My Eyes Are Up Here
Mar, 2017Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in my humble home studio. A 15' x 18' space with 8' ceilings and no windows, it requires me to be creative with studio lights, lens selection, and angles. Shooting low provides leading lines that help highlight the subject while also offering a nice, soft reflection.Time
Time of day is not relevant to this image.Lighting
We were after something different than what I usually capture in studio. I had recently put together a couple of V-flats and realized that they could add a bit of variety to a rather ordinary space. Pulling my white backdrop down to floor level to hide the off-yellow wall and trim, I set the V-flats up to create a "doorway". Between the V-flats and the backdrop, I placed a pair of speed lights, one on each side, aimed at the white backdrop to get a high-key effect. While smaller lights, they put out enough against the white backdrop to provide decent exposure of my subject. A studio strobe (Paul Buff Einstein with Omni-Dome) was used to fill the model from the front. My goal was to make sure the subject and the white backdrop pulled the eye in, so I set the strobe's power to make sure the V-flats were not quite as bright. I also wanted to make sure not too drown out the wonderful light spill coming towards the camera through the doorway.Equipment
I used my faithful Canon 70D with a 24-70mm f/2.8L, handheld. The speed lights are a pair of Scott Robert Lim'sStrobie 230s while the strobe is a Paul C. Buff Einstein with a socked Omni-Dome. There was enough light from the triggered Einstein against the white backdrop to trigger the Strobies, but it did take some careful placement to make sure everything fired at once.Inspiration
I wanted to do something different than the usual shots against a simple backdrop or bare wall. I had been looking through Rankin's "Heidilious" and Steven Meisel's "Gisele Bündchen" for inspiration. There is such a variety of images in each that my mind was spinning. These iconic supermodels are amazing, talented, and intelligent individuals who have made their mark on the world. Even with amazing bodies and a society in which sex sells, the face is most certainly their defining feature. "My Eyes Are Up Here" is a tongue in cheek reference to this.Editing
There was very little post-processing involved with this image. I did some spot healing of some spots on the floor and not much else.In my camera bag
Currently, I carry my Canon 70D, a 24-70mm f2.8L, and a single speedlight in my camera bag everywhere I go. In studio, I add a few more speedlights but usually rely on a pair of trusty Einsteins and an Alien Bee 400. With a small room, that is far more than I need. I also keep my old Canon 40D on hand as a backup. Occasionally, my 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L comes out for headshots. I have recently been upgrading the old speedlights, adding a pair of Flashpoint AD200s and a Godox V860IIS to the arsenal. The four Strobie 230 lights have been workhorses but it is time for them to become backups while I explore the use of TTL instead of handling it all manually. I also recently have added a new lens combination that I am really enjoying: a Super-Takumar 50mm f1.4 with a Kenko 180 Fisheye. These 50+ year-old lenses have been a joy to explore!Feedback
This is a pretty simple image to reproduce. Setup as you would for a high-key image and add some fill. You can do this with any doorway or window, assuming you have room for the model to pose. Have some fun with it! I have shot similar images using gels on the backlights, moving away from highkey to something more colorful. A little color in the same setup can really change the mood!
