Nicole_6810-C
This beautiful woman walks into my studio with the most incredible green eyes and these wonderful lips with a piercing but an incredibly world worn look. I want...
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This beautiful woman walks into my studio with the most incredible green eyes and these wonderful lips with a piercing but an incredibly world worn look. I wanted to do an image that makes you want to look behind the beauty and see the thoughts and the soul behind it.
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Apr, 2020Views
614
Likes
Awards
Curator's Selection
Top Shot Award 22
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Photo Contest Volume11
2020 Choice Award
Peer Award
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
All Star
Virtuoso
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Outstanding Creativity
Emotions
Impressed
Happy
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
As with all the images in this series, this was created in my studio at the Hot Shops Art Center in Omaha NE.Time
We started around 7:30pm and this image was shot (according to meta-data) at 8:40pm. We got off to a slow start and I was rotating between Nicole and 2 other women that night.Lighting
My light modifier that I use more than any other for people work is a 7' OctoDome softbox mounted on a dialable 2400ws strobe. Her two most striking features are her eyes and lips so, I mounted the light on a boom almost directly over head to her best advantage.Equipment
At the time this was done, I preferred crop sensor cameras for people work. This was shot with a Nikon D7300 and a vintage Nikkor 105 f2.5 manual focus lens that I've been using for more than 40 years. Because of the fast duration of the flash, hand holding is seldom a problem.Inspiration
The easiest way to create beautiful photos of women, is to start with a beautiful woman... But when you take the time to look closely, don’t all women possess their own beauty? I often work on images of empowerment with single mothers and victims of abusive relationships. I began the project quite by accident When a stunning model that I had worked with on a commercial project confided to me that the photos we had created together made her feel so much more confident. Surprised, I talked with other women friends who explained how empowering it can be to have a beautiful image to reflect on when times are tough. I feel blessed to have a commercial skill that can truly help others. And of course, It's always gratifying to have your work recognized.Editing
Other than some minor post processing and blemish clean up using frequency separation in Photoshop. this image is pretty close to the way it came out of the camera.In my camera bag
Since just before the beginning of the pandemic (perfect timing, NOT) I’ve left my 40 + years of devotion to Nikon for Sony Full Frame Mirrorless. An A7III for night/low light photography (Great), and an A7RIII for everything else (Magnificent). In Studio I tend to use 24mm-105mm and 70mm-200mm zooms. Although I have an 85mm f1.4 prime that I seem to really like. In the field for landscapes and wildlife I mostly use the 200mm-600mm and 70-200mm zooms. And I have a 24mm f1.8 prime that I really like for Astro-photography.Feedback
Studio lighting is a matter of observation, patience and planning. You don’t need the newest or the best equipment. But you do have to study lighting and experience the trial and error of finding the right light for what you want your image to say. To quote Edward Weston “There are no shortcuts” and Ansel Adams “There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept”.
