Black lace
Aug, 2016Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on location in north-east Italy, specifically at Sant' Eustachio Abbey's ruins, a very suggestive historical place, although unfortunately you can not tell from this specific close up.Time
The set was shot in the late afternoon on July afternoon, just before the sun started to set, hence the reason of the soft light. Always shoot when the sun is down!Lighting
As I was saying, the picture was taken on a late afternoon so the light was soft and perfect for the light and classy shot I wanted to go for, and it suited perfectly the model's flawless and pale skin. Although, being among a building's ruins prevented me from having direct light on the subject so a reflector was necessary for some filling.Equipment
This photo was taken with my main camera Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon 85mm lens. The only tool I used is an 80cm white reflector positioned under the model's chest for some filling light.Inspiration
I have always been in love with this model's eyes and her flawless features so I really wanted to take some close ups. So I think this is what inspired me first. We were simply scavenging in her wardrobe trying various outfits and this black lace scarf came put of nowhere, I put it on the hat she was wearing so that it covered her face and there it was, the idea for the close up. I am afraid I can really tell there was not thinking at all behind the look for this shot.Editing
I did a little post-processing, but a very subtle one. Her skin was already flawless and the photo was very light so that already provided the look I wanted in the first place. There is a little dodge and burn to bring up her features a little bit more, like her lips and especially her eyes which being behind the lace didn't stand out that much. I also spent some time deleting or smothering some of the lace's wrinkles which wasn't very easy due to its pattern. Other than that, it is really the beauty of the model that does the rest.In my camera bag
I always work on location using natural light and the only tools I bring along as a support are reflectors. My main camera is a Canon EOD 5D Mark II and the three lenses that never leave my bag are my Canon 50mm, 85mm and 70-200mm. I can be very absent-minded sometimes so I always bring along a spare charge battery for the camera and a spare SD card in case I forget to charge the main battery or I find myself using an almost full memory card. Those two spares never ever leave my bag. Another little thing I keep in the bag is one of those little bags you usually keep in the clothes drawers in order to absorb humidity. That is not good for the lenses, especially if you live in dump England like I currently do.Feedback
It is not a very original advise but, if you are trying to achieve this kind of portrait, the softer the light the better. Shoot either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. A fixed lens is always sharper than a zoom lens if you want to to bring up the faces features at their best, using a wide aperture might help with it as well, smothering the background and giving the portrait the brightness you desire. Using a reflector will help to fill the shadows that natural light usually creates under the nose or eyes, be sure not to use a silver one otherwise the softness would be lost. Last but not least, if you are shooting different levels (like in my case, having something in front of the face) be sure to get the focus point on the eyes, it is not easy and it is not always clear from the screen preview, we really do not want to go home and find ourselves with tons of blurred out of focus eyes and a crisp piece of fabric.
