Trash The Dress Beach Video

Last weekend was interesting!

It saw the third part of our ongoing 'Trash The Dress' project take us to the beaches just north of Liverpool.

The day had been in the planning for over a month with everybody booked, but in the week leading up to the shoot all we were having was bad weather.  It was raining and raining and forecast to continue.  Now I don't much rate our weather forecasters so I preferred to stay optimistic.  However, we did decided to go out and recce some backup locations.

The day came though, and the weather didn't look too bad.  We would go for it!  We grabbed some studio shots first, cos Deb had done an amazing creative job with the make-up, which had to recorded in all its glory.  Then it was off to the beach...at the first location it was very windy but thankfully not wet.  The second location though was slightly different, by thew time we arrived it was bucketing it down.  What to do, what to do?

Well we'd come this far and the intention was to destroy this dress, we had to do it.  I say all this because I need to give huge huge credit to our superb model for the day, Kitty Chu.  I cannot imagine other models going to the lengths she wanted to to get the best images we could.  So Kitty, THANKS!!

Enjoy this video, the final images shall be up here soon....

(They now are...click here)

(Video editing by Deborah Lawson)

Fierce Creatures!

Sometimes you do a shoot and you just know from beginning to end you are producing something cooooool!!

I absolutely love this job when everything is coming together and as a team you can feel greats shots coming at ya, wham, bam, thank you mam.

On this shoot our aim was to create some really fierce looking images but that still retained a great, sharp, fashion look about them.

I'd actually been inspired by a set of photographs I saw Tyra Banks taking on 'America's Next Top Model' a few seasons back.  I wanted to give the concept a go and see where we could take it.  Here are the results...

Photography © Christopher Perkins 2008

Model: Stephanie Hopwood

Make-Up: Michelle Robinson

Emotional Times

As an extension to the shoot you saw earlier, the 'Fierce Creatures', we decided to keep with the drama but change the scenario somewhat...

Stephanie cranked up the emotion to show her acting abilities, and did a great job of conveying the feeling we were after.  It should be self-explanatory, so I'll just say enjoy...

Photography © Christopher Perkins 2008

Model: Stephanie Hopwood

Make-Up: Michelle Robinson

CARNIVAL TIME!!!

Last weekend I was invited to photograph the Derby Carnival.  Specifically, I was there for the 'Mandela Centre', a youth and community centre, working primarily in the Afro-Caribbean community.

Oh, what a great few hours I had there.  It may not be one of the biggest carnivals but there was such a great buzz and positive energy flowing. The kids were loving dancing around, dressing up and having fun.

The weather was a bit 'touch-and-go' but in the end the sun shone when it was needed.

It struck me that these guys are leading by example, as a real demonstration of how young peoples' energy should be channelled, in order to avoid some of the crime problems we are currently facing in this country.  If they have a positive focus and peers to look up to, then they will embrace it.

Woodland Bride

"If you go down to the woods today..."

...you might just see a beautiful girl jumping around in a big white wedding dress!!!

Part 4 of mine and Deborah's exploration into the world of the adventurous bride found us in Alderley Edge woods in Cheshire.

This is somewhere I have been visiting (and photographing) for many years, as its a great place to walk and relax, but I've never approached it quite like this...

Photography © Christopher Perkins

Model: Amanda Dabrowski

Make-Up and Styling: Deborah Lawson

Crewe Hall Bridal Shoot

Its time for some more pictures...these posts are getting quite regular now!

In a continuation of our Wedding Dress theme, we descended on the very accommodating Crewe Hall.  This beautiful old hall provided an incredible backdrop for our images.

There is so much history here, from the moment you approach the hall along the long long tree lined driveway, you know you have arrived somewhere special.  The Hall even has it's own small chapel, which we were able to use for some of the shots, and there are gothic looking candles to be found dotted all over the place.

Photography © Christopher Perkins

Model: Amanda Dabrowski

Make-Up and Styling: Deborah Lawson

Behind the scenes - Christopher at work:

Urban Bride

Taking forward the Bridal Fashion theme, we wanted to push the idea away from the fairytale and into something a little more dark and sinister, whilst still retaining the high fashion look and feel...

I give you 'Urban Bride'!

Photography: © Christopher Perkins 2008

Model: Marina Fallahi

Make-Up and Styling: Deborah Lawson

Location: Macclesfield

Bridal Fashion @ Rookery Hall

Its time to get all romantic... Its wedding season!

The team has decided to get out to some beautiful locations this summer and create some new bridal fashion work.

For the first shoot, we visited Rookery Hall, near Nantwich, Cheshire.

My sincere thanks to Stephen Fearnley and his team for allowing us to use this beautiful venue for the backdrop to our photos.

Photography: © Christopher Perkins

Model: Marina Fallahi

Make-Up and Styling: Deborah Lawson