Deep into the Planning
In the first part of this 4 part blog I mentioned that the plan for the 1st week of this 2 week mission was to visit 5 castles, 2 beach locations, an alpine valley in Glencoe, some hydroelectric pipes in Kinlochleven, and visit a stone circle and cairns in Argyll. All of which we were able to accomplish in the given amount of time. Most of these locations were scheduled for photoshoots. But a couple were just great ones to visit.
Along Loch Awe, The Highlands, Scotland, U.K.
As with all of my photoshoots, considerable time was given to the planning of the mission, beginning 6 months earlier. A myriad of factors and considerations needed to be addressed. Such as, which of the estimated 1500 existing castles or ruins would make for the best shoot location? I assembled a list of 230 possibilities to thoroughly evaluate. They were selected based on their location within the country. I started by looking at maps and then satellite imagery of each, which progressed to online searches of those that I found interesting. Some had no online presence or only insufficient published data. Others were too much in ruin, or on private property and inaccessible, and others were in use as a residence/tourist location.
Created in the larder of Castle Carnasserie. This chamber is known today as a pantry and is adjacent
to the the kitchen area on the ground floor.
As the list grew smaller, I was now able to see where in Scotland I would need to travel to avail of the most suitable castle locations. Now, I could consider other, non-castle locations as well. Finally, once the castle list was down to 10 or so, and with several other spectacular locations now on the list of desired places to conduct a shoot, I turned to the ugly reality of it all...time and money.
What possible permutation would allow this to work? I had to consider where the shoot locations were in relation to each other. The distance between each one, travel time, where to camp, where to refuel and restock on food, water, obtain propane. Not to mention the all important emptying of the gray and black waste water tanks from the motor home?
One example of my route planning which had us traveling from the highlands in the north, to the south along the coast of Scotland with a stop along the way to replenish our food supply.
It is normally at about this point when it becomes wise to take a portion of a day to step away from it all to clear my head. Despite my love for the planning process of such a mission, being a Green Beret with over 30 years of service you understand, I know that I should "smell the reality" of the likelihood of having an overly ambitious plan.
Now, as I came up for air as it were, I once again was smacked in the face by the degree of clutter I had created in the house as a result of the planning. The 6 person dining room table and area around it was now covered with maps, areal photos, notes, and possible props and wardrobe for consideration. But let me point out that I did stop well short of taking down our sizable framed art pieces from the walls to make room for a CSI like "murder board". Although I have briefly considered doing so in the past. I must note at this point the supreme tolerance of my incredible wife and muse for all of this.
Of course there was some unwelcomed surprises. Just when it looked like I had it all figured out, I found that two of my planned RON (Remain Over Night) locations could not be used by us in the motor home. I noted on a satellite photo a shadow that turned out to be an elevated barricade to keep campers out of the parking lot. The photos below show what I found, which meant that my plan to shoot and RON at Greenan Castle had to change.
What I found when I zoomed in on the shadow.
I confirmed my suspicion with the ground view seen above. Thank you Google Earth. But also determined that I could park on the street for the day to conduct the two planned shoots here. We were able to RON a workable distance away which, also afforded me a beach shoot location...and Castle Dunure. So win-win!
The photos below are from that day's late afternoon and next morning shoot at Greenan, along with images showing our RON, beach and Dunure Castle's location with some of the images created there.
A cool morning light has been changed here to make a sunset looking creation. Captured on the beach below Greenan Castle, South Ayrshire, Scotland, U.K.
For all you Outlander fans, Dunure Castle was use as the castle on the Silkie's Isle which Jamie and Ian swam to. In the story, a reference was made to this island, a treasure, and the White Lady. This became my inspiration for this photo's title...White Witch.
Dunure Castle, as you can see is not on an island, but instead on the coast. It was filmed from seaward and morphed during post-processing to appear as it did for the TV series.
The necessary change to where we were able to RON for the Greenan Castle shoot resulted in easy access to the beach just a short walk down the hill from the lay-by.
The next two photos were taken upon the high ground (left arrow) about 40 feet above the ocean.
The forth picture was at the water's edge (right arrow).
In Thought by Von Trapp Photography 2019.(From the series: A Nude on the Bluff)
Fine art shoot on the west coast of Scotland near Greenan Castle.
Model: Kat
Sensual Feeling v.1a by Von Trapp Photography 2019.(From the series: A Nude on the Bluff)
Fine art shoot on the west coast of Scotland near Greenan Castle.
Model: Kat
I took a long look at the historical weather data over the prior 3 years and was able to confirm what month and days to shoot. By the 3rd month all the major location and logistic planning was on paper, and now I was addressing smaller details such as the time of sun and moon rise and set. Also, what was the angle and direction of the sun going to be, so that I could start visualizing and planning each shot that I wanted to create. This and more details were looked at.
Now Plan the Shot
Up to this point, my planning had little to do with the images that were made. But once I have the 80% solution of where, when, and how I will make it work, I started my detailed crafting of each and every likely image to be created. (The image below is an example of how I plan my images. This photo, however, is from a 2015 shoot in Venice. But it is representative of the process.)
Planning The Venice Shoot by Von Trapp Photography 2015What Goes Into Planning a Photo Shoot
Fashion/Glamour Photographer Richard von Trapp planning for a 2015 Venice Italy glamour/fashion photo shoot.
Archive photo of me planning two photos from my 2015 Venice shoot. Which you can read about here.
For me, my detailed method of planning works with my temperament. But it also better insures that I will be able to create the greatest number images in the given allotted amount of time. I have had a fellow photographer or two consider this kind of planning stifling to their creative mojo. But it comes natural to me.
Also, when one considers the total monetary cost of conducting a shoot like this, it only makes sense to me to be as efficient as possible. In fact, I calculated the cost to image ratio to see if the project even makes sense to begin with. This is done by estimating the possibility of getting one great capture from each planned set up, and dividing that by the total cost of the project. I define a set-up as one location, wardrobe/prop look, and lighting set up. But do not include the pose or poses that I ask the model to strike, or the ones that she created on her own.
During my film shooting days, I used a planning factor of "2 in 36" to do something similar. In that example, I would assume (hope, really) to get 2 good or better images from a roll of 36. I found it was a very reliable planning factor.
I endeavor to create a "flow" during the shooting as much as possible. Just like an experienced model will flow from one pose to the next, so to do, I wish to flow from one pose to another. From one wardrobe or props, and one lighting setup or location to another. Most of the time I'm able to succeed. To the degree that I do, it was greatly aided by the degree of planning that was done prior.
I knew that an October shoot in the U.K. would possibly offer more potential overcast or cloudy days than not. Which for me is less of a real problem since I almost always have a studio strobe available to augment the natural or available light. Even so, I did take the time to research and consider what the available light could be. Below is a case where this came into play.
The above capture, entitled Bhean bòidhchead v.1 (Lady of Beauty in Scots Gaelic) was taken at 08:25hrs (8:25AM). It was planned for this approximate location soon after sunrise after considering the light data which indicated that at 08:30hrs the sun would be at 5 degrees above the horizon and would be shining from the east south-east from 113 degrees.
timeanddate.com
This information indicated to me that some sunlight would be shining on the beach to the east of the castle, and be visible on the castle and well as a model positioned there...if I was lucky, that is! After all, I was planning for a shoot in the U.K. in October. Sun could be at a premium.
As you see, great planning can be greatly assisted by great luck! We not only had sun, but some great early morning clouds to add to the image. It is better to be well-prepared than not, but...even more so is to have good luck thrown into the equation.
I planned to light the model with a studio strobe and balance its strength to compliment the natural sunlight. Once on location, I chose to set up the strobe at about chest level to highlight the model's wardrobe. It was feathered (not pointed directly at the subject) to try not to add additional light to the ground. Although I was not able to predict well in advance what the wind direction would be. As you see it was perfect, blowing briskly from the left, which allowed me to face the model into the rising sun whilst having the wind blow her shift to the right. A perfect example of the quote, "When it clicks".
Come back to see my next installment which will have more of our work at castle Dunure and the fabulous castle Carnasserie as we make our way towards England.
Thank you to everyone who did their part to make this project possible.
RvT
Model: Kat
Photo Production Assistants: Steve and Mina Smith
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Part 1 of 4.
In mid-October 2019, Von Trapp Photography traveled to the United Kingdom for two weeks of planned shooting to create fine art images on location in the Scottish Highlands and Lake District of England.
Raven Queen v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2019.(From the series: Nude in a Scottish castle)
Beauty and strength is captured in this titillating image of our Queen, taken in a Scottish castle in the highlands.
Model: Kat
During this grand trip, I was grateful to once again work with the U.S. based model Kat, who I worked with in Venice in 2017. She along with Photo Production Assistant Mina Smith accompanied me to Edinburgh, Scotland, with each of us flying from different locations in the states. There we were met by English Photo Production Assistant Steve, who drove up from England to Scotland.
We spent the next week living in a motor home, traveling partway up into the Highlands and then down the west coast of Scotland. The red dots on the map below indicate my planned photoshoot and overnight locations, along with 3 yellow dots which were possible food shopping locations.
2019 U.K. shoot locationsPhotoshoot locations (red dots) for Von Trapp Photography in the Scottish Highlands, and English Lake District.
Von Trapp Photography's planned locations in the Scottish Highlands, and Lake District of England. Here the blue dot shows our location at the end of the first week in Scotland as we made our way to the Lake District in England.
Our shooting and travel schedule was very ambitious, and in the first week it took us to 5 castles, 2 beach locations, high into an alpine valley in the Glencoe area, to some hydroelectric pipes in Kinlochleven, and a stone circle and cairns in Argyll. All of which was in Scotland.
Each day was long as most of them involved an early and chilly morning shoot followed by a several hour drive to the next location for an afternoon shoot. Then to a nearby location where we would spend the night, along the roadside, in a campground or at a picturesque location with a parking area. I was able to plan it so that the aforementioned picturesque locations were also the next morning's shoot location.
Here are some of the captures we created during this first week.
Loch Awe and Kilchurm Castle, The Highlands, Scotland, U.K.
Along Loch Awe, The Highlands, Scotland, U.K.
Fine art nude created after sunrise at Kilchurm Castle, Scottish Highlands, U.K.
Kat makes for a stunning addition to this centuries old castle doorway in the Scottish Highlands.
I planned this day as a hiking/sightseeing day when I guided the group up from the Glencoe Valley and into the "Hidden Valley" where I had visited twice before. It was made famous in the time of the Clans as a place where they took refuge and could hide their cows from the English Army.
Hydro pipes leading down to Kinlochleven
I found this location in 2018 whilst on a 100-mile hike along the famous West Highland Way. They lead down from a reservoir to the town of Kenlochleven. I was pleased to be back only a year later to create this image. I schedule it for the early morning, not only to have the rising sun behind the camera, but also for the model's comfort of having a less likely chance of being seen. In the satellite image below, you can see the trail (Old Military Road) running alongside of the pipes. As well as where I anticipated to park the "Beast" (motor home)
Created along the west coast of Scotland on the beach below Greenan Castle.
Bhean bòidhchead v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2019.(Title: Lady of Beauty in Scots Gaelic).
Our lovely model graces a beach in Scotland below Greenan Castle on a cold October day to create this image. Von Trapp Photography traveled to the Highlands of Scotland and Lake Distric of England for two weeks of shooting which yielded numerous wonderful captures of fine art.
Model/HMU: Kristy. Photo Production Assistants: Steve, Mina Smith
With Greenan Castle behind her and adorned in her period correct shift our model creates a lovely early morning vision.
For the 2nd week we turned in our motor home and were the guests of our local host now in the English Lake District.
During this time we conducted further fine art shoots in a forest, river, Alpine lake, and a glen. Please return to read part 2, 3, and 4 of this grand photo adventure.
Thank you to everyone who did their part to make this project possible.
RvT
Model: Kat
Photo Production Assistants: Steve and Mina Smith
Enchanting Budapest, Beauty, Grace and Glamour Part 2.
After a successful first day shoot with Adrienn Dubay, I prepared for today's session by first moving from my hotel, across from the Matthias Church, to a lovely apartment a short but challenging ¼ mile walk away.
The late November weather had turned colder, which added considerable discomfort to the walk with my 3 bags of photographic equipment, wardrobe, and props. Since I was staying on the high ground west of the Dana River (commonly known as the Danube), just about any change of location involved going downhill. So, after a slog along, what was otherwise, a lovely cobbled-pathway and stairs...lots of stairs, I arrived at the "Glamloft" apartment and was soon met by model Wivy. We then set about using the interesting two story space to create the following images. Model/HMU: Wivy Model Mayhem #3102023
Mysterious Woman-Vivien v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2016Fashion glamour image of model Vivien taken in Budapest.
Outline v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2016.Fashion shoot in Budapest with model Vivi by Von Trapp Photography, Texas fashion/glamour photographer.
Stark Beauty v.2a by Von Trapp Photography 2016The lovely Hungarian model Vivi photographed in Budapest.
Model/HMU: Wivy
Putting My Feet Up v.1a by Von Trapp Photography 2016Sexy Fashion Glamour shoot with Hungarian model Vivi in Budapest.
Point In Profile by Von Trapp Photography 2016.Sexy Hungarian model Vivi posing for our glamour shoot in Budapest.
Model/HMU: Wivi
Some Wine? v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2016Glamour shoot in Budapest with model Wivy. Hair and makeup by model.
Vivien Nude v.2 by Von Trapp Photography 2016Fashion nude of Hungarian model Vivien.
Vivi in Black Lace v.1a by Von Trapp Photography 2016Glamour nude of Vivien created by Von Trapp Photography in Budapest.
Black Lace and a Pop of Red v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2016Hungarian model Vivi strikes a fashion pose on a stairway during our fashion shoot in Budapest.
Caress (Wivy) v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2016Hungarian model Wivy during a fashion-glamour shoot in Budapest.
So, another shoot completed I got ready for my last day. That 3rd and final shoot was planned at yet another location which had me walking back up and then down the high ground upon which the Buda Castle sits. Return to see that final shoot with the fantastic Katey.
Follow this link to see a video of Budapest on You Tube.
Open your mind and heart, travel and know the joy of becoming a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
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After our successful 2015 shoot, Von Trapp Photography planned and scheduled a return to the enchanting city of Venice Italy. As in 2015 we choose to use the Palazzo Ca Zen as our set location and accommodation, this time taking two models and shooting at additional outdoor locations around the city as well as in the palazzo.
Models/HMU: Kat Alexis Model Mayhem #246496 & Classic Kim Model Mayhem #791448
Arousing Reflection v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2017A sexy moment at the kitchen window. Venice fashion shoot at the Palazzo Ca Zen.
As with all of our photo shoots extensive planning was involved. We found two wonderful west coast based models, one in Portland the other in Tacoma who accompanied us to Venice for the week long stay at the palazzo. Once there we shot each model for three days using every room of the palazzo, and at several locations around Venice during both daytime and at night.
This trip was scheduled for mid-March which allowed for a different light and less visitors to the city over what we had in September 2015. But it also required our models to work in the colder nighttime temperatures and sprinkles of rain during the daytime. None the less their professionalism saw them through it all and we created wonderful art.
Tazza di caffè? v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2017Morning coffee with model Classic Kim, a beauty that captures the Italian feel for this fashion image in palazzo Ca Zen. Fashion Glamour photo shoot in Venice.
As I blogged about in our 2015 shoot here I noted that this centuries old palazzo belonged to a noble family, and now has been subdivided into several huge apartments.
The Ladies of Palazzo Ca Zen by Von Trapp Photography 2017Kat and Kim in the main bedroom of Ca Zen prior to their shoot.
The above behind the scenes video of Kim and Kat is created in the grand bedroom with its French-Doored balcony and 2 sets of huge windows overlooking the Rio de Santa Caterina.
This patina rich and stately apartment is located in the Cannaregio neighborhood on the North side of the island. It offers an American photographer numerous, unique and interesting elements not easily found nor accessed in the states.
The crowning jewel is undoubtedly the frescoed living room with its grand windows that overlook a small piazza. The following two images showcase this room and its windows.
When we prepare for a shoot our per-production planning is extensive. Location(s), model(s), styling and wardrobe, and possible poses will be considered in great detail. This preparation will often be started 4 to 6 months prior to a possible shoot date being picked. All in the hope of being the most efficient once on set and to be better prepared to react to possible unexpected events and still "get the shot"!
Follow this link to see an impressive work of video artwork on You Tube.
Open your mind and heart, travel and know the joy of becoming a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
]]>The first time I traveled to Budapest Hungary was almost 21 years ago as a member of the lead elements of the 1st Armor Division enroute to the war-torn Balkins to implement the Dayton Peace Accords. That was mid-December of 1995 while on a military train ladened with our gear, vehicles and troops starting a year long mission in Bosnia. My experience of the city then was only that of a glimpse from the train. This time I had the memorable chance to experience this lovely and elegant city under very different circumstances.
Traveling from San Antonio to Budapest via Munich, I arrivied refreshed and ready to start confirming my planned locations with the scouting of what I selected from map and satellite images. The shoot was planned in great detail over the prior 6 months; now I was finally there and excited to see and shoot in this most enchanting place.
What a gem of a city! Budapest has a charm and elegance that is seen everywhere. The architecture in the city center is superb and the people are lovely.
I chose to stay is three different locations, which would allow me to easily access different parts of Buda, and give me two different indoor shoot locations. The first area was in and around Fisherman's Bastion (Halászbástya), Matthias Church (Mátyás Templom) and Vienna Gate (Bécsi kapu).
I met with my first model Adrienn in front of the Burg Hotel, where I was staying, and we strode off to shoot in the streets.
Adrienn Dubay Model/HMU: #2172368
Our hour and a half together now over, I bid Adrienn goodby as she went off to warm up. It was now time for breakfast and more location scouting.
Return here to see part two featuring Vivian during our glamour/fashion shooing in the lovely Budapest.
Open your mind and heart, travel and know the joy of becoming a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
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Shoot Day #2
In part 1 you visited with us as we photographed our first Playboy model Diana. Here in part 2, which took place the next day, we shot two more models at two different locations. The weather caused our nighttime city lingerie shoot with TerryZ, originally scheduled for two nights prior, to be delayed due to the threat of rain. So our planned activities for day #1 and #3 were combined into this day for one marathon-long shooting day lasting over 16 hours for the crew.
It started with a hotel change from the Old City Center to the Franciscan Garden area. Strolling the 1.5Km to our new location was easy, dispite the nearly 230lbs of photo gear in 5 bags, and made for a very lovely morning tour of the area.
After meeting with the property manger and a trip to a nearby local market for some food and drink to have on set for the crew, we welcomed our hair and make up artist (HMUA) Linda and our first of two models to set.
HMUA: Linda Chudomelová Model Mayhem #2841941
Model: Coxy Dominika Model Mayhem #1932887
Model: TerryZ Model Mayhem #3765368
Homage to Ellen & Elle v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2016Recreating Ellen von Unwerth's image of Elle Macpherson. Model: Dominika Jandlova (Coxy)HMUA: Linda Chudomelová.
BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTO
Terry & Coxy take #1 by Von Trapp Photography 2016We shot this image from two levels starting with this downward looking position. This and the next image has not been processed fully and are "out of camera" captures. Note the highly polished and artistic styling to the prior final image.
Terry & Coxy take #2 by Von Trapp Photography 2016After trying this high angel position, we shot it from about the model's eye level which became the final image capture decided upon seen above.
The Conclave by Von Trapp Photography 2016Prague Fashion/Glamour ShootReviewing an image capture with HMUA Linda, models TerryZ and Coxy at the Franciscan Garden Apartments, Prague Czech Republic.
Your Drink Mademoiselle by Von Trapp Photography 2016.Fashion Photo in PragueTerryZ is tended to by Coxy in this Prague fashion shoot image.
HMUA: Linda Chudomelová.
Open your mind and heart, travel and know the joy of becoming a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
We traveled to Venice Italy to a palazzo located in the eastern part of the Cannaregio district. This palazzo, now subdivided into several grand apartments, was once the nobel palace of the Gradenigo family which produced several leaders of Venice known as the Doge.
In this last installment to our series about shooting fashion and glamour in Venice, you will see many of the final images from our 4 days of living and working in one of the world's most incredible cities.
To see more about our incredible time there see the following links to my other blogs about our travel from San Antonio Texas to the iconicity romantic city of Venice.
Venice Ally by Von Trapp Photogrphy 2015Fashion Image taken in Venice Italy.
Stilettos and Red Silk by Von Trapp Photography 2015Sexy Fashion Nude. This image, taken in the grand living room of the Palazzo Ca Zen in Venice, captures the sensual light that is falling upon our model, her wardrobe, the frescoed walls and mosaic floor.
Nicole Thong Bodysuit by Von Trapp Photography 2015Nicole turns heads in Venice as she models on the allyways of Venice during Von Trapp Photography's fashion shoot.
Intensity v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015Emotive Fashion Glamour
Model Nicole smolders in Agent Provocateur lingerie. This intensely beautiful fashion image was glamorously created at the Palazzo Ca Zeno in northern Venice. This is but one in a series of fashion images created by Von Trapp Photography durning our fashion shoot in this stunning location.
