Stacia desert logo
Oct, 2014Views
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MuscularSaint
December 20, 2014
very well done love the sharpness of the model completely against the DOF really nice
real sense of 3d she just pops of the page.
real sense of 3d she just pops of the page.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Nelson Ghost Town in Nelson, Nevada. This was taken fairly early in my professional career. I had been studying posing for quite some time, because I feel that posing is one thing that sets the professionals apart from the amateurs. I had been working with this model for at least an hour and I was having a great deal of difficulty describing to her what I was looking for.Time
I had been having difficulty getting the "look" that I could picture in my mind from the model, and time was running out as the sun was falling quickly near 7pm. The light was beautiful, but I was still having trouble getting the look that I could picture in my mind. However, once I took the time to describe my vision to her, and demonstrate the poses I was wanting to use; everything fell into place.Lighting
I was using off camera flash with the Phottix Mitros modified with the Phottix collapsible beauty dish, and a bracket to connect the speed light to the beauty dish. I was also using the Phottix Odin Trigger and receiver system. I love the Phottix lighting systems because I feel they provide superior lighting at a very affordable price.Equipment
I was using the Canon 5dMarkiii, and the Canon 24-70 f2.8 lens. I was also using the Phottix Mitros flash as mentioned above.Inspiration
I loved the look of this road as it disappeared into the desert. I was also inspired by the models edgy hair, and tattoos. I truly enjoyed the contrast of her soft beautiful personality and the edgy look of her hair and tattoos. I wanted background that would help me emphasize this part or her outward appearance and her inner personality. When I found this area; it looked so serene, however I knew that there was so much danger lurking amongst those desert mountains. I wanted to show this similarity between the two subjects. I used her left had to bring attention to her necklace and show her ring. Then I created a triangle with the left arm while moving her hair. I was hoping to show some movement just as the road twists and turns; all the while displaying her beautiful tattoos.Editing
I post processed using Brianna Graham Actions. I love the fact that these actions make it very easy to increase the the contrast and basically give the image an HDR look specifically where you want it. I softened the background while making her have a more contrasty edgy appearance. I also used high frequency separation to retouch her skin. I then made her eyes stand out a bit by whitening her eyes just enough to notice them.In my camera bag
I carry the Canon 5DMarkii and the Canon 5Ds. You will never find me without my Canon 85mm 1.2. That lens makes the background soft as butter! I carry the incredible Canon 70-200 f2.8 series ii. The Canon 27-70 f2.8, and my newest addition that I have fallen in love with is the Canon 11-24mm. This lens takes the shots that get peoples attention! It is a great wide angle lens with very little distortion near the edges. I also carry the Canon 600 ex flash along with 2 Phottix Mitros Flashes, and the Odin trigger system.Feedback
My advice for someone trying to capture something similar is firstly: Have a vision. You want to start with a vision and work to achieve that vision. Secondly practice your posing. Master the basics of posing, and develop poses that fit your style of shooting. Practice posing until you are comfortable and able to read your model and direct her as to what you want her to do in order to fulfill your vision. Thirdly: work and develop your ability to use off camera flash. I feel that mastering these three concepts will set you apart from those photographer who "just know how to use their camera". It is a given fact that a photographer know how to use their camera's like the back of their hand. However, with today's technology and access to photography education; there are so many "photographers" out there. It is one's ability to develop a vision, pose the model accordingly, and perfect the off camera flash that is going to separate the "photographers" from the professional photographers.
