Like the Phoenix
Canon EOS-1D X
Aperture f/9 ISO 200 Shutter 1/50 Focal Length 35/1 
Havana, Ciudad de la Habana, CU
Feb, 2021Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken in an abandoned movie house in Old Havana, CubaTime
The shot was taken in mid-afternoon. There is regular mid-day natural sunlight coming in from camera right.Lighting
The light was placed above the dancer with about a 45 degree angle downwards. I wanted to highlight her upper torso, face and arms. The goal was to draw the viewer to her upper body to demonstrate her individuality and then have the rest of her body meld into the background as much as possible to show the connection of the present to the past, as well as the deep historical roots of dance in Cuban culture.Equipment
Camera was a Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70mm lens and Profoto B1 lightInspiration
I have been working with both ballet and modern dancers in Cuba for many years. Havana is full of antiquated and dilapidated buildings, many of them like this one having been used for arts activities, whether film or dance. I have shot at this location a number of times, but I wanted to use part of the building where the patina, the history, really would jump out. I was looking for something with simple but bold architectural elements, that would contrast with the fluidity and lines of the dancer. My goal was to show that at one and the same time the dancer -- and thus modern dance/culture in Cuba -- to be enveloped by the building while standing out in her individual presence and expressiveness.Editing
Yes, I brought out some of the light in her upper body. I increased the contrast some. And the biggest change was to run the image through Nik Color Efex Pro tonal contrast with heightened midtones and shadows to bring out as much of the graininess, texture and patina of this old buildingIn my camera bag
I normally travel with two bodies, Canon 1D X and Canon 5d III, and a selection of Canon lenses, usually a 35mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm, as well as a Sigma 50mm. I also carry with me at least 2 Profoto lights with a variety of Elinchrom softboxesFeedback
Understand the environment in which you are shooting. What does it represent? What kind of narrative does it suggest? And what are you trying to convey by using your talent in that setting. When the location and talent work very well together, sometimes it is best to keep the styling and lighting to a minimum. Also, it is very important to allow your talent to interact on their own with the setting: some direction can be helpful, but particularly when in a foreign country with a very different culture let your talent be your guide as much as you can.
