#HrdLight–Sevensin…Steam Punk

Another frame for my #HrdLight project.  Taken at a local studio.

2 Light used in this.  Key light is a Bowens studio head with a 30 Degree Grid boomed over head (love that position) and the background light had a bare reflector and red gel.

Jess (Sevensin) was great to work with and really suited this type of light, I asked Jess for a strong symmetrical pose.. hands on  hips (use this allot) to create shapes/symmetry in the frame.

A larger version of this image can been seen in the Gallery for this project.

Really enjoyed this shoot and will be looking in to Steam Punk some more in 2013.

Rick

Image Post: Hazel Clarke .. I’m not alone.

I made this image the other night at a multi strobe event at a local studio (Ians Studio) where I sometimes work and shoot.  The idea of the evening was to make images using multiple strobes so  2 or more, in this image I used 2 speedlites.

The idea was to imply fear and hesitation going up the stairs and create the impression she is not alone. One of the two lights were placed at the top of the stairs (with a snoot & grid) being held by a good friend of mine Kevin,  the second light is not shown in the frame but is just on the other side of the banister on an 9 ft stand bouncing a bare speedlight off the ceiling tiles.  The job of the second light was to light Hazel up a touch from behind, the rest of the exposure is ambient.

One problem I had no matter how I gridded, snooted and flagged the main light (top of stairs) I got a highlight on the right hand wall… I figured out its was the reflective nature of the wall so made the choice to reframe and hide it behind Hazel.

The ambient light was shot underexposed by 2 stops at ISO800 F7.1  1/125th sec, just enough to lift the environment with the rest of the work done by flash.  I could of opened up but wanted the DOF and the star flare that you see. 

I like this frame not only because I like dramatic light/images but also the framing, I really enjoy shooting wide with the 35mm, its allowed me to get close to fill the frame and still capture what's happening in the scene.

Thank you Hazel as always it was great to work with you again. 

Rick

#HrdLight–Stephanie Williams

During a windy and cold location shoot at Hale Lighthouse near Liverpool I was on the look out for #HrdLight shots but wanted something different than the others in the series , So far everything has been lit so I have been wanting some natural hard light to work with for a while and the sun came through for oh about 5 minuets and gave some awesome direct sun light through a small gap in the clouds.  You have to move quick, dial in your exposure and shoot… if you don't the light is gone before you know it.  My first exposure was a little hot by 1/3rd not bad for a quick dial in in Manual, made a quick change leaving the exposure for the series of about 10 frames I took (before the clouds spoiled the fun) was ISO 100, F2.8 1/2000th sec.

Note to self – Leave your lights at home for a whole location shoot sometime, natural light rocks!

Shot with the Canon EF 35mm F2 on a 60D and gotta say I love this lens and the field of view it gives on a crop sensor.

After being ill for a few weeks it felt good to be shooting again but have to admit I struggled on this shoot, need to get my head back in the game.  I’m happy with some of the results (love this shot) and others not so much.. that's all me and no one else, got to refocus as I'm not prepared to fall in to being a lazy mediocre photographer and I don't want to be the fix it later in post guy.  

We all have doubts and not everything can and will be perfect every shoot or for every shot I get that, I am my own worst enemy/critic a little too often but lately I have been struggling, feeling frustrated and on occasion have wanted to put the camera a way for a while.  I need to slap myself and shake it off ready for next weekends Studio shoot, get back up and carry on moving.

PS.  I am still looking for subjects to photograph for my #HrdLight project, would love to shoot some  portraits (Environmental) of people and not models for it so if your interested send me an email here and find out more about the #HrdLight project here .

Rick

#HrdLight–(Rachael F)–Shut Up!

Continuing on with my #HrdLight project this is the second image.

#HrdLight - (Rachael) Shut Up !

Taken using one speedlite with a 1/4 grid and some pain in the ass suddenly unreliable wireless triggers (time to change them, gave up counting after 10 misfires). 

I took other frames but for some reason this simple frame stood out to me, pretty sure its the fact the image is lit to show the top more than her face  (different way of doing it).

Thank you Rachael for working with me.

During shooting I also talked to Rachael and another model I have worked with about a shot I have in my head for this project, its always good to talk about ideas and collaborate, get a team together. I won’t go in to any detail about this planned shot here but I will say its going to take some planning.  Can’t wait.

Rick