Stories End

Stories End

So last week marked the end of my year long project! You can see the entire thing on my website here: www.tomsimmonds.com/skeletonproject or you can see them on tumblr here too.

During the course of the year while setting up the photos I also took some images for a video I wanted to create at the end. A couple of weeks ago I finally sat down to teach myself Premier Pro and make put the stop motion together.

And here is said video!

The music is by the very talented Chris Collins, go check out his stuff at the following places!

www.indiemusicbox.com
www.nonsensesociety.com
www.nonsensethoughts.com

Did you also notice how the title of the film ties in so nicely with it being the end of the year too? All part of the plan... :P

Photography wise this project has really helped me refine my skills and give me something to do even when I didn't have any photoshoots planned (which was the original point of the project)

This year is also kind of what I consider the start of photography for me, a lot of good things have happened and it's almost as though I am a "photographer" if you know what I mean haha, as I cringe while typing that. :D

Here are some pointless stats for me to beat next year, this might be interesting if you're boring like me. :D I managed to get my work published in 1 book and. 8 magazines I was featured on 19 websites and I had over 18 photoshoots. I shot for Brighton Fashion Week, I learnt studio lighting and created my own home studio for a shoot as well as shooting in a commercial studio for the first time. And lastly (I think) I completed my first year long project! :D

Next year one of the things I most want to do is to collaborate with designers and stylists to create more elaborate and bigger shoots for more magazines and such, so if you're reading this and interested in working with me get in touch! 

Portfolio, Behind The Scenes and The Skeleton Project Week 52

Portfolio

After getting a bunch of my photos printed for framing the other week I decided to update my portfolio, not only with new images but a new size too! I decided to get one of the Pampa Spiral Book and if you're looking to get a new portfolio too I highly recommend them, they are really well made and make photos look a bit better too. :P So far it's a little over half filled with images, looking forward to next year and filling up the rest of the pages with new shoots!

I also got a few new posters in the mail the other day too, things look extra nice in frames!

Behind The Scenes

This week Lucie (who was part of the behind the scenes video team on the Z-Mode shoot) released a promo video showing the shoot in progress. You can see it on her Vimeo channel here! Or just watch it below. :P

Credits for the video:
Cinematographers: Lucie, Michael
Editor: Lucie
Assistant: Beak

You can see the blog post for this shoot here.


The Skeleton Project

So here it is! Week 52 and the last photo for this project. I will be going into more detail on the project in my next post but for now enjoy the last photo!

Don't forget you can follow the project here.

Posters And The Skeleton Project Week 51

Posters

So last week I was going to go on about these but they didn't arrive... but they are here now so here goes. :P

As I said last week I am trying to get a lot more of my work off the computer and printed out. Not only because it it good to have some physical backup of my photos it's nice to actually see them! They sit on my website or in a file on my hard drive and I don't really look at them properly myself... probably because that leads to the big headed side, but I quite like the photos I took so they may as well go on my wall haha.

For the test run I got four prints done, the models are Abi Green, Sara Grabek and Stephanie Linda Pause. Here are a few photos of the framing/hanging process. :)

A bunch more are on their way! Next thing to do is print enough to fill my portfolio as A3 is clearly better than A4. :D



The Skeleton Project

Week 51 and the end is near.

Don't forget you can follow the project here.

Printed Things, Website Update And The Skeleton Project Week 50

Printed Things

I haven't shot in AGES so this (and probably the next few if I can't find something to do) is a random filler blog post... enjoy haha. 

I recently had a complete printed portfolio update and it was the first time I had seen my photos printed at that size, I thought I should start getting some even bigger prints done. So this week I ordered 4 12x16 prints to fill the frames I had knocking around from when I thought this would be a good idea last time haha. This time it is a good idea... probably! 

While I wait for them to arrive though something smaller fell through the letter box the other day brimming with prints of a different kind... new business cards! I ordered a whole range of various images to see what ones worked best on the cards, here they are:

Website Update

This week I also gave my website a bit of an update! Nothing much to do with the layout but I have added my latest published shoot 'Dreams of the Sisters' (blog post) as well as my 'Fall' shoot with Stephanie (blog post) and I have updated my Skeleton Project page and Analogue Box page.

www.tomsimmonds.com/dreamsofthesisters
www.tomsimmonds.com/fall
www.tomsimmonds.com/skeletonproject
www.tomsimmonds.com/analoguebox



The Skeleton Project

Week 50... they are eggs.

Don't forget you can follow the project here.

Dreams Of The Sisters, Atlas Magazine And The Skeleton Project Week 49

Dreams of the Sisters and ATLAS Magazine

Back in August I had a wonderful shoot with a fantastic team, you can see the blog post about the shoot here! 

Today this shoot was published in the seconds issue of the wonderful ATLAS Magazine! Here is a link to view the issue! You can find us on pages 138-147! :D

The idea of the shoot was based around two sisters as they begin their journey at their home alone together they look for a chance to bring their dreams and desires into reality, the symbolism for this being the gates of the garden. The forbidden boundary that has sparked their curiosity. 

