Welcome back to LaMode Magazine. I know that I have been a little dormant of late, but I can say that I am back and here to stay. I have been busy shooting editorials for LaMode Magazine and you will see them in the coming weeks leading up to Chrismas.

If you live in Australia you will notice that the weather is warming up big time which means, good times at the beach. Here is my spin on good times at the beach, not only is being at the beach about being no holds barred, but being comfortable within your own skin and not caring about what other people think of you Right!!!  So when I am casting models for shoots for LaMode magazine, that is what I am looking for, a model that is a little bit different not just a pretty girl. That someone who will stand out from the crown and get noticed, that is what I am looking for. I have to admit I don't always get the model that I want, but I would like to think that I come close. Not everyone tans well and not everyone is a size 8-10 with a killer body that is why I work with models who have unique features. 

I worked with Giovanna  from Bella Management for this editorial, she has curves and a x-factor that is second to none. Not to mention she is  great to work with which always makes my job easier over the course of the shoot, which  by the way was very quick. You see planning is the key and knowing what you want, rather than shoot and shoot and shoot and end up with 1000's of images that I won't use and won't look at is not only wasting my own time but everyone else's.

So the next time you are at the beach don't just make a impression make a Splash!!!!

​Photographer: Geoffrey Chuah
​Model: Giovanna@Bella Management
Make-up: Anna Timofeeva
Swimwear:Lakoi

I love the beach and Summer, no two ways about it. Which is the reason why I spend a lot of the time shooting at the beach, take a click on some of my swim shoots and you will see why I love shooting with a beach setting. I have been lucky enough to have worked with some amazing models and some very special swim brands. So you most be thinking that you must have to have a cool beach location to produce some of the pretty cool pics you may have seen in my swim section .....and the answer to that is YES. And that is the reason why I have shot this editorial on Tamarama Beach. Not with a model but the beach it's self and some of it's surroundings.

The beach it's self is tucked away between two hill sides which gives it cover from the wind and in turn retains the heat from the sun turning it into a amazing place to visit and sun bake. Don't you worry I have spent many hours chilling out on this beach and have shot a few swimwear editorials as well. 

So if you ever get a chance to visit or plan on getting a tan in the Summer, Tamarama beach is the one. Never crowned like Bondi, but still has a ambience that you can soak up and enjoy.

Making it big in the fashion industry as a model doesn't mean that everyone is seeing your picture all over bill boards and magazines. What it really means is that you are in demand in more ways than one or two or even three. I know and have worked with a  number of models that have guided there own career to a point to where they can't go any further and then need a agent. Most of the time it is when they need a agent to help them score a overseas agent so they can work and travel. 

Modeling isn't always what it seems, it is not all glamour and amazing pictures. It is a lot of hard work. First of all it's castings, and that means a lot of walking and traveling from one end of the city to the other. Sometimes in the middle of summer and add on top of that the waiting times that are required when they turn up. It can sometimes turn into a cattle call so to speak. But on the upside of modeling, they get to travel for jobs to some of the most amazing locations and get to work with some very talented photographers, stylist and makeup artist. All of which the client is paying for :) 

So this leads me on to write about working with the same talent again and again on commercial jobs and editorials. It makes things so much easier when you have worked with the model or models before, I say this because it is about the model projecting herself in front of the camera to help make the images look engaging and dynamic. And not to mention the model trusting the photographer to help make them look drop dead amazing.

I personally love working with the same models when I can, and this shoot for LaMode magazine was no exception. I have known and worked with Valentina for 4 years not only on editorials, but also on commercial jobs, and that in it's self makes things so much more easier and fun when you know and love the people you work with. I also hope that the images below depict that, in a way that they are engaging and dynamic.

Photographer: Geoffrey Chuah@www.gcphotography.net
Model:Valentina@Instagram

Lately I have been thinking a lot about my photography and the sort of editorial's that I would like to shoot for LaMode Magazine. Thinking more about how the final images should look like. And I came to the conclusion that if it isn't art or doesn't have a art feel to it then maybe I shouldn't be shooting it? Does that make sense .....it should because photography is a art form period.

That was my thought process when I shot this culture editorial last week. The thought process was work back from how I would like the final images to look like. So the first step was think of a place or location that I would like to capture and then capture it in a way that is not only engaging but also eye catching.

So really the bottom line was how was I going to frame my shots secondly, I asked myself  how do I want these images to look and feel? I chose black and white, which is how I shoot my culture editorials anyway, and thirdly the time of day which will dictate how hash the light will be. I shot most of these pic's around 3pm Sydney time which would mean the light is still hash but good enough to play around with in photoshop so that they will look engaging enough for my readers enjoy them.

I think that is the reason why I love shooting with natural light ....because I can make the adjustments that I need to do so that they can be art it's self. 

Enjoy my culture editorial on Paddington, Sydney