DPP 0811, Day 14 – Rachel

I have had the wonderful opportunity of working with Rachel before. She can somehow translate my often cryptic instructions into far better poses than I could have ever imagined. And having just told you this, you might be wondering why I went for what appears to be a portrait done in a studio. I did have other great shots of her in an outdoor setting, but none of them had a greater story than the one above.

I’ve shot in a cramped space before, but this picture was made using a space in the ChemSA lounge that was probably a little smaller than my cell cubicle in the department. But, that’s only half of what makes the story behind this picture significant. On top of the claustrophobia-inducing workspace, everything was handheld — from the beauty dish (key light) on upper camera right, to the gridded flash (hair light) on upper camera left (behind the subject), and finally to the black side of a circular reflector that served as the background.

Why did I have to make the shot in the manner described above?

Well, I had four great people willing to go on a limb and help me see one of my crazy ideas through. Thanks to Rachel, Nestor, Joy and Queenie.