ALEXANDRIA’S LENS BRINGS MAGIC TO LIFE WITH THE PROFOTO B10
I like my images to be darker in exposure but infused with some elements of light and a more whimsical feel. Each of my photos tells a different story: sometimes the story is complex and requires a lot of added elements, and other times, like with this image, it just needs a hint of magic.
This was taken for a personal project at a natural area next to my home. It’s a great place to shoot when time is limited, or when I’m working with my family, like I was for this shoot. (The subject in the frame is my daughter; my husband was there as well.) My husband really helps me capture my vision and is a great support in my career; my children are my muses.
My vision for this particular image was to have the darkness creeping in from all sides, and for this “magic” umbrella to help light my daughter’s way through it. There are a couple of elements I added to this frame in post: a foggy sky, a moon and additional glows around the umbrella, as well as light coming from underneath the umbrella. Everything else was captured in camera with a little help from my husband and the Profoto B10.
My husband was situated slightly to the left of my daughter. He held the B10 near the ground with the light pointing diagonally toward the sky above her. I did this because I wanted to bring light to the ground and also bring an authentic glow to her dress, which allows me to maintain a natural look when adding more light in Photoshop later on. I was situated slightly to the right of the umbrella so I could shoot the scene at an angle.
We arrived at the scene around sunset, but with the continuous light on the B10 we were able to shoot later into the evening. The B10 also allowed me to light the background and foreground to resemble how the light would look if there was a glow coming out of the umbrella, and it emphasized the beautiful autumn colors, which I love. Most of all, the B10 allowed me to keep my ISO down, which is important when it comes to the final quality of the image and helps maintain the feeling of natural light.
TIPS & TRICKS
- TURNING CHALLENGES INTO AN OPPORUNITY TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL IMAGES FOR A NATURAL LOOK, point the light diagonally toward the sky. This allows for a soft glow without harsh shadows. Do not point the light directly at the subject.
- ADJUST THE WARMTH ON THE CONTINUOUS LIGHT until it matches the natural light on the subject. This makes the light look a lot more authentic.
- TRY DIFFERENT ANGLES AND PERSPECTIVES. Go with the flow. It really helps the creative process, especially when shooting in nature.
- SHOOT AT AN OPPOSITE ANGLE FROM WHERE THE LIGHT IS POSITIONED. This allows the light to come in as a soft glow, resembling the sun.
- TREAT CONTINUOUS LIGHT AS AN EXTENSION OF NATURAL LIGHT. This will go a long way when trying to obtain an authentic feel to the lighting.
To learn more about the Profoto B10 light, please visit profoto.com/us/B10 and follow @profotousa on Instagram. See more from Alexandria’s Lens at alexandriaslens.com