Daily Photo – Brigitte in the Window
The Daily Photo series focuses on the two or three key creative choices, in terms of composition and processing, that go into creating an image. Specific technical details about the shot have been left out — you won’t hear me talking about tone curve adjustments and whatnot unless it was a key component of the end result.
Brigitte poses for a shot in the hard light of the late afternoon sun.
Exposure
- Shutter: 1/1000
- Aperture: f/2.8
- ISO: 200
- Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
Composition and Processing
- I lined Brigitte up parallel with the windows to get all the lines running in the same general direction. That is, I wanted all the vertical and horizontal lines from the window frame and chair to be in sync, forming a consistent backdrop against which Brigitte herself (with no straight lines at all) would stand out. As a plus, the back of the chair bends slightly away to the left, balancing out Brigitte’s lean to the right.
- Sometimes the best thing to do with hard light is to exagerate it further rather than fight it. For this shot I blew out the highlights and made things ultra contrasty. I even increased the noise (via a film grain plug-in) to add further grit and texture. That all seemed to match the water-spotted window and dusty floor, not to mention the black and white dress Brigitte was wearing.
Original:
February 28 2009 06:09 pm | Photography