Doing an Almost famous group shoot with a vintage bus has always been a vision of mine since starting the business. When our eternal Heroes collection was released we knew it would be the time for this vision to come to life. We were so excited to get a group of people together who have a real love for vintage to be the models of this shoot. We feel their love for all things vintage shine through in how authentic the images look and how at home they felt being transported back to the 70s on our Tour bus. When coming up with this concept we knew it had to be shot on film and with one of our favourite photographers Jamie Noise.
We took some time to ask him some of our burning questions..........
How did you first get into photography?
I used to collect old film cameras just cos I liked the way they looked and then one day I just decided to put some film in some of them to see if they worked. I took them on holiday with me not even expecting them to work and then when I got the pictures back, and they actually worked, I was hooked!
Do you have a favourite Image from the shoot and why does it stand out to you?
This is one of my favourites above, I like the dreamy glow, the sparkle and the bold colour.
What do you look for when capturing an image?
I try to give my images a visual hook, just like a song would have a melodic hook. Just a little gimmick or memorable quality to it.
How do you get the most out of who you are shooting with and is this harder with a group?
I guess my initial approach is simply to make whoever I'm shooting feel comfortable and relaxed. My shoots can sometimes be a little more slow paced because I'm shooting on old film cameras with manual focus, so I don't just snap away a 1000 photos at a time like you can with digital. So I make up for this by have a really clear idea of what I want to capture, so I can give clear direction. I sometimes shoot polaroids too so the models can see something live to get excitement levels up on set. It's certainly more challenging shooting a group of models, especially in such sunny conditions like this shoot. Your eyes have to scan across and make sure everyone is looking good, there's no bad shadows on people's faces and the composition is working.
Why do you love shooting with film and have you always used film?
I've had a love for film photography since I was a kid. My mum bought me a talking Polaroid camera when I was 9 and it would say things like "When I say cheddar, you say... cheese!" I remember thinking it was the absolute pinnacle of technology and the most magical part was watching the film slowly fade from a blank square to a fully formed image. And I remember the excitement of collecting your holiday photos from Boots Pharmacy after taking in your 35mm film. That excitement and nostalgia never left me, and as an adult I'd been collecting old film cameras for years. Then about 8 years ago on a trip to New York, I decided to buy some film and see if these beautiful cameras actually worked. When I got the photos back that excitement I got as a child came flooding back. It was a few more years until I started organising photoshoots with friends and models, and it initially started as a hobby, but it wasn't long until it became an obsession!
Whose work has influenced your style the most?
Saul Leiter, Neil Krug, Kate Bellm and Helmut Newton.
What camera did you use for this shoot?
My old Canon AE-1, which is held together with duck-tape.
Do you have any tips for budding photographers looking to get started with film photography?
Learn the basics (camera settings, lighting, composition etc) but don't be afraid to experiment and break the rules. The imperfections of shooting with film and old cameras is why I love it. And some of my favourite shots have been happy accidents that have happened whilst experimenting.
We also asked a few of the models from the shoot for a little snapshot of their day shooting with us, sharing a few moments below.
It was a day in early Summer, the grass was gently crisping under the welcome sunshine and crickets chirping in the nearby heather. We, the moment’s flower children, lay head to head in the field dressed in technicolour Hippie Shake. We spent the day laughing, holding hands, and sharing in the magic of togetherness. Then we all boarded the magic bus and rambled our way home.
As a community we’ve all been informed and inspired by the music, concepts, people and stories from the 60s and 70s and many of us try to somehow inhabit some of that in our daily lives. Getting to wear clothes from the era on a bus of the era and tell a story like the ones we’ve read in memoirs from the era felt like a really sweet homage to some of our icons who mean so much to us. It was so cool to work with a brand that gives us the opportunity to feel closer to things we love from the past and also gives the aesthetics a resurrection so the clothing will always be in circulation somewhere the world for someone who needs them. The bus got lots of smiles from people when we were driving to location because it was a bit of a spectacle, especially for those who’d lived through the times and remembered the bus or the style or the hippies.
It was like time travelling just for a day, wearing beautiful clothes and meeting likeminded souls who share a love for vintage was a dream. The lovely people I met on the shoot are people I’m still friends with to this day - one of the highlights of my summer for sure!
See the full photoshoot HERE and more of Jamie's magical work HERE
