richardalliers
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Contest Finalist in Wearing Glasses Photo Contest
Peer Award
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Outstanding Creativity
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in an interactive pop-up shop in New York City. The place was Prive Revaux, a company that sells amazing shades at affordable prices; however, they had a few built-in setups like this small train cart I took the photo in. There were other nicely placed setups to take photos in but this one gave me that iconic New Yorker experience of riding the train to work, the park or any other destination. The shades in the photo were provided for free, in the hopes that the customer would buy a pair or two, and naturally it worked as I purchased these shades for my model and one for me for future events.Time
This shot was taken in the early afternoon, maybe around 12pm or 1pm. I do remember it being very cold and windy that day but the shop was indoors so I'm happy I didn't need to bring anything else as the place was very warm and inviting.Lighting
The lighting was provided inside the train cart so there was nothing I could do to manipulate it or control it; however, the light was well lit in the cart and therefore there wasn't much I could say that was negative about it. There were some spots that were darker or lighter in the cart depending on where you were standing or sitting but the best way to get a good shot with the right amount of light is to use your legs. You need to bend, crouch, tip-toe and whatever else needs to be done to get the lighting and the angle you want to be just right.Equipment
The equipment I used was a Sony full frame camera (Sony a7ii), a Sony lens (55mm 1.8, Zeiss) and a handy strap to keep it around my neck and body so as to not drop it. I didn't need to use any flash or reflectors as the lighting was pretty good all around.Inspiration
You can find many different locations, iconic buildings and bridges in New York; however, I wanted to look for something more natural and personal that represented New York as well as the people living there. Therefore, a subway cart was the inspiration for this photo. I believe this photo represents the hustle and bustle of what it means to be a true New Yorker. It also carries with it some historical significance as is represented by the graffiti inside the cart which gives the viewer a sense of hardship and struggle it was back in the early 1980's to be recognized or noticed as an artist or simply as an individual.Editing
Yes, I use Lightroom and Photoshop respectively and sometimes interchangeably. However, I didn't edit too much as the photo I took came out just as I wanted it to. I brightened up the picture more as I often like to take my pictures slightly underexposed, I also bumped up the saturation a bit to give the colors a little more pop for the viewer and then I boosted the clarity up a bit on the glasses with the brush tool to give it more of a clean look and bring out the reflection of what was inside and around the train cart. That's about all I needed to do and was pleased with the final result.In my camera bag
The equipment that I normally have in my bag are: Sony a7ii camera (full frame), Sony 55mm lens (Zeiss), Sony 28mm lens (wide angle), two batteries (fully charged), my camera strap, dust blower, a cleaning cloth and spray, a glass prism (if I want to be extra creative), a tripod (in case I want to get long exposure shots), and a lens ball for extra creativity. These are usually my go-to items for when I head out to see what the world of photography has to offer me.Feedback
Of course! If you want to shoot something it's best to be specific and to focus just on that for a bit. For example, if you're wanting to get better and more creative with headshots just focus all your energy and patience and creative mind with that. Learn the different techniques of lighting, how to position the model, how to edit differently, how to color tone properly. Trust me, I know everyone wants to shoot everything from macro to cityscapes but if you learn to master one set of skills and then move on to the next, you'll be a much more profitable and sought out photographer. Not only that, but you will have gained skills that you can build upon towards other photography techniques. Trust me, use this guideline and you wont regret how fast your progress will come. Best of luck and have fun shooting.