RobertGaines

Alone In The Dark

Lost and alone in the dark is like being in Hell.

Shot in a tunnel 100 feet down, so dark my assistant had to hold flashlights in front of the mo...
Read more

Lost and alone in the dark is like being in Hell.

Shot in a tunnel 100 feet down, so dark my assistant had to hold flashlights in front of the model in order to focus the camera. We carried car batteries down the tunnel to provide power for the rope lights and only had 15 minutes of shooting time before batteries died.
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Canon EOS 50D

settings

Aperture f/5.0 ISO 1600 Shutter 1/5 Focal Length 50/1

upload_date

Feb, 2015

Views

2834

Likes

+141

Awards

Contest Finalist in Creative Reality Photo Contest

Contest Finalist in Fantasy In Color Photo Contest

Contest Finalist in Post Editing Magic Photo Contest

Featured

Contest Finalist in Photoshop Week Photo Contest

Outstanding Creativity

+25

Peer Award

+10

Top Choice

Absolute Masterpiece

Superb Composition

Superior Skill

All Star

Genius

Magnificent Capture

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Robert you're obviuosly a professional, I'm just an old guy with a camera...lol I really enjoy your work. :)

Thank you very much! lol

Very nice

Thank you

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Behind The Lens

Location

Colorado Springs in a water runoff tunnel 100 feet or so under a freeway.

Time

Midday.

Lighting

Rather than piecing the picture together in photoshop I prefer to shoot as much as possible in one image. Although I am not above piecing multiple shots together when necessary. I had this idea 3 years previous to doing the shot. It took me that long to get all the elements together to actually do it. Element one was the lighting. I needed a way to power 15-30 feet of A/C powered rope light, which provided the lighting on the model that seems to come directly from the flames.

Equipment

Canon 50d Tamron 17-50 lens Tripod

Inspiration

I wanted a feeling of isolation and loneliness and to metaphorically show that as a burning pain.

Editing

I had to remove the power cord leading to the battery, replace the light rope with flames borrowed from shots I had done of fire jugglers. Also I textured it.

In my camera bag

I have a closet full of equipment. I try to pare it down to just what I might need for a given shoot since I often have to carry whatever equipment I plan to use. For this shoot I had my Canon 50D, a back-up 20D, a Canon 80-200 2.8, Tamron 17-50 2.8, an array of filters, different fabrics for the model to drape herself in, a heavy bathrobe for the model, an emergency car starter battery that had A/C outlet (It gave me 15 minutes of power for the light ropes), light rope. I also move a bunch of other stuff down there that were not used for this shot.

Feedback

Scouting is incredibly important. I said that it took me three years to put this together, just because I didn't have anything where I was living to do it. Be patient. I had the idea but couldn't figure out how to power the lights until they came out with the emergency car jumpers that had what I needed for A/C power. I finally found the right tunnel to shoot in. It was very cold, even in summer. I needed a model who was willing to go down there with me. And, last, I needed the fire juggler shots. My advice is to be patient and never give up on a shot you want to make.

See more amazing photos, follow RobertGaines

RobertGaines

RobertGaines

Alone In The Dark

Lost and alone in the dark is like being in Hell. Shot in a tunnel 100 feet down, so dark my assistant had to hold flashlights in front of the mo... Read more

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow RobertGaines

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Lost and alone in the dark is like being in Hell.

Shot in a tunnel 100 feet down, so dark my assistant had to hold flashlights in front of the mo...
Read more

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.