This Sunday, I had the honour of spending a couple of hours with some brave, brave rugby players who were doing a very noble thing for charity. They had agreed to pose for a charity calendar. Oh yes, did I mention? They were naked.
Yes. Naked.
(Apart from boots and socks, obviously...)
A few of the guys were all a little sheepish at first (as can be expected) but after I'd gone through the plan for each shot, we started with the first photograph. I took it easy on them to start with - it was an indoor shot at the bar. A little light ale later and we moved outside, a little more relaxed about the whole affair. Once we'd completed the next shot and they'd had a bit of a run around, I think they felt a lot more free and easy and they soon relaxed into it. I have to say, they were really good sports about the whole thing. As you can imagine, some of the rugby setups involved a lot of them getting a lot closer to naked parts of each other than they were used to!!!
But what's it all about? I hear you ask. Well, in Hastings & St Leonards we have an amazing place, St Michael's Hospice that does a fantastic job in caring for people and their families at a very difficult time in their or their loved one's lives. You can find out more about them or get involved here: St Michael's Hospice.The Hastings & Bexhill Rugby Football Club decided they'd like to get involved in the fundraising and so they have come together with St Michael's Hospice and posed for what will be a magnificently high selling calendar for 2015. You can find out more about them, or maybe even come along and get involved here: Hastings & Bexhill Rugby.
The editing process was interesting. I had to be very careful as to the details that may have strayed into view - it is a family friendly calendar after all! We were very careful when shooting, so most of the problem was resolved at the time, but my wife took great delight in helping me proof the second cut of pictures, pointing out a visible appendage here and there...
Below I've added a taster of what's to come - so if you want to see more, you'll have to buy the calendar when they're available - which should be in September of this year.
Well done guys, really really well done and thank-you.
Matt