Pictures I took myself.
I had bought this mannequin on a flea market in my hometown and it seemed an ideal partner to make some sort of a love story. E. was very happy to participate in this session. We had a lot of fun imagining what was to come next.
• The model and the mannequin •
always fun to combine digital and film photography, and get my ‘working collectables’ off the shelf again. This time I shot a roll on the Rolleiflex, and one roll on the Voigtländer Bessa 6×9 folding camera. The latter is even more difficult, as it has no matte screen to focus on, and a very tiny visor that ‘remotely’ gives you an idea of the framing of the shot. You might find a dust spot here and there, oops. I have the films developed in a standard photo lab, and then scan them just the way I scan my B&X films, with the Canon 5Ds and 100mm macro lens. I use Negative Lab Pro for converting them to positive, but I need to find my way around in that program. It’s good but I don’t feel I have everything in control yet. Rolleiflex images first, the square ones, then the Voigtländer images.
Both films Kodak Portra 160, enjoy!
when I met Julia in Brussels, the weather was really dull, but I shot some film images anyway. Dull weather is technically less challenging than the harsh sun, at least if there is sufficient light. I had no excess light but could manage to shoot the film at box speed, with the widest aperture of the Rolleiflex, f/3.5 … rather tricky on the focussing, but some of the images came out really well. Hope you like them. Shot on Ilford HP5 Plus
Julia Yaroshenko on the balcony, in the series of hidden gems 2019
thank you for watching and be sure to check out this blog next week, I might have more interesting images coming up
Ludwig
I did a call for locations in August last year, stating that I needed a beautiful location with swimming pool, in a private garden. I received 4 offers in a couple of hours 🙂
I have picked the one that seemed best suited for the occasion, and I got a doggy model as a bonus. The models did great together.
Model: Sahri Nimi, Jack, location disclosed 😉
thanks to the owners of the location, for providing willingly access
in the series hidden gems from 2019: Jack and Sahri at the swimming pool.
Remember, all images are available as a fine art print, send me an email if you need any more information, and … see you next week!
Ludwig
Same as last week, you’re getting spoiled, aren’t you 🙂
Some results I managed to capture during my own workshop Model/lingerie photography with available light. Models during this workshop: Riona Neve and Sahri Nimi – behind the scenes video at the bottom of this post.
All images are available as a fine art print, inquiries please send me an email.
Hidden gems 2019, workshop Lingerie with available light
behind the scenes video on my Youtube Channel
thanks for watching, make sure to come by next week!
Ludwig
As I do conduct the workshop myself, I do not have very much time to make images myself, it is my absolute desire to help the participant as much as possible.
Nevertheless, I managed to make some good shots in between tuition, and here they are, in the hidden gems 2019 category, images from the portrait workshop.
Remember, all images taken with available light only, on the day of the workshop.
On the bottom of the page I’ll re-link the youtube video I made from this interesting day, go check it out!
behind the scenes on Youtube
thanks for stopping by, see you next Sunday!
Ludwig
I have been neglecting my blog a little lately. I have had some print orders to take care of after the exhibit in August, and I have been busy getting some footage done for my youtube channel. Next to that, It’s been a busy couple of months at the institute where I teach, and it will still be so in the near future too.
I have collected some images from 2019 that I have not shown you yet, and that might be forgotten if I don’t do it soon. Hidden gems from the recent past, so to say.
Enjoy this first series of ‘forgotten marvels’ with Julia, you might have seen some of my images of her already here and here but well, here’s some more:
Thank you for watching, and remember, all images are available as a fine art print!
Another set will be released next Sunday, put your alarm or subscribe to my post so you don’t miss it!
Ludwig
hello there,
I have been away for a long time, I know, …
I have been rather busy at school lately and this will probably continue for some more time, since we are working on a project for distant learning that starts September 2020.
I still managed to make a short behind the scene’s movie from some clay sessions I did last summer. I had taken some footage on one of the shoots, and have made a short intro and wrapup video last Friday, to make it a complete movie.
You can see the movie here or on Youtube, where you can immediately subscribe to my channel:
Some final images of the sessions I did here below:
Really fun to do, it makes models ageless at the spot, and also quite anonymous, and sometimes even Facebook accepts this kind of nudity.
thanks for reading!
Ludwig
Shot from above the cliffs, somewhere in Exmoor National Park, UK. Note how you can see not only the gentle waves coming up on the coast but also the light breeze softly caressing the top of the waves.
I was on a campsite near Lynton discussing the Brexit, now more than a year ago. The person I was talking to called them fools. Nobody knows what’s gonna happen if the UK leaves the European community, all protagonists are playing high games, and the people will suffer the most of it. … It was an agitated discussion, …
The next day I went for an all-day walk. I was able to empty my mind and enjoy the fresh breeze at the coast. Europe was suffering from another heatwave, but here temperatures were moderate and bearable. Even in the climate matter the British Isles differ from the mainland.
• Peace of mind •
I was with my family in the French Ardennes during the Christmas holidays in 2018.
The weather had been grey and misty all day, and this is typically the weather you’ll be after for intimate landscape photography, so I love to stroll around on my own on these days.