Model: uNicoleorn
Read more about our glamour shoot here. Part #1
Nude In Venice Palazzo v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015Fashion Nude. The dining room of a Venetian palazzo is the setting for this fashion nude. Our model is holding a handmade Venetian mask called a Colombina which covers only half of the face, and in this version is attached to a wooden baton.
Nicole At The Door by Von Trapp Photography 2015Fashion shoot at the Palazzo Ca Zen in Venice Italy. This Palazzo is the once nobel palace of one of Venice's leading families which produced several heads of state of the republic known as the Doge.
Sexy Back by Von Trapp Photography 2015Sexy fashion shot taken in Venice near the Palazzo Zen.
Living and Shooting in Splendor.
San Antonio fashion-glamour photographer on location in Italy Part 2.
Fashion Shoot in Venice...A Dream Location Part 3.
Follow this link to see a YouTube video of this lovely city.
Follow this link to see our return visit in 2017 to shoot in Venice.
Open your mind and heart, travel and become a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
]]> In Part 1 we took you to the grounds of the Schleissheim Palace outside of München where we shot some lingerie fashion images. We traveled there from Venice after shooting at the Palazzo Ca Zen on in Italy where we photographed Nicole in the Palazzo Ca Zen. This is one of those images taken in Venice just days before. (Image below)
Fashion Completes Me by Von Trapp Photography 2015Fashion Editorial Nude. The dining room fireplace in the Palazzo Ca Zen with its grand gilded mirror is a striking backdrop for this editorial nude of Nicole.
We made our way to the northwest side of Munich, to the grounds of the Lustheim and Scheissheim Palaces, where we created these lingerie-glamour fashion images and the ones seen in Part 1.
Von Trapp Photography is a couture, glamour, boudoir and fashion photo artistry service. We create fashion inspired images that are beautiful, dramatic, emotive works of art.
Love life enough to be adventurous, love your country enough to travel, grow and become a better person. Open your mind and heart, travel and know the joy of becoming a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
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Our most recent location shoot took Von Trapp Photography to the fabulous European city of Prague in the Czech Republic. Prague is an absolutely lovely city with stunning architecture and has a vibrantly young feeling.
This trip started, as every location shoot does, with considerable pre-production planning and coordination. We found 5 perfect models and a wonderful hair and makeup artist (HMUA), each talented and as we found out, fabulous to work with.
Location scouting started in advance with online resources to include satellite imagery to find possible outdoor spots to shoot, which were later confirmed once we were on the ground in Prague. We also booked a very popular 4th floor apartment next to the Franciscan Gardens which had an all glass, 180 degree view of the city.
Shoot Day #1
The plan for this day, which was to be the second day of shooting, was to start with Diana (a published Playboy model) doing a daytime fashion shoot in the castle district in clothing and lingerie. I met her at a nearby streetcar stop just 150 meters away from our first selected location (the stairs seen below). After going over the shoot and our inspiration boards with her, Diana changed into this first outfit using a robe she brought for this very reason.
The temperature was in the low 70's, nice in the sun but cool (Certainly for us coming from the mid 90's of a Texas May) in the shade. None the less this Czech beauty was undaunted moving from pose to pose and location to location; effortlessly changing from one outfit to the next, dresses to lingerie.
In the above pose, Diana makes it seem effortless as she perches upon a rough brick wall in a minidress and 4 inch Mary Jane pumps. Regardless if you are a seasoned pro, or the first time amateur to modeling, believe me it is a true workout! In Italian, Sprezzatura refers to the "art that conceals". It refers to the effort made to make something appear--effortless! She certainly did just that for every pose.
Diana at the Wall by Von Trapp Photography 2016The beautiful Diana poses at the entrance to a child's playground (sign in Czech "Playground")
Diana Standing in the Doorway by Von Trapp Photography 2016Prague Fashion Shoot.
This lovely location in the doorway of a stone and masonry wall was found in the Castle District of Prague. The sunlight was used to rim light Diana whilst the main light was provided by a Profoto D1 Strobe with battery pack. Diana's great edgy hair inspired me to style this image to have an overall sharpness to which I gave this color styling during post processing.
We moved from the above location to the cobbled back streets in a neighboring area to shoot some glamorously sexy lingerie photos.
Diana Cobbeled Street by Von Trapp Photography 2016Diana disrupts traffic with a sexy glamour pose.
Although we did not make a "big footprint" durning this shoot, we did have some obvious equipment on site in the form of Profoto D1 studio strobes and a 24lb. battery with the power cables. For this shoot I chose not to use any light modifiers on the strobes, like a beauty dish, but instead just went "bare bulb" for overall ease durning the shoot.
Diana Red Facade by Von Trapp Photography 2016Diana strikes a lovely pose on a Prague street. I just love shooting in Europe! The gorgeous curves of the architecture paired with that of the lines of a woman's body...so perfect.
Leggy Doorway by Von Trapp Photography 2016The lovely and leggy Diana graces a doorway along a Prague street.
Diana by Von Trapp Photography 2016Playboy model Diana smolders in her ivory lingerie on a Prague street.
During our two hours together we created striking images at 6 locations amoung the stone facades and cobbled streets. Working with Diana Jelinkova , aka. Diane DeeDee, was such a perfect start to our day's shooting in Prague.
Come back for Part 2 to meet our incredible makeup artist and our next two lovely models during our Five Fabulous Days in Prague, Part 2.
Take a moment to view this well done video of this lovely city on Youtube.
]]> Glamour is best described as anything that possesses beauty, grace, mystery and has transcendence. I use this very elegant definition to inspire and guide me in the creation of my photographic art. It can certainly also be applied to a variety of subjects and is not just limited to the imagery of women. However, I am primarily a woman's photo artist, so that is the vast majority of what I create.
Lady in a Stream by Von Trapp Photography 2014 | Texas Glamour-BoudoirFine Art Glamour image using studio strobes to create the unique lighting of this scene. Its transcndent nature is atributited to the quality of light, and by the highlights and shadows; their creation made at the time of the capture, and in post-process.
Lady In A Stream Fine art project to create a unique look to a well known location below the Canyon Lake Dam on the Guadalupe River.
The transcendent quality of the above capture is attributed to the light seen in the photo. The mid-afternoon light is being augmented by 3 powerful studio strobes, which were carefully placed to create a precise look. Then in post-production meticulous steps were taken to "paint" in each and every shadow and highlight seen in the final image.
Professional photo artists shoot in a format called RAW. A pro grade camera with high quality "glass" (the lens) will record everything in the image that can be "captured" but the capture will need to be "developed". This image will not even be able to be viewed without custom software to process the data that was recorded, and then make it viewable to the photographer on the camera's LCD screen on the back. But this is only a low resolution image for viewing at that moment. If the camera is not set or able to record anything other than JPEG, the captured image will be from the start of a lower quality compared to one in the RAW format. This form of capture (RAW) insures the very highest quality of data recording at the time of exposure.
Now that the image has been artfully planned and crafted on set, and captured to the camera's memory, it is time to continue the magic of the photo artist "developing" the image. The RAW image will now be viewed on a high grade large screen monitor that is frequently color calibrated with special soft and hardware to insure stunning results in the final print. Again, special software is used to be able to see the photo for further artistic work.
In contrast - a snapshot that is taken in the normal JPEG format can be a good looking image. But it can never match the brilliance, sharpness and quality of an artfully processed and styled creation made from a RAW capture.
The RAW image at this point looks drab and somewhat boring. It is not ready for printing or viewing as a finished photo; it must be creatively developed into its potential beauty.
Intensity (RAW "Out of Camera" image) by Von Trapp Photography
This is a RAW image file. Note the dull look to the image, this is normal for a RAW file. It is unedited, not retouched, and not corrected in any way. Nor has its look, coloring, or mood been styled in any way. It is, by most standards, a very good image as it is, professionally well crafted and lit to make the beginning of an outstanding image. The original size of this file is a whopping 52.3 MB, which was made possible by the top of the line Canon EOS 5DS.
Now aided by a graphic pen tablet, such as a Wacom, the image is skillfully and ever painstakingly made. The artist will use a pen-like device called a surface pen, to literarily "paint with light" as he manipulates the RAW image's data to show, or not, varying degrees of light, dark, highlights, shadows, contrast, color and so very much more.
Final, fully-edited and styled image from our fashion shoot at the Palazzo Ca Zen in Venice Italy. Canon EOS 5DS with 24-70 f2.8L lens. The size of this file when it was converted from RAW to a Photoshop File for editing was 845.8MB! That's a lot of data to work with to create beauty and glamour.
The great value to having invested in, as of June 2015, the world's largest megapixel SLR camera, is the ability to capture incredibly tack-sharp images that can than be enlarged to here-before unheard of sizes for a full frame 35mm SLR. Even if I am not making billboard size images, having so much data on a file capture allows me to enlarge and crop an image without loss of image quality.
Intensity III by Von Trapp PhotographyEmotive Fashion Glamour.
This intensely beautiful fashion image was glamorously created at the Palazzo Ca Zen in northern Venice. This is but one in a series of fashion images created by Von Trapp Photography durning our fashion shoot in this stunning location.
Lady In A Stream (RAW "Out of Camera" image)Here you see my RAW capture of what went on to be a stunning art piece.
The RAW capture of the above image. Note the orange power cord entering the water at left, and exiting on the right where it goes to a Profoto D1, 1000w strobe mounted on a light stand with a beauty dish (upper left corner of photo). The light stand has been weighted down with sandbags, and the power cord had been prepared/protected for its immersion into the river. Again note the dull look to the unedited image. Canon EOS 5D MkII with 24-70 f2.8L lens.
To create just one image that I will provide to a client or use in my portfolio, I will spend more than three hours crafting it. This is after the three or more hours that it took to download, catalog, cull, rate, select, and do initial editing that includes cropping, basic exposure and other early steps; just to get to the point of selecting the very best captures for the final artistic rendition.
The price of your investment constitutes this time and effort plus the education, training, experience, equipment, and talent of the artist when you commission a project or purchase a photograph. What you are really investing in is a work of art, crafted with precision and passion.
By choosing Von Trapp Photography, you will be teaming up with a photographer who seeks to find the glamour in the people, places, and objects that surround us. Investing in a quality piece of fine art that has you as the subject will give you immeasurable joy and satisfaction. Call us today and start your journey.
]]> On a recent trip to Germany, I created some fashion and lingerie-glamour images at the Schleissheim Palace in Northwest München in the state of Bayern (Bavaria). We traveled to the village of Lustheim and our hotel Zum Kurfürst, which is only meters away from the NE gate to the grounds.
The grounds are the site for three palaces, the Old and New Schleissheim Palace and the Lustheim Palace. Like most former royal residences in Germany, the grounds are open and free to the public to enjoy. Always serene locations and perfect for a stroll, quiet read, or jog, they are also favorite locations for photographs and photographers. On this day, a bride and groom were having their formal pictures taken on the steps of the Schloß (palace) at the other end of the gardens.
We shot these images at the Northeast side of the expansive garden near the Pavilion, which was once a grand horse stable in its day. You can see this location on the map below on the upper right and marked as Pavilion, with the building being depicted as a red colored rectangle. And the bridge Monique is posed upon is on the map as well, and can be found under the letter "u" in the word "Beautiful Stable".
This capture above is the primer image for my series "Cum See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat", which continues in future shoots with other models and at different locations.
In the gardens of Schloß Schleißheim
For these captures, I used der Pavillon der Schlossanlage (the palace complex pavilion) as an element for the background. It once was the stables on the grounds of Schloß Schleißheim
.
I always love to shoot on location in Europe, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The stately and glamorous architecture has such a draw for me and provides an incredible degree of inspiration, and I go back as often as possible.
A major part of my photograph style is shooting on location and using studio strobe(s) and light shaping tools. I choose the challenges that come with using a location over a studio so that I may capture the textures, light and feel of a location; while using studio strobe(s) to further shape or create light that has a special quality about it. When shooting overseas, this will always mean lots of luggage. Which will also contain props and wardrobe for the model(s).
On occasion, I will use the lingerie, shoes or clothing that a model might have. But since I plan each shot months in advance, I prefer to have the wardrobe on hand so that I can visualize what the image could look like.
Schleissheim PalacePalace Grounds and location for Von Trapp Photography's lingerie shoot.
Exposure Ready v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: "Cum See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat")
Our curvey temptress prepares to give us a look at what she has on under her trench coat. Created in Germany at the Schloß Lustheim (Lustheim Palace) near München (Munich).
Model: Monique
Dark Exposure v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: "Cum See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat")
Our curvey temptress allures us with a look at what she has on under her trench coat. Created in Germany at the Schloß Lustheim (Lustheim Palace) near München (Munich).
Model: Monique
All of the above images were taken at or near the pavilion or the nearby bridge that spans the canal. The next two captures, however, are on the west facing terrace of the Palace Lustheim (see map above). Despite being taken near sunset, you can see the Schleissheim Palace in the distance of the second image beyond Monique.
Finally, Monique wants you to see just what she is wearing under her coat. She trusts that you will enthusiastically approve. "Are you you ready for a peek?"
Ready For a Peek? v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: "Cum See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat")
Monique strikes a pose in preparation to show us just what she's wearing under her coat. Sexy photoshoot in Germany on the grounds of Schloss Schleißheim near München.
Model: Monique
A Flash Of Beauty by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: "Cum See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat")
Our dark beauty answers the question of what is she wearing under her coat by offering us this tantalizing glimpse. Made even more delightful because she has left her knickers off! Instead, showing off her garter belt and off black stockings.
Model: Monique
Click here to read part 2 from this shoot in Germany.
In the spring of 2016 we will travel to Prague to work with some of the Czech Republic's wonderful models. Follow us here to see what we create in this fantastic city.
Von Trapp Fashion Glamour Boudoir Photography.Von Trapp Photography is a couture photo-artisty service creating evocative fashion magazine inspired beauty and glamour images.
Love life enough to be adventurous, love your country enough to travel, grow and become a better person.
Open your mind and heart, travel and know the joy of becoming a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
Who would not consider a chance to model and shoot in Venice as a extraordinary opportunity? Add to that having a grand apartment in a Palazzo as your set location and you have a dream come true. This was my dream for some time, and in September 2015 it came to pass. The marble, stone and frescos that adorned the rooms with their fine Venetian chandeliers and stately furniture created a elegant setting for a fashion photo shoot.
Amongst the Frescos is the title of this fashion image. Aptly named since every wall of this living room, with its 16 foot tall celling, was adorned with the incredible art.
Photo artist and model setting up for the shot.
Woman At The Palazzo Window Here Nicole is captured in a beautiful light that is created by the open shade of the courtyard. She is photographed from an adjacent window across the way from another room of the apartment.
A Best Foot Forward This fashion nude is of our model wearing champagne colored strappy heels and was shot in the living-dinning room doorway of the Palazzo.
Von Trapp Photography and crew traveled to Europe from Texas with all of our camera and studio lighting equipment, wardrobe, props and Las Vegas based model uNicoleorn.
Read more about the planning for this shoot and our first day (Part 1), and see more of the images created at this dream location (Part 2). And return here for the final blog segment (Part 4) and images from our Venice adventure.
Follow this link to view a lovely video of Venice on You Tube.
Open your mind and heart, travel and become a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
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A location shoot can be both exciting and worrisome for a photographer, especially when the location is seven time zones away from home. Alot of money and people's time are riding on getting the images, and despite all the extensive prior planning and detailed preparation, it can be very hard to shake the worry that you missed something.
As I wrote in my previous blog about this shoot, Living and Shooting in Splendor..., the amount of time spent on preparation for the shoot was the key and we created excellent work. Working with a quality group of people will always help make a project more successful and enjoyable. Here is a look at some of the image captures we were able to create.
Taken on the bedroom balcony.
We arrived at this location by water taxi the evening prior, being dropped off at our door on the canal seen here. Anyone who has visited Venice knows how everything moves around the city by boat or by foot. Choosing to ride in style right to our door was both a glamorous introduction to the city's lights and so much easier considering all of the equipment and wardrobe we had with us.
The alleyways became our set locations.
Nicole Venice Fashion Shoot by Von Trapp Photography.Shot on a canal bridge in Venice Italy.
Striking a pose on a canal bridge.
Nicole in a sexy fashion pose.
Evening sun by Von Trapp Photography 2015The setting sun created a lovely light for this fashion photograph in Venice Italy.
Evening approaches as Nicole poses on the bedroom balcony.
Please have a look at part #1 about the planning and preparation for this shoot and the start of shooting on the first day, and more images in part 3.
]]>Boudoir and Glamour are truly separate genera of photography and although boudoir can be created to have glamour or with a glamorously emotive styling, they are different from each other. I specialize in shooting both glamour and boudoir, bringing a high degree of fashion-magazine inspiration to the look of each.
Classic Boudoir
Fashion-Glamour
Fashion/Lingerie-Glamour
Fashion/Lingerie-Glamour
Implicit Delight v.2 by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Sexy glamour image of the divine Ms. Gianna.
Implied Nude Glamour/Boudoir
Most talented boudoir photographers are natural light shooters. They create lovely and often artful images that have a wonderful connection of the subject to the camera. The natural light used to create their images produces a soft look to the photos that is flattering and attractive.
In contrast to the look of most photographers, my images have a crisp fashion-magazine inspired look. Often they are also created with a cinematic styling that is more dramatic and arty as well. This look can only be achieved through the use of special lighting equipment such as strobes and continuous lighting, often in consort with lighting modifiers such as a beauty dish, umbrella, soft box, and a host of other specialty items.
Fashion-Glamour, Old Hollywood style Glamour
Behind the scenes of a glamour shoot in Las Vegas. The look that was being created for the shoot was in the old hollywood style. Here model Nicole and Make-Up Artist Samiha look at a series of image captures between sets.
The question then at this point is "how do I want to see myself?" But answer this as well - have you considered seeing yourself differently? Most people initially have a difficulty seeing themselves beyond the usual; a different person from that which has been looking back at them from the mirror daily. This quite understandable way of thinking will hold many people back from realizing the possibility of being photographed in a whole new way which is glamorous and transcends their normal.
When you look at fashion magazines, and I know you do...possibly lots of them, you see images that are beautiful and glamorous unlike anything around you or that which is part of your normal daily life. What you are likely to see are perfect examples of my favorite definition of glamour, anything that has beauty, grace, mystery and is transcendent.
To exceed the limits of our ordinary experience is to be transcendent. Having yourself photographed gives you the perfict oppertunity to become part of a work of art, and to be transcendent as well. But first you must realize the difference between a beautiful portrait and what it means to be a transcendent work of art.
Go to Pinterest and search "Glamour Photography" and you will see a verity or examples of fine photography. Some created with soft, flattering, romantic available light, others with edgy available light. While others which were crafter with studio strobe, speed lights or continuous lighting. All are very good examples of fine glamour photography, but they each have their own feeling and message.
Next search "Nautral light portrait" and you will see lovely examples of flatering light. But as you continue to look over the images, note how the quality of light is not different or unusual to what we might see at any given time during our day. They are, infact, what we have come to expect from the natural light of our world, and as such are fimular and comfortable to us.
Now lets search "Glamour Photography femme fatale". Here you will see a distinct difference to the feeling of the photographs created by the lighting, the highly quafted hair and impecable make-up not withstanding. This is the style of glamor-legends, images that are distinctly glamorous. These images have a "magazine" quality about them and are more likley to possess the transcendentance that I speak of.
Finally have a look at one of my favorite artists, Annie Leibovitz who is a master of lighting and with her cinematic style has created countless masterpieces of photographic art for Vouge, Disney, Vantiy Fair and more. She along with other talented and highly skilled artists are known for creating transcendent images that capture our attention and full our imagination.
Boudoir photograph created with the use of studio strobes and a beauty dish. The inspiration for this image was the dramatic styling used in the "Old Hollywood" style of glamour images.
When you search for your glamour or boudoir photographer, consider having yourself photographed in the similar manner that creates some of the most iconicity glamorous images. Select an artist that has the creative skill and ability to make a work of art with you as the subject. Select not just an excellent photographer, but a photo-artist.
We at Von Trapp Photography will connect you to your glamour and create a work of art for you that will thrill for you for a lifetime. Follow me on Facebook.
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When Ms.G was considering what she wanted to give her loving husband for their anniversary, she decided to make it a sexy glamour calendar of thirteen fabulous images for him to look at every day. Her profession keeps her on the road several days a month and this would be a way to be with him in his office everyday.
She stated that she knew what she wanted the look and feel to be like and set off on an extensive search for the right artist to make it a reality for her and her husband. With the help of a very good friend, they came upon Von Trapp Photography and contacted us and we met to discuss her project.
I was taken by her concept and by her personality. We listened to each other's thoughts for almost two hours. I wanted to hear as much detail as possible and to give her ideas about what we could bring to the party in the way of design, concept, technique and artistry. Ms. G. had a chance to see additional examples of our work and to get all of her questions asked and concerns and fears addressed.
