Lindsay had found an excellent outdoor location and got a potential weekend 26/27th October  shoot.  I’ve had to put my preference forward for Sunday 27th.  The company that I work for is moving premises on Friday 25th and as i’m heavily involved in the IT will be expecting to be at work on the Saturday.  We’ve got a good email group going now, so we’re all chipping in with idea’s.  Just need to make sure we can all do the shoot on the 27th, although this only gives us a week or so to prepare.  Plus the weather hasn’t been great lately so we are hoping to secure an indoor location as a backup.

Malcolm was able to do some excellent work looking at locations.  Although for the most part, these are tending to be no good:

Beaumanor Hall – Only open during the day, unless it’s a function.  Only available Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s next week as it’s half term.  Cost to us would be £100, including a room to change and keep kit.  Just too expensive.

The City Rooms – First available date Sunday 24th November, between 9am and 10am, cost £50.  If we knew exactly what we wanted to could maybe manage 1-2 shots.  1 Hour just isn’t enough time for our lack of experience.  Plus the cost is just a bit too steep for what we’d get out of it.

Prestwold Hall – Apparently has the same management company as Beaumanor hall, so costs and availability are likely to be the same.

Grand Hotel – Has a really nice staircase and a fairly quiet are upstairs.  There is no cost, but this is a public area, which may not be good for people who haven’t modelled before.  The only free date that they have is 6th November which is when our first studio session is.  We do have a preliminary studio session booked for the 4th December, but this is cutting it a bit fine.  I would rather try for a different venue and use the 4th December as a backup rather than loose the first studio session.  (We have to shoot studio and location).

The Guildhall – If we go when it’s open and the main hall is free, there is no cost. Otherwise they will open specially for us £150! They currently no bookings on 2nd and 3rd November.  Has an interesting staircase in the main hall, but may be a bit limited.

So, it looks like we’re struggling for an indoor location!  We are going to do a recce of Lindsay’s location on 23rd October.

For Nicole’s dress I googled things like ‘short white dress’, ‘1920’s fashion’, ‘1930’s fashion’.

I was looking for a playful fun look to this dress.  I did also like the idea of a burning cigarette  in a holder, getting some atmosphere with with a plume of smoke, but wasn’t sure how practical this would be for an indoor shoot.  I didn’t want to be setting off fire alarms!  I was also still concerned about how short the dress appeared to be!

Here are a selection of other peoples images that I found for inspiration using google, I have added some comments to each one:

For Gemma’s dress I googled things like ‘long white dress’, transparent skirt (some ‘interesting’ results), white dress woodland and catwalk.

I wanted to make use of the long flowing dress and cape to get some movement and flow into my images.

Here are a selection of other peoples images that I found for inspiration using google, I have added some comments to each one:

We had a meeting this evening with the fashion students (‘clients’).  Because I am secretary for my cricket club I have been to many, many very boring meetings and wanted to make sure we had a bit of a framework to work to.  So I produced an agenda, as shown below with a brief summary of what was dicussed:

1. Hello! Everyone know everyone else?!  – Just simple introductions.

2. What do fashion students want/need out of this? – Images for portfolio’s.  Especially Gemma who has an online portfolio.

3. What do photo students want/need out of this? – Images for hand-in and portfolio’s as well as the whole fashion shoot experience.

4. Communication, email ok? Swap mobile no’s? – We already had a few email address’ just needed to clarify Nicole’s email address, that had a random underscore at the end!

5. Logistics, all drive? Relying on busses? –  Nicole does drive, but lives very close to Malcolm.  Gemma doesn’t drive and lives in Melton, but can get lifts if needed.  Could be an issue.
6. Proposed dates, anyone got holiday etc. – Everyone was ok with weekend shoots, Gemma and Nicole do some weekend work, but can swap with notice.  Out studio session had already been booked for 6th November, so need to get moving!
7. Proposed idea’s? – Gemma and Nicole had brought their coursework and dresses in with them, so could talk about the idea’s behind them.  Gemma had gone for a natural look, long flowing lines.  Nicole had gone for 1920’s-30’s flapper girl.

Is there a particular look or brand that is to be achieved? – Flapper girl for Nicole’s dress

If we decide on outside venue’s do we have a contingency for bad weather? – Lindsay did had a venue in mind that he’s walked and driven past before.  Private land, he would try and contact the owner.

Changing area for models? – Lindsay suggested the back of his builders van for an outdoor shoot!  We hoped we could find a room or a ladies loo for an indoor venue.

8. Costs? Expenses etc? – We decided that we’d split any major costs between us, small items we’d take care of ourselves.

9. Info for models, I.e. Shoes, accessories, makeup etc? – Gemma and Nicole had people in mind for their dresses and were happy to do makeup.  Models needed to bring shoes.  Gemma’s model needed to bring some white underwear to avoid being exposed!

10. AOB and further discussion of idea’s – Lindsay continued to describe the private estate that he’d walked around.  Because the weather hadn’t been great recently we were also trying to think of indoor venues.  After seeing an image of a model in front of patterned wallpaper, which everyone liked. Suggestions were: Beaumanor hall, City Rooms, New Walk Museam, Prestwold Hall, Calke Abbey, Grand Hotel and the Guild Hall.  Malcolm agreed to investigate the indoor locations. 

Overall a good meeting.

As part of our business unit we have been asked to work with fashion students from the college and photograph models in white dress’ that they had previously made.  I was actually in New York when the brief was set, but have been put in a group with Lindsay and Malcolm.  We have been assigned to Gemma and Nicole.  The business part of the unit is treating Gemma and Nicole as clients, i.e. have meetings, create dummy quotes, contracts, invoices etc..  We have a meeting booked with them on the 9th October to discuss and see coursework.

We were emailed pictures of the dress’ so this is what we will be working with:

Gemma’s dress looks to be quite tall and elegant.  Although we were a little worried about how transparent the skirt appears to be!

Nicole’s dress worried us a lot, because of how short it appears to be!