In flight
Model anon.
See below for the details about this shot :)
Mar, 2015Views
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Staff Winter Selection 2015
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Magnificent Capture
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ericcjacksonstudio
February 02, 2016
Holy heck! Even lighting. Nice composition. Good use of negative space as well.
ThirdFacePhotography
February 16, 2016
Thank you very much! (I thought I had already replied to this, my apologies!)
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
In my studioTime
Late eveningLighting
I believe I had two off-camera flashes in softboxes at about 45 degrees to the model, mounted high and angled down to catch the definition in his arms and back but to avoid illuminating under his body. The studio lights were turned off and there was no other ambient lighting (I use a handheld light to focus the camera).Equipment
I have one camera body, the Canon EOS T4i, that had the 18-250mm Sigma f3.5-6.3 lens mounted; no filters. For shots like this I always mount it on a tripod, and use off camera flashes if needed (I have not been able to afford studio strobes, so I use flashes). The model is in front of and standing on a black paper background. The shot was 1/125second @ f6.3.Inspiration
I find both human and animal bodies very wonderful and beautiful, in all shapes and sizes. This model does Yoga as part of his daily routine, and we both find that yoga photos really show the beauty, complexity and strength of the human body, and that inspires a lot of our work together. He has been available to do many informal shoots where I can practice lighting, framing, model communication, etc. The era of the DSLR, as well as the area of portrait photography was new to me, and having a volunteer model is incredibly helpful for learning! We had done a variation of this pose a couple of years ago, not long after I had first acquired my DSLR and was going through the steep beginner's learning curve with it. The original shot was done at home in front of a sheet, with a simple household lamp shining down on him, during one of the photography practice sessions. We both thought the photo was fantastic and posted it online with much enthusiasm about it. Over time of course I saw the flaws and *really* wanted to shoot it again, to see if we could improve on it and because I really do love this pose. Well, I think we did manage to improve on it quite a bit! I am quite pleased with it, but I am also looking forward to shooting it again in another couple of years, to see how much I have learned since this latest one. I love being able to look back and see the changes that happen gradually revealed in two photos side by side like that.Editing
I used Lightroom 5 to edit this photo after shooting. I shoot in RAW, which I especially like to do for photos like this, so I can bring out the detail as much as I wish to without losing quality. So from the RAW file it was converted to B&W, darkened slightly, the contrast shifted high, the clarity shifted up, and the lens profile corrected. I fine-tuned the colour filters until I got the look I was going for. I also removed spots of lint from the black surface, because no matter how hard I try, they are always there!In my camera bag
This varies depending on what I am doing, because I don't shoot all one type of thing. I have been doing portraiture lately, but I also love going out and taking photos anywhere of anything- wilderness, street, architecture (one of my faves), light and shadow playing on a surface, etc. So I have my Canon T4i with a Sigma 18-250 as my flexible walk-around lens. Waiting in the bag I always have my 24mm f2.8 recent addition lens (which I am using more and more; I love it!); the "Thrifty 50" also comes with me (50mm 1.8)-but on a crop sensor camera I find I don't use it as much as I would like to, because of the field of view. Then I have at least two flashes with me, remotes and triggers, flash diffusers and directors, *spare batteries* (never leave home without them!), extra memory cards, filters, dust cloths, etc. I bring a monopod if walking and tripod if doing a planned static or low-light shoot. I leave the studio type things in the studio, including props, stands, backgrounds, extra lighting (continuous), etc, unless again I know I need them for an outdoor shoot.Feedback
I would make the studio lighting more powerful (strobes would be great!) and direct- perhaps with grids to avoid the light spillage I had, and to increase the contrast in camera rather than in post. That said, I do still like to shoot a lower contrast photo, which allows me to play with it in post more because of the more even exposure. I can bring out the highlights and drown the darks if I wish to after, or not. I have created photos I never would have thought of in camera but are really cool after going through Lightroom. Oh yes, Lightroom- well worth getting! I would never not have it now. Also, have a really cool, patient, and flexible model who will help you get the shot :)