At the start of this project in August her anniversary was not for another seven months; however, we would need to get started quickly in order to fully design the shoot, plan the logistics, and capture the images. All would need to occur before the end of September to take advantage of the weather, since some of her desired images included a beach shoot, an outdoor cowgirl theme and a boudoir shoot. We used Pinterest to facilitate the gathering of inspiration and thoroughly collaborated with her to insure our creative vision satisfied hers for this 18x24 inch, 13-page work of art.
One of 13 image created for her glamour calendar that will be a present to her beloved husband. This one has been selected as one of the images to be used for one of the summer months.
Ms. G's project necessitated that she contract us for our commissioned shoot since it was really several different shoots which were needed to create enough variety of images for a calendar. Also, at this price point she benefited by her ability to have a great deal of planning and post-processing included in the price. As of this writing, we have completed all stages of preparation, shooting and post-processing, and have sent the images to print.
Ms. G has expressed her great joy over the results, and has shared the delighted comments of close girlfriends about her experience, and the artistic results of her experience with us at Von Trapp Photography.
Thank you to Ms. G for trusting us at Von Trapp Photography to create her dream calendar and to bring it to fruition, and for allowing us to post this image from her shoot. We really enjoyed working with her and connecting her to her glamour. Contact us today and let us connect you to yours.
]]>We just returned from Europe where Von Trapp Photography spent 4 incredible days and nights shooting and living in the Ca Zeno Palazzo, of Venice Italy. I have visited Venice many times in the 80's and 90's, but even on extended visits I never got the chance to feel like I lived there. A hotel room, even the nicest ones, can only offer to one the experience of Venice as a visitor.
Ca Zeno belongs to the direct descendant of the noble family Gradenigo which produced several leaders of Venice, the Doge, starting with Pietro Gradenigo in the late 13th century. His namesake is the current owner today. The residence is a grand apartment in the building of the once palace, located in the Cannaregio Quarter of Northern Venice.
The crew and I arrived at the Palazzo via water taxi in the early evening. The ride to the residence afforded everyone the chance to view the glamour of the Grand Cannal after sunset, with all its stately facades beautifully illuminated . Upon entering the residence the grandeur of our surroundings struck me deeply, and despite my fatigue after nearly 20 hours of travel I roamed the residence slack-jawed gazing upon the frescos, marble and stone of the various rooms. I then mustered a final surge of energy to unpack the 3 large bags of photo equipment, wardrobe, and props that we brought, and after giving a final briefing to everyone about tomorrow's shoot, I wandered off to my palatial bedroom to pass out.
Corner of the dining room in the noble Venetian palazzo Ca Zen.
The next morning started early near sunrise. I awoke, like in all cities, to the sounds of the streets comming alive with the activity of another day. In this case, of course, the streets were canals, and the sounds were that of boats moving along the waterway below our balconied windows instead of automobiles. As my eyes came into focus I gazed upon the frescoed ceiling some 16 feet above my bed. A hint of the cool blue light of morning peeked in around the shutters of the tall windows and french doors of my room. I heard the sound of a woman's heels upon the stone of the walkway just outside. A man's voice, speaking Italian, echoed through the narrow passage ways of the canals. Then, I detected it! The marvelous aroma of Italian coffee floating upon the gentle breeze being blown down the hall with the aid of some morning wind coming in through an open window of the kitchen.
Production Assistant Pat, always an early riser, was tasked to put together breakfast for what will be a early and long day of shooting. "What a wonderful life" I thought.
The ubiquitous Italian coffee pot. I love mine which has journeyed with me in my rucksack during my Green Beret years when the mission allowed, despite adding to the already 100 pounds of "lightweight gear" of essential kit.
It was a quick colazione (breakfast) and coffee for model Nicole and I prior to setting off for the first two shot setups of the morning. During our time in Venice we had planned to create several different images of fashion, art nude, lingerie glamour and fashion editorial. Sadly for her, she only indulged in a very light amount of food since her first two setups were to be fashion nudes.
We started off shooting at the entranceway and staircase to the apartments. The available light was stunning in many of the shooting locations and this entranceway was no exception.
All the while back at the apartment, wardrobe and props were being organized by the crew for the rest of that day's shooting. Photos here at the entrance completed, we returned to the kitchen for a real breakfast using that time to also do hair and makeup.
The rest of this day, lasting up to sunset was filled with wardrobe, jewelry, hair, and makeup changes, changes of set location throughout the palazzo and outside in the local area. All under the unrelenting pressure of the clock.
Planning The Shoot...Put on another pot of coffee! "Maybe I will have tea this time".
We came to Italy with an ambitious plan which was laid out in painstaking detail back home in Texas over the preceeding months. Concept and mood boards were created, just like we do for all of our client shoots, except this project was larger in its scope and to be completed seven time zones away.
Like any large project that is professionally conducted planning was the key. I thought I was back on an Special Forces "A team" planning an infiltration into some part of the world. In fact we were sort of doing just that.
Photo Artist Richard pulling together details of the shoot, creating a "story board" and shot list to mach up with the written description of each planned image. The next two photos are the result of the left sketch (#1A and 1B) above.
Getting four people to one location in Europe coming from three widely separate locations in the states was the easy part. Despite several airline schedule changes over the months prior, and potential hurricane development from socking in departures from Houston or Ft Lauderdale, that part proved not to be a problem.
What was given great consideration was first the overall concept, theme, feel, mood and look of the desired images to be created. Whatever was decided upon would have to fit the look of our model, the location and time of year, what wardrobe and props could be sourced, the time available and so much more. Even such things as meteorological and astrological variables were researched and considered, both historical and currently forecasted. Sunrise and sunset along with the forecasted positions and angle of the sun at a given time of the day were factored into where we would shoot and when. I used satellite imagery to help me see where the sun would be in the sky, and to help me decide what the light would likely be in a given room or location at a given time of the day.
We had images of most of the rooms of the Palazzo which were of great help in planning each shot. But having never seen it in person many questions and potential problems still loomed. But the largest and most nagging spector to materialize and follow me all the way through this process, right up to the completion of shooting, was that of time! Would I have enough time to complete all of my desired and meticulously planned shots?
As I found inspiration I selected locations for each shot or designed the shot to fit each site. Wardrobe and accessories were sourced and selected, hair and make up were considered. Countless revisions and culling of ideas were conducted as different issues came to light. Finally enough planning was conducted that it was possible to detail each shot, and we created both a written description list and either a sketch or photo inspiration of each image to be created. I had already ruthlessly culled some 15 images from the total in the eleventh hour so that I could proceed to this final step of sketching, which can be seen in the photo above. But I was hard pressed to do so, I loved these 15 ideas! Once I did, however, the proverbial weight was lessened from my mind. My spector still remained, however, now quietly whispering instead of yelling, "time, you will not have enough time".
Mirrored Glamour by Von Trapp Photography 2015Mirrored Glamour, Beauty Reflected.
This capture was made in a grand bedroom of a nobel residence in Venice Italy. The period furniture, 20 foot frescoed celling and French doored balcony, overlooking a canal, created an inspirational location for this evocative lingerie glamour photograph.
As it turned out we did indeed have enough time. The planning and estimating of what it might take for each set-up, shot, location/wardrobe change and resetting of the lighting was satisfyingly close to what it finally turned out to be on set. The dedicated work of my photography assistant and production assistant, along with the endurance of our model to push through a challenging schedule made it all happen. But it started with a dream, a vision and a solid plan.
With day one finished, each of us went on, after a short rest, to go shopping for food at a local market and bring our delicacies back to the apartment for that night and the next day. We decided to "visit" the main tourist side of the city, wandering through the alleyways to St Mark's Square some 20 minutes away. I casually lead the group...making a turn here...stopping at an interesting location there, seeming as if I knew where I was at all times. In fact it was 1999 when I last visited from my military posting in Germany. But it all came back to me despite some moments of frantically trying to recall my previous adventures here, but most in the group were none the wiser.
My sincere appreciation to everyone involved in this project. I hope that you the reader will return to view the results of this undertaking in the weeks to come as I work through the next step in the creative process, that of post processing and artistic styling of the images.
Cheers,
Richard
Follow this link to a romantic video of this most lovely city.
Open your mind and heart, travel and know the joy of becoming a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
]]>Whether I am shooting in a studio, on location in central Texas, or elsewhere in the world, I will always strongly consider using some form of strobe and lighting modifiers. Natural and ambient light are great, often providing a regionally unique look that is found only in that part of the world. (This is a perfect excuse for any photographer or painter to travel.) Anyone who has traveled widely can attest to how different the light is at one given location over another. The warm golden colors of Rome, the intense spring colors of Europe, or vibrant colors of the Caribbean are but a few examples.
The overriding problem with available light, however, is that there is always an uncertainty of what you will have at the time the photograph is taken. Even then, it will be changing from moment to moment. Photographers know well the concept of chasing the light, or may be heard muttering that they are losing the light.
This brings me to artificial light - any source other than the sun, moon and stars. It can be available light such as street lighting, candlelight, city lights, etc. But in its most controllable form, the kind used by movie makers and skilled photographers, it can be counted upon to make the exact kind of light the artist is envisioning. There are two main forms of artificial light used in cinema and photography. They are classified as continuous lighting and strobes (commonly called flash). Two examples of strobes are studio strobe and speed light.
I presently use strobes and speed lights with a variety of devices to change and shape the light. This shaping of the light is accomplished with light modifiers. Light modifiers are any device that is used around, in front of, or on the light source to provide control such as softening, directing, or intensifying the light. When used in consort with accessories that include light stands, colored gels, battery packs and more, they afford the artist immense creative ability to construct and shape the very look of the light.
Lady in Orange v.2a by Von Trapp Fashion Photography 2014.Fashion, lighting, and styling were carefully considered and crafted in the creation of this glamour photograph. This mysterious image was created in San Antonio just as a rain started to fall.
This image was created using two 1000 watt Profoto D1 Air studio strobes. The first strobe is fitted with a beauty dish attached to a boom above the model and to camera left. The second strobe is placed 25 feet away and aimed up along this narrow walkway to illuminate the model's lower body, and highlight her pumps to really pop their great color. The camera is 40 feet away and fitted with a Canon 200mm f2L IS lens on a 5D MkII body with a radio trigger. My lens choice, along with the strobes, allowed me to drop the background out of focus and into darkness, thus keeping the viewer's attention on the subject.
In this edgy image of our client, Austin Author/Publisher J.M. Buckler, the sun was used a rim-light her from behind, while a single 1000w strobe provided the main light.
For our shoot with Samiha in the Las Vegas desert, we once again used the sun to rim-light the model. Two 1000w strobes were this time placed high and to the sides of Samiha.
Joyful Breeze v.3 by Von Trapp Photography 2018.(From the series: Joyful Nymph on the Knoll)
A lovely breeze blows across this knoll and Joy's body in Naarden.
Mode/HMU: Joy Draiki
M.M. #2798173.
Photo assistant Emanuele.
Hosted by local photographer Rob Polder
This capture of Joy used only one 500w strobe as a main light, with the the sun backlighting her lovely hair.
In contrast to the other images this capture of Palmer on Peacock Ally in San Antonio was created on a partly cloudy afternoon with the sun behind the camera. To add additional punch to the light we used a strobe just right of camera.
Here with rain looming and reduced sunlight, the strobe was used to create this punchy and dramatic light.
Using high powered strobes allow the photo-artist to overpower the ambient light such as in the images above. In the very top image a strobe appears to be the only light source when in fact the photo was taken at 9am, albeit on a lightly cloudy day. It could, however, easily be done on a brighter day by increasing the strobe's power of output and adjusting the exposure settings to use the fastest shutter possible. (Note: In such a case a camera that can flash synch at a higher shutter speed than 1:200 is optimal)
Day at the Beach by Von Trapp Photography 2014.Behind the Scenes of a beach glamour shoot in Port Aransas Texas.
The Profoto Air units can also be individually turned on and off, their power increased or decreased or a modeling light activated all from behind the camera with a radio trigger. This creative power, however, comes at a price. Top of the line units with an external power source and accessories as, seen above, will amount to the equivalent of 5 to 6 months of house payments in many parts of the country.
At a considerably lower price point are speed lights, which will give similar control but with much less power when compared to the studio strobes listed above. Being more portable they will be the better choice for some projects and I keept three for such jobs. It is possible to buy the necessary gear, in order to pair two or more speed lights for use in one light modifier, such as a soft box or umbrella, to gain more light output for those sunny locations. You will get more light output by using multiple units in this way, the smaller components will be easier to transport, and there is no need for a large battery pack or AC power as with studio strobes. But three mid-grade speed lights for one soft box with triggers for each will start to approach the cost of one of my studio heads listed above. Thus speed lights do offer great results when used in most situations not needing to overpower the ambient light which can be seen in the following 6 captures.
For the next 5 images I used two speed lights with radio triggers.
I used one speed light and trigger in a 24x24in folding soft box with the front defusing panel removed to create a crisper (harsher) light for a more edgier mood. A second unit fitted only with a colored gel and trigger is placed some 80 feet away at the end of the corridor facing the camera's position. I used a tripod to give me the control needed to make slight adjustments in the camera's position to get the light just above the model's shoulder. A star filter was not used.
Sheer & Blue Lace v.2a by Von Trapp Photography 2013.
A above and following captures were a similar setup as above except we kept the front defusing panel to create a a lovely soft light, and no colored gel was used.
Let Me Get You A Drink v.2a by Von Trapp Photography 2013.
Flick of Red v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2014. | Fashion Glamour Photography
Artistic lighting that is edgy or the dramatic will require two and three strobe/speed light locations, sometime more to develop the look. In order to creatively place your light sources in a number of possible locations away from the camera's position you will also need a triggering system. There are two kinds of cordless triggers, Infra red (IR) and radio. The IR system has the inherent disadvantage of not working well in bright sunlight, and are line of sight only. Presuming your creative juices will on occasion have you shooting in daylight (overpowering the sun) you will not be able to always count on the IR triggering included on many upper tiered speed light units. So you will need a radio trigger for each strobe/speed light head and for the camera. Radio systems have the added value of allowing you to place units around corners, most up to 200 to 300 feet away.
Canon strobe on a telescoping pool with a mini soft-box and fired by a radio tigger.
So if you are a natural/available light photographer possibly looking for a new creative twist for your work, give controllable-artificial light a try. If your budget is such as to limit your lust, consider an inexpensive speed light with a guide number as close to or over 100 as possible. Several simple radio triggers are ever more affordable now. Depending on brand, an entry level investment of $230 to $450 will get you a speed light and triggering system consisting of a transmitter and receiver. Additional speed lights and receivers generally run another $160 to $350. Start with two speed lights and then add light modifiers as your budget allows.
Flash unites at these price points do not, however, have the through the lens (TTL) capability of pricer units. The TTL function allows the flash and camera's metering system to communicate to create a "correct" exposure at the moment of taking the picture. This feature is great when working with quickly changing scenes and subjects such as sporting events, some street photography, news events etc. But when creating an image with an artfully planned concept, you are best served to set the flash power manually and calculate the settings using a hand held light meter. One that works with flash is referred to as a flash meter.
A hand held (flash) light meter will be the best bit of photographic kit that will take you to a new creative level, both when shooting with strobe and any other light source. A hand held light meter is so worth the $180 to $600 price tag to get such incredible ability to "get it right". I am presently using a Sekonic L-478D flash meter and I just love it.
If, however, you wish to "do it old school" you can use a chart that gives you the f-stop for a given ISO for a given strobe's power (Guide Number) at a designated distance of flash to subject. It is quite simple and accurate. You can learn more about this method online at www.creativelive.com. Look up the segment under: Catalog, Category: Photo & Video, Topic: Lighting, and find the lesson titled "Crazy Stupid Light" with Scott Robert Lim. The cost of the course at $129 will be well worth it and can change your world. Or, you can put this money towards a flash meter - both options will yield great possibilities. All you need do is try/use them.
If you are a creative I hope you will value my essay in some small way. If, however, you are not a photographer, please read on.
If you are someone looking for a photographer, consider the look you want for your final image. You will be investing some $300 to $900 for most average good quality work. Now further consider the opportunity to have something out of the norm. Your investment just became more sound when your images are a work of art. Conduct an online image search for glamour, beauty, and boudoir photography.
Look at the quantity and similarity of available light photos. With the considerable cost in terms of lighting equipment, training, and experience it is no wonder that so many professionals are shooting with available light. However, although gorgeous, you may wish to have images more unique; ones that cannot be created by just any photographer.
If you want an image that is styled more like what is seen in fashion magazines, or perhaps cinematic like as seen in movies, you are going to need to find an artist who is doing that kind of work. I urge you to consider stepping away from the pack and seek something special for yourself. Now that you have some idea of what is possible, look past what is normal.
The saying amongst professional photographers is that everyone today is a photographer. With the advent of the camera phone that may seem to be true. However, I submit that a high megapixel phone camera, with its tiny sensor which is incapable of producing high quality images in the first place, does not an artist make. Only a creative mind, trained and experience with an artful eye, and yes, often a considerable amount of expensive gear, makes a photo-artist.
Sexy Cowgirl by Von Trapp Photography 2014.Cowgirl Inspired Glamour Shoot
This is one of the several images created for out client who commissioned Von Trapp Photography to create a series of sexy and evocative country inspired images.
See behind the scenes photos from this shoot and others.
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Bhean bòidhchead v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2019.(Title: Lady of Beauty in Scots Gaelic).
Our lovely model graces a beach in Scotland below Greenan Castle on a cold October day to create this image. Von Trapp Photography traveled to the Highlands of Scotland and Lake Distric of England for two weeks of shooting which yielded numerous wonderful captures of fine art.
Model/HMU: Kristy.
Photo Production Assistants: Steve, Mina Smith
Reflections of Beauty by Von Trapp Photography 2015.Emotive Boudoir Photography
This evocatively glamorous image of Signe was created by Von Trapp Photography at the SLS Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
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Don't settle for the "selfies", ladies. Invest in a quality professional photographer, be they a natural/available light shooter or otherwise. You deserve to see and feel your glamour in pictures.
]]>With a desire to expand the depth of my education and skill as a woman's photographer, I am venturing into the study of the pin-up, and have started exploring the genre. My first steps into this art form have been into the iconic World War II era. Although not the true beginning of the genre, it was an influential period with a large market interest for the all American sweetheart used to "help with the war effort".
So I packed up my gear and traveled to Mobile Bay, home to the World War II battleship USS Alabama, and submarine, USS Drum. We planned a retro-inspired shoot aimed at capturing the feel of a WWII pinup whilst shooting on location at these iconic vessels.
Hot Day at the Beach v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: Dorothy goes to sea, homage to the WWII pinup)
Dottie points her...hmm…um camera at her hot subject, and can feel herself growing more hot and randy by the second. Pinup inspired beach glamour shoot.
Model: Dorothy
You were half a word away, but if you were a lucky guy, your sweetheart might have some "special" photos created for her to send to you. Otherwise, if not, you could always count on finding a suitable image in a magazine to help keep your "spirits" up.
Shipshape v.2 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the Dorothy goes to sea series, homage to the WWII pinup.)
Pinup Glamour Shoot Aboard The U.S.S. Alabama.
With inspiration from countless WWII pin-ups in mind, Von Trapp Photography set out to do homage to a loved genre of photography from that era.
This capture was made aboard the battleship USS Alabama anchored in Mobile Bay. It shows one of the battle stations within a 16 inch main gun turret. Our model, wearing vintage inspired lingerie, has struck one of the iconic styled pin-up poses that went to sea and war with countless sailors.
I used two speed lights to create this image. One high and behind Dorthy to rim light her, the other at camera and high right. With the dim lighting inside the turret I chose to shoot with as small an f/stop as possible to compensate for the possibility that I may be off on my focus.
Model/HMU: Dorothy
I'm Going to Get Some v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: Dorothy goes to sea, homage to the WWII pinup)
Pinup Glamour Shoot Aboard The U.S.S. Drum.
With inspiration from countless WWII pin-ups in mind, Von Trapp Photography set out to do homage to a loved genre of photography from that era.
Her watch now done, Dorothy is anxious to hot-cot with you and get some satisfying rack time. She finds it titillating when she is in the sack with such a thick, long and powerful one under her. Created if the forward torpedo room of the USS Drum.
Model/HMU: Dorothy
Throughout the war, sexy and evocative works of pin-up art were painted on the nose of combat aircraft, as well as carried and posted by service members around the world. They included women who were fully clothed showing some stocking top and garter or in shorts with a cropped top, to women in bathing suits, lingerie, and occasionally nude or implied nude. These images became iconic of an era, however, the pin-up dates back to the 1800s in one form or another.
Quoting from an article in the Huffington Post Art & Culture by Priscilla Frank, "She's risqué but never explicit. She's flirtatious but fiercely independent. She's erotic but always safe for work...".
My images from the Alabama shoot do not faithfully represent the war years, the wardrobe is more correct for the early/mid 1950s. However, I feel the retro-inspired look of these shots do indeed honor the countless images that went to war.
"OH! Hi Chief" by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: Dorothy goes to sea, homage to the WWII pinup.)
