At that time (1995)their motivation for unique portraits came from pictures and concepts they were aware of from reading New Yorker and seeing pictures by Richard Avedon. I reassured them that while I would not be able to recreate works equal to such greats, I would provide my unique slant on their final selection. The more formal part of the session (where I experimented heavily with natural room light and ambience), was taken at their home - and then followed by a treck to my studio to be photographed with one soft light in front of a stark white wall.
This time (end of December) we shot similarly but were more intent on relationships as they are a very tight family. It was really nice to experience the closeness and lack of inibition when all huddled together.
The three settings were in the formal living room - one of their patient offices where I saw a streaming light crossing the wall behind a wood love seat placed against the wall - and the attic with it's white walls, slanted ceilings and deep corners. A majority of the shots were taken with natural light and reflector fill - with some of the formal shots and a selection of the attic shots being taken with on Elinchrom flash head firing through a white uumbrella.
1)
* standing on a step ladder
* Nikon D200/Nikkor 18-35mm (18mm setting)
* f5.6 @ 1/13'th second 1600ISO Large Medium Jpeg
* natural light from windows to the left of camera - modeling lights from 2 flash heads for fill
2)
With this patient office setting, my goal from the start was to accentuate the streaming light and let it burn out areas - along with motion blur I knew I would later add in post processing. The subjects were given the directive of sitting stiffly and upright with no emotion. The room was 8 feet across and I was pushed up against the desk on the opposite wall to get far enough away for these shots.
* Nikon D200/Nikkor 18-35mm (18mm setting)
* f5.6 @ 1/60'th second 800ISO Large Medium Jpeg
* natural light from windows to the right of camera - gold reflector fill to the left
3)
Mom and dad were enjoying sitting back and watching the kids perform (spontaneous shot handheld at 1/10th sec):
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It was never my intention to take family group shots in this area - but it just ended up happening and so I fired my camera.
* Nikon D200/Nikkor 18-35mm (35mm setting)
* f5.6 @ 1/125'th second 800ISO Large Medium Jpeg
* natural light from windows to the right of camera - gold reflector fill to the left
6)
Mom and dad kissed and the kids broke up.
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The white walls of the attic were for Black and White images. I found that the sloped and angular ceilings and deep corners provided all the elements I needed for the look I was after.
* standing on a high ladder (12 foot high ceilings)
* Nikon D200/Nikkor 18-35mm (35mm setting)
* f9 @ 1/160'th second 100ISO Large Medium Jpeg
* Elinchrom flash head shooting through a white umbrella, to camera left
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Again I ended up cramming the whole family in the corner - - - another set of group shots. I used my reflector to the left of camera very close to the subjects and redirected a pin point light coming in the small window to the right of the camera for a spotlight effect.
* Nikon D200/Nikkor 18-35mm (35mm setting)
* f5.6 @ 1/60'th second 1600ISO Large Medium Jpeg
* silver reflector main light to camera left - fill from small window to camera right
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Recreating the studio shots we had taken 16 years ago of the children. I placed a mark on the carpet in the middle of the room and placed a silver reflector close to them
* Nikon D200/Nikkor 85mm 1.8
* f2.8 @ 1/80'th second 400ISO Large Medium Jpeg
* silver reflector to camera left close to subject - main small window light is to the right of camera and behind the subjects, about 12 feet away
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