Just days before Halloween 2018 I had the opportunity to do a shoot of Jack the Ripper in the very streets where this once crazy serial killer roamed. My model Emily and I were in London for a number of events including the Camera World Live Convention where we spoke for Sony and Rotolight.
After the convention we had some free time before some of our other commitments started and I’d asked Emily to see if she could locate a shop for wardrobe in London. She found a place called Angels that completely outfitted both her and our Jack, a male model named Derek Martin.
I picked them up from the shop and Emily started doing her makeup as I location scouted in our rental car. The hardest part was driving around the crazy and completely chaotic streets of London. If you haven’t driven there before, you are in for a TREAT!!
We went to the White Chapel area of the city where Jack the Ripper once roamed. It was pretty surreal to be doing a shoot of Jack the Ripper in the very streets where he once walked. Creepy is an understatement.
After pinpointing on our GPS where I wanted to do the shoot we went to a restaurant in Brick Lane called All Star Lanes where we had a bite to eat with the team before the shoot. After a hectic day it can be a very good idea to relax for a minute or two before setting off to do a shoot. This gave me, the models and my helper Darren the opportunity to chat, eat, and relax a little before heading out into the very chilly air of the night.
Emily and Derek both changed into their costumes in the restaurant and then we were OFF to shoot! The most challenging thing about doing a period piece shoot is everything around you is modern. Cars, street signs, people, bikes etc betray the illusion that this shoot is being done in the 1800’s. You have to be careful with camera angles and where you choose to shoot if you want to try and pull off the look that it’s authentic.
We shot in two primary locations. A street with old windows and sheers and a nearby park. Using the Rotolight system with the Westcott Halo really gave me the ability to shoot a cinematic lighting effect. I put the Rotolight Aeos inside of the Halo and used Rotolight Neo 2’s for accent and rim lighting. Make sure to check out the video to see what I’m talking about.
Below are the shots from the shoot.
I hope you enjoy the shoot and thank you in advance for your support. As stated in the video I really tried to go out of my way to tell a story of what happened without glamorizing violence against women.
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Thanks!
Jason