Pinup Glamour Shoot Aboard The U.S.S. Alabama.
With inspiration from countless WWII pin-ups in mind, Von Trapp Photography set out to do homage to a loved genre of photography from that era.
Dotty gets caught "out of uniform" whilst picking up her dungarees from the laundry. One is left to wonder what "extra duty" she will be given by the Chief.
Model/HMU: Dorothy
Giving it to the Scerws by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: Dorothy goes to sea, homage to the WWII pinup)
With inspiration from countless WWII pin-ups in mind, Von Trapp Photography set out to do homage to a loved genre of photography from that era.
Dottie loves to be in control, the Main Control of this WWII submarine in this case. Here, she deftly uses her hands to affect how much power is given to each shaft, thereby controlling how much torque she is going to get. She finds it satisfying to be in control like this, determining if she is going to get it short and fast, or slow and long (a submariner understands). You will note from the fine fit of her uniform and cut of her jib that she is a skilled operator and always ready to go down.
Model/HMU: Dorothy
For the submariners and enthusiasts, the USS Drum is equipped with a Westinghouse main control cubicle, seen here.
It is said that the three most popular pin-up images of WWII are of Betty Grable in her one-piece bathing suit, Rita Hayworth wearing a form-fitting négligée and Jane Russell leaning against a haystack, her bodice at the breaking point. Although these images were originally photographs that were made into posters and often reproduced as drawings and paintings, most pin-up art was some form of drawing or painting.
Out of Uniform v.2a by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the Dorothy Goes to sea series, homage to the WWII pinup.)
Caught out of uniform at the ship's pressing shop, DeeDee will now have to explain where her dungarees are. But really, don't you think the Chief should give her a pass this time? Sexy retro-inspired shoot on the USS Alabama.
Model/HMU: Dorothy
Hot Rack Time v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: Dorothy goes to sea, homage to the WWII pinup.)
With a fine rack of her own and now having finished her watch, this bombshell is all set to heat things up and satisfy her hunger. Located in the enlisted billet aboard the USS Alabama Battleship.
Model/HMU: Dorothy
Showing Off Her Twins v.3 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the Dorothy goes to sea series, homage to the WWII pinup.)
Pinup Glamour Shoot Aboard The U.S.S. Alabama.
With inspiration from countless WWII pin-ups in mind, Von Trapp Photography set out to do homage to a loved genre of photography from that era.
One of the USS Alabama's aft twin 40mm monut is the setting for Dorthy to show off her luscious gams and her own set of twins. Her 32 DD's that is, which are fully readied for action, having been loaded in her bullet bra.
Our dish is wearing back-seam Cuban heel stockings with a garter belt, a period inspired dress, and a period correct bullet bra.
The bra molds her already delectable bosom into an eye-popping silhouette
which would make any sailor hard...pressed not to stand up and take notice of her.
Model/HMU: Dorothy
Awaiting Chow v.2 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: Dorothy goes to sea, homage to the WWII pinup.)
"What a Dish!" The luscious "Dottie" recreates the 1940's Pinup. Located in the Enlisted Mess, port side stern, aboard the Battleship U.S.S. Alabama, model Dorothy sits oppisite the round barbette of the number three 16-inch gun turret. Model/HMU: Dorothy
Lovely and Luscious v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the Dorothy goes to sea series, homage to the WWII pinup)
Intoxicating and seductive, our model is as fascinating and intelligent as she is delightfully curvaceous. Here she channels her inner bombshell to pay homage to that iconic femme fatale of the pin-up era. Hopefully now in the millennium one can be appreciated for both their intellect and alluring sexuality.
Model/HMU: Dorothy
Domestic Duties v.2 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: Dorothy goes to sea, homage to the WWII pinup.)
Working in the ship's loundry of the USS Alabama would have been more enjoyable under these conditions.
Model/HMU: Dorothy
So, go ahead, give her bottom a little tap on your way to your battle station. If you are a confident enough, let your buddies have a chance to do the same to her as well. And anyway...you could always charge them if you need to.
Come back to see other pinup inspired work of mine.
There were other photographs of lovely women that were available to service members as pin-ups. Among them were images published in the weekly Yank Magazine.
For more info about the evolution of the pin-up visit the sites below, and for your own chance to become a modern pin-up contact us at Von Trapp Photography. Connecting you to your glamour.
Pin-up queens! The REAL women behind saucy 1950s 'cheesecake' paintings
The Glamorous History Of Pin-Up, From Kitsch To Commercial To Fine Art
Zoë Mozert was the most famous female pinup artist of her day
]]>What comes to your mind when you think about the term Boudoir photography? If you have followed any of my previous blog postings, you know that I have been advocating for a change to how people think about glamour and boudoir photography. (See: Glamour and Boudoir Photography...The Changing style of these misunderstood genre Part 1)
I feel that a misunderstanding of what boudoir photography is keeps some women from ever considering having their portrait taken in this manner. Boudoir photography is empowering and liberating and it is my hope that a better understanding of what it is, and what it is not, will allow more women to seek out the opportunity to be photographed thusly.
Richard von Trapp is a boudoir and glamour photographer in Central Texas who is creating evocative and elegant images that connect you to your glamour, and allow you to fall in love with yourself.
Elegant and evocative boudoir photography has been created for decades, and is being increasingly regarded as an art form that is worth being noticed. It is being featured with increasing frequency at internationally recognized professional photography conferences and seminars, and a considerable amount of very good to exquisite examples can be found online in search results.
Classy Boudoir
A well crafted boudoir image provides an immense opportunity for a woman to explore her beauty, grace, sexiness and glamour. No matter what your body type, a professionally produced image will bring out a side of you that you have not seen in a long time, or perhaps one that you never imagined existed.
I do feel, however, that anyone who is new to the genre may feel uncomfortable when they search online for examples of boudoir photos. It is so easy to be confused by the variety of images that will be returned in a search for "boudoir" as to what boudoir photography really is.
Sexy Boudoir
One will find a wide variety of photographs lumped into the genre of boudoir. Images of a woman in either lingerie, partially nude or nude, and taken in almost any setting will be referred to as boudoir. I find this to be confusing and potentially off-putting at worst, and inelegant at best. The "boudoir" by its very definition is a ladies' sitting room, parlor, dressing room or bedroom. As such, I am discontented with an image of a woman in lingerie who is photographed out of doors as being called boudoir. Out of simplicity or expediency by some photographer and lay-public, it has become common to call this example…boudoir. I choose to classify such an example as lingerie glamour or sexy glamour, but not boudoir.
I find it more desirable to sub-classify such images for clarity and ease of helping my clients to describe and decide on what look and feel of imagery they are wishing to create. This is my breakdown and classification for the variations of boudoir photography.
Classic Boudoir. Photographs taken in the setting of the classical definition of boudoir. Featuring the subject getting ready such as doing hair, make-up etc. She may be dressing, dressed, undressing, or undressed. She may be wearing clothes, in her lingerie or nude/partly nude. Her attitude, pose and expression are not overtly sexual in its styling.
Classic Boudoir
Classic Boudoir
Classic Boudoir
Classic Boudoir
Classy Boudoir. Can be similar to the above example, but without clear reference to the boudoir as a setting (such as on a living room sofa) but is still indoors. This category has a greater number of possibilities since it is free from the limits of the definition of the boudoir, however, follows somewhat closely the idea of not being overtly sexy. Playful, however, is more often classified into this category.
Classy Boudoir
Classy Boudoir
Classy Boudoir
Classy Boudoir
Classy Boudoir
Sexy Boudoir. Images taken in a setting much as above but with emphasis on sexiness and playfulness as depicted by the choice of pose or body position, clothing, or communicated through the expression given by the subject. In this category I also include the choice of locations other than the boudoir, which may even add some degree of eroticism to the impression given by the image.
Sexy Boudoir
Sexy Boudoir
Sexy Boudoir
Sexy Boudoir
Bridal Boudoir. A wonderful variation to the Classy Boudoir style is Bridal Boudoir. Often sought by brides-to-be as a wedding present for their groom, the bridal boudoir album truly makes for a lovely gift. They are much like the classy boudoir images, but will include the wedding veil/white lingerie. In fact, many of the same poses that we love for classy boudoir will be used for bridal boudoir.
Details of Love v.2 by Von Trapp Photography 2014. Bridal Boudoir. Beautifully emotive Wedding Boudoir Photograph taken in the Classy Style. This is a great gift for your groom.
Bridal Boudoir
Bridal Boudoir
Bridal Glamour v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2014.Beautifully emotive Wedding Boudoir Photograph taken in the Classy Style.
Bridal Boudoir
Lingerie Glamour.
Images of a woman wearing lingerie, or where the model is partly nude, overtly sexy, or evocative which don't meet the definition of boudoir as above, I classify in other ways. Most often I consider these as Lingerie Glamour, Sexy Glamour, or Fashion Glamour, but not Boudoir. I feel that the following image can fall into both the sexy boudoir and lingerie glamour category.
Lingerie Glamour/Sexy Boudoir
Lingerie Glamour
Leggy in Blue by Von Trapp Photography 2019.Our leggy beauty traveled with us to England to create this alluring image in the Lake District.
Model: Kat
Lingerie Glamour
At Sea by Von Trapp Photography 2014.Sexy lingerie glamour photograph.
Lingeria Glamour
Fire and Ice v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2018.Commissioned photo shoot with author/publisher J.M. Buckler.
Lingerie Glamour
Fashion/Lingerie Glamour
By breaking down the images into these categories I find that it is easier to communicate with clients about the styling, mood, pose, setting, expression, wardrobe, and feeling being communicated to the viewer. In this way, it is also possible to introduce the newcomer and would be model to the glamorous world of boudoir photography.
When you consider a boudoir photographer and their work, look for a photographer who is producing a style that fits your vision and desire. If you find one who has an interesting style but who may not have examples of their work that fit into a subcategory which you desire, contact them directly to discuss your thoughts. Often a photographer's online portfolio for boudoir will be limited in the variety of examples shown because clients may not wish to be featured online.
How the artist styles their images in terms of lighting, coloring, sharpness, and setting should also be considered. It is often the hallmark of their style and can be seen throughout their body of work. Some artists may have a variety of looks to their works, others will create a singular signature style. Let's look at how a style can be described in terms of lighting.
Natural Light. This refers to the light created in nature, i.e. sun, moon and stars. This light can produce beautiful results, but is extremely limiting. It has to be there at the time of shooting, and it is constantly changing. When available in the right location (light from a north facing window when indoors is the best), or at the best time of the day (sunrise to mid-morning and late afternoon to sunset), incredible results can be obtained. The image below is an example of the use of natural light.
Classy Boudoir (Natural Light)
North light will produce soft, evenly lit images. It is often used to produce a romantic look to the photograph. Morning light too is soft and cool in its color, which is not the case with the warm color to late afternoon light. Generally, afternoon light is not as soft as north or morning light, but allows for the creation of warm ethereal images as the photographer shoots into the light coming from behind the subject. The glow of the light coming from behind the model and into the lens creates a flair of light which reduces the sharpness of the subject, creating the ethereal feeling.
Afternoon light can also be used to create sharply contrasted images that are fashion magazine like with an edgy look. Long sharp shadows with crisp warm light is the hallmark of photos made at this time of day.
Classy Boudoir using a vintage nightgown and bullet bra lingerie. (Natural Light, late afternoon light)
Woman At The Palazzo Window v.2 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: Woman At The Palazzo Window)
This intently evocative image of Nicole at one of the windows overlooking the Palazzo's courtyard, emotes sensuality and mystery, yet hints at vulnerability. Image from the Venice Model/HMU: uNicoleorn
Lingerie Glamour (Soft Natural Light)
Magnificent View by Von Trapp Photography 2015.>Our luscious model Jessica enjoys a morning coffee and the exquisitely sensual feeling of the sea breeze caressing her bare skin.
Lingerie Glamour (Soft Natural Light)
Lace In Nature v.1b by Von Trapp Photography 2014Sexy Glamour Lingerie Photography
Our model takes a sexy strool taken in nature in the lovely fall Texas weather.
Lingerie Glamour (Natural Light, Sunlight)
Available Light. This is any and all light that is available at a location, but which is not provided by the photographer, such as room lighting as well as natural lighting. This too can afford the artist unique and interesting opportunities to create beautiful images. It is also limiting in several ways. A suitable location has to be found with the right available lighting. If shooting in color, the various "temperatures" of the lights on location must be considered and possibility balanced with each other. All light has its own color temperature, resulting in a range of tones from warm to cold. Combining different color temperatures can be used for artistic effect, but can also create a displeasing mishmash to the look of the image. The ability to control the light, although slightly better than natural light, is still limited to what is present and how it can be turned on and off. The image below shows the effect of differing color temperatures of light. Seen in the corner, near the window, is the warm yellowish color of incandescent lighting from the boudoir table. In this image, the temperature of that light has been partially balanced with the cooler outdoor light coming in from the window. I chose to keep some of the incandescent light's warmth to work with the color of the vanity table to create a visual point of contrast and interest.
In this image, both sunlight and room light were used to light the model. Three different color temperatures needed to be balanced to create this image.
Kill Shot v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2017.Watching Marista "jam up" during a sexy photo shoot in Cyprus. ("Jam Up" = Shooting Well in Pool Slang).
Models: Marista and Anna Reis.
Lingerie Glamour/Fashion Editorial (Available Light)
This available light capture was made using the 3 different room lights at this location.
Studio Strobes and Speedlights. This is the choice for most commercial photographic work. It gives the artist significant to total control over the light. The color temperature, intensity, and direction of the light can be finely tuned and by this method, the artist is said to be able to shape the light.
The capture above is an example of the use of two speed lights. One in a soft box light modifier to produce a soft frontal light, and one bare speed light placed behind the model to create the flare.
The next two images are created with studio strobes at an outdoor location. The first one during daytime, and the second at night.
Fashion/Lingerie Glamour
In The Night v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2017.Kat strides elegantly along a Venice canal under a streetlight. Von Trapp Photography's fashion shoot in La Serenissima.
Model/HMU: Kat Alexis
Fashion/Lingerie Glamour
Classic Boudoir
This image is a wonderful example of how studio strobes can be used to create a magazine-quality looking boudoir image. A white umbrella was used to provide the soft light on our model's face and body, while using the harsh light of a second strobe to provide the striking highlights on her hair, neck, and shoulder.
See the following three posts for examples of how light can be shaped using these tools.
Light's Beautiful Curves…Using light and shadows to create glamour.
Creating Glamour…Using the elements of glamour to create striking images.
Lexi v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2014.Boudoir shoot with the yummy Lexi who creates a classic pose for us.
Classy Boudoir
In the image above, two strobes are again used to create this boudoir image. One strobe along with a soft box was used as the main light to light the subject. A second strobe with a gobo (material of some kind which is placed between a light source and the subject) of foil with irregular shaped holes was used to create the light and shadows on the wall, which adds additional interest to the photograph.
Sexy Boudoir/ Lingerie Glamour
No matter what your vision or wish for a boudoir photo might be, it will best be served by a professional photographer experienced in this field. You will be best served if you first do your "homework" on the genre of boudoir, by looking at lots of examples of fine quality images. Consider your choice of photographers carefully by studying their body of work. If you find one whose work touches you, give them a call. Also don't limit yourself by not considering an artist who in not in your ares, many photographers are willing to travel. You as well can find it incredibly exciting and fruitful to setup a destination shoot with a photo-artist. Dream big!
If you are thinking about having a boudoir or glamour session, let us at Von Trapp Photography excite you with how we can create a work of art with you as the subject. We will put you in touch with your beauty and glamour. Contact us today.
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Our recent return to the Hotel Havana in San Antonio had Von Trapp Boudoir Photography shooting Erika K. in her sexy boudoir session that created beautifully evocative images which she loved. When Erika arrived from the north side of Austin we started by discussing what we had in mind and looked over her wardrobe. We establish the order in which we would shoot her outfits and described how the session would proceed. After the short preproduction meeting she settled in and dressed into her first of four outfits that would be used.
During our two and a half shoot we posed Erika on the bed, seated in this great white chair, on a table and standing in a doorway. During each shot we sculpted the light of our three studio strobes to create refined and glamorous images for our model.
After the shoot, Erika and her husband had a chance to view samples of the products that are available. We explained how an average of 20 to 30 initially edited images will be posted to a password protected proof gallery online so that they can start their selection. From the proof gallery, they will select their 8 favorite captures which will then undergo extensive and loving artistic post processing by us. This includes careful retouching and artistic styling to create a one of a king image. Finally, these fully edited, processed, and retouched images will be posted to a final edits gallery from which Erika and her husband will be able to select from 40 products and services.
We offer specially selected products that best show your art piece which include the stunning Metallic Surfaced Paper, elegant Fine Art Paper, impressive Standout Displays, Canvas Gallery and Print Wraps. As well as the unique Metal Mural, and images printed on Acrylic, Glass and Metal. You can also provide additional safety for your artwork with a protective Lusted Coating Spray, and mounting and framing is also available. Lastly we offer the possibility of having a your images bound into an album, better thought of as an upscale coffee table book, with a choice of leather, linen, or wrap around photograph coven. These are offered in 3 sizes and are the best value for the client wishing to have 10 or more images from their shoot.
To see a price list of products and services offered, go to our Boudoir and Lingerie Gallery and click on the 1st image, then click on "View all Products..."
Contact us today and let Von Trapp Photography connect you to your glamour.
CPT Richard von TrappPhoto Artist Richard von Trapp of Von Trapp Photography.
This past weekend was exciting and packed full of photo shoots at the Hotel Havana in San Antonio. Located in a 99 year old building that was originally a private residence turned hotel under another name. It is now the charming Havana Hotel. Its motif gives homage to the feel of old Cuba with a period look, artisanal culinary creations, and acclaimed hand-crafted cocktails. I used the hotel's Cuban theme as inspiration to create a 1950's retro look to the costuming of the models.
I loved creating such beautifully elegant glamour, boudoir and stylized period-inspired art. Away thank you to all our models to make this possible.
Glamour Shoot at the Hotel Havana.Beauty photograph taken by Richard von Trapp.
Love life enough to be adventurous, love your country enough to travel, grow and become a better person. Open your mind and heart, travel and know the joy of becoming a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
]]>Part 2
When I do an online search for glamour images, so many of the photos I see are what I would describe as sexy-glamour, lingerie-glamour or boudoir. This is in no way wrong. But I do worry that only these kinds of images will be associated with the words glamour photography or glamour photographs since it is all too narrow of a perception, and too limiting of an understanding.
I prefer the more historical definition of glamour (see this youTube video link which I also listed in my Part 1 blog on this subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhHePLaMP_k ) which leads to a more elegant description as described in the video cited . This defines glamour as a condition or state of mind, in which anything having grace, mystery and is transcendent of the everyday is considered to have glamour or be glamorous.
This definition of glamour photography is applicable to images in a multitude of subjects. It's not just about a pretty face. Lets explore the creation of a glamour photograph in its more pure state of the definition. A well-crafted glamour image, regardless of the subject, will have been carfully planned, meticulously photographed and artfuly post processed to create the glamour. In the days of camera film, what we call post-processing today was done by hand, utilizing specialized skills and techniques both in the darkroom and retouching the final print afterward. Today we also do the same kind of work by hand, but use a high-grade computer with specialized softwear, a graphic pen tablet and viewed on a precisely color-calibrated monitor.
Many different kinds of subjects can be photographed in a way as to qualify them as glamour photographs. In fact we often see examples of this in poplar magazines. The next travel, fashion, or leisure magazine you look at, notice how many images are used that have grace and mystery, and this is a short list of where one can see examples of glamour photography.
Engagement Glamour shoot photographed on the stage of the Aztec Theater in San Antonio Texas.
The Power to be Transformative.
As mentioned, glamour has the power to be transformative--to allow the viewer to escape the everyday. It is the idealization, glorification, and dramatization of a subject, concept or scene that is the cornerstone to glamour and of glamour photography.
Glamour and Romance captured in this engagement session photo taken at the Aztec Theater by Von Trapp Photography.
As a glamour photographer I desire to capture the world's glamour where I find it or can create it. When photographing a woman, I strive to create an image that allows her to love herself. The photograph should transcend her everyday and idealize, glorify and dramatize her beauty. I believe every woman deserves to be photographed in this glamorous fashion.
Everyday I view beautiful works of photographic art online; gorgeous images with lots of feeling that are classified as glamour. But often I feel they are not examples of glamour as I have described it here, despite the beauty of the photograph. I further feel that there is a prevailing oversimplification of what glamour photography is, and it is associated in the minds of many viewers as only the boudoir or sexy style of photography of young women. But I know that glamour photography is so much more. The next time you look at your favorite publications consider finding the glamour in many of the images. Look for the elements of glamour as I have set forth here and learn to see the glamour in our world.
It is my hope to advocate successfully for a broader view of what is the definition of glamour photography--one that holds the classical definition as the primary understanding of what it could be.
In my next part I will break down how I have attempted to classify the many possible subcategories of glamour photography.
Richard von Trapp is a Texas glamour and boudoir photographer who uses the classical definition of glamour to see the world that he photographs.
