Fairlight Glen is a naturist beach near Hastings, in East Sussex. It is a Nature Reserve . Access to the beach is by a steep walk down the cliffs, surrounded by vegetation which is indeed very old, such as ferns. It is a very photogenic location, with great potential. On the way to the beach a spot is marked with flowers and offerings. This was where a little girl, about two years ago, met with her death by falling down the cliff. Many visitors on their way to the beach often leave there soft toys to remember little Kylie.
I first went to Fairlight Glen on 29th June 2008. It was my very first outdoor nude shoot and I went there with photographer Neil Huxtable who was by then on his third or fourth nude shoot. We were both learning, in other words. We arrived there in the evening, as we spent the best part of the day shooting at a disused pizzeria which we accidentally found en route to Fairlight. I remember that it was very cold and windy at the beach. Neil wanted me to get into the water but I refused, feeling unable to withstand the cold. We talked about doing it on a different occasion but it never happened. I was very happy with the results of the shoot, done with a digital camera - several months later Neil started using film but I have never had an opportunity to model for him again after he got his Hasselblad.
It was by and large a shoot which was meant to celebrate the naturalness of the female form - or was it? There were no set rules, Neil's main concern was with the light and how it fell on my body. I just enjoyed being there.
I got a chance to revisit Fairlight Glen on 24th June this year with photographer Tomas Januska and his assistant Edvardas Poska. Tomas shoots almost exclusively with large and medium format analogue cameras. I was really excited to be again at Fairlight Glen, I have a soft spot for the place and it was my suggestion we should shoot there. It was a warm day but as usual the beach was windy so there was again no chance of getting into the water, I did not feel comfortable (in fairness, Tomas did not even ask). We really had to work relatively fast because of the tide, which was at its lowest at 5 pm but then steadily began to rise.
There are two kinds of photographers: those who compose pictures and those who take them. The former work in studios. For the latter, the studio is the world.... For them, the ordinary doesn't exist: every thing in life is a source of nourishment.
Tomas is a great admirer of Haas, Sally Mann and Jock Sturges, so he urged me to look at their work before going to Hastings with him and Edvard, to get an idea of what he wanted to do.
Modelling for a photographer who uses an analogue large and medium format camera is completely different from modelling for a photographer who uses digital. I said this already in a different post. This was the second time I did an outdoor shoot with a large format. I dont know how other models manage this shift but in my case being a life model definitely helped because I had to hold the pose for a long time in between shots. The naturalness of the pose and to an extent the spontaneity that Tomas was after came at the actual moment of the shot: the basic pose was decided in advance and I held its outline while he was getting ready but then he engaged me in talking and I would inevitably move slightly or take on a particular expression and then he would say "now" and shoot. The pace was very slow.
He used a MPP Mark 8 and all the ten pictures came out well, though later Tomas chose only two out of the lot - more than I had been told as he insisted there would only be one. With the medium format Hasselblad we were unlucky, there was a problem with the film so nothing has come out. This is one of the hazards of working with film, there is always an element of chance.
When I worked with Neil it was a sunny day and the beach had a golden colour at sunset. On the day I was with Tomas the sun was often covered by clouds and by the time we set up it disappeared behind a cliff, so we worked with a different kind of light which Tomas preferred as he was shooting B/W. Though Tomas had brought along his Nikon D700, after a couple of warming up shots he decided we should not "waste time" and unpacked his beloved MPP Mark 8.
I started this discussion on film and digital simply to highlight the difference in working mode. I am not at all interested in saying that one is superior to the other, I honestly dont believe that is the case. As a model I am interested in expanding my range and I welcome every opportunity to do so. Today, for example, I met for a drink in town another photographer with whom I will be shooting in about four hours - I am going away next week and am honouring some commitments. Vijay Jethwa contacted me ages ago but we never managed to have our pre-shoot meeting until today. Vijay has done primarily fashion and celebs photography but is also involved in art nude. We sat at a bar in Covent Garden enjoying the evening breeze. He had his camera and was itching to use it, so after a while he asked me to go and pose by a vintage car parked nearby.
