2015:PROJECT NAKED - Chapter 4
Chapter 4 – April – Olympic Park
Photo shoots can be weeks in the planning, yet sometimes fate decrees they will simply happen. An unfortunate setback can create a great opportunity.
This was true in mid-April when a studio workshop to shoot balletic moves through clouds of coloured powders had to be cancelled. Both the model – Adam – and I were gutted but why waste the day? I asked if he was up for a spontaneous outdoor shoot.
He sure was, so together we headed for the Olympic Park in Stratford, site of the London 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. With so many iconic buildings it would be a perfect setting for Adam's athletic physique. All we needed was to avoid downpours and overzealous security guards.
Arriving at the site, it seemed we might be disappointed on both counts. The rain was torrential at first, but then softened and finally cleared to rewards us with blue skies for our best shots. Security guards, bless them, have their job to do so we took care not to gift them an honest guerilla art photographer and her law-abiding naked friend.
We warmed up with a few shots of Adam in leggings striking graceful positions while we surreptitiously cast around to find suitable place for nude shots. Our first was beneath a bridge over a canal, which gave us the sleek lines of the Aquatic Centre as backdrop to Adam's elegant poses.
The one structure we couldn't ignore was the ArcelorMittel Orbit observation tower. At 376ft tall, it would be tough to frame it together with a full-length pose from Adam. Plus it would force us out into the open, but we moved fast and Adam nailed it, emulating its strong verticality engulfed by sweeping twists and curves.
We were both on a roll but felt we'd probably pushed our luck far enough for one day. Adam's tone and style had given 2015 PROJECT NAKED a new dynamic, and yet still there is so more much to do.
