Rest (2009)
SERIES | THE DARK LIGHT
No.3 of 11
"When I'm not running away from God and have decided to submit (surrender) to His will, I am calm, co...
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SERIES | THE DARK LIGHT
No.3 of 11
"When I'm not running away from God and have decided to submit (surrender) to His will, I am calm, confident, even if things around me are falling apart." -ecj
Read less
No.3 of 11
"When I'm not running away from God and have decided to submit (surrender) to His will, I am calm, confident, even if things around me are falling apart." -ecj
Read less
Feb, 2016Views
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Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Top Shot Award 22
Legendary Award
Contest Finalist in The Human Form Photo Contest
Member Selection Award
Spring Selection Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
Peer Award
Love it
Superior Skill
All Star
Magnificent Capture
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was an assignment for my first Studio Photography class at The Art Institute in Southern CA.Time
I went to the school's studio mid-afternoon to setup the backdrop and figure out how I wanted my work to be presented. The great thing about Studio Photography is you don't need to depend on natural light for a scene like this, which makes anyone's schedule more flexible.Lighting
The Lighting is an important Character in this scene because it represents the presence of God, which would be invisible, otherwise. His presence symbolically lights the scene in this visual story. I wanted the lighting to be intense, directly above me, but not overpowering, especially for the mood I wanted for this scene.Equipment
The Canon 40D was used on a self-timer. I used a single Dynalite strobe pack with a reflective umbrella to add the hint of silver glow on my skin. Keeping the setup simple, it made the process a lot easier.Inspiration
It was a combination of two things: First, I wanted to express my faith in a personal way that is also approachable for people who do not share my views. Secondly, the Composition is inspired by the 1994 album cover of the music artist, Seal. The black and white is inverted in my version, however, because I favor dark backgrounds.Editing
I used Adobe Camera Raw to edit this photograph. Photoshop CS6 works better for a softer look of black and white scenes. I find that Camera Raw adds a bit of a punch to the lighting and edges of B/W work. The original scene is under-exposed having shot this at f/16 with a single light source. More than anything, I increased the intensity of the White, lowered the Contrast a bit, and deepened the Shadows, slightly. Also, the Clarity is bumped up a bit to sharpen the edges. Finally, I feel converting the scene to black and white draws more attention to the Lighting and Detail.In my camera bag
The Canon 5D Mark II is what I have been using since Fall 2012. It came with the standard 24-105mm f/4L. Included is a Polarizer, UV, and Neutral Density filter. I do have an external flash, though I rarely use it, favoring the look of natural and studio lighting. A portable hard drive is also important.Feedback
Think about what you're trying to say before you think about how you want to shoot a scene. Often times, I find the most impactful works of art have meaning behind them and this separates your work from the thousands of photographic artists out there. Practice on developing your own style because it reflects your personality. It's normal to be inspired by someone else's work, yet, we shouldn't try to mimic this inspiration verbatim. When an idea fails, don't give up. Learn from your experiences to help you become better artist.
