them. If you want to have your own story to tell get in touch. If you have a cool idea for a photography shoot I can make it happen. #mathieudecodtsphotography

Story behind the shot: Number 5

I really enjoy helping people feel better about themselves.  Being a photographer allows me to get the best out of them when I shoot. People frequently focus on a lot of perceived negatives during a portrait session.  Problems they have with their appearance, they always surprise me,  normally a tiny little thing nobody would notice. Folks also get hung up on attributes that frequently others would kill for.  

This beautiful lady was a relaxing after a “formal” shoot with another photorgapher. We were talking about her hair of all things.  Very much like my wife she is blessed with very beautiful, naturally wavy hair.  Now of course she was complaining about how hard it is to manage.

This is something that always surprises me. I always see the beauty in everyone I shoot and frequently they don't themselves.  For example women with beautiful shiny straight hair want curly hair.  Women with voluminous curly hair see straight hair and want that.  And women like my wife and this lovely lady with vibrant naturally wavy hair are not happy with it either.

I told her how my wife handles it, basically she washes it and then lets it air dry, and never ever brushes it!  I always thought it was weird my wife didn't brush her hair until one day I offered to romantically brush it for her and it turned into an afro of sorts!

But I digress, I convinced this lovely lady to embrace the volume in her hair.  Isn't it beautiful? She has a lovely smile of course too but her hair is so beautiful. I posed her and we took a few different shots to capture a relaxed headshot emphasising her natural asset, her hair.

So are you happy with your hair? I hope so, love the skin or hair you have been blessed with. #mathieudecodtsphotography

Story behind the shot: Number 4

The next shot is a beautiful young woman who suffers from a terrible disability.  Hopefully, you didn't see the second part,  only her beauty.  This was another shot from the event helping folks with disabilities look and feel fabulous. Despite suffering from a rare, painful and incurable condition that has forced her into a wheelchair she was an upbeat and a bubbly person to shoot.

What she wanted more than anything on that day was a picture of her standing,  while she can stand with a stick her feet are swollen and painful so she can only manage a few seconds at best.  I love this shot because she was a little nervous before the shoot so I told her I wanted to test my camera. She had just finished hair and makeup so I asked her to move over to a plain wall for the background and asked her about her plans for the shoot while I tested my camera. It is funny but frequently I get my best shots while “testing” my camera like this.  People are relaxed when they think I am not working but a lot of the time they get stressed and stiff when a photographer says “let's start”.  

By using this technique I got a nice quiet calm portrait as she reflected on what she wanted. It really puts your life in perspective when you meet someone who suffers so much every day but is able to be so thankful for small mercies like a picture without her chair in the backdrop, the handle of which I photoshopped out in this photo. It helps that she was gorgeous too, of course, it made my work as a photographer so much easier.  She was engaged and soon to be married and I hope they are really happy together. I also hope she was able to stand for some of the wedding like she planned too. I got a lovely shot of her standing with a stick outside and her face lit up when she saw it on the back of my camera. Such a simple thing that we all take for granted, I'm glad I was able to give her a lasting photographic memory of her achievement. That is one of the really special things about portrait photography, capturing moments so people can remember them forever.

Story behind the shot: Number 3

The next shot again came about from another deep-rooted idea I had, to have a starkly black and white woman with a colourful lighting set up and backdrop. A little back story, first, though. My favourite film is Blade Runner, a film set in a grungy neon future.  In some of the scenes in the film, pedestrians use neon umbrellas as they walk the rain soaked the streets of a dystopian future.

For a long time, I wanted to use one of these umbrellas to cast colourful light on a monochrome model.  This was many years ago and I had never worked with a model before. I figured I had to start somewhere and then by chance I saw the perfect person online. I didn't think she would respond but I figured nothing ventured nothing gained so I asked.  Turns out she liked the idea.

I didn’t realise until I saw her online, but I needed a Goth model. The white skin, the dark clothing, a goth model would be perfect to emphasise the colours.  

I learned a great deal that night, it being my first proper shoot with a model. I have of course gone on to shoot much more since, but this was my first.

I didn't entirely like the umbrella shots because it didn't rain that night. Does it remind you of Blade Runner? What do you think of the photo?

My favourite was the headshot though, to me a beautiful black and white, yet colourful, portrait late one cold winter night by the Lagan weir. It is a horrible location by day, but very beautiful at night.

I really like this shot because she’s so unique and stunning looking.  While it is not the sci-fi idea I originally imagined I like it far more because I feel I captured her beauty perfectly.

So what do you think? Did you think this was taken somewhere like New York or LA? Most viewers ask me where and are surprised to hear this is our very own Belfast.  If you enjoyed this story share it with your friends, and maybe visit the lagan weir some night yourself. #mathieudecodtsphotography

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Hi folks,  I said about the added video so here is one of my most popular blog posts in video form.  Please like, comment and subscribe.  If you have any requests for future videos please comment on the youtube video.