Roar
Sep, 2018Views
1267
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Awards
Action Award
Winner in Shadows and silhouette Photo Challenge
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Photo Contest Vol 45
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Genius
Superior Skill
Virtuoso
All Star
Emotions
Impressed
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Behind The Lens
Location
I shot this photo on sand dunes near Port Stephens. At 32 kilometres long, it is the largest stretch of moving coastal sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere.Time
This was shot about an hour before midday, which is not usually the most ideal time to shoot. That happened to be the time we managed to finally get to the location, after lots of false starts and a decent hike. Luckily, the weather was partly overcast. So while there were patches of blue sky, with cloud cover, the light was much more forgiving, though somewhat flat.Lighting
This was shot with ambient light only. At the time, there was heavy cloud cover, so the sky was one giant diffused light source. So, I didn't have to contend with harsh overhead shadows.Equipment
I shot this photo handheld at f/5.6 ISO 100 1/640 sec with my trusty Canon 5D Mark III and an EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens at 70mm.Inspiration
The dead tree in the middle of the sand dunes was just too good to ignore. The challenge was to find the best angle for the tree, but at the same time eliminate any distractions in the background to emphasis the sense of solitude. Lucy Art Model's pose on the top of the tree was executed brilliantly. She is such an amazing model.Editing
Yes, I did. I prefer to keep post-processing to a minimum. However, in this case, I was inspired to try something more radical. So, I decreased the exposure by about 3 stops so that the model's features were in shadow. Then I decreased the highlights and increased the contrast drastically to create the silhouette. This also accentuated the shape and forms of the clouds, which were washed out in the original image. I experimented with a variety of colour and black & white tones. In the end, I decided to apply the "Cinema - Summer Blockbuster (-saturation)" preset in Exposure X (Alien Skin Software).In my camera bag
On location, I prefer to bring my Canon 5D Mark III and the EF 24-105mm f/4L lens. I usually have a second identical body with a 70-200mm zoom lens. As I don't have an assistant with me, I don't use reflectors, Instead, I'll bring a Speedlight or battery-powered strobe, like the Godox AD200 Pro and a radio trigger for off-camera flash. I'll also bring along a tripod with a spigot so that it can double up as a light stand.Feedback
I don't delete any images in-camera, even if I think they're bad. I keep all my images, including test shots. There have been many times when I have revisited my old photos, sometimes after many years, and taken a mediocre photo and turned it into something special. I love shadows. Don't be afraid to have strong shadows or dark areas in your photos. They can create drama and shape. Without shadows, images can look flat and lifeless.
