Amango collaborates to create incredible sci-fi photographic image

Amango Photography recently teamed up with The White Balance, a Bristol-based creative CGI and post-production studio to produce a truly stunning piece of photographic and creative studio work combined.

It was a fascinating experiment, which highlighted the strong blend of creative, technical and design skills and expertise possessed by both Amango Photography and The White Balance. I asked their Creative Director Leanne Pike a few questions about the value added by working with us – here’s what she very kindly said:

Amango: Why do you think that this image/project is innovative?

Leanne: The image shows innovation between two disciplines collaborating together to create a solution. By using Photography and Computer-Generated Imagery, we were able to achieve a scenario which otherwise would not be possible.

Amango: What were the creative and technical challenges?

Leanne: We experienced difficulty in visualising the glowing neon tubes in daylight – as per the original photography. Using re-touching and matte painting techniques, we added a deeper forest and environment to the image – this helped the focus and composition.

Technically, the project ran smoothly, the communication between the photography stage and CGI development was vital: by the photographer telling us technical information such as camera model, lens types used on shoot, exposure, distance from subject, we could simulate the exact scenario in 3D by matching the image. This ensured accuracy of the added elements – in this case, the pivotal neon tubes.

Amango: Were there any other challenges for you?

Leanne: Sitting the neon tubes into the photography: we were able to achieve this by using elements of the photography to interact with the tubes, such as leaves falling from them, and lower coverage, which helped ‘ground’ the tubes.

It was a great collaboration, and as you can see from the shot included in the blog post, the results were absolutely incredible. It’s great to push visual boundaries.

Is your photographer adding value to your products with innovative thinking?

How to turn a wetsuit into a website marketing tool.

It was a huge compliment recently when a client travelled in excess of 200 miles to come to our studio for a photo shoot. Even more complimentary given the fact that they came to us on a word of mouth recommendation from a current client in the UK.

The Brief on this shoot, however, was a challenge to say the least. We needed to turn unusual products into positive marketing collateral. And for an online medium only.

North-West based firm Northern Diver needed a full range of product shots for their new specialist dry and wetsuits, for promotion on their website.

In effect, we needed to turn their newly-launched suits into powerful marketing tools.

Not easy, given that most dry and wetsuits are black and shooting them well needs stringent and unique studio conditions. We shot the suits on a clean white background to retain the sharp look of the products. To maintain continuity throughout, we worked with the existing shots on the Northern Diver website

Bearing in mind the fact that Northern Diver has a prominent reputation as one of the world's elite wet and drysuit manufacturers, and diving equipment manufacturers.

They are now established as the most innovative, competitive and reliable names around – thus, our photographic website work was of paramount importance for their overall marketing mix, given that the company utilises its online shopping facility heavily. Given that they have no retail outlets, the website is hugely important.

Northern Diver were reassured by the following additional promises to clients:
• Images are delivered processed and ready to go
• Clients are involved in the art direction process
• Years of industry experience

We were able to add value and highlight the suits in the client’s required medium – online. Our photo shoot helped to turn these static products into positive marketing.

Is your photographer adding this kind of value to your products?

Not all photographers are cut from the same Cloth - new fashion magazine shoot

Cloth magazine is a recent addition to the newsstands, and it has been an absolute pleasure to be involved, and help develop an idea from the beginning – this is the second shoot Amango has completed for the editorial team at Cloth Magazine.

Cloth is unusual, in that the editorial focus is on vintage and customising; breathing new life into once loved clothes. Green, it would appear, is the new black!

The last shoot for Cloth was all about lace and stencils, lace collars and customised denim, straight from the catwalk of Dolce & Gabbana.

The first part of the shoot was in the studio, shooting the new pieces, including:
• ruff collar t-shirts
• lace-fringed clutch bag
• lace collar jacket

The second part of the shoot was on location with street art, covering:
• stencil art silhouette on a skirt
• ideas from the high street, with a ribbon bow cardigan

It was great to be working with Harriet de Winton and Ros Marshall again on the editorial team.

Their background is within theatre and television drama as costume designer and wardrobe mistress, so we were in good hands. We were fortunate enough to have Debbie the make-up artist from the set of Bristol-based hit drama series Skins, on hand to style hair and groom the models.

All together, a fantastic shoot, and once more proving that when it comes to Amango, not all fashion photographers are cut from the same Cloth! We will be working with the Cloth editorial team soon, having found a superb location for their next shoot in a fortnight.

Watch this space for the results – it promises to be a visual extravaganza.

Introduction to modelling course – but you’ve got to be quick!

I recently became involved with The International Academy of Modelling (IAM), the brainchild of Clare Wilson from Gingersnap Models. Clare, essentially, teaches aspiring models how to succeed in the fashion industry. No mean feat, given the competition levels.

