One of the joys of the sorely-missed Polaroid era was its instant gratification appeal; where friends could see the image straight away, burst out laughing, and take another. As a photographer who adored working with Polaroid SLR, it makes my heart flutter just thinking about it.

Even just working with a single model, Polaroid SLR created this incredible synthesis between photographer and subject that has so far not been recreated even in the digital age we now live in. Just take a look at the excellent work of Lou O’ Bedlam, one of the superstars of Polaroid for example. Or take a look through my own little love affair with Polaroid.

This week I’m photographing for Topshop in Dublin, and next week the same in the Broadway store in New York. It’s for Topshop’s “Wish You Were Here” promotion. This is one of those inspired ideas of the digital age which you only really ‘get’ once you see it in action. But within a matter of minutes of greeting shoppers who agree to step-in to the studio, they are induced into fits of giggles and delight – and handed a gorgeous postcard print-out of their shot. With their permission, the photo may optionally be uploaded to their Facebook profile as well.

The concept features an interactive style of photography using an iPad 2 connected wirelessly to a nearby table of iMacs.

Topshop Dublin Floor Setup

Shoppers are invited into the mini-studio which has been set up on the shop floor, and they are allowed to dress up using a rail of clothing and accessories. Promotional staff, personal shoppers, and stylists are on-hand to help out. Mirrors and a makeup station are provided. In special cases where shoppers have their eye on a particular outfit they have seen in the store, they can change into it and come for the shoot.

We then work with the models to get the very best out of them for the few minutes they have in front of the lighting, suggesting poses and offering encouraging words. The studio lighting is adjusted for each model so as to get the best catchlight in the eyes and offer the best level of diffusion for the skin tones. This takes a matter of seconds during which time models can get themselves ready in front of the lights and prepare.

A couple of test shots are taken on the iPad which allow the models to check they are happy with their poses and expressions.

Then we hand over the iPad 2, and let models choose their preferred Instagram filter.

Dress-up

Taking the shot

Taking the shot

Previewing the shot

Choosing the Instagram Filter

Choosing the photo style

In many cases, we have a filter in mind when we take the shot. Sometimes you see a face and you just know what works…

The Instagram Result - Day 2 @ Topshop Dublin

The Instagram Result - Day 2 @ Dublin Topshop

The Instagram Result - Day 2 @ Dublin Topshop

The Instagram Result - Day 2 @ Dublin Topshop

The Instagram Result - Day 1 @ Dublin Topshop

The Instagram Result - Day 2 @ Dublin Topshop

The Instagram Result - Day 1 @ Dublin Topshop

Even after the first two days of shooting – as I write – the overall concept of the ‘Wish You Were At Topshop’ promotion has been a huge success. For me it somehow captures that same cult spirit of Polaroid.

It’s one of those projects where the technology becomes a little bit transparent, allowing the visual and kinesthetic pleasures of making photographs to take the stage again. This is mostly thanks to the great system design by FreshNetworks which automates the entire process and packages it beautifully.

And the concept itself? The combination of the grabbable iPad, the playable Instagram, the ubiquitous Facebook, the gleaming iMacs, and plain-old good quality 6×4 instant printing is clearly one that has already won a number of hearts.

I’d be surprised if the whole thing didn’t turn into a craze in itself.

In fact, at times, it makes you want to throw away your 5D and use an iPhone to take photos for the rest of your life.

Okay – maybe I’m not ready for that quite yet …

Annabelle Lawson: Piano
Fenella Humphreys: Violin
Rebecca Knight: Cello

Well – in the UK we are not used to such wonderful bright days at this time of the year (I recall last year at this time it was … snowing?) but it was the wind that was the real show-stopper.

Annabelle Lawson - Pianist for Lawson Trio - Mat Smith Photography

We had a lovely shot idea in mind but it was rendered impossible because of the direct sunlight (and the fact we didn’t have an entourage of 10 helpers to who can hold up flags / sun blockers / reflectors). Nevertheless, it’s always possible to run for shade, which is what we did for the first scene.

