Thorsten Overgaard

This all led me to the idea the PART II of my blog post from March 26 was appropriate.

Some weeks ago my wife and I had agreed we would shoot some pictures of her. She never wanted to become a model but basically just wanted to take advantage that she’s married to a photographer so she could get some professional Facebook profile photos to choose from!

I can state without any doubt that she had to put more work into it than I, because she was the one who had to prepare the dresses, had her eyebrows fixed on Thursday, went up early Saturday to get our four year old daughter Robin to her grandmother, then went to the hairdresser to get her hair ready.

I might have been sleeping while most of this was going on. At least I don’t remember anything before we had a relaxing brunch in the morning, after the hairdresser.

Some of you might be familiar with the term DOGME which Danish film director Lars von Trier invented which is basically doing a film (or shoot) without any fancy props and all.

Lars von Trier is a complete nut head, but nevertheless the father of DOGME

A) I can work alone with a camera and a reflector – thus be personal and relaxed with the model without assistants fumbling around.

B) I can work fast.

C) The method doesn’t require much planning and thus

D) Anything can happen

E) Why you often provoke the lucky shots, you can never plan anyway.

F) The digital camera allow manual white balance why any light is the right light.

What the method consist of, in my case, is a Leica Digilux 2 camera over the shoulder, a few extra batteriers and memory cards, a 60cm or 100 cm (in diameter) silver silver reflector. That was the equipment.

The location is walking from point A to point B in any given city and find interesting light, locations and backgrounds along the route.

Interstign light is the first to look after, the most important ingredient.

I’ll show another example of this in a later post, how Noelle Schaggs and I did this in Copenhagen recently.

But if you get the impression that it’s just me and another person walking through town, you’re very right.

It’s not that my wife hasn’t proposed many locations and ideas in the weeks prior to this shoot and I’ve nodded and said “that’s a great idea, I’ll check that out.” But when we came to the actual shoot, here’s what we did.

We started out in the dark cellar under the public library because I thought it could make her look intellectual amongst all the old books they hide down there. I might have thought about, also, some years ago I saw a really beautiful girl in that very cellar and had fantasies about her, the cellar and I. Maybe that played in, but what we did, my wife and I, was pure professional work:

Besides a little too much PS, I like this

This one she didn’t like, though I see potential in it as a stock photo

We also went upstairs of the library where there was an elevator:

She thought this was almost a bit too wild for her image

So that was the library. Next stop was an arty café on a second floor where we had a coffee while discussing if she should change clothes og keep that one on. So while being relaxed, I shot this one:

We both like this one, and her hairdresser too.

My wife doesn't fancy this, but I do

This full figure one works good and relaxed.

The brands own photo of the same Goldie trouse

Remembering this, we made sure to get a few more making the point I wanted to make (which mainly is that one should be able to see the trousers in full and not only from the hip and up):

This is a cozy little street not far from the library where we started out.

We did yet another portrait in that street as the light was interesting.

After that we changed dress, which was a kinky experience. In the car, in front of the city hall, my wife too off most of the dress and slipped into something more comfortable. Which in this case was a grey dress.

While she undressed and all I kept an eye with the windows in the bank opposite to make sure there were no tele lenses pointed at the car…

Forgive me for I have no pictures of that.

One thing you might wonder is the 1,163 files.

Leica Digilux

Thing is, when I shoot with the Digliux 2, I shoot series of three photos at one time. I do that because I often shoot low light at 1/8, 1/30 or something and when shooting series of three pictures with a camera without any moving mirrors and no sounds whatsoever, the only vibration is when I press the shutter and when or if either I or the subject move.

Shooting series, the first will be with a slight movement from the shutter, the next two possible without any movement. And doing a series of three shots in a row will result in one or more usable pictures.

Next issue is that people tend to turn their head, instruct them self, open their mouth, blink with their eyes, asking me if I think this looks ok, put a hand in their hair – and so on. Taking series you will be amazed how many movements happen and what difference they do for a picture.

Again, having a bulk to choose from, at least one will be great, given the circumstances, light and all is perfect too.

And one great shot is all you need.

The Digilux 2 produce stellar JPG files in not too big sizes why the files are easily toggled around in a database.

There’s no doubt this shooting in series of three and generally using the camera like a machine gun on the last day of the war is a digital style. And it’s also a style I developed solely for this camera, as it’s small size files and the camera is noiseless. Had the camera said click or slapped a mirror each time, it would be embarrassing and unpleasant for the model.

I often do 40-80 files and people ask, “did you get a picture of that?”

So learning “the soul“ of certain camera and developing a shooting style with that camera is key. Some cameras never work for you, others you find a style that work.

For each of my cameras I have a different style – it’s almost an relationship – and it affects both the way I use them, as well as how and what I shoot with them.

Hope this was interesting. At least now you know my wife and I will get back with more. Next time I guess I’ll go over our fellow forum member Noelle Schaggs (who is just now preparing a new Uber site) and who is Wünderbar and Über in front of a camera.