Challenge: Free Study 2013-08 (Advanced Editing VII) Collection: 2013 Camera: Nikon D700 Lens: Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED Location: Sherman Oaks, CA Date: Aug 9, 2013 Date Uploaded: Aug 10, 2013
|
Models: Judy Skelton and Noodle
Judy is an artist, and one of my subjects from weSPARK. She is also the first of the series to include her pets. She was SO excited to shoot with me that she called me on her way to the center, a week early!
In the intake/preparation conversation we had before our session, she mentioned that Noodle LOVED ice cream. I instructed her to bring makings for a sundae (don't worry, no chocolate), told her to wear pastels, and then I headed out to meet her.
When I got to weSPARK, even though I've been going there for YEARS, I suddenly became aware of this treehouse right by the parking lot, which everyone has to pass on the way into the building. It has always been there, but that day I suddenly noticed it. I have become very good at paying attention to the things I "suddenly" notice, because it is almost always information that I will need for the project I'm doing.
When Judy arrived with Noodle and Petunia (an adorable little Bishon which I also photographed separately), she was so vibrant and engaging, I just knew we had to shoot in there. Actually, she and Noodle were in there; I had to shoot from outside, through the window because it was too small for the three of us. Thus, the image was a bit skewed, and getting it to look somewhat normal was actually the most difficult part of the editing. I wanted this to have a bit of a nursery rhyme feeling, so that's how I edited it. This is natural lighting, which was pretty even; I thought about adding strobes, but chose not to and I just tweaked this in editing. One other thing I really wanted to do was show Noodles' coat texture, which really does look like this.
According to Judy, Noodle is the best dog in the world. And I would have to agree. Of course, I feel that way about almost every dog I meet :-)
At the last minute, I cropped the image much closer than I had originally envisioned, which shows that they're in the treehouse. But the balance seemed wrong, and opted for this more intimate view. |