Matric Farewell Portraits

We've been setting up a new editing base at our home studio. I've been working day in and day out to get the new studio computer working. I eventually managed to get it up and running after several attempts to install an Operating system. I eventually figured out to do a BIOS update and thereafter Windows 7 installed with no glitches. I am still waiting for the 64 Bit edition so that we can make use of all that extra RAM that's not being utilized. For those who did not know; computers running on 32 Bit systems can only address about 3.25 GB RAM and that includes the memory on the graphics card. So, if you have an 8 GB beast and running 2 x 1 GB SLI Geforce cards you're actually left with only about 1 GB to do the job. Running applications like Photoshop and Lightroom may literally pulverize your workflow into the ground as the remaining 7 GB's are wasted through the limitations of 32 bit processing. But if you run a 64 Bit operating system your machine will utilize all 8 GB; enabling you to grind through that 100 MB Tiff files like a warm knife through butter. (What a clichè!).

Oh yes and a confession to all you MAC snobs. I don't do MAC. Way too expensive and really overrated!(My humble insignificant opinion)

What does that have to do with portraits? Nothing really. I was just trying to make yet another excuse for not Blogging so often. Getting to the point; it is that time of the year when all the Seniors (called matriculants or Grade 12's in good old South Africa) having their expensive matric farewells and geting rid of Dad's spare cash in the process. I am sometimes asked to take a few pictures of some of these young money wasters. Joking!

Those of you, who want to venture into the world of fashion and portraits should never underestimate matric farewell portraits to hone your skills and build a great portfolio. I think they call it Senior portraits in the US. We talk about expensive dresses, suits, extravagant hairdos, make-up and, and.... While the big Boyz and Gilrz look at their best and you're an aspiring fashion photographer get a few of them to pose for you.  Get a great location, and take a speedlite or two with if you're really cocky. Maybe they will pay you next year to take more pictures!

I would rarely say no to the opportunity to take a few creative shots. For this reason, after having to change my time schedule, I eventually agreed to take a few shots of Christopher Geel. He's quite a handsome fellow while his partner Chanel is even prettier. Not that you ever get a pretty man for Pete's sake!

I only had about a half an hour to take the shots as the clouds threatened with rain. The light fast disappearing. I asked Ben Kruger to assist me. We were armed with a camera (obviously), a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 lens, and a simple speedlite. I had the speedlite in one of Graham Robertson's small 40x40cm softboxes. I triggered the speedlite with a cheap, but effective chinese receiver and transmitter. You may purchase these softboxes and triggers directly from Graham Robertson Photographic

I had to shoot fast - sounds like a Western - setting the speedlite and my camera to manual mode. I had them edged against the lifeless, greyish sky. I had Ben holding the softbox on a light stand and with every few shots changing the angle of light. Here's a few shots to inspire you with, and show you that it's not too difficult at all. Go on, try it yourselves: 

Chanel. ISO 200, 1/200 sec at f/5.6, Sigma 70-200 EX at 70 mm. Manual Mode,  Canon 50D. Speedlite off camera in a softbox. I did not do much in Photoshop apart from minor tweaks. 

Christopher. ISO 200, 1/160 sec at f/5.6. Sigma 70-200 EX at 83 mm. Manual Mode. Canon 50D, Speedlite off camera in a softbox. After sharpening the edges, I used Nik Silver efex Pro to do the mono conversion. 

Christopher. ISO 200, 1/160 sec at f/5.6. Sigma 70-200 EX at 70 mm. Manual Mode. Canon 50D, Speedlite off camera in a softbox. Except for tweaking the contrast through the tonal contrast filter in Nik Color effex and nasking the skin and sky back I didn't do that much in post editing. The light did the trick here. 

Drive-In. By now, the light was almost completely gone, but I had the car parked and Ben standing to the front and pointing the softbox from the top. The image quality is not that good, due to the high  noise levels. However, I like the feeling of this shot. Especially the strong directional light caused by the relatively small light source. I took the image through a few photoshop tricks like increasing the tonal contrast, sharpening the edges and eventually applying a black & white filter. ISO 400, 1/160 sec at f/8. Sigma 70-200 EX at 83 mm. Manual Mode. Canon 50D, Speedlite off camera in a softbox.