lizvantonder

Woodland Creatures

A more modern look into the myth of Pan

A more modern look into the myth of Pan
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Jan, 2016

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Behind The Lens

Location

In South Africa we have many wonderful places for photoshoots that are safe and convenient. This shoot was in a nature reserve located in Pretoria, called Groenkloof Nature Reserve and Fountains Valley. It is not only an historic landmark with many archaeological sites but also mostly untouched and wild. It is such a big reserve that one can do a whole day of shooting without encountering any other persons. There are huge trees, a beautiful river and even old train tracks and old abandoned buildings and bridges. The caretakers and guards are extremely friendly and they don't mind photographers, smoke machines or generators. The reserve is open 24 hours so it is even possible to do shoots here at night.

Time

In South Africa we try to get an early start as the days can become very hot and bright, very early, especially in summer. This photo, however, was taken later in the day but fortunately we were in a forest and the trees defused most of the harsh sunlight. It was taken around 11 O'clock.

Lighting

I wanted to capture the soft defused light that came through the trees so I picked a spot where there were lots of trees but also a little gap in the tree canopy for the natural light to shine on the model's face.

Equipment

I normally shoot with a Canon 5D Mark III and a standard versatile kit lens.

Inspiration

I always shoot with my husband under the name Fringe Photography. As the name Fringe Photography implies, we particularly enjoy focusing on unusual subjects, people and situations (anything other people might consider to be the fringes of society), trying to capture reflections of reality as we perceive it through our cameras. The model, Annari Nemo, is quite a fan of cosplay and approached us to do a shoot based on the Pan mythology. Pan was the god of the wild, hunting and companion of the nymphs. He was depicted as being half human, while having the legs and horns of a goat, just like a faun.

Editing

This photo did not need a too much post-processing. I used Lightroom to increase the clarity, adjust the levels and saturation and also used the very handy skin softening brush on the face. In the original the background wasn't blurry enough despite using a very wide aperture. I felt it was too distracting so in Photoshop I cloned the photo, used a Gaussian blur filter and a mask to get the blur on the background.

In my camera bag

I always have my Canon EOS 5D Mark III in my bag simply because it is a great camera. I have large hands and I wanted a camera that is big so that I can operate it easily. It seems like a funny thing to mention, but it is a bit of an issue when you have big hands and long fingers. I mostly shoot with the Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens as it is extremely versatile and I have had great results from it. I always pack a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens, a Manfrotto tripod, a tiny pot of Vaseline (mostly for my lips, but can create nice effects when applied to lenses) and a bottle of water.

Feedback

No. 1 Take it easy: South Africa is a great place for photographers that want to try something a little different. We have plenty of places that are safe and a little out of the ordinary. If doing a location shoot make sure to get there as early as possible, scout around to find the ideal spot. I like to take my time, look around, and imagine what I want to capture. I really don't like getting to a location and start shooting in a hurry, right away. No. 2 Get down low: The most important thing, and I have been teased about this on many a shoot, get down low. On your stomach or back if you can, anything to get a different perspective on the scene. If you want to create a photo that is less ordinary then the ordinary upright eye level position just won't work. No. 3 Keep it simple Look what's around you, tree stumps, leaves or branches and use that as props rather than schlepping props around with you. Also don't try to do too much in one day. I usually do only one, or maximum 2 sets, I have noticed that if I try and do more than that I get tired the model gets tired and we are basically just wasting time.

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lizvantonder

lizvantonder

Woodland Creatures

A more modern look into the myth of Pan

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow lizvantonder

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