Mojo2v2
Dec, 2017Views
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Awards
Zenith Award
Top Shot Award 22
Creative Winter Award
Curator's Selection
2020 Choice Award
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Emotions
Impressed
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Behind The Lens
Location
I shot this image in a little make shift studio at home in my basement that was actually set up for doing product photography.Time
If memory serves me correctly this would have been done about mid afternoon sometime. Because the shot was done in my basement studio though I cut off all natural light. This image was shot with a single studio strobe.Lighting
Nothing boosted my image quality the way lighting did. I am going through a photography program at a local college of mine, during which, I took two classes on studio lighting. I was convinced almost immediately that I wanted studio strobes. I bought two Profoto B1s and would never go back. Light on the go, where and how you want it, nothing beats that.Equipment
My camera is a Nikon D810. This particular image was shot with an 85mm f 1/8. I used a single Profoto B1 with a 2' x 3' Softbox. No grid.Inspiration
I had a final project in one of my classes, my commercial illustration class. It was primarily a product class but we were given total free reign for the final project. They just wanted 4 finished, completed images that they felt lived up to their standards. Well, previously I had become aware of my inability to pose well and wanted something I could practice posing on so I started looking for mannequins that could be posed. I scoured the internet for weeks trying to find something realistic enough before I found an entirely different kind of mannequin. A doll more or less that stood about 5' 5" tall with extremely realistic features and poseable mechanics. It came with a two thousand dollar price tag but I made the investment. While utilizing the doll in shoots and trying to think up a subject for my final project, I decided to toss caution to the wind and dabble with female form, or body. Yes, the image above, is in fact, the body of a doll. It ended up being the second of my 4 submitted images and the project was called "Mojo". It was designed to use the skills we had to produce completed images of a subject we felt like doing. Hence the title of the image, "Mojo 2v2". 2nd version of the 2nd group of shots for the project.Editing
With this image it is mostly global editing. Adjustment of contrast, shadows, blacks, whites, exposure and highlights. Mild skin retouching was done in areas where the material that makes up the doll's skin had slight abrasions. Black and white conversion I did do manually using the HSL sliders.In my camera bag
If I am doing a planned photo shoot I generally carry my Nikon D810, my 50 mm 1.8, my 85 mm, 1.8, my 70 - 200 mm 2.8, at least one of my Profoto B1 lights, a C-Stand, soft boxes, a light meter, my color checker passport and extra batteries. If I am just out in nature taking photos for fun I might take my old 24 - 120 mm for it's versatility. Sometimes maybe my 105 mm macro lens.Feedback
I can say if you're looking to get into doing something similar to this and don't know where to start, find groups on social media like Facebook where you can share images and have a conversation about it at the same time. There are numerous groups out there of all types. The other major thing is lighting. I know it has been said a million times but i'll say it again. Invest into lighting. Learn to control it and you will never go back.
