I loved this shoot so much, so here’s a few more images from the same shoot!

After deciding on the equipment I would be happy with, I started saving up/fund raising/etc (thank you SO much to everyone who helped!) and then started buying said equipment. But it was not been the plain sailing I thought it would be…

The main issue was with the background support system. That bloody background support system! Right now I would be happy if I never saw another one again! I have been through three in the last several months.

Background System #1.

As I live in a rented flat, I cannot use a wall mounted system (which I’m used to) and there is also a large issue with space, or the severe lack of it due to the flat being a basement, so both height and width is very limited. I measured up my living room and decided that a 2.7m background roll would be fine as long as I moved the sofa out of the way. So, I ordered a background roll and support system from Calumet. It turned out that rather stupidly, I hadn’t factored in the fact that the legs of the background support stand would take up a lot of extra room, and that 2.7m was going to be much too large. I could have just returned or put the background roll into storage and bought a smaller one, but I also decided that I wanted to see if there was a chain driven background support system available somewhere in the abyss of the internet, as I hated the idea of manually rolling up a paper roll and having the risk of creases and the inevitable avalanche of paper all over the living room floor. So, I did some research…

Background system #2.

…and found a great looking one from Karlu. I sold the Calmuet support on eBay and ordered the new stand, along with a 1.3m background roll from Calumet again. The stand arrived pretty quickly, and I set it up immediately. And it wasn’t long until I was disappointed. On the Karlu website, they had specified that the support system’s minimum width was 1.5m, which was just what I was after. They were incorrect. The system came with four poles, and a minimum of 3 poles were needed to assemble it (both found in practice and in the lengthy instruction manual that came with it) There was also a massive fault with one of the poles being ‘egg’ shaped, rather than perfectly round, so it wouldn’t have slotted together anyway. I was pretty pissed off by this point, as I was so sure that this was The One and that soon I would be able to get shooting from home. No. So after many emails, phone calls, lots of silence and “We’ll get back to you” a courier eventually picked up the stand and I received my refund.

Background System #3.

I was feeling pretty low at this point as I’d really had my heart set on a chain drive, and when I had first looked, Karlu was the only place that had one. I had another look anyway, and I lucked out straight away with Warehouse Express! It must have been a new addition, as it definitely wasn’t on there a month or so before. I was pretty happy, but cautious. After a few emails I found out the definite minimum width and a few other details, and ordered one. Within a few days it was delivered and I once again went through the assembly process, bracing myself for something to be wrong. But it all went absolutely fine! The only thing that bothers me about it, is unlike the one from Karlu, this one doesn’t come with any roll brakes, but I sorted that out with a couple of sponges! I’ll get some proper ones sometime in the future, but Karlu are once again the only place that has some that a) can be put onto a crossbar and b) aren’t extortionate. But I’m rather hesitant to buy from them again, simply because their customer service is pretty awful, and I don’t trust that the product description will be correct. So for now, sponges it is!

But anyway, I now have a fully working background support system that will fit in my tiny flat! Hurrah. I also have a single Elinchrom D-Lite IT 4, as I couldn’t afford a set of two and one came up on eBay that was in fully working order. Plus I do a lot of my shoots with only a single light. I will buy another one in the future, but it’s not a priority right now.

My next mission is to save up for a deposit on a house (still renting, but deposit + first months rent is a bit expensive!) so I will be able to have one room (or ideally garage) for the sole purpose of being a studio. I’m rather excited by the idea of this happening, it’s the getting there that’s the frustrating bit!

But in the meantime I can now shoot from home, which makes me a very happy Catherine. So, if you’re a model/makeup artist/designer who’d like some new images for your portfolio, send me an email at info@catherine-day.com and book a shoot

http://www.chaos-mag.com
Photographer: Rebecca Litchfield
Stylist: Alexis Knox
Model: Shaun Ross @ AMCK
Model: Papis Loveday @ AMCK
Hair & Makeup: Ami Streets
Photographer Assistant: Diana More
Fashion Assisitants: Ailie Robertson & Danielle Webber
Retouching: Catherine Day

Anathema Designs
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“Anathema Designs is a one woman outfit run by trainee architect Siân Rookwood. Siân specialises in recycling broken or unusual objects and materials to create unique items of jewellery. Her work is an attempt to change perceptions about what is beautiful and what isn’t.
Anathema Designs currently has three main collections
Chainmail
Reclaimed
Zip”

Sacré Couer
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“Sacré Coeur Jewellery & Adornments specialises in bespoke, one of a kind and ready to wear designs which draw on neo-Victorian aesthetic, traditional Victorian values, aspects of the Steampunk movement and occasionally incorporating subtle religious imagery into certain pieces.
All of our pieces are hand crafted with love and borderline obsessive attention to detail in our studio in Hertfordshire, England. With the exception of a small selection of simpler designs, the vast majority of our designs are one of a kind owing to the vintage components used to create them. We prefer to use all vintage where possible, right down to the chains & clasps. This includes beads, watch parts, charms and lockets.
Our accessories range from collars and cuffs through to miniature hats with many, many more designs on their way. The miniature hats are 100% handmade. We do not use mass produced hat bases. This means we are able to create custom designs in a range of different colours and will hopefully soon be offering a range of different fabrics as well.”