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Randomly Black



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This photo was shot under the concept "Randomly Black" that featured two female sitters. The concept was generally about having fun in a burnt-down en...
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This photo was shot under the concept "Randomly Black" that featured two female sitters. The concept was generally about having fun in a burnt-down environment that added to the mystery of the shoot.
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Peer Award
GeneLybargerPhotography LMLCaptures whitedeer lekahuie Svenergy72 photoABSTRACTION petergjensen +4
Outstanding Creativity
JeffreyDeCristofaro Nilesh_P gerardkaman plasboco Gilleroo1
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frankvaneynde snowdon samanthaowens robertogallovich
Superb Composition
Hugh61 urmaslind
All Star
TraidPhotoClique
Magnificent Capture
ianrodgers

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Anything People Photo ContestTop 20 rank
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Social Exposure Photo Contest Vol 7Top 20 rank week 1

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Behind The Lens

Location

It was part of my first personal project, featuring a comprehensive mix of not knowing what to do, and getting breathtaking shots. This photo was shot inside an abandoned (burnt) building at a well-known university in Nairobi, Kenya, where both the models were studying. One of them is actually my cousin! And I think the building was reconstructed..

Time

It was around 4 o'clock in the afternoon. It was my first shoot working with more than one model, so I had to make sure I got it right.

Lighting

Because I love shooting outdoors and in natural light, I remember hoping that the weather would hold up. When I got to the location, a few drizzles here and there, then just clouds...this made for a really interesting lighting situation. the fact that the building also did not have a roof improved the lighting situation. It allowed my to properly expose my photographs without (mostly!!) worrying much about anything else that might ruin the shot.

Equipment

For this shoot, I used my first camera, a Nikon Coolpix L830. This is a point and shoot camera, that would basically allow you to shoot without thinking of changing any settings. This was bittersweet in the sense that all I had to do was focus on the models and getting the composition right, but I feel that having a DSLR at that time would have given me even better control over the mood and effect of the photo series.

Inspiration

My inspiration came from the location and the subjects I was shooting. Because my cousin was in charge of sorting the location, I had not seen it before. So, when I got there, I saw all the photo possibilities available and felt like a child in a candy store. The location reminded me about the concept of "Engineered Disorder" by Micheal Freeman, which aided my composition. I was spoilt for choice, but luckily, this spot was the first place we started, and it is where I got my best shot.

Editing

Because of the type of camera I had at that moment, all of my early photos were shot in JPEG. For this one, I made slight adjustments in-camera (selective color) to give me a black and white image with the dominant blacks turning a hue of blue. Then I adjusted the exposure and clarity in Lightroom to get the final image.

In my camera bag

At the moment, I have my trusty Nikon D3300 plus kit lens in my bag, but looking for opportunities to add an extra lens like the 50mm f/1.8G. This is the only equipment I have right now because of financial constraints, but it is giving me the opportunity to grow as a photographer first, before moving into complex gear.

Feedback

My advice is for photographers to put more effort into the creative process before going out for a shoot. Plan everything properly in advance, and visualize the kind of shots you want beforehand. Then step out and make it work. However, do not forget the technical aspect because it is what enables you to effortlessly capture what you have visualized.

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