Musician Evan Crommett
We shot a music video for Evan's song "Do You Want That?" to raise money for Red Cross Australia. You can find the video on YouTube and purchase...
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We shot a music video for Evan's song "Do You Want That?" to raise money for Red Cross Australia. You can find the video on YouTube and purchase the song through the description. 100% of the proceeds go to Red Cross Australia. Evan's music is on Spotify and Apple Music.
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Feb, 2020Views
553
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Awards
Zenith Award
Curator's Selection
Top Shot Award 21
Spring 21 Award
Legendary Award
Celebrity Award
Staff Favorite
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
Emotions
Impressed
Happy
Relaxed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Categories
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at a friend's art studio in Hell's Kitchen, NYC. We had just finished shooting the music video for Evan's song 'Do You Want That?', written in response to the Australian Wildfires. Evan released the song with PlayItForward.com, a platform that allows artists to share work to raise money for charity. In this case, Red Cross Australia. I always grab photos after a video shoot, not before. It makes for a more relaxed shoot since the pressure of performing is no longer there.Time
I remember when this was taken because I missed my friend's birthday party for this shoot. This was back when you thought you'd be able to catch up with someone the next week. Evan and I came up with the idea for the video early January. We both felt the immediacy of the song and so we shot this within a week or so on January 22nd, 2020 at 11:06PM.Lighting
I had two challenges when configuring lighting for this shot. There was no natural light because it was nighttime and we didn't have professional lighting in the studio. What we did have was a couple of clamp lights. I put one to the side for my key lighting and placed the other light towards a white wall to reflect back onto Evan. The direct lighting from the side creates those shadows on Evan's face and help to separate him from the background.Equipment
I shot this on a Canon 6D Mark ii with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens.Inspiration
Much of the video content I shoot is shared and promoted on photo platforms, like Instagram. I always capture a few stills after shooting to share later on. I shoot two kinds of photos, BTS and Portraits. Behind The Scenes shots do exactly what they describe, they give the viewer a chance to see what was going on behind the camera. Portraits can do that too and much more, if you let them. So I made sure to carve time afterward to grab shots like these.Editing
I went into Lightroom and Photoshop for this portrait. I want to keep the photo as natural-looking as possible, so I don't heavily manipulate the photo in Photoshop. I stick to basic retouching and primarily edit in Lightroom. After applying a brush with clarity and texture to the face, I applied a radial filter to create that vignette and focus the light on Evan, and adjusted the color temperature to fit the mood.In my camera bag
I walk or bike all 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
I end up capturing two kinds of photos. The one I wanted and the one I couldn't have planned for. Often, the one you couldn't plan for is the one you decide you really wanted. If you wanted to take a similar photo, I would say cover the basics. Tell your subject where to sit, where they can look, and frame your shot accordingly. Pay attention to the lighting and how it impacts your subject. After that, let them be and start shooting. I've known Evan for a long time, so he's used to me snapping away while he's playing or talking. That comfort and trust allows me to find the shot I want and take it. What I like about this photo in particular is you can put as many stories onto it as you'd like and they'd all seem plausible. I want to preserve that, so I'll refrain from saying what moment this was exactly.
