The Battle of Hastings 950th Anniversary

With the 950th Anniversary of the Battle of Hastings on the calendar, I was sent to create portraits of members of the Øst Centingas historical re-enactment group as they prepared for their role in the main events taking place to commemorate the legendary invasion.

The decision was made to catch the juxtaposed context of the full medieval costumes and armour, with the everyday lifestyle of the participant's living room.

As you may know, my usual environment is more about responding to unfolding events than having the luxury of controlling the light and making decisions on positioning and poses, so I was decidedly out of my comfort zone but that's what life is all about!

The Øst Centingas group usually focuses on Viking re-enactments but, as I learned over my time spent with them, the hobby soon becomes somewhat all-encompassing with some of the houses having rooms dedicated to armour and shields from different periods and armies.

As the approaching events were going to be closely watched by the public, the media and other historical groups, training took place to ensure everything would be just right on the day, a farmers barn providing a spot-lit location for the session that I covered. It should be remembered that while the blades of the swords and axes aren't sharpened, it's still a big, long, pointy lump of metal that is being swung at your friend's head so rehearsal is vital.

The indoor portraits were taken with remotely-triggered Nikon SB5000 Speedlights and a large softbox, the Nikon D5 and a range of Nikon lenses.

Thanks to the top people of the Øst Centingas historical re-enactment group for their help in allowing this feature to come to life. It never ceases to amaze me how kind and hospitable people can be when they are wishing to share their passion. Check out their site for more details on who they are and where they will next be appearing.