Category Archives: Conceptual

SEPTEMBER MILK WORKSHOP UPDATE:

Hi there,

I would like to let everyone know that the September Milk Workshop is already SOLD OUT but we have a reserve list!

Good news for those who emailed us regarding new dates, we are currently setting some up and will post them when they have been confirmed.
If you like you can always subscribe to our newsletter just by sending us email to: workshops@aurumlight.com

P.S. For the past few weeks we were working on few new conceptual projects so please stay tuned,  we have quite a few exciting on the way!

Cheers
Jaroslav

MILK WORKSHOP – June Edition SUMMARY

Hi there!

We had a great time with a group of creative participants from all over UK and one impressive journey all the way from Norway!

Let’s recap both days:  DAY 1 – The Milk Shoot

First we started with a PowerPoint presentation covering the Milky “Know-How”, tools, Lighting techniques, our approach to the concept work and on top of that we deconstructed to a fine detail and revealed exactly how we created some of our best known liquid illustrations The Milky Nun and  The Silver Angel.

After that Jaroslav did two full Milk demo photoshoots and took everyone from A to Z on how to accomplish your most challenging ideas, work with models and whole team of assistants.

 The Milky Harpist – [Click to enlarge image]

Yes, we have even designed and built a Harp for the workshop!

Milk & Rock’n’Roll !! – [Click to enlarge image]

Everyone moved round in pairs: Photographer (shooting) + Assistant (milk throwing) and it allowed sufficient time for each team to make TWO full milk photoshoots with both our models, gave more time to think about the concept and set up, with Jaroslav assisting both and keeping an eye on details.

Everything seemed to work well with everyone and we accomplished 8 creative and unique Milk concepts

During that time we were using absolutely fantastic multiply light setup by Paul C Buff Inc.  Einstein 640 + Vagabond MINI on the picture below and taking over 900 pictures on one battery charge!

I mentioned in my previous post that the duration of the Einstein is beating everything we worked before and now with a very light new battery pack is portable like never before!
In that setup we can use as many lights as we like with all being controlled right from camera position via CyberCommander and what is essential when working with liquid – no cables on the floor! Very neat!

By the end of the day everyone was absolutely satisfied with how many shots they had and were ready for round two!

DAY 2 – The Posproduction

On the workshop we had professionals and amateurs alike, but we carefully took everyone through rather intense training with no one left behind, checking that we were always on the same page!
After a whole day everyone got to know how we are working on our portraiture shots and together we finalized one of the Milk illustrations!

A little Take-Away:
For everyone we have prepared a little concept book which was used by the participants on Day 1 while preparing the concepts, and a cool DVD with all the photo material which was taken during DAY 1 along with PSD recipe File.

We have set dates for the next MILK WORKSHOPS and we are currently taking pre-bookings only. To receive a Newsletter and be the first to secure the final date please email us at workshops@aurumlight.com

We are setting up Three Editions in Three different months in Three different Countries! incl. London UK on 10-11 September 2011  so please watch that space.

It is a two day Milk Workshop and costs £175  for a day.

The price covers the 2 models, a make-up and hair stylist, 2 assistants, studio and use of supplied flash lighting, Milk and Jaroslav’s training on both days.

You are guided from start to finish, creatively encouraged to enable everyone to accomplish their own ideas.
We also provide a light lunch.

Hope to see you there!

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Here you can find a testimonials from those who attended the London Milk Workshop in June:

(…) Overall the standard of what was being asked of us was high, and this was clear through out, be it on day 1 or day 2.

The quality of the models was superb, the make up was good. The shoot and the content was also to a very high standard. (…) It was a very comprehensive photoshop training day, irrespective of the purpose of creating a milk dress, we covered a lot of ground.

If you were going to classify the course it is an intensive advanced course – particularly as far as photoshop is concerned.
In terms of doing what we set out to do, the course did everything promised and more, I did have enough time to think about other new ideas as we went through on day 1, I’m still digesting day 2!  (…)   [ Gav ]

(…) Firstly, many thanks once more for hosting the workshop last weekend. I’ve never learnt so much from a shoot before and I think I learnt more about Photoshop on Sunday than I’ve picked up in the last 2 years!
(…)
I would say that the whole weekend was fantastic, I wish I could come back every weekend!
I was looking for something that would test the boundaries of what I already know rather than covering the basics and it certainly didn’t disappoint!  [ Carl ]

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Credits:

Last but not Least – I would like to say thank you to all who helped to make this Workshop happen:

To Paul Buff and Nat from Paul C Buff Inc. for providing us with excellent lighting equipment!

To our great models: Ella Darling and Lynna Nielson

To my great AurumLight Team:
Katkinoko for amazing make-up and hair styling .
A special thanks to Ola, Krystian and Andy for their fantastic assistance!

Thanks to Chris from Kingsland Road Studio for providing excellent space where you can accomplish anything you ever wanted.

Carl, Gav, Mats and Simon for Behind the Scenes material.

… and to all our photographer participants!

Thanks for reading and please stay tuned there is more to come!

Jaroslav @ AurumLight Team
www.AurumLight.com

Next edition: Milk Workshop – London 10-11 September email us for details:  workshops@aurumlight.com

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Playing with water: THE SILVER ANGEL !

Hi there!

That is just a Teaser :-]  before our 2-Day ! MILK WORKSHOP in London on 25 and 26 June 2011.

THE SILVER ANGEL       [Click Image to Enlarge]

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A different technique this time – Water Illustration … but if you think that shooting / throwing water is easier than MILK, you might be surprise! :-]

The Water Dress

We had a lot of fun durring the shoot! And I was waiting with that concept for a while. Mainly because pouring the Milk on someone and throwing a Water is a different kind of animal.