]]>The town of Rothenburg Germany is located in the northwestern part of Bavaria in the Franconia region. It dates from the year 1170 and is the home of just under 11,000 residents. It is a walled town with watch towers, defensive positions and, in places, a mote. The image below was created on the second level within one of the towers using two strobes and a soft box.
This picturesque treasure survived several brushes with destruction over the centuries, including WWII when a peaceful solution was reached between American and German soldiers, in contradiction to Hitler's orders, and the town was spared extensive damage.
We traveled to this and other locations to create glamour, fashion-editorial, and boudoir images in the beauty and charm of Italy and Germany. This behind the scenes photo was taken durning the initial lighting set-up of a shot within one of the defensive positions of the wall.
Crafting the Light | Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio Boudoir-Glamour-PinupFashion/Glamour photographer Richard von Trapp taking a flash exposure reading durning a fashion shoot in Germany.
Texas photo-artist Richard von Trapp and model setting up for a fashion-glamour editorial shoot.
Here I am taking a light meter reading of my primary strobe which is fitted with a 2x3 foot soft box. To my rear is a second strobe being used to create a rim light on the model in order to separate her from the darker background. I ultimately balanced the light output from these two strobes with the natural light coming in from the outside to create my final look.
This is the final look of the capture we created. The addition of the red fabric with its intense pop of color and sense of movement really adds to the drama of the photograph. The exposure and light output of our two strobes was balanced with the available light coming in through the window. I finished the image with a golden glow, and the color was really picked up by the stone of the wall.
Von Trapp Photography creates beautifully evocative images that connect you to your glamour, and allow you to fall in love with yourself. Contact me today and let me excite you with how you can be the captured in a way that few photographers can.
Visit this link to see public domaine images of Rothenburg: https://www.google.com/search?q=rothenburg&sa=X&biw=1269&bih=921&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=Ss4YVJrEC9fsoASPtILgAg&ved=0CDcQ7Ak
]]> One of our pleasures is to venture to San Antonio's SoHo Martini Bar where one can indulge in artfully crafted drinks and a great atmosphere. The mixologists there always delight one's senses with a blend of artful style and technical skill. On this night I created several available light photographs of both staff and patrons. Here are some of my favorites.
Two fellow artists who specialize in ink. Thank you for allowing me to photograph you.
This unique perspective includes my wife Currie to the right of the frame and a reflection in a mirror of two patrons behind me in a corner.
The blending of mid-century style and current day technique is SoHo's own signature style. Located in a late 19th century bank, SoHo incorporates the original vault as part of its room design. The vault door is seen here to camera left.
This evening gave me the chance to enjoy the artful passion of the staff, the artistry of ink and my own love of photographing life's glamour.
Photo Artist Richard von Trapp
]]>Von Trapp Boudoir Photography traveled from San Antonio to Las Vegas and had the great joy of shooting Kiti Kobain, a talented and wonderful woman who is a published and experienced print and runway mode. Kiti is a new mom of three and despite her considerable experience, as exampled in her impressive portfolio, was apprehensive at the thought of being photographed after her pregnancy.
Much like most ladies who consider being photographed in a boudoir or glamour session, Ms. Kiti seemed to be uneasy when she reported for hair and makeup. Despite years of experience in front of the camera, she was much like any other beautiful woman being photographed for the first time. In fact, Kiti was being photographed for the first time, as a new mother.
For a woman being photographed especially in such a evocative setting, disquiet and apprehension is quite normal and expected. Concerns about body shape, skin, hair and self image are normal and a part of every woman's daily life. For better or worse it is a part of your mental makeup and is inextricably connected to that which makes you special and powerful.
My joy as an artist is to help women work through their normal apprehensions in order to unveil the glamour within each one. The journey that we take together varies for different women, but it is still traveled.
Model: Kiti Kobain
Wardrobe: By Model
Makeup: Glam by Samiha
Hair: Jeanette Marie
Props/Set Dressing: Von Trapp Photography
Set Location: SLS Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
Let us connect you to your glamour with a boudoir session that will create art with you as the subject.
]]>Part 1
Planning a wedding is often a weighty undertaking. However, it can also be an endeavor of great joy and partnership for the couple - one which creates lasting memories of love and closeness. Selecting your photographer is, of course, one of the many important decisions to make.
Prior to selecting your photographer, invest some time in looking at the different photographic styles of wedding photography across the U.S. and even in other countries. To help you expand your appreciation of the different styles, start a web search for wedding photographers in 3 or 4 different large cities of your choice. Look at the imagery and save any examples of the ones that truly move and "speak" to you. Select the ones that make a strong first impression, but don't consider why just yet; that will be the next step. This is a photo-imagery brainstorming session. After doing this with as many photographers in as many different cities as you care to explore, you are now ready to revisit the ones that have inspired you most. Remember to research imagery from artists that are not in your area, for in this way you will be introducing yourself to a broader range of styles. Very often local markets will have a very similar look or style. That is in no way bad, but at this point I am encouraging you to find your style and this will be a great way to do so.
[This image is created to give a slight ethereal look to the Bride's dress and her Father's shirt. It is stylized with a hint of grain for nostalgia, and a cool bluish hue to compliment the old wood and stone of this Norwegian church. It is not a true formal portrait since I captured the bride's reaction to onlookers as she enjoyed the moment.]
Now take notice of any similarities between your selected photos. Consider any commonality of theme, style, color, mood, or feeling that first drew you to them. As you do this you will likely begin to define what is your preference in styles.
This blog will in no way be all inclusive nor comprehensive of all the artistic styles you might find. We are after all considering art and the interpretation that any given photographer may have of it. That being said, some general classifications can be made with the understanding that your photographer is an artist and will bring their own unique twist to the final look.
The Classic Style
What I call the classic style is one that includes images that are predetermined and include a set variety of formal poses of the bride and groom and wedding party. These beautiful creations were traditionally photographed in a studio, but today will also be shot on location.
The Modern-Classic or Contemporary Style
This style is similar to the classic style but with the inclusion of selected standard images of scheduled high points of the day. Most wedding photographers today shoot the formal bride photographs either in a studio or at the venue, and then get selected shots of the wedding. These can include photos of the bride and groom with their bridesmaids and groomsmen from getting ready through the ceremony and on to the reception. You can even hire a professional to cover everything from start to finish. (More on what different photographers may offer in Part 2.)
You may choose to hire a photographer who shoots the poses or stylings that are the trend of the day. Some examples of current or recent styling trends include: false mustaches being worn by members of the wedding party, the wedding couple posed behind or holding a large picture frame, groups and individuals set amongst gritty or unusual locations and/or doing fun or unexpected actions, to name just a few. You might love the work of an artist that uses coloration and styling of the images to craft an artful or mood- filled look, or you may choose one who creates a bright and light feeling to their images. Each style has its own appeal to the right viewer. Which brings us to the slippery slope issue of just who is the viewer. More on that in a moment.
[Example of a Modern-Classic style bridal party group shot. The playful informality of the portrait is a frequent feature of contemporary wedding sessions. This group shot is still referred to as a"formal" (as opposed to candid), but it has captured the personality of the subjects. I love the groom's expression.]
The Journalistic Style
Wedding photography in the journalistic style is a fairly easy style to identify and is rapidly gaining popularity. It can be described as one that captures the mood, events, emotion, grandeur, and moments as they happen and in a way that tells a story of the day from start to finish; accomplished through candid photographs. Unlike traditional wedding photographers, (whose skill is based on their ability to impose order and structure to the day as they organize the wedding party for photographs), the journalistic wedding photographer's skill is in the telling of the story. Images will not be primarily of members of the wedding party. The telling of the complete story will require the photographer to perhaps take a different approach with each wedding in order to capture the unique personalities of those in attendance.
Photo-artists who are of a purest nature in this genre will provide their client with incredibly poignant and beautiful results showing the full emotion of the day. However, these are not setup or posed photos. If you desire to have photographs that are formal or posed, this artist may not be right for you.
Formals and Candids
Formal photographs or "formals" are images of groups and individuals that are set up, staged or posed by the photographer. Portraits of the bride alone, with her groom, or group shots of the bridal party and key or selected family members fall into this category. They are most often taken directly after the ceremony, however, formals of the bride can be scheduled well before the wedding day. This method can be very beneficial to both bride and photographer. The bride can use this as a dress rehearsal; giving her the chance to see the full look of hair, make-up, gown, and perhaps even the bouquet, in advance. Her photographer has the ability to bring their "A game" by having a relaxed bride and the time to be creative and artful with the styling of her images. Providing the photo-artist with this chance to create will make an incredible difference to the final images.
Few brides would ever consider not having candids taken of the pre-ceremony preparation, ceremony, and reception. These mostly non-staged shots are the "candids" of the wedding. They capture the emotion and events of course, but also the details both large and small. Brides that invest significant time and money creating and seeing to the smallist details of their wedding will want these skillfully captured in photographs.
Candids and The Journalistic Style…all journalistic photos are candid, but not all candids are in the journalist style.
Don't confuse one with the other. Candids can be taken by guests and family members attending the wedding. However, professionals have the skill and equipment to capture candid images with the greatest degree of impact and style from start to finish. Of course the serious amateur, friend or family member, can get good to great images as well, but they are taking photographs according to their own tastes. For your wedding, the definition of what is good or great must be defined by the bride and groom. What price satisfaction, how much are you willing to pay, and most importantly what are you paying for? I will address the professional photographer and what to consider when selecting one in Part 2. For now, let's continue to address selecting a style.
Who is the viewer…the difficulty of a possibly well-meaning influence.
Wedding photographs that are well taken and in a style that appeal to the bride and groom will become a source of cherished memories. Long after the special day and as details start to fade, your photographs will provide the episodic memory trigger to transport you back to all of the joy of that moment.
So what will you want to see? What is the most likely kind of image that will provide you the strongest stimulation? This is where well-meaning suggestions may turn into pressure as to what your wedding photos should look like.
Like most things, wedding photography has a trend of the day. In my opinion no one trend is better then another, but some are more timeless. What do you think you will love to see ten or twenty years from now? The classic bride or bride&groom formals make great art works for the wall. Humorous photos that were well crafted will delight and photos that tell the story of the full range of emotion will move the viewer back to the day and feelings of the moment.
As you continue your search to find your style and eventually communicate with a wedding photographer, remember it is you the bride and groom who will cherish most the images captured of your day. Consider the counsel given to you by family or friends as to how the wedding should be photographed. But, if you are prepared with an understanding of your desires, which are supported by your research on the different styles, you can feel good about what you have chosen for your look. As to some thoughts on selecting the right photographer, I will share that in Part 2 here on my blog.
Richard von Trapp is a photographer in Texas who travels the world creating works that are glamorous and beautiful with inspiration taken from fashion-magizines and with cinematic styling.
]]>
Rain and dramatic clouds offered the perfect setting for creating this stylized fine art photograph which was inspired by images from the iconic Hollywood classics, The Wizard of Oz and Singing in the Rain.
Photographed near San Antonio, we raced out to this spot when the rain clouds gathered and was able to capture this dramatic shot. As the rain fell we set up our strobes and lighting modifiers and quickly styled this shot. Balancing on the wet railroad track was hard enough, but was made even mort challenging by the wind that was blowing.
The clouds seen here existed as they appear. However, the stylized coloration of a light and eery green were added in post-processing. I wanted to suggest the possibility of a building tornado, threatening to carry off my modern day Dorothy.
The surreal like quality to the light of what one might think is associated with a coming tornado is carried over into the bright yellow patch of grass. The rain drops can be seen falling, having been captured with the aid of the strobe. So too can the water droplets be seen on the umbrella.
My "Dorothy" incorporates the sense of carefree indifference to the elements of Gene Kelly in the movie "Singing In The Rain" with her attitude and seemingly lack of concern for the coming storm.
I am Richard von Trapp and I am a Photo Artist specializing in creating evocative Glamour, Boudoir, Wedding and Senior Portraits.
]]>The Editorial Image
I use the terms editorial and glamour to describe the style of many of my images. In the world of magazine photography, the term editorial is used to describe a style of photograph where its look and feeling is crafted to tell a story or to support a written story being told. The definition is fluid and can even be a broadly defined one in how one sector of the print media-world will see/use it as compared to another sector. Suffice it to say, editorial photography "sells a story", where as fashion photography "sells a lifestyle", and commercial photography "sells a product".
In sharp contrast to commercial photography, where the look is clean and well lit, fashion and editorial photography is bold, edgy, and conceptual in its design styling, often being dramatically lit. It is...dare I say it, "arty". It is also great fun and challenging to create for everyone involved. It is for this reason that skilled and capable photographers love to create art in this form. Professional models too enjoy the chance to be "arty" and seek this kind of shoot to add depth to their portfolio and show their versatility.
One of the key elements of style often seen in editorial images is dramatic lighting. Since we become accustomed to the light seen in nature, its look and feel, the creation of something different thus becomes interesting to a viewer. This is why a skilled artist will use light sources, such as those available in the form of photographic lighting, to create a feeling of light that is not normally seen nor available in the natural world. This crafted light can be many times more dramatic and harsh, or beautiful and soft when compared to what is normally seen in our everyday lives.
This image was crafted in the editorial style with strong lighting, an artfully posed model placed in an unusual interesting setting.
Because the light is so unusual we are compelled to look a little longer. We may even ponder for a while the different aspects of the image, what it means, where it was made, how it was made, or any other number of even more pithy concepts. We may look at it not really analyzing it at all, just knowing that we are drawn to it for some reason.
The Fashion Image
"Selling" a lifestyle can be said to be the main idea behind fashion photography. The goal of fashion photography is to convey a way of life through the use of cloths, goods, and items of property in such a way as to show them to be highly desirable.
Fashion shoot in San Antonio, drawing inspiration from Italian fashion.
So it is not just about the clothes…it is about the style in which life is lived.
The Glamour Image
That which is said to have glamour really is being described as having not just beauty, but also grace, mystery, and transcendence. This is what glamour photography is to me. Creating grace and mystery in a photograph, however, is less challenging than making an image that also has transcendence from the every day of life.
In the image below, one can appreciate the beauty and grace of the model in her pose. The dark glasses and her gaze away from the camera easily add the mystery. What is perhaps not so apparent about this image is what makes this image transcendent, nor how it was accomplished.
This photo was created in the mid morning, outside on an overcast day. One way to create transcendence from our every day life is to alter the look and feel of the lighting that we see in the image. The light upon the model was carefully crafted to fall upon her in this particular way. Selected locations within the image were highlighted so as to draw our attention or to deemphasize other parts of the photograph. Daylight was "overpowered" by the intensity of the strobes and camera settings to give this shot its increased drama. The darkened background serves to draw the viewer's attention to the model and her clothes, and away from the background. Note the way the colors of her dress and pumps leap off of the screen creating a very special look and feeling, which is something not normal to what we see everyday.
The Editorial Glamour Image
For this category, I endeavor to create an amalgam between the story contained within an editorial image with the mystery, grace, and transcendence of a glamour image to make editorial glamour.
In the photograph above the setting is a fabulously edgy building in the town of Sanderson Texas located some 270 miles west of San Antonio. The story could by about the once hopeful dreams of making a way of life in this arid locale, and about how many residents are still endeavoring to do so. All kinds of interpretive metaphors can be made about the model's pose and expression as to how it pertains to a story of struggle and determination. Which is what makes this an editorial image. The edgy-mystery of her expression, the graceful pose and unique lighting is the glamour.
The next time you peruse through a magazine, take a moment to ponder the nature and meaning of the art in front of you. The degree of difficulty and work that went into creating the images you see will likely never be known to you, for it is the experience of years that you behold. Please do, however, see these works of creative ability for what the are, works of art both small and large. They are ones that were produced through the passion and abilities of many individuals who committed a considerable amount of effort to their creation.
]]>Von Trapp Photography recently returned to Enchanted Rock for another day-long outdoor glamour photo shoot. Enchanted Rock State Park is located 17 miles north of Fredericksburg on FM 965 and is easily accessed from Austin and San Antonio in a little more then 2 hours. The stark beauty of the pink granite and the warm color of the light found there makes for truly beautiful and glamorous images.
We packed up our lighting and camera equipment and made out way there on a mid-fall day to create some fashion glamour images amongst the cliffs and stone monoliths found in the park. The location required us to backpack in our lighting and photographic gear, wardrobe and water, but the scenery is well worth the effort.
Our planned time for the shoot was set for the late afternoon all the way up to an hour before sunset. This allowed us to get the great late afternoon shadows of this fall day, and still be moving off of the mountain while we had enough light to see. We had a good idea of what locations on the mountain we would use, but some final recon was still needed to pinpoint each spot. We chose to set up two thirds of the way up the mountain, and moved four times to locations over the length of a football field to get this day's images.
The first location was here in this small canyon pictured below. The shot called for a two light setup. One strobe with a beauty dish on a boom arm, the other without a modifier and placed in the rocks behind the model to provide the lovely rim light seen along her hair, back, and hip. This rimming of a woman's figure both serves to separate her from the background and beckons the viewer's eye to follow the line of her body. The power of these lights was balanced to complement the lovely soft light illuminating the canyon from above while still adding contrast and interest to the image.
Our lighting equipment included 3 Profoto D1's, a soft box with grid, beauty dish, light stands, boom arm, sandbags (to steady the light stands and boom), cables, and a 26 lb Profoto battery in its own backpack. We shot with a Canon 5D MkII with 24-70 f2.8L zoom and Canon 200 f2L telephoto. Our model had several outfits complete with shoes/boots, accessories, makeup, and a good set of hiking boots and clothes for the trek in and out. We also carried basic emergency equipment should we have been delayed getting off of the mountain in daylight. For the Image above it was necessary to bury the power cable leading from the power pack, which was off camera, to the strobe in the rocks behind the model. This light was fired by a radio trigger.
In all cases of remote location shooting, wardrobe changes are accomplished in a somewhat spartan manner. The best case would allow for a changing tent. Often a heavyweight space blanket is all that can be setup and on this occasion a convenient bolder or bush sufficed. Professional models are accustomed to such conditions. Clients, however, sometimes have to be prepared for the challenge of what their chosen concept shoot will bring. But I have yet to encounter a client who is not up to the task, nor one who doesn't have a terrific time and wonderful experience.
Von Trapp Photography specializes in creating uniquely beautiful glamour, boudoir, and high school senior images that standout from the rest. Our style is modern, fashion-inspired, and cinematic. Whether we are creating evocative and sexy boudoir and glamour images, or edgy high school senior portraits, our artistry will be evident to you and be a great investment.
Contact us so that we may delight you with one of a kind images that will connect you to your glamour.
]]>In a time when the "selfie" is so easy and popular why would anyone ever consider having a professional photographer photograph them? The ability to capture spontaneous self images has been made possible by the high megapixel cameras found in any current smartphone, and everyone is doing it! Yes even this dedicated professional! You get sharp images taken in lowlight that look very good. Very good on a 3 to 4 inch screen that is!
Few people, however, understand that the hype they hear about 18, 20, 40 and more megapixels is only part of the picture. The sensor in our, now even larger, smart phones is very small compared to that found in a professional full-sized DSLR camera. A small sensor with a lot of megapixels does not create a highly sharp image when enlarged much beyond the size of the screen it was taken on. The Digital Single Lens Reflex camera's sensor is many time larger then a smart phone. As such, a professional grade 18 to 21 megapixel, full-sized DSLR will deliver images of a terrific quality. But the "selfie culture" that has taken hold likely leads one to question, even if only in the subconscious, why should I pay hundreds of dollars for photographs when I can just…selfie!
On location in Port Aransas Texas. The passing showers posed a challenge to keeping our gear dry, but also afforded us the fantastic light and background for this beach glamour shoot.
The question has merit. You will easily pay from $500 to $2000 for a high quality glamour or boudoir portrait session and products, and a bit less for a high school senior shoot. Consider, however, that a professional photographer will have invested many thousands of dollars on cameras, lenses, computers, hardwear, software, lighting equipment and near countless other items that make it possible for them to do what they do best. Not to mention their education and what they bring in the way of experience and creative talent and vision.
Using our smart phone to grab a quick shot of something that we wish to send to family or friends is one thing. But is it ever anything that is meant to be saved or cherished? It certainly is never meant to be art!
Moody and evocative. The styling of this glamour image encourages the viewer to feel the sensations of this moment. Well crafted glamour photographs have beauty, grace, mystery and are transcendent of the everyday.
Sadly every day so many women will selfie and unthinkingly accept a third rate image of themselves. They will be "happy" with what they have and go on with life…likely never to know the feeling of what it is like to be glamorously photographed. It is true that we "don't know what we don't know", so she continues to exist in blissful ignorance, totally missing out on the life-changing experience of connecting to her glamour and beauty. A professionally photographed glamour or boudoir portrait session will change the way you feel and see yourself. It can change your life.
Stop missing out on the truly incredible experience of taking part in a model shoot. Even more significant is being treated to the elation of seeing yourself as you have never seen yourself before. A superbly planned, expertly crafted glamour or boudoir photograph of yourself will impress, amaze and touch you in ways that you never imagined.
