Fire Skies Ocean Eyes
NIKON D850
Aperture 28/10 ISO 100 Shutter 1/160 Focal Length 850/10 
Asheville, North Carolina, US
Mar, 2023Views
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Contest Finalist in I See You Photo Contest
Flawless Summer Award
Carbon Fiber Tripod
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken on the side of a mossy boulder next to a fairly hidden section of a river we had traveled to. We had to head off the hiking path and into the river itself, and after walking/wading downriver for several minutes we made it to a clearing where boulders and other large rocks surrounded a section where the river pooled before continuing. This particular boulder was covered in moss and had such an incredible texture, we felt we had to use it for more than just a dry place to rest.Time
This shot was taken around 10:30AM during a shoot day that started several hours earlier. We met around 6AM, drove about an hour to a parking area, then started about an hour-long hike to get to the actual shooting location. We weren't able to really start the shoot until maybe 8:30 after resting and prepping. It was a long day, but getting shots like this make all the hours worth it.Lighting
This was all natural lighting, helped significantly by the foggy atmosphere of the area and the overcast weather of the morning. I wanted nice even lighting with very mild shadows, so I brought along a diffuser and flash system just in case. But thankfully the natural lighting was already perfect enough. Everything was already diffused, allowing us to play around with multiple poses and angles without needing to worry about how the light would change. I'm a big fan of diffused lighting when outdoors, so overcast skies are my favorite to shoot in.Equipment
This was shot on my Nikon D850 with my 85mm lens. No flash, no tripod, no filters. I did have to bring along a lot of waterproof gear for this shoot though, as we were working in and around water and I needed to protect my equipment. The camera, while weather-proofed, was housed in a waterproof casing for extra protection in case it was dropped in the river or on the ground. My bag was a large waterproof hiking bag, protected whether it's fresh or salt water and even sealed to protect if it's fully submerged. I had my flash equipment and multiple lenses in the bag, though they weren't used for this particular shot. I've had a few accidents with gear before, so I've made multiple investments in protective cases and bags.Inspiration
I wanted to work with the contrast of the model's red hair with the cooler earthy tones of the moss and boulder, so instead of getting a seated full body shot on top I went with a close-up portrait framing instead. To further play with contrast, the model's face was pressed up against the moss. This helped when playing with texture, the model having the smooth texture of skin contrasted by the tendril-like texture of the moss crawling along the cold rock.Editing
I played a lot with the tones of this photo. The raw image was lovely as is, but I really wanted to push the contrast of elements and colors beyond what was captured. For this shot, I increased vibrancy of the red/orange tones in the model's hair while lowering a bit of the vibrancy and color variation of the moss and rock. I also increased the cooler tones of the rock and the background to better play against the hair in that classic orange/blue color relationship. The model's face was slightly desaturated and the luminance increased to somewhat stand out against the darker, cooler background, while also acting as a neutral area in between the blue and orange tones. All the tones were initially based off the model's icy blue eyes, and the one bright iris acts as a central focal point for the entire image. Blue to orange to blue. I also removed the model's right arm from the shot. She was using her arm for support against the rock, but I wanted to have the subject just be her face and I felt her arm took away from that a bit. It affected the frame in a way I wasn't a fan of, so away it went!In my camera bag
In most cases I'll always bring along my Nikon D850 and my D810 as a backup, alongside my prime lenses (14, 35, 50, 85, 105). For this shoot though, I had a completely different bag that I only use when working in risky environments. This particular bag is fully waterproof as we were working in and around moving water. It can protect its contents in fresh and salt water, and if fully submerged down to 10ft. The bag has attachments to allow it to float, but for this shoot I didn't feel I'd need them. The camera was also housed in it's own waterproof casing for extra protection against drops in water or on the ground. The lenses were in a separate waterproof pouch, as were several spare batteries. I also have a flash system of two SB-5000s with a few small diffusers and carbon fiber stands. It's important on travel shoots that my gear is not only well protected, but also as light as possible. It's much easier to travel to remote areas when you can trust your gear will be safe in most conditions and it won't take nearly as much energy to cart it around either.Feedback
Texture and color were a big influence on this shot, so always be on the lookout for features of your environment that you can use to create interesting contrast. Manipulate the environment to your advantage, for this shot we had to move a few rocks around to let us get the right angles needed for this framing. And don't be afraid to play with post-processing to create the final image you want! The raw shot was a beautiful starting point, but it was the color work in post that really brought it where I had hoped it could be.
