Portrait shoot 5

With this image I wanted to capture more of the surroundings to assist 'tell the story'. So, I shot this just on dusk using portable lights, one to light a section of the pool and one highlighting Chloe.
Like many children, growing up, I had my favourite stuffed animals (mine was a horse and a fish). Chloe's Aunty Jenny won this fish at a side show - and yes its seams were bursting apart dropping little foam balls everywhere. Now I hate them, as they just seem split apart or take up room. Elements included in this image are all recollections of my childhood (from the sideshow alley to the swimming pool).

In exploring the difference between studio and location portraiture - props are an interesting concept. I feel (if not done correctly) using props can be very 'tacky'. However adding props to location portraiture can add another unexpected dimension, that is another reason why I wanted to use this stuffed fish.

Her is another shoot I did around the pool concept. This image represents my relationship with water - I have a fear of water, as when I was around this age, I nearly drowned in the botanical gardens duck pond in Sydney. My Grandfather saw me just as my finger tips were dissapearing under the water. For this shot, I used one of my studio lights and the portable lighting kit.