Photoday

‘Twas the first nice Spring day that was also free of work obligations – and that meant going out frack’en side to take photos. More after the jump...

T.S. Elliot was right – April is the cruelest month. Every April I feel the thaw creeping in, and it starts the itch to go outside and take pictures. I find myself watching the skies, looking for contrasty cloud formations. I'm Almanac like in my observance of "magic hour". But April is, as aforementioned, cruel… so I know I just have to hold out – just make it to the middle of May. Surely by then conditions for outdoor photo adventures will be perfect. Surely.

Perhaps not. With few exceptions it has rained just about every day this May. If the long range shaman examining goat innards weather forecast is to be believed, we’ve got rain coming every day through July. I know I have no business even trying to complain… but still; can't a brother get a break?

Well, last weekend we did. For one brief day out of the last ten, the great day-ball in the sky choose to deign us with it’s presence. Grab some gear and call some friends. Seize the carp.

As per norm I brought along much more gear than was really necessary. All these pics were done with a single AB1600 and Vagabond. Modifier for the top pic was just a 20 degree grid. For glass I stuck almost exclusively with the 50/1.8.

Started out simple - open shade with a 32" shoot-through umbrella for fill.


Moved out into the direct sun – 7” reflector, AB set to about ½ power. 
Sam said “I could use a new headshot”. Back to the umbrella; backed the flash off to balance with the ambient. Done.


No shoot would be truly complete without a sit-com’esque group shot. So, put up the 50” Wescott Apollo softbox in a parking lot. You know, like you do. 
It turned out that we were shooting on the day of the predicted Rapture. It didn't happen.
Or did it? 
So that's that. My first day of shooting "just for fun" in a long time. There will be more of this, rest assured. Unless the rapture really did happen, and B&H is closed.

End of line.