Projection
Light blaster session with Arianna (@shrnallof)
20181102 165
Dec, 2018Views
960
Likes
Awards
Top Shot Award
Winner in Light and Shadow in Black and White Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Genius
All Star
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken in my studio which is basically an ex-office space (with all the charme and lack thereof...), but it was the perfect place for the shoot.Time
We met in the studio in the evening. As the flash overpowered the ambient light, the time of the day is not really relevant.Lighting
I used a light-blaster as the only light source for this shoot. A light-blaster is basically a connector between a canon lens, a compact flash and (here) a metal gobo. The flash has an inbuilt receiver and was placed to the left of the camera. By positioning the light-blaster away from the camera, the lines of light and shadow emphasise a 3D-structure, such as the model's beautiful body. The model was on and in front of a black paper studio backdrop.Equipment
Apart from the light-blaster, I used a Nikon D800 with a Nikkor 85mm mm and a radio-trigger. The model was on a black paper backdrop.Inspiration
I'm fascinated by the effects of light and shadow; by positioning the light-source away from the camera in combination with a metal gobo, the resulting stripes underline the shape of her body, at the same time abstracting the body to some degree.Editing
Some minor post was applied in Adobe Camera Raw (exposure, contrast, clarity, skin, cropping).In my camera bag
In the studio, I normally use a Nikon D800 with either a Nikon 1.8 85mm, Tamron 24-70mm, or a Tamron 70-200mm. As lights I typically use studio flashes such as Godox QT600 and Jinbei HD600v. However, as many of my shoots are on the beach or underwater, the content of my bag varies a lot. For this shot, the only light source was a Yongnuo 560 III in the light blaster.Feedback
The Light Blaster is a cool device. You can insert either your own framed slides or those sold online for it. I ordered a specially made metal gobo for maximum contrast. The light Blaster works with canon lenses (or Nikon with an adaptor), but does not lock the lens. As you have to manually focus the lens, it may happen that the lens falls off, so be careful. The flash will typically fire at maximum power and may get hot, don't forget spare batteries. Using a faster lens on the light blaster helps. For the effect, move the light source away from the camera, for horizontal lines the blaster would be higher than the camera, for vertical lines to the side. It helps to clearly describe the project to your model, as it is not an everyday shoot for them. The light-blaster needs to be manually focused on your model, which is not an easy task without a permanent light source (it's a compact flash after all). It's a bit of an awkward moment when you seem to be staring at her for the focusing, so better explain ahead what you are doing. Every time the model's position or the light-blaster's position is changed, the light-blaster needs to be refocused.Have fun!
