Soul eater
A shot of my good friend and model Tami today.
A shot of my good friend and model Tami today.
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Jul, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo on the top of a mountain at an old abandoned fire watch tower in the middle of nowhere. My model, Tami, and I had been driving around finding neat and unusual places to use for backdrops. We happened upon this location and we got this and other spectacular shots here. This shot was taken in Mineral County, WV.Time
This image was taken in the early afternoon in full sunlight on a beautiful warm, cloudless day.Lighting
The lighting is natural with a single reflector to add highlights to the face. I remember it was an awkward pose for me to get the reflector correct and get the shot.Equipment
This shot was taken with a Canon 5D Mk III, Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS USM II lens and a simple reflector. Shot free hand.Inspiration
From the moment Tami and I met, we hit it off as good friends. I count her as one of the very few people I can share anything with. As our friendship and bond have deepened, the photographs get better and better. The poses aren't forced, they're real, real emotion, real expression. I feel this kind of step away from cold professionalism allows for much better resulting images that show the real person in front of the lens. That is what you see in this image. Tami is like my little sister. I love her dearly and our comfort level is such that the images we are able to make together stand out and make you take notice. My inspiration for this photo is, to put it simply, her. Our friendship, our bond, our ability to think so much alike and get the images we want to share with the world.Editing
I try to keep my post processing to a minimum. This image is slightly cropped and I boosted the contrast some as well as the vibrancy. It's been a couple of years since I took this image so I do not remember anything else I may have done but I try to avoid adding or taking away when I can unless I am trying to create a completely different feel to inspire some emotions.In my camera bag
The equipment I carry with me depends on the shoot. I carry a standard kit of lenses and bodies and tripod. Then I may add to that depending on what I am shooting. I now carry a Canon 5DsR, Canon 5D Mk III with my go to lenses of the Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS USM II, Canon 24-105mm F4 IS, Canon 85mm F1.8, Tamron 150-600mm F5-6.3 G2, and Canon 15mm wide angle lens. I have a Vanguard 204AB field tripod that lives with my pack. I have a separate pack for cleaning equipment, filters, and an extra speedlite or two. I find that covers just about everything I may need in general situations. I am a dive photographer so I will add a dive housing for the cameras, maybe lights and such on top of that. I always have a speedlite and a reflector in my bag as well. The main thing I always make sure to have on hand is plenty of batteries and SD cards.Feedback
There are different ways to capture images like this. Everyone likes shooting in the golden hour. That can produce dramatic and beautiful results. But, don't be afraid to shoot mid day. A reflector or fill flash on the subject will even out the images quite nicely and allow you to get stunning shots in even noon time bright sunlight. Don't under expose your model. Keep it bright but within the limits of your histogram. Far too often, photographers try to under expose images to the point that they lose any punch or depth. Don't be afraid to get close to your model to get the shot. The most important advice I can give is this. Build a trust and working relationship with your models. You'll find that when they are relaxed, you are relaxed. When you are both relaxed and joking and enjoying the time working together, it will show in the images. Many models are stand offish. that's okay. As photographers, we must respect that and abide by it. Always keep it appropriate but be friendly and at ease. This image was taken in 2016. Since that time, Tami and I have taken our friendship even farther and we are very close now. The images we create now are even better simply because all of the emotion and smiles are real. Lastly, don't be discouraged. Take your time and practice. Work with your model and build that friendship and work on the images. I urge photographers to keep all of their older images so they can see how they've progressed as a photographer through the years. Learn from your mistakes and be willing to try different approaches and ideas. I've noticed over the past 10 years or so that my taste and editing style has changed dramatically. Images I used to think were awesome, I now look at differently as I have matured. Don't dwell on the past and always look forward. Find neat places to take images and look for angles that might seem odd or out of place but work for you. This image is on the edge of a concrete platform at 3000 above sea level. I was sitting on a rock below the edge of the platform on a cliff. I wanted to be below Tami and capture the intense blue sky. The angle made the photograph more personal and intimate. The trust we share and the friendship we share gave her the expression that allowed me to create this image. Have fun with it and never let frustration take over. My inbox is always open. I'm always happy to share what I can with any photographers that want to learn how I do my thing. Feel free to reach out to me if you want.
