Long Overdue: Stef & Carol's Portraits

After a gazillion years of getting stuck I finally managed to get these photos done. Yes!

I'm not being lazy here, it's just that I have been working on a shitload of things to the point that I have to put some stuff on the backseat. Anyway, it feels really great to finally ticked off some of it on my work checklist. I could go back on my other art projects sooner than I expected. Hopefully I get to finish everything before May ends since I'm planning to do bigger art projects by the start of June. Anyhow I think it is about time to cut the crap and let's get on with this post.

It all started a million years ago (I'm just exaggerating here), my colleague George and I hatched a plan to ask our colleagues at work to model for us. George asked around and luckily we got Stef for the first session. Despite our crazy schedules we managed to pull off the first shoot with at UP Diliman. The first shoot was followed a few weeks after with Carol at Parks and Wildlife. Both sessions are shot using a 50mm lens both at f2.8 and was lit with a Godox EX600 the only difference is the light modifiers that was used.

For Stef I used my 48-inch parabolic umbrella which was in no way parabolic since the umbrella shaft is not in the middle. Even so, I love how the light just wraps around her but to be honest I really had a tough time working with an umbrella outdoors for some odd reason.

Still using the Godox 600EX in Carol's photo below. I used my trusty 90x60cm Phottix softbox instead of using the parabolic umbrella. The light is much more controlled but it lacks the wrapping power because of it's size and distance to Carol. The last photo is different from the set since I just used a reflector to bounce the light back to her. Since I rarely do that style I have decided to give it a try and I am not disappointed with it.

I know, I still have tons of practice to do in terms of lighting my subjects but I'm understanding it way more better now ever since I've started reading Joe McNally's book. Hopefully on the next shoot I will be able to try some of what I've learned in action.

Anyway, I'd like to thank both of the lovely ladies Stef and Carol for being awesome and game to be our subjects. Also props to guys George, Paeng and Sir John! Let's do another session soon. Happy shooting!