Casey
Jan, 2020Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I shot this photo at Riverside Park, near the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where Casey lives. When shooting portraits that are about the subject, I want them to feel as comfortable as possible, so I had Casey choose a few locations in her neighborhood that she really loved.Time
I chose a warm and sunny day for a morning shoot. To avoid harsh overhead light, we shot before noon. This photo was taken at 10:43AM on March 30th, 2019.Lighting
I love shooting with natural light. It's a dynamic challenge that can change anytime, but the results from a well-timed shot are worth it. I do use flash when shooting events, and especially at night, but when you have a sunny day like we did, there's no need to get in the way of that. I didn't use a reflector here since the sidewalk was white; it did a great job of reflecting light back onto her face.Equipment
I shot this on a Canon t6i, my 2nd camera ever, with a Canon 85mm lens f/1.8 USM. I didn't use any other equipment.Inspiration
My friends are very much like me in that they lead creative and active lives that take them from one project to another. It's wonderful to see what they accomplish but it also means we don't get to see each other as often as we like. Add to that being in school, and you almost never see them except at birthdays and house parties (Casey and I were studying at NYU at the time). So I started an interview/portraiture project to take a deep-dive into what my friends were getting up to while in school. Casey is an actor, cancer survivor and advocate, and is the most fun to be around; she could easily be on SNL with the likes of Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon.Editing
Absolutely. There are those rare occasions when you realize the best thing you can do for a photo is nothing but I'm still a relative newcomer to the field, so I went into Lightroom and Photoshop for this portrait. I want a natural look for each portrait I take, so I don't heavily manipulate the photo in Photoshop. I stick to basic retouching and then finish editing in Lightroom. I increase the texture and clarity with a brush, apply a radial filter instead of a vignette, and adjust the shadows and blacks to add depth.In my camera bag
I walk a lot around the city, so I tend to pack light. Everything goes in a Manfrotto bag from the appropriately titled Active series. I carry my Canon 6d Mark ii, Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM, and Canon 85mm lens f/1.8 USM. I'll put a mini-tripod in as well, to use for added stability when shooting handheld. I shoot videos frequently, so I also have a SHURE LensHopper mic (VP83F model) in there. I also keep a snack bar or two, a water bottle, and a small notebook and pen. Of course, I have a lens cleaning kit tucked away just in case I need to re-clean on the spot.Feedback
My goal was to capture Casey's intensity. Her most physically dominant facial feature is her eyes. They are sharp and at times piercing. You always feel seen by her. Because Casey is an actor and a natural performer, playing and connecting to the camera came very easy to her. All I had to do was lightly direct her gaze and make sure she was breathing. You can tell when someone is holding their breath in a photograph and for these portraits, I didn't want that tension within the subject. I wanted Casey's energy to come through the photo. I want the viewer to connect with and experience Casey the same way I do. So if you wanted to capture something similar, I would say pay attention to how your subject feels, breathes, and connects. Are they comfortable? Tense? Are they breathing normally? Not enough? Are they connecting to the camera? To you? Once you have that awareness of how your subject is feeling and changing, you can get the best result with whatever technical approach take when shooting portraits.
