I love large, soft directional light with a good shadow for some drama. When you find it out in the street it's a wonderful thing. Just make sure, when you find it, that you have someone around who is fun to photograph.
info: Belinda in Verona. Tri-X.
17 comments:
I work in the fashion industry in NYC and there's no way you just stumbled on light like this and turned around and snapped a photo. It's too perfect for that. How did you really do it? And who did the make-up? Who did the location scouting, etc. Spill the beans. You make it sound too easy. I know better.
Okay, okay. Here's the real workflow. Kirk and Belinda walk down street. Belinda turns around asks Kirk a question. Kirk notices cool light and beautiful eyes. Kirk glances at incident meter and notes settings. Kirk transfers setting to camera. Brings finder up to eye. Says something unmemorable to Belinda to get her to stay still for a second. Trips shutter. Winds camera and trips one more for a safety. Belinda decides they are done, turns around and walks down the street with Kirk in tow. Weeks and weeks later, when the film is developed Kirk sees image and likes it. A lot.
That's how it works in Kirk World. ;-)
Thanks for the set-up.
Both of you guys are too funny... I'm still chuckling! Good one.
Kirk, this is probably my favorite image I've seen of your mate. Although her facial expression rarely changes, this one is just perfection in a bottle.
Belinda is a beautiful woman, with such large beautiful eyes. It's her eyes that catch my attention every time I see one of your photographs of her.
Kirk, you have truly outdone yourself with this series of outstanding portraits of Belinda and the locals on your Hasseldlad. I still can't believe you used it for street shooting. Love your point in the earlier post about bringing two lenses, tops, and not cheating by shooting from afar with a long tele. I need to do more of that.
I've taken a Pentax 67 and standard lens on vacation before - can't get much bigger or noisier - no problem doing street shots with it either.
Walk up close, smile, then shoot - or shoot, then smile.
What gets people on edge is surreptitious shooting with a long lens.
Kirk,
I am loving this series. I'm going to dust off my 3170 and start digging thru much of my own back catalogue. Thanks for the inspiration.
Frank, It does seem like a totally alien world some times......I'd hate to change titles.
Beautiful!
M
Kirk, you are truly blessed to have such a wonderful portrait subject at your beck and call ;-). Or at least living in the same house, and going on vacation with you.
It's always fascinating...people see great photos and start wondering what gear was used. So many end up thinking "If I had that camera and lens, I could take photos like that. I must go buy that gear". Then they wonder why their results aren't the same.
A great portrait, as Kirk so often reminds us, comes from a few simple steps.
Know good light, take the time to look for it or use it when it happens.
Know your subject, or at least be in the process of getting to know him.
Be human.
Gear concerns are secondary or optional.
The reason I always like Kirk's blogs about portraits is behind any talk about the lighting or gear is the understanding that he uses that to enhance what he wants to do for the person he is photographing, not because it makes a statement about his expertise.
hummm, I am afraid the fashion industry, in NY, did not teach you much, kkkkk :)
Light, and looking.
Like this.
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Hey Kirk did i forget to mention i think you Italian portraits of Belinda are marvelous and envy inducing. Thanks for sharing them
John, Thanks you very much!
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