“I don’t think anywhere else in the UK is doing what we do,” said co-founder and managing director of TankSpace, Kai Coombes. Brian stepped inside a large black tent and gazed at the studio’s 10,000-litre tank as studio manager and N-Photo pro for the day, Halo Haynes, pulled up a stool and sat down directly in front of the aquarium-sized container. “A lot of people sit here with a zoom lens and never move,” she said as she looked through her Nikon Z 6II’s EVF. “Think how much better their photographs would look if they started rolling around, exploring different perspectives and angles?” Brian looked through his D610’s viewfinder and moved about the room. “Will I need my flashgun?” he said.
Halo shook her head. “We use continuous light sources. You miss frames if you use flash, because of the refresh rate. I shoot in controlled bursts, so I can select my preferred frame in post. Even when the models are relatively still, flowing hair and clothing billows in the water and the difference between frames can make or break an image.”
Capture the classics
As Halo took a look at Brian’s camera settings, two of the studio’s resident models appeared, clad in flowing Renaissance-inspired dresses. “These are the Elles,” said Halo with a smile. “Elle Woods is TankSpace co-founder and artistic director and Elle Cooper is our studio assistant, both are experienced models in and out of water.”
After exchanging pleasantries, it was declared that Elle C would take to the tank first, so she left the tent and went round the back of the tank to prepare. The pro unrolled the tent’s side flaps, descending the