This old, gnarled, crooked apple tree must have been here for decades. He probably felt how the village got deserted over the years, and there’s only a couple of families left here. But you won’t hear him complain, he silently carries the passing time, bent forward, he patiently submits to the rhythm of the seasons passing along.
Who knows how many years already, who knows how many years to come.
• Silent witness •
is over, and I would like to thank everyone that has taken the time to visit my place and enjoy the show. I have received very good feedback and appraisal and even sold some works.
A couple of reactions from the guest book:
“Beautiful landscapes, that tend to meditation. Beautiful bouquets, turning decay into art, is an art in itself, that you master very well”
“You touched my soul”
“Congratulations, your recognizable style and impeccable finish, and yet innovative. Love the new landscapes”
…
thank you so much,
If you missed it, you might want to take a look here: https://youtu.be/hUG9H1m60T8
Ludwig
I have published only one image from this set before. Time to show some more. It is incredibly hot these days in Belgium, so better stay inside and do some retouching on film-images 😉
This series was made early 2018, I had a déjà vue retouching them. I think I care more about my film images, they are more tactile and they have such a nice feel about them.
All photographed with the Rolleiflex f/3.5 – 75mm, on Kodak T-max400 film.
They show a little ‘in-between’ moment on a long shooting day. Sahri Nimi enjoying her tea in a café in Ronse, Belgium.
You’ve seen the first image with Julia a couple of weeks ago. The process of selecting and fine-tuning the images often is slow, but in this case, it took me even longer, since I had to finish all evaluations for my evening class students. All is done now, and vacation has officially started. A good moment to show you the first series from this collaboration.
• In bed with Julia •
What I often seek in models, is the ability to give me a natural, relaxed look. Julia is perfectly able to do so. And of course, she is stunningly beautiful! I’ve enjoyed this afternoon in Brussels a lot, and I hope the images give you an idea of the atmosphere and get you in a similar mood.
thanks for passing by, I hope to see you soon again!
Ludwig
I have a huge problem, literally huge …
a have recuperated two prints from a previous exhibit that I can’t store, so they go for sale. Only one of each available.
100×150 cm (approx 50×75″) fine art archival print,
10 cm white edge (within the 100x150cm size)
the back has a mounting pad on top, a weight pad on the bottom, so the print can hang as is, though it has no protection.
to give you an idea of the size of the prints, you can see them here in the exhibit, first shot left and right, second shot left image: (requires Facebook account) https://www.facebook.com/zinkae/videos/402924687154651/?v=402924687154651
if you are interested, or if you want to know about pricing/framing options, please contact me: ludwig-at-ludwigdesmet.com
I have never met her before, except on the internet. She’s all around the internet, google her and you’ll know what I mean: Julia Yaroshenko.
We worked together a couple of weeks ago, I rent an Airbnb in Brussels and we did an afternoon session. A first image as a little preview.
This weekend I’m giving the first two of my workshops, about working with available light in portrait/boudoir/art-nude photography. The above portrait was created in a small bedroom with only one window. Not everything is possible, but a lot can be done with a little creativity and bounced light. If you’re interested, there are still two spots available for next Saturday (01/06), tomorrows workshop is fully booked.
Ludwig
a long time ago I made some studio setup diagrams for this blog, … time to make a new one. First the image, it dates from a while ago, last fall I invited two friends to do some studio work. I rarely use my studio equipment for light, but in winter times it can be handy to have an alternative to available light sometimes.
the image:
I wanted Steven to get some sort of gangster look, cool looking, hood, sunglasses …
I wanted a soft light and deep shadows under the hood, so I went for some sort of symmetrical light setup, using two studio flashes with 60x60cm softboxes, and two large reflector panels to even enlarge the light source.
The setup:
it was only a matter of finding the good ‘depth’ position of the model, to create just enough light on the face, and keep the light only on the front.
another one without the hood:
thanks for watching, come again soon,
Ludwig
wees er snel bij, na moederdag is’t voorbij. … en het rijmt nog ook 🙂
or at least I often think about quitting …
… because when I think about all the costs I have been making – for photography gear, for exhibition prints, for locations, models, make-up artists – then I must realize that it does not generate any money, quite the contrary.
Then I sit down, try gathering all my courage for the next shoot, try to find a good location, a model, a make up artist, find a moment that fits for everybody involved, phone calls, emails, messenger … and then after the shoot I get home, more or less exhausted. But then when scrolling trough hundreds of images from that day, I see that again we could make some beautiful shots and I think, ‘come on, just hang on a little longer, things will turn out ok one day’ …
thanks to Sahri Nimi Modelpage for being my model once again, thanks Isabelle Eeckhout for making her look gorgeous again, thank you Vergucht Franswa for joining us for making a reportage about me during this shoot, and a big thank you to the family that opened their fabulous house for me as if it were my house. And last but not least, thank you to my wife, who has even more patience with me than I have myself, that even pushes me harder than I could do so myself, and that still believes 200% in what I do.
• Bath with a view •
Available in a very limited edition of 7,
sizes 50×50 cm, 75x75cm, 100x100cm.
Epson archival print on fine art cotton-based paper. Price on request.
I think I never posted this image, I don’t know why, but as I am re-gathering all my best shots for another year-book, I stumbled upon it.
• Kamaliza •
shot in an empty warehouse, available light only.
thanks for passing by,
Ludwig