MissyNeelyPhotography

Golden Lady ~ Nikki

MNP Natural Light Beauty Portraits

MNP Natural Light Beauty Portraits
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Feb, 2015

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102

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Awards

Top Shot Award 21

Great Shot

Absolute Masterpiece

+14

Superb Composition

+13

Outstanding Creativity

+12

Top Choice

+10

Magnificent Capture

Top Ranks

Top 30 rank week 2

Top 30 rank week 1

Behind The Lens

Location

This session was shot at Port Royale Park near Clarksville, TN. It's truly a magical area that is heavily wooded, by a river. The history of the area dates back to the late 1700s, and a portion of the Cherokee Trail of Tears runs through the area. I've shot multiple times there, since this shoot, including a wedding party. It's a great place for an outdoors session because there are so many places to shoot in one area.

Time

I had mainly shot in studio before this session, and had really wanted to experiment with natural light and the "golden hours". This is one of my favorite photos. Everything fell perfectly into place with this image. This was shot in August 2014 at 4pm.

Lighting

There is something very magical to me about 'golden hour' lighting - colors seem much more vibrant and dimensional. I wanted a very mystical, bohemian, and natural feel to this image. I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out.

Equipment

I shot this with my Nikon D7100. Lens was my Nikkor 1.8 35mm (I love this lens). ISO 160, f/1.8, 1/100 sec. I used a very large, round golden reflector. I also set my White Balance to Cloudy. I've found that WB setting gives me the best results for the golden hour images.

Inspiration

The model, Nikki, has a very sweet and free soul. I've known her since she was very young, and she is just as beautiful on the inside as she is out. I really wanted to capture her spirit. This was actually our first shoot together. I knew that I wanted a very bohemian, magical, and natural feel to the images. Other than that, we showed up at Port Royale Park, walked through the beauty around us, and I took photos whenever it struck me. It's, by far, one of my favorite sessions. At one point, along one of the many paths in the park, Nikki was surrounded by butterflies. Magical indeed!

Editing

My post-processing is a two step process. Lightroom is my first step. I can't say enough great things about Lightroom. It helps me to keep my images organized, and is an extremely valuable step in helping me to correct any issues such as White Balance, Saturation, and any other technical editing needed. My next step is Photoshop. I try to keep my retouching very natural by using the dodge/burn technique - this is especially great with retouching the skin because it keeps the natural texture of the skin but also corrects any minor skin blemishes. I did apply a summery filter, at a very low opacity, to enhance the lighting, to give it even more of a magical effect. But, all in all, this was one of those images that was pretty much magical straight out of camera. That's what is so great about shooting in golden hour ~ the light does the work for you!

In my camera bag

My favorite lens is my Nikkor 35mm 1.8. I never go anywhere without this lens- it's just a great lens for portraits in my opinion. I also keep my Nikkor 55-200 and Nikkor 18-55, and my Nikon SB-700 Speedlight in my camera bag. Other than that, there my lens cloths, business cards, and lip balm. ;)

Feedback

The best advice I can give is to first - experiment. Take a nice long nature walk in the early morning or late afternoon with your camera. Second, study and know your golden hour times and settings - know your correct white balance- 'Cloudy' works for me but it may not suit every photographer. Also, I've found that I prefer a wide aperture - 1.8 to 2.2, depending on the available light and time, usually works very well for me. Also, I have two apps on my phone that help me to determine golden hour times. And finally, the best advice I can give is to have fun with it while you're learning! Some of the best images come when we just let go and get lost in the moment of our craft.

See more amazing photos, follow MissyNeelyPhotography

MissyNeelyPhotography

MissyNeelyPhotography

Golden Lady ~ Nikki

MNP Natural Light Beauty Portraits

Behind The Lens

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