Miranda and Bobbi at York Shore Battery

My regular visits back to Nova Scotia to teach photography workshops have become something of a focus of my figure work this year; most of the models I am currently working with reside in Nova Scotia, so it only makes sense to spend the days on either side of the workshops photographing. Since most of my models are also friends, there is an undeniably social element to working this way but I do try to get in as much figure work as I can.

8"x10" film

Both Bobbi and Miranda were available on the day of my arrival in Halifax, so we arranged to meet up. I had hoped for an overcast day, but with no clouds in the sky, I decided to work at York Redoubt, making use of one of the searchlight emplacements. These small buildings have a number of very engaging architectural elements and have proven to be good locations in the past, but I was a little unsure how the location would work with the two models.

Digital original

The space was perfect to work in; the bright sunlight outside provided more then enough illumination to work by but the inside light was beautifully soft and provided rich description of the space and models without any jarring contrast. While most of the session was spent working inside, several striking images were made in the outer portions; one with two models in the back of the building and a second of Bobbi on the concrete front of the emplacement.

Digital original

With the image of the two models, we had to wait until the sun moved out of the composition; Bobbi was already perched atop of the ladder; the addition of Miranda’s form to the lower left of the image gave it balance. The final image of the session was actually difficult to make, given the loose rocks and dirt that Bobbi had to pose on. Both time and film had run out, so the session came to a natural close.

8"x10" film