Wow 2019 sure flew by, and I pressed the shutter button more than ever. So let me share a favourite picture or pictures as we head in to 2020.

Day #8

Xanthe Rose under London Bridge

  • EOS R
  • EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
  • 1/160s, f/2.2, ISO 100

It’s 2020, Happy New Year to you

2019 was a fabulous year, I worked with Xanthe Rose on many occasions in a range of locations and with quite a few different kinds of light. She just keeps delivering great moments for your camera to capture and I always look forward to working with her. We did a couple of beginners Speedlite workshops at Canon UK’s office in Reigate for EOS Training Academy, and there’s one more in 2020 before the Canon office moves so book now. I’ve already booked Xanthe Rose to model on the day. We also teamed up for a location portrait workshop in central London, where these first three shots were taken in between the shots taken by the workshop attendees.

Xanthe Rose under London Bridge

  • EOS R
  • EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM
  • 1/80s, f/4, ISO 800

Xanthe Rose at lunch

  • EOS R
  • EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
  • 1/100s, f/2, ISO 800

We also travelled to the New Forest for a 1-2-1 location portrait day that was blessed with a good variety of locations and some of the best evening sunlight you could wish for. In amongst all these shoots in front of an audience, we did manage to sort one shoot away from the crowds too.

Xanthe Rose in the New Forest

  • EOS R
  • EF 135mm f/2L USM
  • 1/200s, f/2, ISO 250

Xanthe Rose in the New Forest

  • EOS R
  • TS-E90mm f/2.8
  • 1/200s, f/2.8, ISO 320

The first location in the New Forest had to be in amongst the trees, and by putting Xanthe Rose in amongst the foliage the use of wide-open apertures sure demonstrated how quickly I’d adapted to using the EOS R with fast lenses. The EOS R focus peaking helping out with getting the focus right with the manual focus TS-E lens.

Xanthe Rose in the New Forest

  • EOS R
  • EF 40mm f/2.8 STM
  • 1/500s, f/4, ISO 500

Xanthe Rose in the New Forest

  • EOS R
  • EF 135mm f/2L USM
  • 1/640s, f/2.8, ISO 100

This next shot was taken on one of the beginners Speedlite workshops, it involves the “shopping bag” lighting setup, with a single off-camera flash that’s controlled automatically by the camera. Here’s Xanthe Rose is leaning on a low office filing cabinet, and I’ve underexposed the space behind her as a result of the shutter, aperture and ISO settings.

Xanthe Rose taken during a beginners flash workshop

  • EOS 5D Mark IV
  • EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
  • 1/200, f/8, ISO 400

For these last shots, we had planned to shoot some old Hollywood style shots and Xanthe Rose had done some research in to make-up and taken a good deal of inspiration from Brigitte Bardot images. Lighting was a single LED panel, some 9-inches square with barn doors.

Hard light shoot with Xanthe Rose

  • EOS R
  • EF 85mm F1.2 L USM
  • 1/200, f/2, ISO 640

Xanthe Rose reflected in a mirror

  • EOS R
  • EF 40mm f/2.8 STM
  • 1/160, f/2.8, ISO 400

So if you need a fabulous model for any kind of work, who is reliable, gorgeous, funny and delivers pose after pose work with her. You’ll find her on Instagram @rosexanthe.

If you would be interested in a day, or  half day, of location portrait tuition with me and Xanthe Rose during 2020 please do get in touch.


Just quick note… I’m struggling to narrow down my selection of pictures to just a single one for each day 🙂 

About the author

Full-time photo tutor and photographer. I love to share my knowledge and skills to make photos, videos and teach others. I write books and articles for photo magazines and I always have at least one Speedlite flash in my camera bag