See yourself in a way that is so removed from the daily you by being a glamorous work of art, having been connected to your glamour.
]]>What comes to your mind when you think about the term Boudoir photography? If you have followed any of my previous blog postings, you know that I have been advocating for a change to how people think about glamour and boudoir photography.
I feel that a misunderstanding of what boudoir photography is keeps some women from ever considering having their portrait taken in this manner. Boudoir photography is empowering and liberating and it is my hope that a better understanding of what it is, and what it is not, will allow more women to seek out the opportunity to be photographed thusly.
Classic Boudoir
Classic Boudoir
Classic Boudoir
Elegant and evocative boudoir photography has been created for decades, and is being increasingly regarded as a art form that is worth being noticed. It is being featured with increasing frequency at internationally recognized professional photography conferences and seminars, and a considerable amount of very good to exquisite examples can be found on line in search results.
A well crafted boudoir image provides an immense opportunity for a woman to explore her beauty, grace, sexiness and glamour. No matter what your body type, a professionally produced image will bring out a side of you that you have not seen in a long time, or perhaps one that you never imagined existed.
I do feel, however, that anyone who is new to the genre may feel uncomfortable when they search on line for examples of boudoir photos. It is so easy to be confused by the variety of images that will be returned in a search for "boudoir" as to what boudoir photography really is.
Classic Boudoir
One will find a wide variety of photographs lumped into the genre of boudoir. Images of a woman in either lingerie, partially nude or nude, and taken in almost any setting will be referred to as boudoir. I find this to be confusing and potentially off-putting at worst, and inelegant at best. The "boudoir" by its very definition is a ladies' sitting room, parlor, dressing room or bedroom. As such I am discontented with an image of a woman in lingerie who is photographed out of doors as being called boudoir. Out of simplicity or expediency by both photographer and lay-public, it has become common to call the above example…boudoir. I choose to classify such an example as lingerie glamour or sexy glamour, but not boudoir.
I find it more desirable and useful to sub-classify such images for clarity and ease of helping my clients to describe and decide on what look and feel of imagery they are wishing to create. This is my breakdown and classification for the variations of boudoir photography.
Classic Boudoir: Photographs taken in the setting of the classical definition of boudoir. Featuring the subject getting ready such as doing hair, make-up etc. She may be dressing, dressed, undressing, or undressed. She may be wearing clothes or in her lingerie. Her attitude, pose and expression are not overtly sexual in its styling.
Classy Boudoir: Can be similar to the above example, but without clear reference to the boudoir as a setting (such as on a living room sofa) but is still indoors. This category has a greater number of possibilites since it is free from the limits of the definition of the boudoir, however, follows somewhat closely the idea of not being overtly sexy. Playful, however, is more often classified into this category.
Sexy Boudoir: Images taken in a setting as above but with emphasis on sexiness and playfulness as depicted by the choice of pose or body position, clothing, or communicated through the expression given by the subject. In this category, I also include the choice of locations other then the boudoir which may even add some degree of eroticism to the impression given by the image.
Heels in the Air v.3 by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Classy Boudoir
Beautiful boudoir images that are sexy, tasteful and evocative is what we at Von Trapp Photography specialize in creating. Texas boudoir and glamour photographer Richard von Trapp is a couture photo-artist who's style is fashion-magazing in its inspiration. See yourself in a whole new glamorous light. We will connect you to your beauty and glamour that will allow you to fall in love with yourself.
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Sexy Boudoir
When you consider a boudoir photographer and their work, look for a photographer who is producing a style that fits your vision and desire. If you find one who has an interesting style but who may not have examples of their work that fit into a subcategory which you desire, contact them directly to discuss your thoughts. Often a photographer's online portfolio for boudoir will be limited in the variety of examples shown because clients may not wish to be featured on line.
How the artist styles the image in terms of lighting, coloring, sharpness, and setting should also be considered. It is often the hallmark of their style and can be seen throughout their work. Some artists may have a variety of looks to their works, others will create a singular signature style. Lets look at how a style can be described in terms of lighting.
Natural Light: This refers to the light created in nature, i.e. sun, moon and stars. This light can produce beautiful results, but is extremely limiting. It has to be there at the time of shooting, and it is constantly changing. When available in the right location (light from a north facing window is the best), or at the best time of the day (sunrise to mid morning and late afternoon to sunset), incredible results can be obtained. The image above is an example of the use of natural light.
North light will produce soft evenly lit images. It is often used to produce a romantic look to the photograph. Morning light too is soft and cool in its color which is not the case with the warm color to late afternoon light. Generally afternoon light is not as soft as north or morning light, but allows for the creation of warm etherial images as the photographer shoots into the light coming from behind the subject. The glow of the light coming from behind the model and into the lens creates a flair of light which reduces the sharpness of the subject, creating the etherial feeling.
Availible Light: This is any and all light that is available at a location, but which is not provided by the photographer. This too can afford the artist unique and interesting opportunities to create beautiful images. It is also limiting in several ways. A suitable location has to be found with the right available lighting. If shooting in color, the various "temperatures" of the lights on location must be considered and possibility balanced. All light has its own color temperature resulting in a range of tones from warm to cold. Combining different color temperatures can be used for artistic effect, but can also create a displeasing mishmash to the look of the image. The ability to control the light, although slightly better than natural light, is still limited to what is present and how it can be turned on and off.
Studio Strobes and Speedlights: This is the choice for most commercial photographic work. It gives the artist significant to total control over the light. The color temperature, intensity, and direction of the light can be finely tuned and by this method, the artist is said to be able to shape the light.
See the following three posts for examples how light can be shaped using these tools.
Light's Beautiful Curves…Using light and shadows to create glamour.
Creating Glamour…Using the elements of glamour to create striking images.
Classy Boudoir
In the image above two strobes were used to create this boudoir image. One was used along with a soft box as the main light to light the subject. A second strobe with a gobo (material of some kind which is placed between a light and the subject) of foil with irregular shaped holes was used to create the light and shadows on the wall which add interest to the photograph.
Images of a woman wearing lingerie, are taken outdoors, or that are nude, sexy, or evocative and don't meet the definition of boudoir as above, I classify in other ways, such as lingerie glamour, sexy glamour, glamour nude etc.
By breaking down the images into these categories I feel that it is easer to communicate with clients about styling, mood, pose, setting, expression, message, clothing, etc.
Lingerie Glamour
Lingerie Glamour
Sexy Glamour
Lingerie Glamour
Lingerie Glamour
If are thinking about having a boudoir or glamour session, let us at Von Trapp Photography create a work of art with you as the subject. We will put you in touch with your beauty and glamour. Contact us today.
]]>The town of Rothenburg Germany is located in the northwestern part of Bavaria in the Franconia region. It dates from the year 1170 and is the home of just under 11,000 residents. It is a walled town with watch towers, defensive positions and, in places, a mote.
This picturesque treasure survived several brushes with destruction over the centuries, including WWII when a peaceful solution was reached between American and German soldiers, in contradiction to Hitler's orders, and the town was spared extensive damage.
We traveled to this and other locations to create glamour, fashion-editorial, and boudoir images in the beauty and charm of Italy and Germany. This behind the scenes photo was taken durning the initial lighting set-up and is within the wall of the city in one of its defensive positions.
Texas photo-artist Richard von Trapp and model setting up for a fashion-glamour editorial shoot.
Here I am taking a light meter reading of my primary strobe, fitted with a 2x3 foot soft box. To my rear is a second strobe being used to create a rim light on the model in order to separate her from the darker background. I will ultimately balance the light output from these two strobes with the natural light coming in from the outside to create my final look.
Von Trapp Photography creates beautifully evocative images that connect you to your glamour, and allow you to fall in love with yourself. Contact me today and let me excite you with how you can be the captured in a way that few photographers can.
Visit this link to see public domaine images of Rothenburg: https://www.google.com/search?q=rothenburg&sa=X&biw=1269&bih=921&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=Ss4YVJrEC9fsoASPtILgAg&ved=0CDcQ7Ak
]]>When you think of the desert do you think of it as a glamorous setting for a photo shoot? We traveled from Austin to Las Vegas recently and were able to do several locations shoots there. During this particular fashion-glamour shoot we had the great opportunity to work with the fantastic light that is often available at sunrise and, in this case, near sunset.
We used two studio strobes, powered by a portable power source, a beauty dish and soft box with a grid. These light modifiers added the extra punch of light and sculpting capability needed to create this fashion glamour image. In order to make images that have a commercial magazine look, lighting of this type is required.
Desert Siren in Blue by Von Trapp Photography 2015 | Las Vegas Glamour ShootConcept Shoot in the Las Vegas Desert with Samiha. My concept was to create an image showing a mermaid like woman on a dry lake bed, having "lost her realm".
This is but one of the images from that shoot which is less about her dread over her "loss".
Image crated by Texas glamour, wedding, and boudoir photographer Richard von Trapp.
Creating glamour is made more easy when this degree of control is available to the photographer. Images that are transcendent of the everyday is what glamour photography is all about, and the creation of light that is not seen in normal life adds to that possibility.
For this shot the model was placed in the full shade of a hill that is behind the camera and lit with the strobes. I balanced the exposure with the background and sky to take advantage of the warmth and long shadows being created by the setting sun. The quality of the light from the lighting modifiers used created a soft and glamorous glow to the skin.
Contact me today to discuss how you can be connected to your glamour and beauty.
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Ladies, I don't know how you do it! I'm continually amazed at your ability to glisten when we males can't help but expect to be drenched from perspiration. On this glamour shoot at Enchanted Rock State Park, Texas, my male assistant and I were covered in perspiration, while the women hardly even glistened dispite the 95 degree temperatures. Of course, I would never wish my model to be shiny for her shoot. But I am still left to wonder…how do you do it?
This shoot was styled with a country theme at 4 locations with 5 clothing changes, using different props. We packed in all of our camera equipment, lighting and grip gear, wardrobe, makeup, props, shelter for the model to change behind, DC battery power, and water. We used a two-light with soft box setup for the woodland shots, and a single head with soft box for the other two locations.
Despite the humidity and high temperature, everyone did great and we created some fine work. Two separate woodland sets were used, this one and another with a small stream. For our third location, the crew climbed 3/4th of the way up the 425 foot high pink granite pluton rock formation that is Enchanted Rock. Finally after a short break from our hike back down and some change of lighting gear, we concluded shooting on the road outside of the park entrance.
This was yet another fine day of shooting which yielded numerous great captures. I will post some images soon after completing the post-processing and styling.
Go online to find out more about this fabulous day or overnight camping treasure. Click on the following links.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/enchanted-rock
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchanted_Rock
My name is Richard von Trapp and I an a glamour, boudoir and wedding photographer in Texas. My passion is to create uniquely beautiful images of every woman that are evocative and moving. My images connect women to their glamour and beauty, allowing them to fall in love with themselves.
Call me so that I can excite you with how we can create a work of art with you as its subject. Click here to see my portfolio.
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Whether I am shooting in a studio, on location in central Texas, or elsewhere in the world, I will always strongly consider using some form of strobe and lighting modifiers. Natural and ambient light are great, often providing a regionally unique look that is found only in that part of the world. (This is a perfect excuse for any photographer or painter to travel.) Anyone who has traveled widely can attest to how different the light is at one given location over another. The warm golden colors of Rome, the intense spring colors of Europe, or vibrant colors of the Caribbean are but a few examples.
The overriding problem with available light, however, is that there is always an uncertainty of what you will have at the time of the photograph. Even then, it will be changing from moment to moment. Photographers know well the concept of chasing the light, or may be heard muttering that they are losing the light.
This brings me to artificial light - any source other than the sun, moon and stars. It can be available light such as street lighting, candlelight, city lights, etc. But in its most controllable form, the kind used by movie makers and skilled photographers, it can be counted upon to make the exact kind of light the artist is envisioning. There are two main forms of artificial light used in cinema and photography. They are classified as continuous lighting and strobes (commonly called flash). Two examples of strobes are studio strobe and speed light.
I presently use strobes and speed lights with a variety of devices to change and shape the light. This shaping of the light is accomplished with light modifiers. Light modifiers are any device that is used around, in front of, or on the light source to provide control such as softening, directing, or intensifying the light. When used in consort with accessories that include light stands, colored gels, battery packs and more, they afford the artist immense creative ability to construct and shape the very look of the light.
Lady In Orange v.2a by Von Trapp Photography 2014.Image capture made in San Antonio on a sunny morning at the Pearl Brewery.
Model/HMU: Simone
This image was created using two 1000 watt Profoto D1 Air studio strobes. The first is fitted with a beauty dish attached to a boom above the model and to camera left. The second strobe is placed 25 feet away and aimed up along this narrow walkway to illuminate the model's lower body, and highlight her pumps to really pop their great color. The camera is 40 feet away and fitted with a Canon 200mm f2 L IS lens on a 5D MkII body with a radio trigger. My lens choice, along with the strobes, allowed me to drop the background out of focus and into darkness, thus keeping the viewer's attention on the subject.
Using high powered strobes allow the photo-artist to overpower the ambient light such as in the image above. The strobe appears to be the only light source when in fact the photo was taken at 9am, albeit on a cloudy day. It could, however, easily be done on a brighter day by increasing the strobe's power of output and adjusting the exposure settings. The Profoto Air units can also be individually turned on and off, their power increased or decreased or a modeling light activated all from behind the camera with a radio trigger. This creative power, however, comes at a price. Top of the line units with an external power source and accessories will amount to the equivalent of 5 to 6 months of house payments in many parts of the country.
At a considerably lower price point are speed lights, which will give similar control but with much less power when compared to the studio strobes listed above. Being more portable they will be the better choice for some projects and I keep three for such jobs. It is possible to buy the necessary gear in order to pair two or more speed lights for use in one light modifier, such as a soft box or umbrella, to gain more light output for those sunny locations. You will get more light output by using multiple units in this way, the smaller components will be easier to transport, and there is no need for a large battery pack or AC power as with studio strobes. But three mid-grade speed lights for one soft box with triggers for each will start to approach the cost of one of my studio heads listed above. Thus speed lights do offer great results when used in most situations not needing to overpower the ambient light.
For the next image I used two speed lights with radio triggers. I used one speed light and trigger in a 24x24in folding soft box with the front defusing panel removed to create a crisper (harsher) light for a more edgier mood. A second unit fitted only with a colored gel and trigger is placed some 80 feet away at the end of the corridor facing the camera's position. I used a tripod to give me the control needed to make slight adjustments in the camera's position to get the light just above the model's shoulder. A star filter was not used.
Artistic lighting, like the edgy lighting seen above or the dramatic shot at the beginning, will require two and three strobe/speed light locations, sometime more to develop the look. In order to creatively place your light sources in a number of possible locations away from the camera's position you will also need a triggering system. There are two kinds of cordless triggers, Infra red (IR) and radio. The IR system has the inherent disadvantage of not working well in bright sunlight, and are line of sight only. Presuming your creative juices will on occasion have you shooting in daylight (overpowering the sun) you will not be able to always count on the IR triggering included on many upper tiered speed light units. So you will need a radio trigger for each strobe/speed light head and for the camera. Radio systems have the added value of allowing you to place units around corners, most up to 200 to 300 feet away.
So if you are a natural/available light photographer possibly looking for a new creative twist for your work, give controllable-artificial light a try. If your budget is such as to limit your lust, consider an inexpensive speed light with a guide number as close to or over 100 as possible. Several simple radio triggers are ever more affordable now. Depending on brand, an entry level investment of $230 to $450 will get you a speed light and triggering system consisting of a transmitter and receiver. Additional speed lights and receivers generally run another $160 to $350. Start with two speed lights and then add light modifiers as your budget allows.
Flash unites at these price points do not, however, have the through the lens (TTL) capability of pricer units. The TTL function allows the flash and camera's metering system to communicate to create a "correct" exposure at the moment of taking the picture. This feature is great when working with quickly changing scenes and subjects such as sporting events, some street photography, news events etc. But when creating an image with an artfully planned concept, you are best served to set the flash power manually and calculate the settings using a hand held light meter. One that works with flash is referred to as a flash meter.
This ladies and gentlemen will be the best bit of photographic kit that will take you to a new creative level, both when shooting with strobe and any other light source. A hand held light meter is so worth the $180 to $600 price tag to get such incredible ability to "get it right". I am presently using a Sekonic L-478D flash meter and I just love it.
If, however, you wish to "do it old school" you can use a chart that gives you the f-stop for a given ISO for a given strobe's power (Guide Number) at a designated distance of flash to subject. It is quite simple and accurate. You can learn more about this method online at www.creativelive.com. Look up the segment under: Catalog, Category: Photo & Video, Topic: Lighting, and find the lesson titled "Crazy Stupid Light" with Scott Robert Lim. The cost of the course at $129 will be well worth it and can change your world. Or, you can put this money towards a flash meter - both options will yield great possibilities. All you need do is try/use them.
If you are a creative I hope you will value my essay in some small way. If, however, you are not a photographer, please read on.
If you are someone looking for a photographer, consider the look you want for your final image. You will be investing some $300 to $900 for most average good quality work. Now further consider the opportunity to have something out of the norm. Your investment just became more sound when your images are a work of art. Conduct an online image search for glamour, beauty, and boudoir photography. Look at the quantity and similarity of available light photos. With the considerable cost in terms of lighting equipment, training, and experience it is no wonder that so many professionals are shooting with available light. However, although gorgeous, you may wish to have images more unique; ones that cannot be created by just any photographer. If you want an image that is styled more like what is seen in fashion magazines, or perhaps cinematic like as seen in movies, you are going to need to find an artist who is doing that kind of work. I urge you to consider stepping away from the pack and seek something special for yourself. Now that you have some idea of what is possible, look past what is normal.
The saying amongst professional photographers is that everyone today is a photographer. With the advent of the camera phone that may seem to be true. However, I submit that a high megapixel phone camera, with its tiny sensor which is incapable of producing high quality images in the first place, does not an artist make. Only a creative mind, trained and experience with an artful eye, and yes, often a considerable amount of expensive gear, makes a photo-artist.
Don't settle for the "selfies", ladies. Invest in a quality professional photographer, be they a natural/available light shooter or otherwise. You deserve to see and feel your glamour in pictures.
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Depending on who you ask, the answer to the question of "what is glamour photography?" will certainly return a variety of answers and descriptions. This article in no way claims to provide an official or correct answer, but will lay out some of the impressions I get when I do an online search of photo websites on the topic. I will further offer you the reader my interpretation of glamour and boudoir and describe my style as a glamour photographer.
Genre confusion is a possibility for all of us as it certainly was for me when I first started to establish my brand. I am first a portrait photographer who specializes in the genre of glamour. I will and certainly do shoot boudoir and wedding but with the eye of the glamour photographer. I further incorporate a fashion-magazine and cinematic style to my work - at least through the eye as I define it.
Twirl by Von Trapp Photography 2014.Fashion Glamour Photography
Fashion Glamour Portrait with grace and beauty stylized with a magazine-editorial look.
[Contemporary glamour portrait with the subject making a strong connection to the camera and displaying a flattering body-language. The photo is styled with creamy highlights.]
The image above might be called a boudoir photograph by some since it contains an article of lingere. If one ignores the fact that the bustier and corset have made its way into the outerwear category of fashion, the very fact that this shot was taken against a white "V-flat" background keeps this image squarely, in my definition, in the glamour portrait realm.
The word boudoir by its very definition historically refers to a lady's parlor, sitting room or dressing area. In the past half century, this has expanded to include the bedroom or such simulated setting. Boudoir photography therefor, is a stylized form created in the boudoir. Loose definitions, however, include a wide verity of interpretations that seem to include any image of a woman in lingerie in just about any setting.
Glamour photography has also undergone considerable style interpretations and permutations over the years. Today when I conduct a online search for glamour photography I find a considerable number of what I would classify as boudoir or sexy-glamour photographs. I feel that glamour has a much broader and richer definition than what it seems to be perceived as. To help my further explanation, take a moment to view the following video on a discussion of the topic. Although I already felt this way, the speaker gives an excellent framework for considering the definition of what glamour is, and what is glamorous.
Virginia Postrel on the subject of glamour: 17min: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhHePLaMP_k
Using a definition of glamour where it is said to have grace, mystery and be transformative, one can imagine how photography can create a feeling of glamour in any number of photographic subjects, and not just be limited to a beautiful woman. Such an image of grace and mystery that transcends the everyday is a most elegant definition. It is this definition that I will use to further differentiate between boudoir and glamour photography.
See part 2, for a continued discussion of what is boudoir photography.
Richard von Trapp is a photographer who travels extensively seeking life's glamour.
]]>Photo shoots on location in cities like Austin, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio always offer great opportunities to include elements of local flavor and style to any glamour photo session.
Beauty, Glamour and Tulle by Von Trapp Photography 2014Fashion glamour portrait created with edgy styling. This image was taken on location in San Antonio.
This beautiful glamour photograph was created using a simple lighting setup with only one strobe, fitted with a beauty dish, and positioned to camera left at about 9 feet above the ground. The narrowness of this ally allowed my model to strike this great pose with ease, and the painted wall offers a sense of depth and downward movement of the stairway into the inky blackness behind her, which also offers a degree of mystery. The natural draft of the alleyway aided in offering some movement to her hair; which would have been hard to do using manmade means in these tight conditions.
