McCoy
FollowThis is Hope. She is a great model and we have worked together on several shoots. We started shooting at sunrise at an abandoned apple factory on a cool Novembe...
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This is Hope. She is a great model and we have worked together on several shoots. We started shooting at sunrise at an abandoned apple factory on a cool November morning.
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Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Contender in the Visual Poetry Project
Gem Award
Achievement in Originality
Zenith Award
Top Pick Award
Staff Favorite
Halfway22 Award
Jewel Award
Creative Winter Award
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Behind The Lens
Location
Berkeley County West Virginia was the home of many apple orchards. The small town of Martinsburg was one of many locations that processed the millions of apples that were grown in the county. They made apple juice, apple sauce, and many other apple-based products. As the town slowly became a bedroom community for people in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia the orchards were cut down and cheap houses replaced them. The plants closed. Hope is a model that I have worked with many times. She has a unique smile and I knew she would be perfect to bring some sunshine into a business that once employed so many of the local residents.Time
We started early in the day, before sunrise. It was cold but Hope is a trooper. We shot many sets and I was happy with all of them. So was she.Lighting
The early morning sunrise gave me more than enough light and it was beautiful. For this shot I only used natural light.Equipment
I used a Nikon 3100 for this shot. I did have multiple flash units but I felt they were not needed for this shot.Inspiration
I wanted to shoot the apple plant. I knew that someday it would go the way of the orchards that it once served. I also wanted to bring some sunshine into the photograph and Hope is always smiling and happy. So I put the two of them together. I had scouted the apple plant the day before and chose many different locations. Here she is standing in the main office doorway.Editing
No. This is the straight unretouched photo.In my camera bag
I carry a Nikon D3s, two Nikon SB900 speedlights, A Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens, A Nikon 85mm f1.8, a Sigma 18-50mm f2.8, a Nikon FM2, a Minolta V light meter, spare batteries, notebook, and model releases.Feedback
Be prepared and plan on the unexpected. I like to scout multiple locations just in case something goes wrong on the first one. In locations like this, you have to take extra measures for safety. Open electrical wires, weak floors, collapsing roofs, broken glass, animals, and snakes can all be a challenge when shooting in abandoned buildings. Plan on where your model will go for makeup and wardrobe. Allow for extra time to get into and out of the place where you and your model will stand.