And now a photoshoot!

I love running and cycling as you already know.  I also love it when unexpected things happen - sometimes product reviews, writing for someone else and now I can add a photoshoot to the list.  You know, I've never been in a photoshoot before, or be a model, or be a film extra, or...... anything.  So with the invitation to be included in this photoshoot,  I was happy to volunteer for as it sounded fun as well as supporting Amy at the kayaking club.

Amy has already produced some lovely images of kayakers paddling with LEDs attached at dusk, just after sunset.  Taking it a little further Amy was wanting to do exactly the same with some runners and cyclists.  So last week I met up with Amy, her two assistants and alongside Jacqui and Beth.  Having been asked to wear dark clothing, we were fitted with LED lights - only on our left hand side.  I pointed out that I was wearing my dirtiest running shoes especially for the evening and I think that was appreciated (they really were horrible). There was one LED on the side of my head, elbow, wrist, knee and foot.  The colours were gradually changing, adding to the interest.

The first few shots proved it was still a little too light as Amy was needing to shoot the photos with long exposure times - I think 4 or 6 seconds were being used.  Eventually it was sufficiently dark and we could move across the shot at normal speeds with the LEDs being picked up by the camera.  We took it in turn to run or cycle singly through the shot and we also ran a few times together and I think these work best of all.

The resulting images are, in my view, really fascinating with an interesting quality through being shot at twilight.  This strikes me as being an interesting time to photograph things in, especially now in mid summer with long, slow sunsets.  Somehow trees and the countryside take on a different appearance with dark, shadow areas growing to engulf everything for the brief night ahead.  Just as you see this taking place, the LED trails waft through the scene and show the incredible movements made by the human frame in doing what it is designed to do.

This, quite literally, puts a different light on seeing the human frame at work. Seeing, for instance, how our feet move from one stride to another appears completely different and unexpected through these images.  Absolutely fascinating and with an unusual beauty.

Thank you goes to Amy for asking me to help with this for allowing me to share your images.  Thanks also to Jacqui and Beth who made it such fun.  I enjoyed it and look forward to seeing even more of these in the future.

For Amy's website - click here