The course comprehensively covers all elements of modelling - from catwalk skills to photographic shoots, hair and make-up, to acting for camera in television commercials.

Last month was a free taster day, which gave a good insight into the structure of the course, and it was a pleasure to be involved and help out.

The taster day included a short photo shoot with me, where the students learnt posing techniques with guidance from me behind the camera, and Clare giving encouraging instructions from the side.

The models were discovering essential behind-the-scenes knowledge, as well as out front and camera-ready tips. It was also a great confidence-builder for them.

Students were given the opportunity to build up their portfolios, as well as gaining confidence in front of and around the camera. All essential starting points.

But if you want to get involved, you’ve got to be quick! The next course starts Tuesday 20^th April at Filton College in Bristol. Click here for the website

Amango gains prestigious RPS inclusion for Exhibition

It’s with great pleasure that we can announce our inclusion for entrants in the upcoming and prestigious Royal Photographic Society’s (RPS) annual and 153rd International Print Exhibition.

The event, which attracts global interest, has received our submissions for consideration this year, and we’re waiting with baited breath for the response.

The annual exhibition is a significant event in the industry, with selected work being toured across the world by the RPS after an initial exhibition in London in July.

The Society has been running the Exhibition event since it set up in 1853, so the pedigree and quality of the entrants will be high.

We’re really pleased to have been given the opportunity to potentially be a part of this, and to hopefully have some of the Amango portfolio to be viewed across the world in various galleries. An excellent showcasing of our work internationally - hopefully.

We’ll keep you posted on how our submission proceeds, and here’s a sample of the photographic work we’re including in this year’s entry. Keep your fingers crossed!

New Client Recce Service

Given that times are tough and resources for most fashion houses, music promoters, and associated businesses such as accessories, hair, jewellery providers and the like are limited, getting the location right for a shoot first time, every time has become an imperative.

Hence the growing influence and importance of the Recce Service.

A Recce, or reconnaissance, is a pre-shooting visit to a location to establish suitability for shooting – including access to facilities, as well as an assessment of potential lighting or sound issues. Recce’s are commonly used in the photography and film industries, and can save clients a considerable amount of time and money.

With the economic situation still bearing down hard upon the fashion and music industries, I thought it would be useful to offer a Recce Service as a stand-alone offering, so that clients may utilise our scouting expertise on a no-obligation basis.

It is usual in the industry for reconnaissance services to be rolled into an overall shoot costing, but I have seen a number of clients gaining real value from having a Recce Service delivered on an ad hoc basis with them, then deciding to go ahead on a full shoot at a later point.

Providing the Recce as a stand-alone also offers added-value for them, and gives potential new clients a feel for the way we work within the fashion and music industries across the UK, North America and Europe.

Our studio has recently completed high-profile shoots with U2 on tour in North America, as well as working with rock legends Slash from Guns N’ Roses and blues guitar supremo Joe Bonamassa on his latest UK Tour. We’ve also delivered specialist fashion work for fashion houses including Boutique Ethique.

If a client needs to find a location for their next shoot, we can take care of it for them. With strong industry contacts and years of knowledge, we’re confident of being able to source the perfect location for a series of fashion or music shots.

The Recce Service involves a quick client chat, taking a Brief, discussing the client requirements, needs, budget and deadline. Then we’ll get to work on time and in budget, providing the client with the perfect location, having scouted on their behalf.

Testing, testing, testing

It’s a little-known fact that good professional photographers do something called testing.

But what is it, and why is it important in your selection of a top-class professional photographer?

It’s an opportunity for a creative photographer to try out an idea, flex their creative muscles, and demonstrate their range of work. It’s also a great time to stretch the talents of a make-up artist, stylist and model.

Testing is collaboration between the photographer and the creative team, and depending on the shoot, it can actually involve quite a few people involved in the creative process.

Here are a few reasons for testing:
• To try out a newly-signed model to a model agency
• You have an idea for a shoot and need to try out a certain look
• A new make-up artist or stylist is in town and they have a particular style
• You want to test-drive a concept before presenting it to the client.

Testing is a like a personal project, where you pull together a team, develop the idea and a brief, and then plan the shoot - which will involve a mood board or style sheet.

The shoot will usually be art-directed by the photographer, with the team contributing ideas to the look of the make-up/hair/clothes style.

Although it is usual for the photographer to produce and direct a shoot, it is undoubtedly the team effort where everyone involved comes away with a stunning piece of work for their portfolio.

This type of work can be incredibly creative and also push the boundaries of a professional photographer without enforced limits of deadline or client briefing.

Working this way gets you noticed, and will sometimes inspire existing clients to book you on the strength of this work as well as your regular photographic jobs.

It’s the creative stuff that people value increasingly these days - this also helps creative, professional photographers to get more interesting work. Why not push your own creative boundaries as a professional photographer and get testing, testing, testing?