While left alone they explore this garden and themselves. They start out as the innocent sisters and as the story progresses they mature towards the last phase of the shoot which is portrayed as an opposite to the beginning with a darker feel bringing the story to a close. 

Each stage shows a part of their imagination and dreams escaping into reality, in this case their outfits from the soft feminine fabrics of the beginning looks to the more metallic and goth-like feel towards the end.

(The first image from each look is digital and the second is analogue and the third is digital again)

Here are some links to the wonderful team, be sure to check out their stuff! :)

Models:
Stephanie Linda Pause
Sara Grabek

Make-up/hair:
Angela Amelia

Styling:
Maria Martin-Caro

Designers/Brands:
American Apparel
ASOS
Doctor Martens
Marina Qureshi
Miista
Nikita Karizma
Tamzin Lillywhite
Z-Mode

Photography:
Me!


The Skeleton Project

Week 49! I can't believe how close I am to completing this year long project! I think I might have to carry on as I have a few more ideas left than I do weeks. :P

Here is a little work in progress/behind the scenes type shot, it's surprising how much of a set you can make in such a tiny space!

And here is the final shot. This time the skeleton is sailing off! (One of the people reading this will know where to. :D )

Don't forget you can follow the project here.

Fall With Stephanie And The Skeleton Project Week 48

Fall With Stephanie

A couple of weeks ago I met up with the wonderful Stephanie for a little shoot around the back streets of Kensington. You can see the post from the day here.

The photos are all done now and here are a few of them! :)

Also one of the photos was just accepted on PhotoVogue, you can see it here.

Be sure to like Stephanie's page Facebook here! :)


The Skeleton Project

Week 48! The skeleton has a lonely soul, but at least it's bright!

Don't forget you can follow the project here.

Not A Shoot, Features And The Skeleton Project Week 47

Shoot Prep

Last Sunday was meant to be the day for a big old shoot that has been in the works for quite some time, the weather was perfect and almost too hot for a coat at one point. 

Stephanie came down and we went for a bit of last minute prop shopping (as well as looking at some rather amusing Christmas jumpers) but by the time we had sorted the wardrobe and make-up we were running a bit low on time, and with bad Sunday service we didn't manage to get the shoot done. 

However we got to have a good look round the location and planned the shoot a bit more so all this means is we will end up with better images! :D While we were there we took some test shots and had a go with one of the smoke grenades I bought to see how they looked in photos, Stephanie caught the moment I almost choked to death quite nicely. :P

Because there was no wind that day the resulting cloud just sat in the middle of the park awkwardly doing nothing, as we left it was just floating over someone's house (sorry if you lived there haha).

We ended the day with pizza and will complete the shoot in the near future! Keep your eyes peeled! :D

You can follow Stephanie on Facebook here.


Featured

Also this week I was featured in the fantastic weekly magazine Amateur Photographer! I am in the Editors Choice section of the issue dated 17-11-12, page 40! :D

Models in each photos are:

1: Eleanor Froud
2: Stephnaie Linda Pause
3: Marta Wolniak

Also one of my photos from my Secret Garden shoot (www.tomsimmonds.com/secretgarden) was picked to be included in this weeks Photo Battle episode of Phlearn, you can watch it here or follow this link where you can vote for your favourite image. :)

The Skeleton Project

Week 47! Usually I don't post any being the scenes stuff for the project but with this weeks photo I blocked off half my house and this meant people had to wait around while I was busy taking the photos and thus behind the scenes photos were born! :D

And the actual photo for this week. :P

Don't forget you can follow the project here.

A Day With Stephanie And The Skeleton Project Week 46

A Day With Stephanie

Last Sunday I met up with the beautiful Stephanie for a wonderful photography and pizza related day! We started out by stocking up on wraps and doughnuts and Stephanie got us a giant hot chocolate to keep us going in the cold. We then went to the little cobble stone back streets around Kensington and started shooting! 

This was also the first shoot that I got us use my new lens on, the other week I got myself (AT LAST) an 85mm 1.8, it is so nice to use, I wish I had made the effort to get it sooner!

Here are a couple of previews from the shoot:

After a while it got a bit too cold and dark to continue shooting so we made our way to Somerset House to see the fantastic Tim Walker exhibition. And it was just that - fantastic! 

Seeing his images in person was great and seeing some of his magical props dotted around the exhibit was inspiring to say the least. As well as this there was a little behind the scenes video being looped in a little booth from his shoot with the Monty Python lot, it looked like such a fun shoot! If you manage to get to London to see the exhibition before it closes I recommend watching that! 

We weren't allowed to take photos but here are some we took anyway. :P 

I thought my skeleton was cool haha. I need an upgrade! :D

After all that we recovered from the cold with pizza and a wander around Convent Garden, a wonderful end to an amazing day! :D

Be sure to follow Stephanie on twitter and check out her facebook page and tumblr! 

The Skeleton Project

Week 46! It's a doll head!

Don't forget you can follow the project here.