I was contacted by a lady last year to shoot some images for a fashion portfolio, something slightly different for me as she was an older lady. Mature models are not so common especially on a freelance basis but I was quite keen to shoot with her due to the rise in popularity of older models. There have been quite a few bigger brands who have started mixing up the models and using different age groups. I was sure I could produce something great for both of our portfolios.After several conversations about styling for the images, we set a date to shoot some studio images. I really wanted to give her a broad range of options, so I set out to create a high and low key shot, and some images on a fashion grey standard.The first image I shot were on a white background, I was keen to not completely wash out the white background to retain just a small amount of detail. I really like the three quarter crop in fashion images, so I used this setup when shooting the first image.
I then moved onto the fashion grey, and with the outfits chosen for this look, i needed to include her completely in the shot. When using a mature model, I felt that I needed to be quite careful with the editing as I didnt want to loose her skin texture. It would be very easy to smooth her skin, however the whole point of using somebody who is older, is to have that texture, so minimal retouching was required. I shot several looks on the grey including a headshot, which is a requirement for any portfolio.
Finally the last look was an evening look, a grey sequinned number which looked great on Jenepher. I wanted these images to be on a dark background and opted for black, which creates its own problems in terms of keeping the model front and centre. I had to light her from behind a touch, just to create the separation from the background. The plus to the backlighting, is the lovely light that comes through her hair. I particularly like the image and paired along side the first, they strike a fantastic contrast.I love shooting something or somebody different, its always a new challenge and makes me push myself technically and creatively to get the best out of the shoot.Jenepher had this to say about the session:
“David and Zoe were delightful, reassuring and created a great relaxed atmosphere. The shoot seemed unhurried, yet we got through a lot of shots.”
Model: Jenepher Parry Davies
Makeup: Zoe Nichols