Oh and that brisk North Sea wind? Wind is never a major problem as long as it’s up and down. In fact I love the movement it creates, the expression on the face it causes, and the pressure it puts you under to click the shutter at the precise moment!

Rebecca Knight - Cellist for Lawson Trio - Mat Smith Photography

These photos were lit with a single umbrella in the shade, camera right. The first umbrella died a death in the strong gusts, luckily I had a standby brolly…

Fenella Humphreys - Violinist for Lawson Trio - Mat Smith Photography

The unauthorised publishing, copying, or distributing of the below images is prohibited. Copyright Mat Smith Photography.

Hannah and Mini, Nottingham Polo Club Calendar 2010

Rosie and Horse, RVC Polo Club Calendar 2011

Five Bar Gate, RVC Polo Club Calendar 2011

Emily with Boots in Hay, Nottingham Polo Club Calendar 2010

Horse in River at Sunset, RVC Polo Club Calendar 2011

Horse Trailer, RVC Polo Club Calendar 2011

Champagne and Puppies, RVC Polo Club Calendar 2011

Eloise on Horse, Nottingham Polo Club Calendar 2010

Beth in Hay, Nottingham Polo Club Calendar 2010

“Kind of souly, funky, a mixture of our own stuff, with lots of different influences”.

“Well, okay. What kind of tunes will you be performing tonight?”

… “You’ll see”.

From left to right: Emma Smith, Shakka Philip, Kwabena Adjepong, Sarah Ellen Hughes

I know to expect great things from Sarah.

Praised highly by the likes of leading jazz vocalists Claire Martin and Ian Shaw, as well as having sung as the principal vocalist for NYJO, Sarah is known for her superb arrangements of jazz tunes, especially in the vocalese style. After a really successful year in 2010 during which she recorded her new album with Jim Hart, Dave O’Higgins and Ian Shaw, Sarah is now leading a vocal group, Sector7.

I was invited to photograph Sector7′s launch gig at 606 Club in Chelsea, London, which was a sell-out success.

Each of the singers has such enormously different voices in terms of timbre and style, not to mention strong, individual on-stage personalities, but they have such a fabulous chemistry between them and their voices gel really beautifully as a quartet. The audience was clearly bowled-over for the majority of both sets by the sheer joy and talent they were presented with.

As for the styles of music, they ranged from the inspired choice of a Bjork cover to Chick Corea’s Spain; it’s almost a discredit to the impressive fusion of styles to label it merely ‘soul’, ‘funk’, or ‘jazz’.

You can hear their music and learn more about Sector7 on Sarah’s website here: http://www.sarahellenhughes.co.uk/fr_home.cfm

I managed to snatch 5 minutes outside with the group before their soundcheck to grab a quick group shot. (See first shot above.)

And some shots with shoot-through umbrella positioned slightly to camera-left during sound check and rehearsals:

Photograph by Mat Smith Photography using RadioPopper wireless triggers.

Although it was nothing to do with the highly publicised 60th Anniversary of the show, it was great catching up with a leading actor behind the soap opera that has seen through more British history than any other soap on TV or radio.

Tom (his name in real life too) has played a leading role in this quintessentially British drama for 13 years.

Here are a couple of shots from the session.

Simple mobile lighting allows really great results even for family photography in the home. Here is a really tight crop of the first photograph shown above to show the detail and clarity in a higher resolution:

In the last few weeks it was announced that Cheryl won the prestigious British Composer Awards 2010 (www.britishcomposerawards.com) in two categories, Liturgical, and Instrumental Solo or Duo, and I was delighted to meet her in Cambridge for a shoot for album artwork and to promote her new works.

Here are some shots from the session.

All images are Copyright Mat Smith Photography 2010.

A closeup crop from above: