Sony Showcase

Highlight: The rooftop gardens on a sunny spring day. Seeing Everything Everything.

Lowlight: Last minute job so forgot to have lunch and had to make do with sneaking as many olives and peanuts from the bar as possible.

Fill-in: 6 acts, scattered round the venue. I made sure I knew the timetable beforehand (of which there were two variations in case of inclement weather) and checked out the lights. The acts were all fairly new (one had been signed that very morning) so restrictions were fairly loose. They were all very different and only did two or three songs so I had to get into their vibe very quickly.

Tech spec: LED blue backlights! The worst. Aperture processes these lights really badly so I have to process in Lightroom which I am not so keen on. Low ceiling also meant backlights shining straight into camera so lots of flare. I tried to shoot when the artist was covering the lights with their head or body.

Bishopsgate Walk

Highlight: Going for a free two hour walk of Underground London

Lowlight: Having to to it backwards and without the recorded guided tour.

Fill-in: Bishopsgate were running a walk (?) of London which consisted of a poet guiding a group of walkers via a recorded piece of poetry on an MP3 player. I did ot get an MP3 player as I was taking photos, so I had the bizarre task of trying to guess where the walkers were going to go, walking backwards in front of them to get the shots and not being able to talk to any of them. Even though I didn't have the headphones on I felt like I had gone deaf.

Tech spec: It was quite liberating to be able to shoot so spontaneously so I took the camera off manual and shot aperture priority. I ran ahead as far as I dared and tried to anticipate backgrounds that would look good for the walkers.

Atlanta Bluff Head Dresses for FAE

Highlight: Working with Atty - an absolute star

Lowlight: Not enough time to plan shoot.

Fill-in: Karen Kay of Fae magazine contacted me needing a cover photo, needing Photoshop and needing it now! In her usual efficient way she duly sent me a beautiful model complete with make up and head-dresses before I'd even had chance to think about what I was going to do with her.

Tech spec: I went for a simple head shot as Atty is a model and actress and perfectly at ease in front of the camera. I used brolly 45 degrees on left side, light diffused with silk 90 degrees right side which spilled out onto the blue background and two led ring lights to light Atty's gorgeous red hair. I then photoshopped layering textures of spiders webs, marble, stars and flies wings and turning the lot green to get  a Summery feel for the Fae Summer Issue. No Photoshop was done to Atty apart from turning her eyes green.