Moyo
As the sun sets, we are awash with gold. Model: @mug (Tomoyo aoki)
As the sun sets, we are awash with gold.
Model: @mug (Tomoyo aoki)
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Nov, 2017Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Daikanyama, Tokyo. It's a very trendy area near Shibuya. There's a park there that I like to shoot sunsets as the park sits on top of a hill, so you get great golden hour views.Time
This was shot at sunset, in the spring. Spring is a great time to be in Tokyo as flowers is lots of foliage and flowers, and it's not too hot, which is great when you're shooting portraits.Lighting
This was a single light setup, with an off camera flash with a diffuser. The sun was setting behind, which added a lovely warm light to the shot. To help blend the flash with the ambient light, I think I had a 1/4 or 1/2 CTO gel on the flash.Equipment
To shoot this shot I used a Sony a7s, Sony 24-70 f4 lens, a Godox 860v2 flash with a diffuser (on a stand). This setup was actually a pretty simple one. Often if I'm shooting exterior portraits, I want to be as simple as possible as it means I can move around easily, and I can carry less gear.Inspiration
I love shooting portraits. I love interacting with people and making people feel beautiful. I think there is an art to creating work that is tasteful and engages the audience. Whatever you are trying to convey to the viewer, there should be thought behind it. For this photo (and the others from this shoot) I wanted to shoot a warm sunset picture in Tokyo that felt inviting. I shot shallow depth of field to isolate the model (Moyo) so you focus on her, but still have the golden hour tones bring warmth to the image . She's also looking in to the camera to engage you.Editing
I did do post processing. I used lightroom and photoshop. For most of my portraits I will do some retouching and skin cleanup. My general rule is that I will clean up things that aren't permament, or are distracting from a photo (e.g. a pimple or a stray hair), but I leave features that are, like freckles. This is something I discuss with the models and clients though. My purpose in retouching is make people feel beautiful, but I'm always trying to be careful not to make the skin feel plastic or fake. The beauty and realness in portraits is often in the imperfections.In my camera bag
What I have in my bag really depends on the type of photography I'm doing. If I'm shooting exterior location portraits, I will probably take a 24-70mm lens, my 85mm f1.4, and maybe my 70-200mm lens. I have a few other lenses for various situations though. I now use a Sony a7r3, which I love! And for lighting, I'll take light and cheap stands, depending on the situation, I'll have either my Godox 860vii flashes, or my Godox AD200s. Sometimes I'll have a rotolight neo with me. And I have a variety of diffusers and light modifiers. I also like to take my iPad to do reviews with the model or client after the shoot.Feedback
Plan your shoot. Especially if you're starting out, pre-production is really important. Also, know your equipment. Photography is an industry where creative meets technical, so if you are on top of the technical things, and you have the shoot planned properly, it gives you the time to spend on the creative and working with the model. Appreciate the people that help you. And have fun and make it a fun environment for everyone :)
