area of the ship – Nelson's cabin Admiral’s staff, which I am pleased ing at the capstan and asked his appeared in his car as we packed
had beautiful soft existing light to say all were very happy with. aide to check that his uniform was up the equipment.
ideal for my own style of portrai- perfectly positioned. It was soon I was impressed from the start
ture. Day 2 realised that the capstan was very just how much Bill had planned
What really impressed me about slightly too high and Bill felt the the shoot from thousands of miles
Bill was his preparation for the An early start was required for the Admiral didn’t look comfortable. away. He had a clear concise im-
shoot. He had never visited the portrait with the intention of using This was rectified with a wedge of aged in mind, and paid attention
Victory but already had a plan in first light, however it was a very wood and a socket set! Standing to detail that is often overlooked
his head about what he wanted flat foggy morning. Meeting Bill at the Admiral a few inches higher, in location or lifestyle portraiture.
to achieve. With the bow of the HMS Victory we quickly set up for his shoulders looking more relaxed. The combining of a background
Victory temporarily unavailable, Bill the portrait by the capstan at the We took a few more light readings, taken from a unusual perspective
opted for the stern. A small cherry- stern of the ship almost directly fine-tuning the position of the can make for a unique portrait and
picker from the HMS Ark Royal had below the position the background Lumedyne head and Bill started is something I will be trying. The
been arranged giving Bill vertical hand been taken from. Bill’s taking the portraits. Bill was very portability and control offered by
lift for the perspective he required. Lumedyne pack didn’t want to play, comfortable chatting with his the Lumedyne kit was great; with-
Bill’s attention to detail to choice we were lucky to have the kit or- subject, and as they were talking out it there was simply no contrast
of lens and his own position, ganised from The Flash Centre. One I heard that Sir Mark is the only for facial modelling on such a dull
guided by the cherry picker’s driver, head was placed on a stand with a admiral to have been photographed day. Battery operated portable flash
was painstaking. white umbrella and was triggered twice by Bill and the first to have is a vital asset to anyone working
After getting the background with a PocketWizard II radio slave, been captured on a digital camera. on location.
image we were invited back to the meteed using a Sekonic flashmeter. At this point I suggested using a Bill should be an inspiration to
officers mess for a sandwich with a We had to get a bench for Bill to white reflector as a background us all, he has seen and adapted
pint of real ale. This relaxing time stand on allowing him to get the to make the artwork easier when to the many changes within our
allowed us to quiz Bill about his correct perspective of his subject. making the montage. industry over 60 years and still has
fascinating past. Bill was soon to Soon after setting up the light- Bill asked if I would check the such a passion for photography.
leave for dinner with the Admiral, ing, Sir Mark Stanhope, Admiral histograms on the Fuji S5, and eve- I would like to Thank Bill for the
so avoiding the groups of tourists, of the Fleet, arrived. We had up rything looked good. He thanked opportunity to work with him –
we returned to Nelson’s cabin to an hour to take the portrait Sir Mark for his time and he said and for the signed copy of his book
where I was able to capture some before the admiral had to leave. he was happy with the images. The Location Portraiture.
portraits of Bill himself and the Bill quickly had the Admiral stand- admiral being a very busy man dis- null
11
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