COURVOISIER XO – The Cognac of Napoleon
Aug0
Simulated advertising shots again. This time it is still life.
One of the best brandies I’ve tried. Rich and smooth.
I’ve decided to give it a little hero look by taking the picture from slightly low angle. Visually, bottle is strong enough, it doesn’t need any background. A gold glow, which emphasises its speciality and gives a little enigma. Something like Pulp Fiction briefcase.
Photographic this bottle is not an easy task. One have to light every element differently- light on labels have to be very soft and frontal. Lighting the rim of the bottle is completely different, hard – makes it sparkle. Forcing the liquid to glow is quite easy – one just have to get the angles of backlight right. From half a day shoot I’ve chosen eight best images and compose it all together in Photoshop. Which takes another couple of hours.
Pictures 2 and 3 are showing how different bottle looks in production/light changes.
And if somebody in the meantime moves your tripod, unleash hell.
Sweet Nicole
Aug0
Another simulated advertisement campaign. This time it’s perfumes.
Brief stated that those ones are for young generation.
Pictures had to give a beautiful, fresh and young feel with fragile, very feminine ambience at the same time.
Model Nicole was just the right person.
Images had to be tightly cropped with space for product and logos.
More I shoot, more I understand that photography is not about light.
It’s like saying that architecture is all about concrete.
Almost all the time I find that getting less gear focuses my attention more on the subject and getting best of it.
There is a golden ratio between those two, maybe one day I’ll find it.
Light: one source. Speedlight softbox with reflector.
Model:Nicole D,Assistant: Maria Sz
Time to dust off after holidays.
Aug0
I’ve been doing a simulation-like sport advertising campaign shoot.
Strongly influenced by Men’s Health-type of photography, I have to admit.
Bright, fresh, fit, happy and strong mentally with a clear goal.
Run!
Model:Anna R Assistant:Sophy E
Morningside shoot. Literally
Feb0
Dee and Magda in the morning.
Part of college fashion shoot. We’ve recreated the morning ‘after’ atmosphere: magnificent body with nothing but men’s shirt, mixed with happy, fresh and lazy Sunday morning.
Location: Morningside, Edinburgh.
Third picture gives more of a ‘afternoon soft rug and fire place’ feel.
It’s magic!
Feb0
Dee and Magda stepped for a day into Alicia in Wonderland-esqe World.
It was a fun shoot until weather decided we need to go home -it started to rain.
Big thanks goes to amazing assistants.
Tarl again. with less armor
Nov2
Second shoot with Australian-Tarl.
Tattoos are based on Lord of the Rings and Star Wars universes and symbolics.
One side of the armor is medieval, other – bio-mechanic. Amazing stuff.
Tarl wants to go into acting/modeling business, and he needed some portfolio pictures.
Tarl loved those ones and I have to admit – I also like them.
Pictures, like his tattoos are a statement. Strong, but not too heavy.
You can see what 15 years of kendo and gym did to his body – he should be in some gym/active body advertisements.
Panels, panels, panels. Dean Collins style sexy panels.
Kendo
Nov0
Banzai!
Personal project is landing here. It was a shoot with Tarl, kenshi [swordsman] from Australia. He’s been practicing kendo for more than 15 years.
Personally, I love the outfit, sorry… armor. So full of details, awesome craftsmanship.
Fun shoot I have to say. Being skilled kenshi and Star Wars fan- Tarl was pulling some hilarious stuff. More shoots like this please!
Soon, Tarl’s portraits are coming.
Light: two bowens heads either side, some reflector fill. On B/W picture heads are really close, thus the contrast.
Sport photography
Oct0
Little of sport photography this time. College assignment which was pain in the back side have turned into quite good pictures.
Have to say: golf was the hardest to shoot- can’t be too close, walk or make noise when they swing.
And believe me – even with 3 frames per second you cant catch club in mid-air. I think it’s time for a camera upgrade.
Light:all natural. Only journalism level of Photoshop [levels, curves, cropping]