Trying out something new can be a bit nerve-wracking. With my usual studio closed, I had to venture into unfamiliar territory. My destination? Mons Studio Warehouse, a discovery made through TagVenue.com.
Mons Studio Warehouse is located only a stone's throw from Hackney Wick Station or a mere thirty-second sprint away if you're feeling adventurous. True to form, I arrived ridiculously early, there were no chairs past the barrier I so eagerly crossed so I had to stand for a solid half-hour before the arrival of the day's model, Allegra Whispers. Despite having captured numerous 'cab-a-ret' shows at Leakys and the Glitch in recent years, Allegra and I had never crossed paths for a shoot until now.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by the owner, Quina Mons, who gave us a tour of the studio and briefed us on the available lighting setups. The space itself is bright and divided into two levels. The ground floor offers ample room for a full-length Colorama backdrop, complemented by high-quality hardwood flooring. Additionally, there's a well-equipped kitchen, a study area where I set up my tripod and laptop, a comfortable couch for guests, and a makeup mirror with a desk. Upstairs, we found a bathroom, changing area, bedroom, and plenty of natural light filtering in through a ceiling window.
For the shoot, I relied on my Sony α7rIV with its sizable sensor. This feature enables me to crop in while preserving significant detail, allowing for diverse compositions without compromising image quality.
To start off, we began with some floor-based poses, serving as a warm-up routine. Despite the rainy weather outside, the studio's cozy atmosphere kept us comfortable throughout. As we progressed, we incorporated various props into the shoot, including a stool borrowed from the kitchen for the subsequent shots.
As evident from these two comparisons, the exceptional lighting conditions in place minimized the need for extensive editing to attain the final image. A simple touch of skin smoothing, introduction of a new background, and application of my preferred color LUT, 'Space Field,' sufficed. I found this editing style so appealing that I adopted it for all subsequent edits.
In the studio, there was a chair adorned with a zebra print, and we decided to capture a few shots using it as a prop. It's always a good idea to make the most of the props available to you!
The original shot was a portrait with minimal space at the top. To enhance the composition, I utilized Photoshop to crop the top and widen the sides, followed by adding a new background, as per my usual process.
To cater to those who favor tigers, we adorned the chair with a tiger rug alongside the zebra print. In a nod to the majestic tiger, I recoloured Allegra's top orange in the subsequent photo. We tried a number of shots on the sofa next. A typical boudoir-type shot!
As the session ended out time at the studio was a delightful blend of creativity and comfort. From experimenting with different props to playing with lighting. Four hours was more than enough and there is more than enough to have two, maybe three models next time.
You can find Allegra on her socials at https://www.instagram.com/allegrawhispers/ and at https://linktr.ee/TheABCCollective
You can find Quina and hire the studio at https://www.tagvenue.com/rooms/london/31497/mons-studio-warehouse/photography-and-film-studio and https://www.instagram.com/quinamons_studio