TravisBrooksPhotography
FollowViews
1644
Likes
Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Top Shot Award 22
Featured
Featured
Contest Finalist in Portraits in Black and White Photo Contest
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Exceptional Contrast
All Star
Genius
Superior Skill
Magnificent Capture
Top Ranks
lynette123
January 23, 2015
Was this a real life situation? Why was she wearing the protection? - Very nice pic, well done
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo just outside of my house one afternoon. While my parents were outside working I was experimenting with my new speedlight and my 60D.Time
It was just before the sun started to set. My parents had been working outside sanding down a table and I was able to snag a quick shot of my mom just as she was finishing up. There was still quite a bit of natural light available, but I wanted to see what i could do with my flash and a bright day.Lighting
I had just got my new 580exii speedlight and was trying to test out various settings switching ISO, aperture and various flash power outputs. I saw that the sunlight was creating a nice backlight to my subject and I decided to pop in some light from my speedlight to brighten up her face some.Equipment
I used a canon 60D with a canon 580Exii flash mounted on the hotshoe.Inspiration
The eyes were what really caught my attention. How the rest of her face was covered created a natural focal point that really drew me in. I tried to zoom in pretty tight in order to exaggerate the focal point and keep as many distractions in the background from pulling the viewers eye away.Editing
I converted the image to black and white. I felt that the image had more punch and contrast with the color removed. I added a slight amount of contrast and bumped up the intensity. I also added some grain to the image to add to the gritty feel.In my camera bag
I normally carry my Canon 60D as well as my Canon 580exii and 430exii speedlights just in case i need to add in some light to a specific scene. I also have a canon nifty 50mm 1.8, a 85mm 1.8, a Sigma 24-60 f2 and 18-200 f3.5-5.6 in my bag. I usually tend to use my prime lenses a bit more than my variable zoom lenses more for the larger apertures and nice bokeh they produce in portraits.Feedback
I would say be conscious of your light. Know how much light should be used to add some interest to your image without deterring from your focal point. For me it was balancing the light without blowing out the skin and losing detail. While some correction can be made in post, it is always better to get it right in camera first. Another thing I would suggest is to have patience. Take your time getting to know the scene and having a feel for it. You can then almost predict when a good shot will come along and you will be ready to fire away.