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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in my home studio in Gillingham, Kent, UK.Time
I remember that we had a later start than planned as Joleyne, the model, was unavoidably delayed by about 2 hours. We abandoned a couple of the sets we had planned as our time was cut short by the 2.30pm start. The set of which this image is just one was the last set of the session and was about 2 hours or so into the shoot.Lighting
The lighting was 2 Vivitar 283 flashguns (modified to run on 6v SLA batteries and with a Varipower module) each mounted in a 140 x 35 stripbox at either side of the model. The one on camera left was slightly in front of the model, the one on the right was slightly behind the model providing hair and rim lighting.Equipment
This was shot hand held on a Canon 60D with 18 - 135mm lens tethered to a laptop using lightroom. The lighting was 2 1980's vintage Vivitar 283 flashguns mounted in bowens mount stripboxes triggered using yongnuo CTR-301p triggers. Although the Yongnuo CTR-301p is an older manual system it is still about the only system that can handle high trigger voltages at the flash hot shoe and is still my go to trigger even on my newer flash guns.Inspiration
Joleyne is a relative newcomer to modeling and was already comfortable posing in lingerie. This was our second shoot together in a space of 7 days. In our pre-shoot discussions she had expressed a desire to be a bit more adventurous and try some implied topless poses, but not the usual "hand bra". We hit upon the idea of using a pair of her denim shorts matched with a pair of white braces to cover her nipples but still leave the rest of her boobs on show. We also wanted to accent her figure and her legs in a way that showed off her shape and was more 3-dimensional. As we had done some full lingerie sets earlier in the session, we needed a little time to allow the strap marks to fadeEditing
I have a well established workflow that I always follow using custom actions. In ACR I adjust white balance, apply a colour profile using a shot incorporating an x-rite colorchecker passport, apply the lens profile, deal with any slight noise issue and make adjustments to exposure and contrast as the shot demands. The image is then exported to photoshop where I clear larger blemishes and spots from the models skin followed by a little skin smoothing to even out the tones mainly. I also enhance the colour of the eyes and darken the lips slightly. Finally I adjust contrast, clarity and sharpness so that the image is ready for screen or print.In my camera bag
Most of my images are made in the studio so I don't often "pack a bag". However when I do shoot on location in my camera bag you'll find my Canon 60D, an 18-135 lens (my go to lens for portrait work), a 50mm f1.8 prime lens, 2 sets of spare batteries, 2 spare SD cards, my Sekonic 308S meter, a colorchecker passport, 2 flash trigger transmitters and 4 receivers, a couple of model release forms and a small white/silver tri-flector. In a shopping trolley on wheels I pack 3 light stands, 3 flash guns with 3 spare sets of batteries for each, umbrella based folding modifiers, Godox s-type flash brackets, a selection of rogue flashbender systems (from pro XL to small) and most importantly empty sand bags to fill when we get to the location to weight down the lightstands. Finally I'll often add my laptop and a tethering cable which gives me a better way of judging my set up than the small screen on the back of the camera.Feedback
Pay attention to your lighting, meter towards each light so that you avoid blowing the highlights. Have about 1/2 to 1 stop differential between your lights to give your subject dimensionality. Talk to your model and show her the resulting shots often, but only the ones that work and point out what you think is good in the image. Also listen to her comments/criticism and adjust the shot accordingly. Don't be afraid to try things out and to let her do the same. If a shot isn't working place the blame on yourself, never the model - work hard to build her confidence and praise often, but avoid being cheesy or creepy. Lastly my best advice is to NEVER try to push her levels. If you suggest a pose that she isn't comfortable doing, just accept it and move on. Her discomfort will show in the image.