Check out this cool film created by Matt Holt at MGL Media of me behind the scenes at a test shoot in Leicester Autumn 2012.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/iDUmVqIJzKA]

A test shoot is an opportunity to collaborate and experiment with various ideas as part of a creative team. I was responsible for the styling, hair and make-up.

In the second part of the film the model wore a 1920’s vintage long black dress from Retrospect in Market Harborough,  however the resulting images were reminiscent of the 1960’s. I wanted to create a contrast with a woman with a big strong dog.  The challenge was to use one of my dogs in the shoot, working with animals is never easy, but Hurley my staffie pulled it off really well! He was keen to chase the birds and at times Samantha (model) struggled to hold him!.   The David Bowie promotional photograph for Diamond Dogs was one of my inspirations.

The model has amazing hair, so we played with some shots with hair up and down. I’ve got an obsessions with plaits so I created a messy upside down french braid. Make-up was all about the eyes, strong, deep and sexy….

One of the images from the shoot was given Editors Choice Award out of thousands of submitted images – check it out here 

It was a great day and I love working as part of a creative team, we learnt lots for next time.

Hope you like it and as always would love to hear your feedback.

Photographer: Matt Edwards
Hair, Make-up and Styling: Donna Grant
Model: Samantha Allison and Hurley Grant the Staffie
Camera and Editor: Matt Holt MGLMedia