Planes & Pinups: A unique photography experience

Posted on by The shortbread shed

A day of nostalgic photography at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum

The rain lashed down outside. It flooded nearby roads and painted the sky in relentless shades of grey. I made my way to the de Havilland Aircraft Museum in Hertfordshire, UK. The appalling weather might have dampened the world beyond the hangar. Yet, inside was a unique opportunity to merge my passion for photography with the allure of 1940s nostalgia. The workshop, aptly named Planes & Pinups, had the incredible Tigz Rice as its host. She is a renowned commercial, personal branding, and boudoir photographer.

Felicity Furor and Didi Derrier, burlesque models pose for a photograph by a Mosquito aircraft in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furor and Didi Derrier, burlesque models pose for a photograph by a Mosquito aircraft in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furor and Didi Derrier, burlesque models pose for a photograph by a Mosquito aircraft in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furor and Didi Derrier, burlesque models pose for a photograph by a Mosquito aircraft in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furor and Didi Derrier, burlesque models pose for a photograph by a Mosquito aircraft in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furor and Didi Derrier, burlesque models pose for a photograph by a Mosquito aircraft in an aircraft hanger.

A Historic Setting

The de Havilland Aircraft Museum is steeped in history. This is where the iconic Mosquito warplane was conceived and the prototype built. As I stepped into the cavernous main hangar, surrounded by these legendary aircraft, the atmosphere felt both humbling and inspiring. The storm outside caused low lighting conditions. This added an extra layer of challenge. It also gave the shoot a dramatic, moody tone.

Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.

The Gear

For the workshop, I brought my trusty Canon 5D MKIII paired with an EF 24–70mm f/2.8L lens. Most of my shots were taken with apertures ranging between f/2.8 and f/5.6 to balance the lighting and achieve a shallow depth of field where needed. The lighting setup included a strobe with a battery pack. It also had a strip softbox and a constant battery-powered LED light. Experimenting with these setups allowed me to explore different lighting dynamics and techniques throughout the day.

Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.

Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Felicity Furore, burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.

The Burlesque Artists

The stars of the shoot were two phenomenal burlesque artists, Didi Derriere and Felicity Furore. Despite the biting cold in the hangar, they performed with an admirable level of professionalism and grace. They dressed in authentic 1940s-inspired pinup attire. They channeled the essence of wartime poster girls with such precision. Every pose felt like a masterpiece in the making.

Their ability to seamlessly transition from one pose to the next was mesmerizing. Every detail was meticulously planned. This included the elegant placement of their hands and fingers. It also involved the poised positioning of their feet and legs. They needed little to no direction. My role as a photographer was incredibly straightforward. I simply had to find the perfect angle and composition against the backdrop of vintage aircraft.

Did Derrier, a burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.

Shooting Around the Aircraft

We moved around various aircraft in the hangar to create diverse backgrounds and experiment with different poses. The juxtaposition of the glamorous pinup aesthetic against the industrial might of the warplanes made for some striking imagery. Tigz encouraged us to try different lighting setups, alternating between strobe-only, constant LED, and a combination of both. This was my first time using constant lighting, and it was a fantastic opportunity to learn and adapt to its unique characteristics.

Did Derrier, a burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Did Derrier, a burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Did Derrier, a burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Did Derrier, a burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Did Derrier, a burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Did Derrier, a burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Did Derrier, a burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Did Derrier, a burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.
Did Derrier, a burlesque artist, poses for a photograph beside a warplane in an aircraft hanger.

The Experience

The workshop was an incredible learning experience. Tigz Rice’s expertise and guidance were invaluable, and the collaboration with Didi and Felicity elevated the entire session. They made it so easy to capture fantastic images—their energy, professionalism, and authenticity brought every frame to life.

The only real challenge came after the workshop: sorting through the hundreds of images I had captured. With so many great shots, narrowing them down to the best ones was a painstaking but rewarding process.

Final Thoughts

I can’t recommend the Planes & Pinups styled shoot days organized by Tigz Rice enough. The combination of a historic location, exceptional models, and expert guidance makes for an unforgettable experience. The de Havilland Aircraft Museum provides a truly unique backdrop for this nostalgic style of photography, and Didi and Felicity are absolute stars to work with.

If you’re passionate about photography and looking to immerse yourself in the charm of 1940s pinup culture, this workshop is an absolute must. It’s not just about creating images; it’s about stepping back in time and capturing a slice of history brought to life.

Event: Planes & Pinups by @tigzrice (Tigz Rice)

Location: @dehavmuseum (de Havilland Aircraft Museum)

Models: @felicityfurore (Felicity Furore) and @dididerriere (Didi Derriere)

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Published by The shortbread shed

I'm Mike, a graphic designer and photographer with a passion for all things creative. This blog is where I share my inspirations, creative adventures, and the incredible things that spark my curiosity.

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