I was not prepared for a shoot but loved the idea of improvising, so there I was in crowded Covent Garden walking and being shot from all angles - with my clothes on, before you ask! it was all extremely fast. I could not possibly work at that pace with a photographer using a medium or large format. It's all about coping with change, being versatile and ultimately loving the camera. Which I definitely do.
(All photos modelled by Alex B. )
Photographer: Neil Huxtable
Photographer: Neil Huxtable
Photographer: Neil Huxtable
Photo reprocessed by Digital Dao
I had never worked with Tomas before though we had met prior to shooting. He likes a fairly natural, unadorned look in his models, little make up, no 'posing' as such and so on. As Enrnst Haas said in 1949 when he was invited to join Life :
There are two kinds of photographers: those who compose pictures and those who take them. The former work in studios. For the latter, the studio is the world.... For them, the ordinary doesn't exist: every thing in life is a source of nourishment.
Tomas is a great admirer of Haas, Sally Mann and Jock Sturges, so he urged me to look at their work before going to Hastings with him and Edvard, to get an idea of what he wanted to do.
Photographer: Tomas Januska
Modelling for a photographer who uses an analogue large and medium format camera is completely different from modelling for a photographer who uses digital. I said this already in a different post. This was the second time I did an outdoor shoot with a large format. I dont know how other models manage this shift but in my case being a life model definitely helped because I had to hold the pose for a long time in between shots. The naturalness of the pose and to an extent the spontaneity that Tomas was after came at the actual moment of the shot: the basic pose was decided in advance and I held its outline while he was getting ready but then he engaged me in talking and I would inevitably move slightly or take on a particular expression and then he would say "now" and shoot. The pace was very slow.
Tomas and Alex at work Photographer: Edvardas Poska
When I worked with Neil it was a sunny day and the beach had a golden colour at sunset. On the day I was with Tomas the sun was often covered by clouds and by the time we set up it disappeared behind a cliff, so we worked with a different kind of light which Tomas preferred as he was shooting B/W. Though Tomas had brought along his Nikon D700, after a couple of warming up shots he decided we should not "waste time" and unpacked his beloved MPP Mark 8.
Photographer: Tomas Januska
I was not prepared for a shoot but loved the idea of improvising, so there I was in crowded Covent Garden walking and being shot from all angles - with my clothes on, before you ask! it was all extremely fast. I could not possibly work at that pace with a photographer using a medium or large format. It's all about coping with change, being versatile and ultimately loving the camera. Which I definitely do.
Photographer: David J. Green
(All photos modelled by Alex B. )
Oh, very interesting! I had not thought about the difference in modeling technique between digital and film, but I can see how it would change, especially for large-format film.
ReplyDeleteWas it hard on you, reposting the earlier photos?
Not at all. Neil seems not to be bothered and in truth I am doing him a favor by acknowledging him and bringing more traffic to his website - what photographer would ever mind exposure (no pun intended)? I still like the early pictures. Fairlight Glen is a lovely spot and I have fond memories of it. Besides it is ver effective to have early material for comparison. In some ways Neil and Tomas are quite similar in their approach.
ReplyDeleteThat's good then, Alex. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a long time photographer, large medium and small film and now digital formats. Congratulations, the pictures by Neil H are stunning and very evocative.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting you should say so! Neil Huxtable did not have much experience at the time. What makes these pictures stunning and evocative to use your own words? I like them for personal reasons, because they were taken on my first outdoor nude shoot. But I see room for improvement. Neil approaches digital photography somewhat statically and could do a lot more with it. Digital allows you rapid shots which certainly large and medium format do not. Large format has a majestic quality to it. I love the portrait taken by Tomas of me wrapped in my shawl. It has calmness and tranquillity. The portrait taken by Neil is "enigmatic" but that is more to do with what I chose to reveal. I loved then and even more so now playing with the camera to create a mood.
ReplyDelete