2025: A look back: August & September

Summer shoot collaborations

Morning, and as we get closer to a new year, my review of an unexpectedly busy 2025 continues. July was a family month so no shoots, but we picked back up in August with 3 trade shoots.

August

We started the month with an unusual request for me, a model wanting to explore some of the darker themes in life. So with her husband we hit a local studio and I did what I could with the environment we were in.

From there to more comfortable territory for me. An ex-model, new mum and budding podcaster came to me looking for a range of images for her possible return to modelling, a confidence boost and some promo images for her upcoming podcast. These were much more within my wheelhouse. It may surprise you to know these were shot in the very same studio as the previous shoot. In just a couple of hours I felt Michelle and I really hit the brief.

August was rounded out with another trade shoot. This time I worked with Lucy, a forensic archaeology graduate who now worked for a police force. She had always modelled but was limited to the levels to which she could now shoot and is limited to not making money from shooting by the terms of her employment.

As a photographer, we can forget that some employers place restrictions on people's outside life. I continually try to work with a collaborator to ensure they're not affected adversely, by what we create.

We went with two very themed looks, not quite cosplay, but bordering it. I have plans to revisit these images with a view to try some compositing and see where we may end up. One for a winter month when it's too cold to shoot!

September

The ninth month of the year saw me hop across the Pennines once more, for my last visit of the year to Libre, in Liverpool. The day before, I'd been helping daughter number two to move into her new digs for a new life at Liverpool Uni studying law.

My muse for the day was Mya Chan, a travelling Japanese model. I can see myself working with her again. Her work ethic was great, she has an impeccable sense of pose and lighting, and she was good fun to create with. My first time shooting tethered, which was also a revelation.

Mya also brought along a selection of original, and in the case of the yellow one, rare Osakan kimonos. These were beautiful pieces of artisan craftsmanship. I hope I did them justice.

Just as the shoot with Mya was my last trip to Libre for the year, the following week, Alice had her last run out across the Peak District to Basford for my long-awaited date to shoot with Ashleigh Rae.