I like sunglasses pictures: sunglasses create mystery, and often end up with interesting reflections. This image was created yesterday at the closed (but not demolished) Eastern Avenue bridge over the Don River near lake Ontario here in Toronto, and I like the bridge reflections in the sunglass lenses.
Nikon D7100, Nikkor 18-200 lens. Post processing with Nik Efex plugins
Taken with my Lensbaby Muse, a deliberately low sharpness lens, focussed by squeezing (like and accordion)
My favourite part of today’s image is the reflection of the lighting in the sunglasses worn by my subject. The lighting used was a small strip light/soft box, to make the lighting very directional. In addition, a strobe was used behind her head, facing the camera as a rim light in order to create highlights in her hair.
Nikon D7100 DSLR, 18-200mm Nikkor lens, ISO 100. Post work done in Nik Efex and Lightroom
Neewer 300DS Studio strobe with strip/softbox light, Yongnuo YN 560 III flash used as rim light
Today’s image is all about playing with light. I placed my newly acquired YungNuo YN-560 III flash (quite a bargain by the way) behind the glass ball. It was triggered by a built in optical slave when the main flash (my Nikon SB-600 with a Lightsphere) fired. Finally, a cross star filter provided the star effect, when things were lined up precisely.
Nikon D7100, 18-200mm lens
Post work done with Nik Efex and Lightroom
I call this post About Face for multiple reasons. Firstly, after months of shooting black and white, or colours muted by a seemingly endless winter, I wanted to do an about face and shoot some bold, vibrant, highly saturated, over the top colour. Secondly while I still shoot a lot of film, I felt like doing something shamelessly digital, not trying to emulate a film look at all.
Lastly, this post is called About Face as a tribute to the model Jennifer Bettencourt, who consistently delivers great facial expressions, whenever we work together! (Jennifer is multi-talented: she is also the singer on the demo version of a song from my Blitzed musical I am writing. )
Nikon D7100, 18-200 lens, Illumination via Nikon SB600 flash and Lightsphere Diffuser.
Post work done in Adobe Lightroom and Nik Color Efex 4
Today I had the pleasure of working with my friend Cate again. It was very cold and rather windy afternoon in a downtown Toronto cemetery, the kind of day that make its seem like winter will never end. Cate cool-toned hair and make-up was perfect for the weather!
Nikon D7100, 18-200 Nikkor lens
Post production in Adobe Lightroom and Nik Color Efex 4
Early evening light through a large picture window, the light of candles, and a soft overhead light.
(Nikon D7100, 18-105mm Nikkor lens, post work done with Color Efex Pro)
Today’s image is part of my ongoing “Portrait of the Artist” series. Ashley has actually appeared in my blog before, but behind the camera, as the make-up/prosthetics artist in the Jennifer Gears Project, here and here. She is holding an airbrush of the kind that she very skilfully used for that shoot, and she is truly an artist in that regard.
While her vocation in a sense is “behind the scenes” she also has the instincts of a performer, and feels at home in front of the camera as well.
(Nikon D7100 DSLR, 18-105mm Nikkor lens, Post-work done using Colour Efex Pro 4)
Another from my Guild Wood shoot with Arnika this past Sunday. This time, I used the negative from a Fuji FP-100C instant colour print. the black backing is removed with bleach, and the developer “goop” from the emulsion side is gently cleaned off with lukewarm water. I like the colours this process gives me: retro, but with a raw intensity, not even pretending to be accurate.
Yesterday I had a great shoot in Guild Wood Park with frequent creative partner Arnika Autumnstone. This shoot was the first time I used Rollei 80s film for female portraiture, and I am hooked on the results — I just love the skin tones I get with this film! It will be my go to film for this kind of shot from now on!
(Pentax Spotmatic SP, 135mm/3.5 Super Takumar lens)
My Third Eye 