The most interesting woman in Maine
Jun, 2020Views
1398
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Awards
Curator's Selection
Photographer of the month!
Contest Finalist in Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 58
Editor's Choice
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Superior Skill
Virtuoso
Magnificent Capture
Emotions
Impressed
Happy
Top Ranks
Top 20 rank
Top 30 rankTop 10 rank week 1Top 30 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Platinum
Beautiful-Breeze
August 06, 2020
Congratulations on your win. Wooooo hooooo! 🎉🎊. Your photo is super intriguing.
Ultimate
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Willard beach in Portland, Maine. My friend, Mariah, was voted Maine's most interesting woman with her innovated seaweed business, SeaME Lube.Time
This image was taken around 5 p.m. on a very sunny summers day. Luckily, I had brought a few giant diffusers with me. My assistant held the diffuser in the air, blocking the intense sun from behind me and diffused the harsh shadows on my subject.Lighting
Normally I would have liked to have shot this portrait right around sunset, about 8pm during the month of June in Maine. However, the beach closed at 6pm and there wasn't a cloud in site. The sun was creating harsh light on my subjects face that was too dramatic and bold for what I was looking for. My large diffuser saved the day once again and dramatically reduced the sun's intensity.Equipment
This was shot on my Canon 5D IV, using the Canon 70-200 f/4 and large circle light diffuser.Inspiration
My friend, Mariah, has a unique business called, SeaME Lube. Mariah is essentially a mad scientist when it comes to seaweed. She is the most creative and unique person I have ever met so of course a nontraditional portrait shoot was perfect for her. Mind you, the Atlantic ocean in Maine is extremely cold, the water was around 50 degrees F, but she hoped right in like it was nothing. She brought a few props that were perfect, like the mad scientist glasses and old science beakers and we just had fun with it. I generally don't have a photo laid out in my head, I like to experiment with my subject and generate ideas on the spot. My one and only goal for this shot was to make the viewer stop and think, "now that is an interesting woman."Editing
Yes, of course! I used Lightroom for basic adjustments and toning, nothing too crazy though. I then used Photoshop to add some grain and extra water droplets to add to the water effect.In my camera bag
I live in Maine and do a lot of hiking with my camera bag so some of the most important things I carry isn't even camera gear really. My multi-tool Leatherman, headlamp, gloves with removable finger sleeves, and of course, Zeiss lens cleaner. The headlamp is essential for astrophotography and can be used for additional light in your photo when in a pinch. Maine winters are brutal when it comes to cold weather so having a reliable set of gloves is essential or else your finger dexterity will deplete within minutes and pressing down the shutter will feel impossible. I also always carry a strong hand air blower and am constantly blowing off unwanted dust on my gear. My Tamron 24-70mm f/ 2.8 is always with me as it is one of the most versatile lenses out there along with my Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro. I love being able to do a wide variety of shots without having to switch to another lens. I would be silly to leave out extra batteries and SD cards. Lastly, I have to give a shout out to my fabulous camera bag, the Neewer Pro photo bag holds everything you need, is hiking approved and is complete with a built in combination lock to protect your gear.Feedback
I believe one of the most important things about a portrait session is to click with whoever your subject is. I know this isn't practical for every situation but if you can have chemistry with your subject and have a genuinely good time shooting, it will always lead to better photographs. Authenticity will always beat posing.
