Oh Knickers! – Don’t get Shirty!
Whilst in the thick of decorating and floor-laying last week, we reopened the studio briefly (pun intended) to do a quick fashion shoot in the name of charity.
Roger (Mr July) of Autoproducts, has been testing out his company’s new printing press by putting all the Cheeky Chappies calendar pictures onto tee shirts to be sold for charity.
The calendar itself raised over £2,700 for North Wales Cancer Services. It is hoped the sale of the printed tee-shirts will push the total to over £3,000.
Law student Charli, of Bodfari, took time out from her studies to model the garments. It was hard to believe she had never modelled before. She was an absolute pleasure to work with.
So if one of the Cheeky Chappies is close to your… erm.. heart, you will soon be able to buy one of these limited edition sets via the Cheeky Chappies web site or at selected outlets in Ruthin.
More pictures on the Cheeky Chappies web site soon.
A True Story
Dring Dring, Dring Dring, Dring Dring… “Hello. Border Frames. John speaking how may I help you.”
Me: “Hello. Chris Birchall here from Sunny North Wales. Just chasing up an order I placed a few days ago.”
Border Frames: “Let me see… Aye, it was dispatched yesterday on the 2-3 day service. If it doesn-ah turrn up tomorrow, it’ll most likely be after the Easter weekend. Hang on, I’ll just go on the City Link Tracking Site and see were it is.”
Me: “Isn’t technology wonderful. I suppose you’re going to tell me it’s in a white van on the middle carriageway of the M6 heading south, as we speak!?”
Border Frames: “Och No. The technology’s good – but it’s not that good. It just says it left the local depot this morning. But och aye – mebee one day we’ll be able to say it’s in a white van just pulling up outside your shop!”
Me: (laughing) “That’ll be the day. Hey thanks anyway. Got to go. Sound’s like I’ve got a customer.”
Hanging up, I go through to the shop… Parked outside is a white van… My bottom jaw remained at floor level as I signed for the parcel – and the hairs on the back of my neck are still standing on end!!
2007 Fuji… Ermm… “Distinctions” Awards
Now, this is not sour grapes – I promise you - and if you think I’m out of order, please, don’t be afraid to tell me. Read the rest of this entry »
Shooting Leather
Nice little job in the studio this afternoon, shooting half a dozen leather jackets for the Blue Moon Leathers website.
I’ve worked with Holly and Christian on a fashion shoot before. Both amateur models, they are incredably easy to work with – better than many professional models! Maybe it helps too, the fact that our main work is shooting portraits, so Jayne and I are quite used to working with non professionals.
Black leather - in fact any dark material – can be really difficult to light. Leather, of course, has to look like.. well, leather.
After carefully balancing the Exposure and shadow sliders in Lightroom, you can bring just the right amount of detail into the darker folds of the garment using the “Fill” slider.
Adobe Lightroom makes post-production an absolute breeze. Read the rest of this entry »
20th Century Toys
I had occasion this week to reflect upon how we used to produce photographs back in the days T-Rex were banging out their hits. In 1977 it was all about groping around in the dark, breathing in noxious fumes, checking timings to the second and temperatures to the degree fahrenheit.
Never mind T-Rex – since the advent of digital photography, Read the rest of this entry »
New Rules for Passport Photos
Tens of thousands of passport photos have been rejected for failing to meet strict new rules which were introduced to combat fraud.
UK Passport Service figures showed that out of 597,863 applications in the first eight weeks of the new rules some 81,927 photos – 13.7% – were rejected. Source BBC Jan 2006
In particular, the “Photo Booth” and DIY photos are most likely to fall foul of the strict regulations. The face has to be the correct size in the picture, not too light or too dark, no teeth showing, no shadow on the face… The list goes on.
Jayne and Chris Birchall’s advice is to have these photographs professionally produced at a studio which adheres to the new guidelines and to do so well in advance of your deadline.
Details of the ID/Passport Photo service at BeautyPhoto.co.uk’s Ruthin studio.
Stop Press!
We can now produce photographs for American, Canadian, Australian, French passports and others.
Cheeky Chappies Charity Calendar
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Twelve of North Wales’ finest working men have bared their souls – and a whole lot more – to raise money for charity.
Motor Mechanic, Electrician, Personal Trainer, Chef, Hairdresser – in all, twelve Cheeky Chappies from all walks of life agreed to pose for this saucy calendar to raise money for the North Wales Cancer Service based at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.
The calendar was shot by Jayne and Chris at their Ruthin studio, and because the printers, Modern Press of Maidstone, agreed to print it for nothing, every penny raised will go to the charity.
National Fujifilm Distinctions Awards
This touching portrait of a father and baby won a Merit Award for Jayne and Chris Birchall in the 2005 UK FUJI DISTINCTIONS AWARDS, announced at the annual “Focus on Imaging” trade event held in the NEC Birmingham.
Jayne and Chris Birchall have twice featured as finalists in the prestigious event.
Having also won several quarterly heats in the Kodak Wedding and Portrait Awards, in 2002 they won the title Kodak Open UK Portrait Photographer of the Year.
