My first Shoot on the Pentax 67 with Ava
The video below explains and shows most of what you need to know about the shoot with Ava, which we did together in October 2024. However, what I didn't talk about in the video, is the way each shot came about. Something I'd love to briefly elaborate on in this article.
Inspiration and Styling
As mentioned in the video, the French actress Brigitte Bardot was an important source of inspiration for this shoot. Alongside this, I wanted to create a dreamy, vintage 1960s feel. Since both Ava and I didn't have many cloths that fully fit this aesthetic - and because we couldn't find something suitable at the thrift stores we visited - we put together an outfit that best reflected my vision.
She wore my skirt from Rumors Vintage & Design paired with her own white top. The skirt was from the ninetees, but its checkered print still matched the look I had in mind. The only addition from the thrift store was the little handkerchief in her hair. Had we have had more time, and I, perhaps, a bit more budget, I would have taken Ava to a vintage store in Marseille's center. This is definitely something I would love to do in the future!
Shooting on the Pentax 67
At the beginning of the shoot, I was quite nervous. For the first time, I was using my Pentax 67 to photograph a person in a planned shoot. This wasn't just a random collection of spontaneous shots; I wanted to create a cohesive series. As a result, I took about five minutes for each shot, to ensure I measured the light correctly, haha! I wanted to challenge myself to only take shots on the Pentax. In fact, I had no other option since my digital camera, Fujifilm X-T4, was being used to film everything.
Having no digital backup camera put quite a bit of pressure on each shot, and I only had one roll with 10 frames on it! If I failed, all the preparations and the filming would be for nothing. Sure, I could have made the video about how I failed the shoot, but that's not how I wanted to premiere on YouTube, haha! And while I love humour, ultimately, I just wanted to succeed. I had a vision, and I had to capture it.
Unexpected Challenges and Beautiful Discoveries
When Ava and I arrived, we immediately spotted some potential locations. After some exploring, and capturing footage for the YouTube video, we decided to start at this beautiful reflecting pool. However, while settling there, we were told that that access to this part of the park was prohibited. Confused that such an open place was in fact off-limits - it must have been a long-held tradition, but still... - we walked towards the estate. We learned that fortunately, it was allowed to take photos there. As we approached the building, we stopped at an impressive sculpture of a mythological creature. It felt like the perfect place to begin.
All shots came naturally as we calmy scanned the surroundings. From the sculpture, we moved to the steps, then up to the wall, until we finally reached the estate itself for a shot against its facade. Working with Ava was a joy. She has an incredible eye for beauty and instinctively knew how to interact with each setting. Once we had captured four shots around the estate, we decided to continue our walk through the park. I had actually seen on Google Maps that there was a greenhouse, and I couldn't imagine a more perfect place to take photos.
However, we soon found out that cameras weren't allowed inside the greenhouse either, and continued our walk through the park. The sun was setting beautifully, and we were confident that we would find another great spot. And we did! The park turned out to have a stunning rose garden bathed in golden sunset light. It was thé spot for a romantic, dreamy photo. If we had been able to enter the greenhouse, we would have missed the magical light in this area of the park. Sometimes, unexpected changes lead you to something unexpectedly wonderful.
In the rose garden, our first thought was, of course, to take a photo with the roses — what else, haha! However, we had also noticed a unique sculpture in the background. So, once we had managed to find the right pose with the roses and another shot was immortalised on the roll, we approached this sculpture for the next shot. As soon as Ava reached it, she instinctively found a pose that highlighted both her beauty and the curved form of the sculpture. I could not have thought of a more fitting way to capture her with it.
The Last Shots in the Park
By the time we finished in the rose garden, we didn't have much light left. We followed the park’s main path towards the ocean, hoping to find one last location. Along the wat, we saw so many beautiful spots, but they were all just a bit too dark. Eventually, we reached the big open field with the reflecting pool once again. This time, the sky had turned a soft, warm hue, casting everything in such a stunning light. Standing there, it was too hard to walk away. Perhaps bending the ruled a little, we accessed the grass once again to take a photo after all. In the name of art and beauty, I hope we're forgiven, haha.
Sitting down at the reflecting pool, everything felt so incredibly serene, like a scene from a fairytale. No one asked us to leave this time, and at last, we captured a shot of Ava sitting on the pool's rim. In the end, it was probably even more beautiful at that moment than when we first arrived. Just as with the greenhouse, it turned out that being sent away was for a good reason. I felt very lucky being in that beautiful place, and in this wonderful light.
After enjoying the sunset at this open space, the remaining light wasn't bright enough for more shots in the park. For this reason, we walked in the direction of the ocean, where we imagined we could find the best light to finish the shoot. However, walking along the ocean, I realised that the beach did not fit the initital aesthetic of the shoot. I didn't see us being able to create more of the same style photos. So, instead of forcing more photos, we decided to just walk, and enjoy the sunset over the water.
Finishing the Pentax 67 shoot on a positive note
A few days later, we tried finishing the shoot back at the park—but this time, we were sent away from every spot we attempted, haha. So instead, we finished the roll in the neighborhood where we were staying. With its mix of interesting architecture, lush trees, and blooming flowers, we were able to find a dreamy backdrop that fit the rest of the shoot. On a random afternoon, we stumbled upon a beautiful, flowery hedge and a sunlit spot beneath an apartment block. There, we took the last three photos, finally completing the roll.
Although the park and the estate were perhaps the most exciting places to take photos, something else made the last day of shooting equally interesting. As I mentioned earlier, we didn't get any pieces of clothing at the thrift store. However, apart from the little handkerchief that we used for Ava's hair, we actually did buy something else - a beautiful lace table runner, which we imagined we could use to create an interesting shadow pattern. This day, we remembered to use it, and how I loved the results! In the photo that I have used as the background of this page, you can see the result very clearly.
Looking Back
Looking back at the shoot, I really love how everything fell into place. Even when we couldn't take the shots we originally wanted, we ended up in another beautiful place that worked well, or at the same place, but in a different light, haha. Trusting our intuition felt so rewarding. Even the hard wind - le mistral - which was blowing at full force during our shooting days, ended up adding something magical to the photos. Of course there is always so much I would improve, but I am happy to say that I feel good about this set. I hope you'll feel the same. Thank you for reading all the way till here, and till soon!