In addition creating wonderful images for our client, she had a great time feeling like a supper model as we worked the streets of San Antonio to capture these images.
Creating images of glamour is my passion. Let me create glamorous works of art with you as the subject.
Richard von Trapp is a Texas Glamour, Boudoir and Weddng Photographer.
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In March of 2014, I traveled from Texas to Las Vegas to attend a photography conference. Like many other photographers I planned to use some of my time there to schedule some location shoots. One such shoot was in the mountains above Nellis Air Force Base.
This image below was created using two 1000w Profoto D1 strobes powered by a BatPac battery. My main light was fitted with a collapsible Chimera beauty dish and positioned to camera left and above the model's head. The second strobe is placed behind the rock at knee level to provide an accent light (rim light). To capture the city lights in the far distance, I used a shutter speed of ½ second, with an aperture setting of f8. Additionally, I balanced the power setting of the strobes to achieve the desired exposure of the model and rock.
The rim light was absolutely necessary to provide a visual separation of her body and hair from the nighttime darkness. It created some specular highlights on her killer come-fuck-me-stilettoes and right calf, along with giving a highlight to the front of her left thigh and breast, and her marvelous bum.
Desert Booty v.2c by Von Trapp Photography 2014.Hottie Simone kicks up a stilettoed heel and arches her back to create a yummy profile for us in the Las Vegas desert.
Model/HMU: Simone
For me, glamour photography is about creating images that have beauty, grace, mystery and transcendence from the everyday. Such images are set apart from most photographs created or captured by photographers shooting today. Their work can be very beautify, however, making an image that has true glamour is more difficult. Especially if they are shooting only with natural light, since they have no ability to control it no "shape it".
We at Von Trapp Photography want every woman to be connected to their glamour and beauty.
Contact us today and let us do just that.
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The recent rain in Central Texas afforded us the chance to stylize a fashion-glamour photo shoot using the rain and an umbrella as a central theme. We created images in this gritty ally as well as on the streets of downtown San Antonio. Glamour can be created using a multitude of subjects in a wide verity of locations.
In doing so, the skillful glamour photographer will craft the image to show the subject's beauty, grace, mystery and transcendence. These qualities are the very definition of glamour and what must be present for an image to be considered a glamour photograph. In this photo we juxtaposed the beauty of our model agents the gritty setting of this alleyway.
Richard von Trapp is a portrait photographer in Central Texas who uses glamour's elements of beauty-grace-mystery-and transcendence to create uniquely beautiful images. "Let me connect you to your glamour". Contact me today.
]]>Light of course does not bend nor curve. But the use of light and shadow to create the perception of a three-dimensional object on a two-dimensional canvas, photographic paper or drawing paper is almost as old as cave paintings. Ok! Don't hate me art history students...not really that old. But it is the very use of this light and shadow technique that takes paintings out of the cave and elevates them above kindergarten drawings.
I created this glamour image using two 1x4 Profoto soft boxes with a grid to create the rim light on each side. A third light placed above the camera, but with a beauty dish created a hint of fill. I further reduced this light's value in post production to increase the drama and heighten the photo's glamour.
In my next image I only use a single strobe and without a light modifier. I chose it and the model's placement to compliment the shadows that will be created by the banister and the curving steps, wall, and ceiling. What was challenging is visualizing where the shadows would fall relative to the model. Since this shot is taken in November in Budapest inside an unheated stairway, I did not wish to have my model in position for too long. So once I had the 80% solution I had her dash out from the apartment some feet away, put her into place, made a final test shot and made this capture along with several others.
Creation of these images are made possible through the use of off-camera lighting and could not be made using natural or available light. It is explainable why so few photographers use this capability when you consider the expense of the equipment and knowledge of the techniques.
Although fabulous and beautiful images will be created every day using available light, one can not achieve the results that we create without use of off-camera lighting.
Have a look at the fashion-inspired glamour and boudoir work in our portfolio. See the difference that we bring to a project when connecting you to your glamour
CPT. Richard von Trapp of Von Trapp Photography is a Texas glamour photographer who loves traveling the world capturing it's glamour. Contact me today and let me excite you with how I can connect you to your glamour.
]]>As a glamour and boudoir photographer I have the great joy of capturing or creating evocative glamour images in fabulously unique locations.
This glamour portrait was created with a fashion-editorial feel. The model's outfit consisted of a corset, tulle skirt and Christian Louboutin Bibi pumps. Shooting in great cities like Austin, Houston, Dallas or, as in this shot in San Antonio, it is possible to create fabulous urban influenced glamour, fashion, and high school senior images. This cool image with its rusted corrugated metal and brightly colored walls was captured on the 5th floor of a downtown parking garage.
Glamour is the term given to anything having beauty, grace, mystery, and transcendence of the every day. When a photograph combines glamour with a fashion-magazine look and style it can create a very evocative and popular look. Finding a photographer who can create the look and feel of this hot style may, however, prove a little difficult. More often then not, it comes down to the styling and lighting the photographer uses that will determine if a successful fashion-glamour photograph is created or not.
Many photographers, whether they are shooting glamour/boudoir or not, shoot exclusively natural/available light. This kind of light can be beautiful, but it is very limiting, restricting the possibility of greater creativity by the artist.
The most likely reason the majority of photographers do not use other forms of lighting, such as studio strobes, speed lights, or continuous lighting equipment, is the costly investment of doing so. This investment will range from a few hundred to several thousands of dollars. Combined with this is the necessary artistic talent of the photographer to "see" the image concept in advance, plan the details, and manage the gear. Truly, the greater the investment in the gear, the greater the options to artfully create something that clients will really treasure. However, unique images that stand out from the rest can only be created when these tools are combined with the skills of the artist to pose the client, craft the light, and capture the image.
If you are wanting a beautifully glamorous photograph of yourself, one that will connect you to your glamour in a way that a "selfie" never will, hire a professional glamour photographer. Look carefully at their web site and compare one to another to see who has the most unique and interesting artistic style. The $500 to $1900 average you can expect to invest will be completely worth the experience of feeling like as glamorous supper model, and the unimaginable joy of seeing yourself in a way that you may never have…when you are connected to your beauty and glamour.
Richard von Trapp of Von Trapp Photography in central Texas is a glamour, boudoir and wedding photographer using the techniques and equipment that create that fashion magazine look and mood.
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This portrait was inspired by images seen in fashion magazines and is created by having my model assume a similar style of pose. It has also been made more dramatic by the color styling that was added during post-processing.
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Part 2
When I do an online search for glamour images, so many of the photos I see are what I would describe as lingerie-glamour, sexy-glamour or boudoir. This is in no way wrong. But I do worry that only these images will be associated with the words glamour photography or glamour photographs.
I prefer the historical definition of glamour (see this youTube video link which I also listed in my Part 1 blog on this subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhHePLaMP_k ) that is described in the cited video. This defines glamour as a condition or state of mind, in which anything having grace, mystery and is transcendent of the everyday, qualifies as glamour or is considered glamorous.
Using this definition of glamour photography is applicable to images in a multitude of subjects. It's not just about a pretty face. Lets explore the creation of a glamour photograph in its more pure state of the definition. A well-crafted glamour image, regardless of the subject, will have been carfully planned, meticulously photographed and artfuly post processed to create the glamour. In the days of camera film, what we call post-processing today was done by hand, utilizing specialized skills and techniques both in the darkroom and retouching the final print afterward. Today we also do the same kind of work by hand, but use a high-grade computer with specialized softwear, a graphic pen tablet and viewed on a precisely color-calibrated monitor.
The Power to be Transformative.
As mentioned, glamour has the power to be transformative--to allow the viewer to escape the everyday. It is the idealization, glorification, and dramatization of a subject, concept or scene that is the cornerstone to glamour and of glamour photography.
As a glamour photographer I desire to capture the world's glamour where I find it or can create it. When photographing a woman, I strive to create an image that allows her to love herself. The photograph should transcend her everyday and idealize, glorify and dramatize her beauty. I believe every woman deserves to be photographed in this glamorous fashion.
Everyday I view beautiful works of photographic art online; gorgeous images with lots of feeling that are classified as glamour. But often I feel they are not examples of glamour as I have described it here, despite the beauty of the photograph. I feel that there is a prevailing oversimplification of what glamour photography is, and it is associated in the minds of many viewers as only the boudoir or sexy style of photography of young women.
It is my hope to advocate successfully for a broader view of what is the definition of glamour photography--one that holds the classical definition as the primary understanding of what it could be.
In my next part I will break down how I have attempted to classify the many possible subcategories of glamour photography.
Richard von Trapp is a Texas glamour and boudoir photographer who uses the classical definition of glamour to see the world that he photographs.
]]>Sticking with Italian films as inspiration and Sophia Loren in particular, we created this peasant look set amongst two olive trees.
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When one thinks of Italy often an ideal of fashion-style quickly comes to mind. During the twelve years I lived in Europe I always loved driving to Italy, be it for the day or longer, where I would marvel at the glamour of life there. The stylish women of Roma and Milano were particually special for me.
It was my love of those experiences that inspired me to create these photos which we shot in San Antonio.
Italian Inspiration by Von Trapp Fashion Photography 2013Glamour photograph that has been fashion-inspired.
Richard von Trapp is a glamour photographer creating evocative images, serving Austin-San Antonio-Houston-Dallas. #Austin Glamour Photography
]]>The glamour of this photo is expressed by the beauty and grace of the dancers and expression of the bartender. The viewer's eyes are drawn to the face of the bartender, who is looking past the obvious beauty and sexiness of the women and couple. One is left to ponder what is so captivating as to steal his interest in such a way. Could it be the sight of a gorgeous stranger who just entered the joint by way of the metal staircase; or perhaps it is a lover known to him, and once realized, provides a flood of memories to return.
The glamour is further expressed in the story, still unknown, of the three women as well as the couple who are in a close embrace of a Latin dance. The darkened and gritty styling of the photo greatly adds to the mood, helping to create the glamour.
Richard von Trapp is a Texas glamour photographer who travels the world capturing its glamour. # Austin-San Antonio-Houston-Dallas Glamour Photography.
]]>A glamorous image of a woman is created when it has been crafted with mystery, is graceful and is transformative. Glamour transcends the everyday, and invites us to live in a different world.
This image takes advantage of the Art Deco design of the room and is paired with hair, make-up and fashion to create a retro felling. The lighting is crafted by strobes and was post-processed with blue, yellow and brown layers to create drama and interest for the final image.
Let me make a glamorous image of you that will become a treasured piece of art in your home.
To get a more in-depth idea of what is glamour, see my blog and read Part 1 of Glamour and Boudoir Photography...The changing style of these misunderstood genre.
Richard von Trapp is a glamour photographer in Texas who travels the world capturing its glamour. #Glamour Photography in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston.
]]>Creating interesting portraiture that has an evocative, glamorous or edgy quality is such a joy for me. Here are some photographs that I absolutely love. They have been created at several different locations in Texas and Europe.
I classify my style of photography as being fashion-inspired and cinematic in its lighting and styling. To create my look, I most often use studio strobes to create the light that I have envisioned for the image.
Another characteristic of my style is that images most often shot on location. I love the challenge of capturing the color, and feel of somewhere which becomes a major element in the final image.
We are in a time when the smartphone and AI has "made everyone a photographer". But are they an artist? I continue to consider my feeling about this question. I can say that I do find some, perhaps even many, creations which have used AI to one extent or another, to be art, and artful. Which I can consider as mixed medium. Whether I can consider the creator of said art to be an artist, is very much up in the art for me.
Rainy Alley by Von Trapp Photography 2014.Stylized image of a San Antonio ally on a rainy morning with a woman carrying an umbrella.
Urban Glamour Photography that is emotive and edgy.
Kat at Punta della Dogana v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2017(From the series: Come See What Is Under My Coat)
Taken at the Punta della Dogana which is an art museum in Venice's old customs building, the Dogana da Mar. It also refers to the triangular area of Venice where the Grand Canal meets the Giudecca Canal,and its collection of buildings: Santa Maria della Salute, Patriarchal Seminary, and Dogana da Mar at the triangle's tip. Across the canal is seen the Campanile di San Marco in St. Mark's Square.
Model: Kat
Please enjoy this video on youtube of the lovely Venice. You can see this shoot location at 51 to 58 seconds.
Open your mind and heart, travel and know the joy of becoming a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
]]>Life in the Austin and San Antonio area has its own special feeling. However, the full-of-life and young-at-heart lifestyle of Cortina is deeply engaging in its own way. When a town has this much environmental beauty, with a potential for year-round outdoor activity, it just seems to promote a love of a lifestyle of health and fitness. I have traveled there many times between 2013 and 2019 for hiking and photoshoots and it is one of those locations that will keep drawing you back for more.
Hikers of all ages are seen on the mountain. I am constantly impressed with the fitness and love of things outdoors in Europe and the UK. I a just as likely to be on a mountain trail at 2000 meters with a young child and their parents, or to be passed going up hill by a group of septuagenarian and octogenarians.
The Austrian flag was painted on the rocks to mark the front line of troops durning WWI. This aided in navigation in the snow. Today, it marks the hiking trails for countless enthusiasts. This incredible section of the Alps is a must see, and perhaps hike for those so inclined.
For the even more adventurous, try the Via ferrata. A series of high climbing routes that have you in a harness and connected to a cable, whilst you traverse across narrow paths and climb ladders. Each of which were created by the soldiers who waged war here during WWI. It is humbling to think that they traversed these trails, carrying huge loads, even moved cannon in the snow. Everything to exist and fight was packed in be man and beast.
At the top--looking at the next goal in the distance.
A Girls Outing by Von Trapp Photography 2013.This group of seven women was photographed having lunch after returning from the summit of Mt. Lagazuoi just above. This spot sheltered from the wind made for a beautiful rest spot.
My above image, although somewhat remarkable to me for what, who, and where it was taken and for who was in it, is just another sunny day in the Dolomites. A lunch upon the mountain after a couple of hours of hiking, and a lovely ladies day out.
Throughout Europe one will normally find on the summit of most mountains a large cross, most often made of wood, and a box with a hiker's/climber's logbook for you to sign. In the image above such a cross can be seen in the distance.
Perhaps the most special aspect for me of mountain hiking in Europe is the likelihood of making a hike/climb and finding a Refugio (mountain hut in Italian) where you can have a snack and a great local beer. Such as these fries...with mayonnaise of course, or a more substantial meal. In Austria, Germany and Switzerland it is called a Hütte. And in France it is called a chalet de montagne or cabane de montagne.
Many of the, often humble--but sometimes more fancy, mountain huts have a small number of rooms or hostel bunks available for a night's stay.
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Hiking in the Dolomites is truly spectacular and a favorite location for countless people from around the world. My September adventure took me from San Antonio to Europe, and this incredible place.
View of the Summit by Von Trapp Photography 2013.A view of the summit of Mt. Lagazuoi in the Tyrollean Dolomites of Italy. Sept 2013. Austin and San Antonio Photographer.
Mount Lagazuoi, Italy by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Hikers near the summer of one of the Dolomites highest mountains. Sept 2013, Von Trapp Photography.
Numerous small rock monuments called cairns can be seen erected around the summit.
Photo by Ken Head
At the summit of Mt. Lagazuoi--far below is Passo Falzarego, the mountain pass that was commanded from these heights by the Austrian military in WWI. It is possible to visit the extensive defensive tunnel system constructed in the belly of this mountain and be given a chance to wonder at the spartan conditions that must have existed here for the soldiers.
This, probably a machine-gun position, had an opening of 2x4 feet. The celling height was under 5 feet.
At days end, this soldier enjoyed an incredible view and fare of fries (Pommes) with mayo and a Pils, thankful to now be at peace---at least in this beautiful place. Best wishes to all for the new year, especially to those who serve.
Here are some good sites to help you explore the region.
http://www.summitpost.org/dolomites/150874
http://www.dolomitemountains.com/en/summer_fall_trips/dolomites_hike.htm
http://www.besthike.com/europe/dolomites/index.html
http://www.alpedisiusi.info/en/info/welcome.html
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Flying from San Antonio to Munich on my most recent return to Central Europe which included Germany, Austria and Italy, I finally experienced the beauty of the Dolomites for myself. The Dolomites, Dolomiti in Italian, are nearly equally shared between the provinces of Belluno, South Tyrol and Trentino in Northern Italy. During this trip, I explored the Tyrollean region of the Dolomiti in and around the town of Cortina D' Ampezzo.
The first part of my trip started in Germany, where I was stationed and lived for 12 years. After a day of showing a friend the sights in München we took the next 3 days to travel south, visiting well known spots along the way including Salzburg. We drove past Kitzbühel and finally down to Cortina, which is located east of Bozen in Südtirol (South Tyrol), present day Austria.
Dolomite Beauty by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Located 30 minutes west of the town of Cortina Italy is this impressive structure.
Tyrol's human settlement dates back to 12,000 BC and through the middle ages until the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1805 it looked much like what is seen on this map.
During "The Great War" World War I, the battle lines ran largely along the border shown above between north and south Tirol. It did move about but remained mostly fixe. The fortifications that were dug into the mountains along with the trails leading to them, are the hiking and climbing routs used by the international hikers that visit today.
To assist knowing where the trails were then and now, blazes mark of red and white paint are used. They resemble the current flag of Austria and are found on the stone of the rock face and upon an elaborate series of wooden sigh posts showing the trail numbers.
Today, the State of North Tyrol (shown in red) makes up the western part of Austria. Whereas Sudtirol (South Tyrol) and Trentino are now a part of Northern Italy. Although the culture, architecture and traditional clothing styles are distinctly similar to what many Americans think of when they think of Bavarian, it is now part of Italy and German and Italian is spoken widely throughout the region.
Tyrollean Castle by Von Trapp Photography 2013.
The photo above and directly below show the craggy beauty of the Dolomiti (Dolimite) region as we approached Italy from the Austrian side. Mid September 2013.
Dolomiti Beauty by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Approaching Italy from the north thru Austria one is meet by this impressive vista.
Atop many of the summits you will find a cross or stone monument, often with a hikers book to be signed. In the photo below you can see remanence from the First World War.
WWI Frontline-Dolomites by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Mt. Lagazuoi in South Tyrol. Along the WWI frontier between Austria and Italy, this high ground was held by the Austrian Army and commanded the valley below. Evidence of the war is seen here with the tripod made of barbed wire fence pickets and topped with the front half of an artillery shell.
The following images have been captured on my many return trips there, and are all from the region west of Cortina d' Ampezzo.
Dolomites-Italy by Von Trapp Photography 2013.The last few meters for these hikers up M. Lagazuoi via the SW trail.
Petulant Massive v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015From my first visit in 2013 I have hiked here with family and models every year to 2017. The area has truly captured my heart. Tofana di Rozes 3225m, here seen from a distance during our 2015 hiking season.
Tofana di Rozes 3225 m (10,642ft) (photo above) as seen from a distance during our 2015 hiking season. In 2016, we came back and hiked around its base. Those trails are seen here, leading up from the far right and crossing along the base at the level of the dark stone and just above the light colored material.
This mountain and the surrounding ones to the left and right were the front lines in WWI between the Austrian forces and the Italian forces who held the ground from where this image was taken. A highway that leads from Cortina (to the right and east) passes in the low ground between this camera position and the foot of Mt. Tofana. Its use was the main object to be denied to the Italians. Although not seen here, there are hundreds of tunnel openings from which direct fire from canon and machine-gun was directed down upon the road.
They are found in this and all the other mountains along the front, from which fighting positions equipped with machine-guns and small artillery guns controlled the passes. One such road, not seen here, runs along the low ground from right to left in this photo.
The conditions here for all combatants was extreme, but imagine the effort it took to first scale the mountains, tunnel hundreds of meters down into them and then exist there for years. Also consider that all supplies had to be packed up into the defensive positions by the soldiers and pack animals. Today the trails that were built by the soldiers to fight are now part of a wonderfully marked trail system for hackers and climbers.
From Hilltop To Hilltop by Von Trapp Photography 2016.Hours earlier we were on the far summit of M. Lagazuoi, having taken the cable car up and down. For this image, we hiked here from the parking lot in the valley below.
This is Mt. Lagazuoi which dominated over the strategic location of Passo di Falzarego (6,906ft) along the east-west road.
The town of Cortina is a gem not to be missed. It hosted the the 1956 Winter Olympics, and will do so again in 2026. It is one of two location I have used as a base to hike in the Dolomites. The other being the village at San Pellegrino Pass. These following images are from Cortina.
Cortina D' Ampezzo and Cristallo Mt. 3216 m. by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Looking east upon the Tyrolean town of Cortina Italy. Sept 2013
European Charm by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Typical Alpin style of geraniums in a window box creating a beautiful seen in the South Tyrollean town of Cortina Italy.
Street Scene in South Tyrol by Von Trapp Photography 2013.A Street in Cortina d' Amprezzo.
