Emily, a photo by haggisandchips on Flickr.

I managed to get along to the Creative Talent Circle for a second time and it was great fun again. All three models this time were relaxed and really easy to work with – last time I found two out of the three of them a little bit too serious.

Emily may not thank me for posting this photograph but I do so because it sums up the vibe of the evening really well. There IS plenty of pouting and serious poses but there’s also a lot of fun, it’s about engaging with the model as much as it is photographing them. Stating the bleeding obvious I know ;).

NOTE: Just noticed the strap hanging down from the dress … that’s the second time out of two of these studio sessions that’s happened … I really must pay more attention to the details.

The other important part of what these evenings are all about is experimentation. Last time it was getting Chloe to flick her hair and this time I tried sticking a plant in front of the studio light when photographing Cate. I saw a wonderful photograph where someone else had used that technique and it worked brilliantly … my results were less spectacular but I tried … and I may try again.

Last but definitely not least was Polly – bold looks, a confident air and she seemed just a little bit more experienced than the other two and changed pose every time the shutter clicked, mixing it up a lot and going for the stronger poses that don’t work when you see them “live” but do work through the viewfinder. I particularly like the photo below because I think the lighting is just right in it – something I still fail to get right even though the basic lighting has been setup by a professional.

Polly was my pick of the evening because I simply loved her tattoo 😉 …