When it comes to finding the perfect location for a photography shoot so when the perfect one falls on your lap it’s inevitable that the results are going to be spectacular.
This was the case on a recent shoot by photographer Debbie Deboo. Best known for her artistic portrait shoots and macro photography, Debbie is also a well known festival, events, music and fashion photographer.
She tells BAM the story of the Haunted House Shoot:
“I was given a tip off by the male model for a shoot we had planned that there was an old abandoned and reportedly haunted house in a location which shall remain hidden” said Debbie.
“Sohaib, the male model had wanted to do something with an old piano and this house had an old piano in working order so it seemed ideal. Sohaib recruited Dagmara Ordakowska the female model for the shoot and we arranged a date.”
With the perfect location ready, getting the right styling was key.
“I was having some difficulties getting inspired for the shoot” explained Debbie.
“I generally style and dress the models myself and I couldn’t picture anything in my arsenal that was working for me. I decided to try and get some ideas from vintage charity shops and went to the ones on Lisburn Road. After a while and not finding anything that fired me up I went into the Action Cancer vintage charity shop and went to the back where they have the wedding dresses and prom type dresses. There I saw it. As soon as I saw it the whole shoot fell into place. It was far pricier than any item of clothing I had bought for a shoot before and I had no idea of the models size and the shoot was the following morning. I decided it was meant to be and spent all my money on this dress.”
Models Sohaib Syed and Dagmara Ordakowska | Photo by Debbie Deboo
Of course when we say she had the location…it wasn’t quite as simple as driving directly to it.
Debbie revealed: “Next morning we all met in Belfast and set off to the secret location for which we only had co ordinates. Yes co ordinates, no address, just co ordinates. We did eventually find it after a few false trails and it was worth everything. The broken windows had trees and foliage growing through them lending the house a green spooky atmosphere.
“The piano was indeed there with old family portraits in black and white atop of it. There were open old fashioned suitcases around the house with contents spilled out as if the owners had left in a hurry. Letters and postcards from 40 years ago littered the house along with more family photographs in black and white, victorian style.”
Debbie added: “Dagmara was a bit spooked and she got teased a little but we got on with the shoot. The lighting was difficult and I didn’t want to use flash. Sohaib helped with direction and slowly the house began to infuse us with it’s own spirit and we found ourselves acting out a tragic story in the shoot. A story of two lovers in a time past struck by tragedy and doomed to haunt the place they had loved, trapped between two worlds not realising they are neither in one or the other but never able to leave.
“For me now, that story is intertwined with the history of the house despite it being a fabrication of ourselves.
“The finished photographs when framed have proved to be very popular and I think they will remain some of my most popular. They will certainly stay in my heart and mind.”
For more photography like this go to Debbie Deboo Photography on Facebook