{"id":17561,"date":"2013-09-09T02:49:38","date_gmt":"2013-09-09T06:49:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/?p=17561"},"modified":"2017-12-02T00:20:13","modified_gmt":"2017-12-02T04:20:13","slug":"photo-session-urban-ballerina-viktoria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/photo-session-urban-ballerina-viktoria\/","title":{"rendered":"Photo session: Urban ballerina – Viktoria"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Photo session: Urban ballerina – Viktoria<\/h1>\n

Late afternoon in New York, with the sun-light glinting off the glass buildings – dramatic light for a ballerina in an urban setting. However, the sunlight that was reflecting off the buildings wasn’t consistent, and did not necessarily fall in a place where we could use it. So I created my own with an off-camera speedlight just out of the frame – but positioned so that it intentionally flared, and also gave beautiful rim-light on Viktoria<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The pull-back shot shows how the speedlight was set up, and my own position, low down on the ground, to get that perspective.<\/p>\n

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For the lighting used in this photo session I decided to travel light – and the sweetest intersection in power, versatility and control, is the\u00a0Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite<\/a>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>)\u00a0and the \u00a0Canon ST-E3 Speedlite Transmitter<\/a>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>)\u00a0combination.<\/p>\n

With the built-in wireless control of the 600EX-RT, I did\u00a0not have to bother with external wireless triggers for a flash. The flash’s output (and mode) \u00a0easily controlled from the camera’s position with the ST-E3. For a camera and lens, I used my\u00a0Canon 6D<\/a>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>)\u00a0with a\u00a0Canon 24-70mm f\/2.8L II<\/a>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>).<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Direction<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>
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Lighting & Design for Portrait Photography<\/h2>\n

Lighting & Design<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is a\u00a0follow-up of sorts to Direction & Quality of Light<\/a>.\u00a0It\u2019s a slightly eclectic mix, discussing the thought-process with various scenarios shooting portraits. The examples use available light, bounce flash, off-camera flash as well as studio lighting.<\/p>\n

The idea is that in every one of the 60 sections, there is something to be learnt and applied, regardless of your level as a photographer or where you shoot\u00a0– all\u00a0shaped to form a cohesive narrative arc throughout the book.<\/p>\n

You can either purchase a copy via\u00a0Amazon USA<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0or Amazon UK<\/a><\/strong>. The book\u00a0will\u00a0also available on the Apple iBook Store, and Amazon Kindle.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>

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Camera and flash settings<\/h2>\n

camera settings: \u00a01\/250 @ f\/5.6 @ 400 ISO
\nThe lens was set to 24mm. The flash was in manual output.<\/p>\n

In terms of the specific settings, there is a fair amount of leeway, but here is how I decided on my camera settings – I wanted enough depth-of-field, since Viktoria would change the exact point where she’d step, ever so slightly between shots. Her movements were quick, so I had to pre-focus where she would end up … but there would be slight changes in position. So a super-wide aperture would just mean more missed shots. So I settled on an aperture of f\/5.6<\/p>\n

At her peak movement, she was quite still for half a second. So I didn’t need action-stopping shutter speeds. So 1\/250th worked fine.\u00a0Now, you will notice that I had the shutter speed at 1\/250 which is slightly higher than the max flash sync of the Canon 6D, which is 1\/180 shutter speed.\u00a0When we go into high-speed flash sync mode<\/a>, there is a loss of flash power, but I intentionally went there. With the flash unmodified, ie, direct, there was enough headroom. I wouldn’t run out of flash power at the settings I was using.<\/p>\n

The 6D has great high-ISO performance<\/a>, so I could’ve raise the ISO a bit if I wanted to. But 400 ISO was fine.<\/p>\n

Therefore the camera settings were quite middle-of-the-road. Nothing extra-ordinary there. My starting point for the camera settings were based on a few test shots to see how the buildings were exposed. Then a few test shots with Viktoria standing still in position,\u00a0checking my camera’s preview, allowed me to adjust the flash output via the Canon ST-E3 on my camera.<\/p>\n

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Composition<\/h2>\n

I’m not a huge fan of tilted compositions, especially when I see it is a reflexive way that a photographer shoots in, without giving the composition real consideration. The tilted frame has to make sense in terms of the balance in the composition of the photograph<\/a>. It is tough getting a perfectly horizontal \/ vertical image when laying on your side … but for this final frame, I feel the tilt works. Viktoria leans over to the right, and her body curves. And in the shape of her body, there is a perpendicular balance to the composition.<\/p>\n

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Summary<\/h2>\n

There is of course a certain incongruity of having a ballerina in a cityscape, yet because of that incongruity, the image works. The momentary stillness in the peak movement, versus the bustling street down below.\u00a0The dominant tones are warm and cool – her skin and dress are warm tones, against the cool blues of the city.\u00a0Then, the elegance of her movements somehow just looks really great against the backdrop of Manhattan’s skyscrapers.<\/p>\n

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Photo gear (or equivalents) used during this photo session<\/h2>\n