Shopping in Cortina by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Street scene in downtown Cortina Italy.
A Night on the Town by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Downtown Cortina, Italy.
Finally, I will conclude this adventure to the Dolomites with images from San Pellegrino Pass, a 1.5 hour drive SW of Cortina. During this trip, which included both Cortina and San Pellegrino.During this trip I created some art nude images along with landscape images. Lets start with some nighttime nudes in Cortina.
Mistress Simone v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2016.(From the series: "Come See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat", A Nippily Showing)
Under it all she is wearing a low-cut Agent Provocateur bra that subtly allows her areolas and nipples to make a risqué showing. Nighttime photoshoot in Cortina, Italy.
Model: Simone
Venetian Mask v.1a by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: "Come See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat")
Fashion image taken on a Italian balcony in Cortina which is centered in the Dolomite mountains just northwest of Venice.
Model: Simone
Night's Lusty-Luring v.1a by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: "Come See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat")
Adorned in her Agent Provocateur, this vamp is all set to create a commotion. Location shoot in Cortina, Italy.
Model: Simone
Promenade di notte v.2 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(Title: Nighttime Promenade) (From the series: "Come See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat")
Simone struts her stuff along a walkway in Cortina, Italy.
Model: Simone
Dolomite Morning v.1a by Von Trapp Photography 2014.A mountain vista captured in the Italian Dolomites.
Dolomite Beauty by Von Trapp Photography 2016Our view to the west of Fuchiade in the late afternoon.
See a YouTube video of this magnificent area.
Objective Reached by Von Trapp Photography 2016Looking back one can see the pass we hiked up to just to the left of Mt. le Saline, seen in the center of this image, which was this day's objective. We first passed this point in the village of Fuchiade 9 hours earler on our way up the mountain.
The Last Hour Ahead by Von Trapp Photography 2016(From the series: Hiking To The Clouds, 9 of 13.)
NE of San Pellegrino, Italy. Ahead lies our last hour of travel up to 2600 meters.
On a recent shoot at a location between Austin and San Antonio, we had the joy of working with Laurena Mitchell, an NPC Figure Competitor. Her project is to bring a series of photographs of her with a snake to reality. Her inspired vision is to create several edgy images for self promotion as a Figure Competitor. After initial communication with her we started the pre-production planning. We evaluated her request thoroughly , researched the National Physique Committee, its competition rules and standards, and researched our client. We gained insight into how competitors train and live in preparation for competition. Considerable research was committed to evaluating how other competitors have been photographed and are promoting themselves as well.
We entered into the creative process with the development of concepts and assembled an inspiration board. We conducted location scouting, acquired equipment for the set and continued communication with our client.
On the day of the shoot we met with Shawn and Rachel Harrison of Superior Reptiles and Rodents, who provided three of their snakes and would be wrangling the snakes for us to help create the shot that Laurena desired. Shawn and Rachel specialize in Ball Pythons but have others as well and whose services can be found at their website http://www.superiorreptilesco.com. A special thanks to them for their help in creating the look.
These are some of the behind the scenes photographs of the shoot in New Braunfels Texas.
Contact us today with your ideas and desires and let us excite you with how we can connect you to your glamour and beauty.
I am Richard von Trapp of Von Trapp Photography. We create evocative glamour and boudoir images that will connect you to your glamour.
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To connect with Lorena click below.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laurena-Mitchell-Figure-Competitor/452154754873334
]]>Two of my recent stylized fashion photographs that I love were shot in San Antonio. I found this great graffitied wall and illuminated my subject with an off camera flash in a soft box. The second image was taken in the Penthouse Suite of the Havana Hotel in San Antonio. Along with the Grand Suite it is a great location for boudoir and glamour portraiture.
Wearing: Agent Provocateur dress with Christian Louboutin Bibi pumps.
]]>September started off with a flight to England to catch the Crown Princess bound for Norway. We returned home 12 days later, allowing me time to instruct a NAUI Rescue diver course before repacking and making another transatlantic flight to Germany four days later.
For thirteen days I returned to many of my beloved locations in Bavaria, Austria and along the Rhine River in Germany. I also ventured into the incredibly beautiful Tyrollean Dolomites of Italy which are truly a gem of unique beauty. Never having seen them in person, I have longed for a chance ever since.
Sadly even though I lived in the Bavarian town of Bad Toelz for 6 years, I only drove past the vistas of the Dolomites, always unseen from the Autostrada, while heading to the favorite cities of Italy and Sicily.
When I was a newer member of "Group" (Special Forces Group) in the mid eighties, I was introduced to the concept of how travel will "make you a better American" by the Deputy Chief of Mission at the American Embassy in Cairo. My five months there gave me my first extended mission out of country and the chance to see, learn and grow in so many ways. Upon my return the growth and learning continued and I began to understand what the LTC shared with me.
Travel to be a better person, a better (fill in your nationality). If you do so with an open mind and heart, you will never see your world the same again, and you will feel more alive then you could have imagined.
The secret...no the absolute key to seeing what wonders you have in your world is to venture out of it, and into someone else's. At this point you have likely made the jump to the conclusion that what I'm about to say is, "to appreciate what cool, wonderful, and unique aspects exist at home and how much we have". No way! That is exactly what most of us do so easily. I feel that this can lead to and support the ugly (fill in your nationality) that can be seen in too many people traveling abroad.
Fight against it with all you have. Instead, travel with an open heart and mind but with selfish intent. Because if you choose to do so, you will receive more enlightenment than you may have ever imagined. I have long understood the meaning of how travel has made me a better American. I have confirmed countless times over what I like and love about my country. That which I deeply or only somewhat miss while traveling abroad. Most importantly I have on countless occasions, seen, experienced, lived, enjoyed and loved what we do not have in America. The marvels of the vistas, smells, tastes, textures, color of light, feeling of the air, architecture, fashion, life-styles, attitudes of the locals to list only some.
I have fallen in love with something in each country I have ventured to, in most cases many things. When one opens up to see that which they don't have at home, and can appreciate or even love what can be found in another person's country, then we are enriched by the beauty of the world. We have at that point the chance to grow and change how we live our short time on earth. Because once we find something so special in another land that moves us so deeply, we can never again feel the comfort of believing that we need not venture beyond our neighborhood.
It can be a bittersweet feeling indeed if the means or opportunity to travel were never again available. One could easily feel as if they have lost something and are now missing an important aspect to their life. When in fact they have actually added something incredibly important to it.
A disturbing clarity may even be felt by the traveler. The realization that if I can feel this enriched by something I experienced when traveling abroad, what else am I missing out on? What else have I not yet discovered? How much more might I be able to find that is extraordinary and moving, in the world and in myself?
At some point it can be possible to feel a melancholy, like that of a lost love, when we think of what it was like to feel so differently and be so deeply affected be our travels which are in now just in our past. Eventually, however, it is possible to reach a point of acceptance and enlightenment when we can value what we have experienced and add it into our treasure chest of memories.
If nothing else be a collector of memories. Create as many different kinds as possible. Value every one of them for they are what we have made of our life.
When your time on earth is at its end, spare yourself any thoughts of..."could have, should have". Know that you lived fully, and loved completely.
]]>This past weekend was exciting and packed full of photo shoots at the Hotel Havana in San Antonio. Located in a 99 year old building that was originally a private residence turned hotel under another name, it is now the charming Havana Hotel. Its motif gives homage to the feel of old Cuba with a period look, artisanal culinary creations, and acclaimed hand-crafted cocktails. I used the hotel's Cuban theme as inspiration to create a 1950's retro look to the costuming of the models.
I loved creating such beautifully elegant glamour, boudoir and stylized period-inspired art.
]]>Rain and dramatic clouds offered the perfect setting for creating this stylized fine art photograph which was inspired by images from the iconic Hollywood classics, The Wizard of Oz and Singing in the Rain.
Playing in the Rain by Von Trapp Fashion and Glamour Photography 2013A stylized photograph of a woman holding an umbrella in a rainstorm with dramatic clouds.
Photographed near San Antonio, we raced out to this spot when the rain clouds gathered and was able to capture this dramatic shot. As the rain fell we set up our strobes and lighting modifiers and quickly styled this shot. Balancing on the wet railroad track was hard enough, but was made even mort challenging by the wind that was blowing.
The clouds seen here existed as they appear. However, the stylized coloration of a light and eery green were added in post-processing. I wanted to suggest the possibility of a building tornado, threatening to carry off my modern day Dorothy.
The surreal like quality to the light of what one might think is associated with a coming tornado is carried over into the bright yellow patch of grass. The rain drops can be seen falling, having been captured with the aid of the strobe. So too can the water droplets be seen on the umbrella.
My "Dorothy" incorporates the sense of carefree indifference to the elements of Gene Kelly in the movie "Singing In The Rain" with her attitude and seemingly lack of concern for the coming storm.
I am Richard von Trapp and I am a Photo Artist specializing in creating evocative Fashion Photography, Glamour and Boudoir, Portrait.
]]>I have traveled from paratrooper and Green Beret Combat Diver to medical officer to diving professional, and now professional photographer. This change will require more than a new group of skill sets and jargon however. The challenge is that it is hard to know what we don't know.
But I love change and growth; it has been a key part of creating a full life for me. Few would deny that growth is seen as good-even needed. However, growth comes at the price of change and change is often uncomfortable.
So on to more change.
Photographing on location at Enchanted Rock Texas. March and May 2013
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]]>The diving in Bonaire is known to be of high quality. During my visit to find new locations to shoot glamour and fashion photographs, we took every chance to get it as much diving as possible. Being able to enjoy both of my passions, photography and diving, was a great treat.
This was anything but another great dive for Currie and I. We made our way down to the sea floor, settling on the bottom to look up and take in the fantastic view. Then we saw it! A sight that every diver lists as one of the must see sights...a Giant Manta Ray. Gliding along the reef at about 40 feet the Manta still appeared huge as it effortlessly passed over us almost 80 feet away.
Pat exploring the top of the wall.
The coral rubble is home to juvenile and smaller species.
I did a lot of diving during this trip…and I also found several fantastic locations for future shoots. All in all I could not have had a better trip.
My name is Richard von Trapp and I an a glamour, boudoir and wedding photographer in Texas. My passion is to create uniquely beautiful images of every woman that are evocative and moving. My images connect women to their glamour and beauty, allowing them to fall in love with themselves.
Call me so that I can excite you with how we can create a work of art with you as its subject. Click here to see my portfolio.
]]>My recent exploration for new locations to shoot glamour photographs took me to Bonaire in the southern Caribbean. While there, it gave me the perfect chance to do some diving and underwater videography...I also found some great locations for a future glamour shoot.
In my work both as a diving instructor and glamour/boudoir photographer, I get the chance to help my clients embrace their fears and overcome apprehension. If you are thinking about being photographed it is so common to fear many things.
The biggest of which is how you feel you may look in the final product. But it is not limited to just that. Any number of understandable and, as I stated, common feelings are likely to creep into your mind as well. Such as "I won't know what to do", "I have nothing to wear", "I don't know how to stand", "I don't know if my makeup is right".
We were joined by my former diving students and friends Mr. Ken Head and his wife Ms. Anna Perkins. Here Ken is seen making a descent to the sea floor of Front Porch Reef at a depth of 130 feet, a potentially unnerving depth even for experienced divers.
Ken exploring "his" Front Porch after leaving the bottom.
At 70 feet on a Bonaire wall. The beauty and serenity of this world can experienced once we face our fears.
Seeing these normal feelings resolve into joy and excitement is part of what makes my job so wonderful. Because I know that when you start your shoot with me, those concerns will quickly fade from your mind as you are guided and helped to create incredible images. As with my diving students over the years where I have helped them become skillful divers who love the sea, I connect you to your beauty and glamour, and get to revel in your delight of the experience and over your glamour.
My name is Richard von Trapp and I an a glamour, boudoir and wedding photographer in Texas. My passion is to create uniquely beautiful images of every woman that are evocative and moving. My images connect women to their glamour and beauty, allowing them to fall in love with themselves.
Call me so that I can excite you with how we can create a work of art with you as its subject. Click here to see my portfolio.
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Dr. Currie von Trapp surveying a wreck resting in 105 feet of sea water.
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From Warrior to Artist. Where I Have Been.
I had a highly successful 30 year career as a warrior in the army. I started out as an Infantry Paratrooper and Pathfinder Team Leader in the 82nd Airborne. Became a founding member of and instructor at the Special Forces Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape Course. Finally serving as a Green Beret Weapons Leader, Medical Sergeant, Combat Diver and Dive Medical Technician. And this is how I completed my first two decades of service.
My last 10 years started with my commissioning as an Army Officer, trained as a Physician Assistant. With my degree in hand and gold bars on my shoulder, I was overnight a Second Lieutenant! I had 5 years as a Master Sergeant at that time, and as anyone who has served as an enlisted person understands, that was quite a demotion. In prestige, to say the least. Thus, I started my third decade, now practicing primary care and combat medicine.
My final tour of service wrapped up with 3 years as an instructor and training team leader at Ft Sam Houston Texas. I was set on this course by the Chief of Army PA's Lieutenant Colonel Lou Smith. I first met, then Chief Warrant Officer 3, Lou Smith when I was a Sergeant First Class serving in Bad Tölz, Germany assigned to the 1st Battalion 10th Special Forces Group. He noticed my passion for teaching and saw the quality of my work as the primary creator and senior instructor of the NATO International Long Range Reconnaissance and Patrol Medic Course given in Wiengarten Germany. Now in the summer of 2001, LTC Smith charged me with bringing a combat mindset to the hospital world of Fort Sam medic training. The army was finally changing its mindset of how medics were to be trained. No longer was a hospital to be the primary emphasis. The new 91W course was to create a Combat Medic from the ground up. The techniques and training philosophy of the Special Operations world needed to be brought to the conventional army. As the events of history would have it, just in time sine it was only 3 months after my joining the program that the 9/11 attack happened. In my three years at Fort Sam, I and my nurse instructor with our 20 outstanding sergeants instructed some 4000 students. We were but one of 6 such teams.
Two years prior to retirement from service, at the end of 2004, I earned my scuba instructor certification with the prestigious National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and have gone on to become a Mixed-Gas Technical, Open and Closed Circuit Instructor. These ratings, along with being qualified in technical wreck penetration, paired well with my medical and other army skills to afforded me my the next career opportunity.
During the spring and summers of 2005 through 2011, I crewed aboard a research vessel in the Florida Keys. I worked as Diving Officer, Deck Chief, Security and Medical Officer as well as deck hand, fetch and carry, cook, bottle washer and the coveted "head" custodian (bathroom janitor). It afforded me great opportunity to do, see and be part of many miraculous projects and adventures.
Cage Diving at the Farallon Islands.Working as the Diving Officer for a Great White Shark Adventure, I oversaw diving operations and safety. I am seen here with a customer setting them up with surface supplied air. A silhouette made of carpet in the shape of a seal can be seen at the upper right of the photo. Sept-Nov 2005.
Bring the Goods Aboard ©2006.This stromatolite was the prize that was recovered by the crew of RV Tiburon in the Exumas. This mission was for the University of Miami under a permit granted to Professor Dr. Robert Ginsburg, University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS). It was also an Explorer Club Flagged expedition which lasted for 2 weeks in the Bahamas.
Capturing Footage by T. Taylor 2006.Here I an videoing the scientists from the University of Miami while on a mission to study stromatolites in the Exumas, Bahamas.
Over the Blue Hole by T. Taylor 2005.Here, using a closed circuit rebreather, I am returning from 150 feet in a blue hole that measures about 200 feet across and drops to over 300 feet deep. At 70 feet I stop to film an Indo-Pacific intruder to these Bahamian waters, a Lion Fish. In 2005 this fish was still infrequently seen, unlike the plague they pose now.
I continued to teach SCUBA diving and have found even greater rewards doing considerable pro-bono work with the Wounded Warriors teaching Adaptive Diving classes to our amputees and injured soldiers. They are an incredibly easy group to teach diving too. Having come through such adversity, what's a little water and lack of air!
On High by Patricia Ayers 2014.Taking It To The Edge
Taken atop Mt. Lagazuoi in the Tyrollean Dolomites of Northern Italy. At over 9000 feet it is a fantastic location with incredible views of the entire Passo Falzarego area.
Read and see more from the area on the following 3 blogs.
http://www.vontrappphotography.com/blog/2013/12/the-joy-of-returning
http://www.vontrappphotography.com/blog/2013/12/a-hikers-life-near-the-top
http://www.vontrappphotography.com/blog/2014/1/von-trapp-glamour-photography-visits-cortina-d-ampezzo
After much thought and consideration I then decided to start career number four and return to photography. I first joyfully started learning it in grade school and continued in high school studying graphic arts. Now it is time to become a professional. However, still enjoying the underwater world.
But then, as of late 2019, my diving career came to an end after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
casual elegance by robpolderPhoto shoot in Naarden Vesting with Joy D.
Mode/HMU: Joy Draiki
Model Mayhem #2798173
Photo assistant Emanuele Photographer: CPT. R. von Trapp
Hosted by local photographer Rob Polder
collaboration v.1 by robpolderA day of Joy. After a daylong shoot in Naarden Vesting, the crew breaks for dinner, which gives me and model Joy a chance to review what we have created. We would go on to another 3 hours during the night.
Mode/HMU: Joy Draiki
Model Mayhem #2798173
Photo assistant Emanuele Photographer: CPT. R. von Trapp
Hosted by local photographer Rob Polder
attention by robpolderCreating glamour in Naarden Vesting with Joy. A behinds the sceans capture created by fellow shooter Rob. Mode/HMU: Joy Draiki
Model Mayhem #2798173
Photo assistant Emanuele Photographer: CPT. R. von Trapp
Hosted by local photographer Rob Polder
say cheese by robpolder 2018.Fashion shoot in Naarden Vesting with the delightful Joy. Our amazing Dutch model disrobed for our camers in the centures old star-shaped fortress. Here Von Trapp Photography paired up with Dutch shooter Rob Polder to create wonderful fashion and art nude images in this fantastic location. Model: Joy Draiki Model Mayhem # 2798173. Photo Assistant:
YouTube video of Naarden.
More info about Naarden.
Along the way I challenge myself each day to expand my skills as a photographer, just as I did as a soldier and diver. In addition to my client shoots, I travel each year to shoot personal projects of fashion, editorial and art nude around the world in-order to add to my portfolio and knowledge.
butterfly by robpolderWorking with model Hrana in a Gouda historical cemetery. Model/HMU/Wardrobe: Hrana Model Mayhem #3321656 Photographer: CPT. R. von Trapp Photo assistant Emanuele Hosted by local photographer Rob Polder
Amongst The Many No More v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2018.Photo shoot in a Gouda cemetery. South Holland, The Netherlands.
Model/HMU/Wardrobe: Hrana Model Mayhem #3321656
I am very grateful to the models, hair and make-up artists, and production assistants who have, and will continue to contribute to my portfolio.
Three Incredible Women by Von Trapp Photography 2016Hair/Makeup Artist Linda finishes with TerryZ as Coxy awaits her final two photo setups. Glamour shoot in Prague at the Franciscan Garden Glass Suite Apartment.
Outdoor Sexy Glamour by Von Trapp Photography 2014.During this "Sexy Cowgirl" inspired glamour shoot, we had the pleasure of shooting Ms. "S" who contacted us to fulfill her long held wish to be photographed in a sexy girl setting. This behind the scenes shot we find Ms. S being touched up by hair stylist Anna of Amazing Heads out of Startzville, Texas. This is an example of what lovely artwork we produced for her and her husband.
Contact us today to have your dreams of glamour come true.
Setting up at the Gap by Kat 2019.Setting up for a shoot at Sycamore Gap, Hadrian's Wall, England
Cold and Moving Quickly by Steve Hockin 2019.Model Kat being disrobing for a shot and is assisted by P.A. Mina Smith. Created below Grennan Castle, Scotland.
Bhean bòidhchead v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2019.(Title: Lady of Beauty in Scots Gaelic).
Our lovely model graces a beach in Scotland below Greenan Castle on a cold October day to create this image. Von Trapp Photography traveled to the Highlands of Scotland and Lake Distric of England for two weeks of shooting which yielded numerous wonderful captures of fine art.
Model/HMU: Kristy. Photo Production Assistants: Steve, Mina Smith
Bring in the Snake by Von Trapp Photography 2013.During this glamour shoot in New Braunfels we worked with two snake wranglers and two Ball Pythons to style this image for our client.
Bellows an example of me planning a shoot 6 months in advance to be conducted in Venice, Italy. The following two images show the result of these two sketches.
Mirrored Glamour by Von Trapp Photography 2015Mirrored Glamour, Beauty Reflected
This capture was made in a grand bedroom of a noble residence in Venice Italy. The period furniture, 20 foot frescoed celling and French doored balcony, overlooking a canal, created an inspirational location for this evocative lingerie glamour photograph.
Model: uNicoleorn
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One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
Thank you for taking interest and the time to visit with me. I hope that you will return often and perhaps afford me the chance to serve your photographic needs.
I am available for travel out of town and out of country.
Best Wishes,
Richard
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