I knew that I want a massive wings for the The Silver Angel concept, and that we will be throwing the liquid very fast, very high, and very far.

For the Milk concepts we used several different brands of studio lights – and if you know how to throw the Milk you can get away with avarage flash duration.
But we experienced a few problems with Bowens, Elinchrom, and Alien Bees – and funny enough it was exactly same problem every time. Freezing the fast moving liquid and the “long tail” of light.

I am not going to make a comparison test here or enything close to that – you can easly google those information on T1 and T5 times.

The conclusion was that even if we knew how to find a way around that issue with Milk – we knew that we will not get a way with Water!
So we had to choose something really fast – and literally there is not many options on the market – especially at the price point we were looking for.

We switched to a completely new system and after few tests we went for Paul C. Buff’s – EINSTEINS V2

We did quite a few shoots with them already and I am really impressed – this is a first light when I am working with, I really feel that I am in total control! And I am a “manual” type of guy!
I was working with Rangers  for a while now – and you need to love the build quality – but I didn’t like the cryptic 7 step power scale at all… now all my Elinchrom modifires are equiped with custom Eli > Balcar (Alien Bees/Einstein) speedring ;-]

The Einsteins have absolutely unique control panel and they can go down from 640WS up to 2,5WS with a mind blowing flash duration 1/13,500 of a second (t.1)!  Sweet!
If you are interested – for more details you will need to go to Paul C Buff website, but when I am telling you that this baby is “sharp”, believe me – it is!

[Click Image to Enlarge]


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Thanks for checking!
Jaroslav @ Aurum Light Team

P.S.  We have only three places left for the Milk Workshop!

See you there!

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MILK WORKSHOP in London

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We are so excited to announce a 2-day  MILK  WORKSHOP in London on 25 and 26 June 2011.

This is a unique opportunity if you want to learn, shoot, throw MILK, and compose all that in postproduction!

We still have some places available.  We expect this workshop to fill up quite fast, so if you are interested, please book your place right away!

What we are offerring for the price less than cost of booking a Model:

MILK WORKSHOP:

2 Day Workshop  25-26 June 2011 London
8-10 participants only!

Day1

– 8h of Studio MILK sessions with the Aurum Light Team  9:30am  – 5:30pm

– You will get to work with 2 Experienced Models up to NUDE

For the London Series you will get to work with Stunning Models our MILKY NUN muse ELLA DARLING [click for portfolio]  the second model will be confirmed soon!
– We will share our approach and techniques that produce the most exciting and effective MILKY photographs.
– There is no other  limitations than just your own imagintion, so lets be creative!

Day2

– 8h of Postproduction  9:30am – 5:30pm
– We will share all our Postproduction techniques
– You will get to know not only how to finalize the MILKY Illustrations but we will share our aprouch to the posproduction in general and Beauty portraits.
– You will need to bring your own laptop which must be equipped with Photoshop.

COST: £175

BOOKING INFO:
The workshop will take place during two full days on 25 and 26 June and is limited to 8 participants.

You can book your place by sending us an email to:  workshops@aurumlight.com or call Jaroslav on +44 0759 530 15 36

Deposit Payment accepted via Paypal !

P.S. To those who sent us emails from AUSTRALIA, there is possibility that a  MILK Workshop Series will take place this  Autumn in Sydney. We will keep you posted so please watch that space!

Cheers and hope to see you in London!

Jaroslav
http://www.AurumLight.com

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“LET ME OUT…”

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This time we would like to take you on a short journey through the meanders of the mind of a mentally ill person who is trapped in their own surreal world where even a guardian can appear as an intruder…

Concept and Design: Jaroslav & Katkinoko

 

“LET ME OUT…”

[Click Image to Enlarge]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[…there is one more frame in the series…]

… but that one will only be available as a print at our exhibition later on this year.
So please watch this space!

 

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!
Thank you for all your emails and comments! They are really encouraging!

 

I would like to make one more note on that occasion.
Often when I speak to aspiring photographers I hear: “… oh if I only had a studio to work in…” well, please take a look on the setup shot below:

You will notice that we worked within a very limited floor area, and I am sure that most of you will find that amount of sqm at your place!
Just remember you have 360° to work with your subject it is all about CREATIVITY!

 

 

Cheers
Jaroslav

http://www.AurumLight.com
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THE MILKY NUN !

Hi there!

I am very pleased to post another “MILK” illustration which we accomplished last week here in London.

But this time I wanted to build a bit more complicated form than usual !

” THE  MILKY  NUN ! “

[Click Image to Enlarge]

OK, let’s start from the beginning…

I came up with this idea long time ago but only recently we decided to go ahead.

When you do shoot something like this, the essential element is the concept.  And this time it was The Nun!

I wanted to mix innocence with a hint of devilish flavour!

Usually we are shooting Milk on Black BG but to reinforce innocence I decided to go for White.

Here you can see our reference photos:

The final image is an effort of the whole team which worked hard with me to make the whole process smooth and efficient as possible and I am very fortunate to have very talented and devoted people on board.

Few behind the scene photos taken by Meera,  where you can see Katkinoko doing her magic with Hair and Make-up, Sophie the Wardrobe stylist, my first assistant Magda and Ola, Misha and Michaela!

Last but not least!

Kudos to our fantastic model Ella Darling!

She was absolutely amazing – not everyone can handle 15 litres of cold Milk !

P.S. WORKSHOPS !

I would like to say thank you to all  who are contacting us asking about possible Workshops, advise or just postproduction technics!

I am pleased to say that we are planning to organise a two day Workshop in London later on this year!

If you are interested just drop us a line on info@AurumLight.com with title “Workshops”.  We will send you a Newsletter as soon as we confirm dates!

So please watch this space!

Jaroslav

www.AurumLight.com

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