"History of Models" - One of my Favorite Shoots! Creek "Creatures"/Dark Waters Shoot July 2017

So this was my second, organized themed photo shoot arranged through a Meet-up Group and I was both very excited about the concept and also quite...fearful because I didn't know a single soul and also because it called for some techniques and skills that I didn't quite have. 

But!  I prepared by reading a lot of info on "dark waters" shoots and watching you-tube videos about shooting in these conditions and how to achieve the affects.  I personally didn't have any lighting except for my on-camera flash which I knew I wasn't going to be using after watching the videos and reading.

The goal was to get the subject - models in makeup and costumes to resemble otherworldly creatures - in stark contrast to the "dark" water and background of the creek where we were shooting.  And we were shooting during the afternoon, so the only darkness was going to be from the shade trees surrounding the creek.

The group putting on the shoot were also providing a fog machine and dry ice.  I LOVED using the dry ice but the fog machine proved to make it more difficult to adjust my manual settings and still get clear shots. But it did make the background suitably eerie.

There were quite a few models and photographers.  I think it was like 7 models and probably 15 photographers.  Most of the photographers seemed way above my level and quite a few had lighting - at least speed lights but there were a few with portable studio-type lighting. Everyone was pretty nice and there were some photographers who were extremely nice and helpful to me.  But honestly, I don't remember getting too much help aside from some beginning settings for the light, etc.

It was more difficult trying to insert myself into the shots.  Photogs were gathered in small groups around the most popular models and each model had at least 1-2 photogs.  As I tend to do with my social anxiety, I was hanging back and watching for a bit and taking shots were I saw fit.  

The models were so nice and professional for the most part and tried to throw looks to each photographer.  I don't necessarily care about having eye contact in every shot...in fact I tend to like to sneak a lot of photos where the models are looking away and - especially in my early shoots - appreciated having other photographers giving directions to the models that I could then piggyback off of if I saw a set up I liked. A lot of these pictures are like that. :)

Also, I did have to do most of my effects work in post-production since I didn't have lighting.  So I went for a mainly eerie look with colors, etc., to emphasize the otherworldly nature of the shoot although there are some with "dark" waters.  We shot this in Antelope, California at a park with a popular swimming creek. The water had some deeper spots for swimming but we were in an area that was fairly shallow.  We had people on either side of us and they thought we were pretty interesting!  lol

That all being said, three of these models became three of my favorite models to shoot.  They were amazing and so nice to me.  As a noob, I really appreciated their kindness.  :)))

One of these wonderfully kind and talented ladies will be the entry and ending fairy for the pictures in this post (K-Pop reference):  Sandra

The second one of my favorite models, who also became a friend, is Cathi.  Here she is in the back behind Jennifer who was the organizer of the shoot. 

Cathi

I don't remember this young lady's name and I only have this one pic to share here (I think there are more in my original posts which are below). She was also very good and nice but I was having trouble with the fog in the area she was working. 

And this is the third lovely lady I mentioned above:  Maya

This is the same photo as above but I tried to add a "fifth dimension" aspect.  lol  

From dark to light!

I identify so much with Cathi's "Save Me/I'm Fine" and PTSD tats that I wanted to make them the focus of this photo.  Not sure I succeeded but I tried which is all one can do sometimes. 

Cathi's eyes are always so beautiful.  

I don't know anything about this gentleman model.  I only know he showed up somewhere along the way and most of the ladies wanted to pose with him.  Can you blame them?

In these shots with Siddalee, I was going for "Green Magic" in my color grading. Siddalee always looks like magic with her poses!

And we are back with our ending fairy, the captivating Sandra!

And that ends my throwback to this fun and wonderful photoshoot!  I definitely would love to do another dark waters shoot in the future!  It was so fun.  Fingers crossed!

Full Posts:

Post 1

Post 2

Post 3

xoxo

Nikon D3300 (don't remember what lens I used - kit lens? or a 70-300 I had bought used)

Bird Migration! A Peaceful Interlude at Cosumnes River Preserve Sacramento California September 2022

"The sound of birds stops the noise in my mind." - Carly Simon

My mind is always going.  And not just going...but going and going and going!  

Thoughts. Worries. Pictures. Memories. Lights. Questions. Worries. More Thoughts. More Worries.

For me, I find it really hard to turn my mind off.  It's hard to just meditate (although I need to really learn and work at it because it is valuable).  I have to replace it with something.  And the best things for me are driving, music and nature.  

Hey!  Birds are both music and nature!  I guess that's one reason they are so healing for me.  It's definitely a form of meditation to drive to where birds are (even if it's just a nearby park), listening to healing music, and then spend some time either sitting, walking, or driving around looking and listening to birds. 

On this slightly cloudy and foggy afternoon (after lots of 100 degree plus weather!), I decided to head over to Cosumnes on the spur of the moment for a bit of solitude and healing. And of course to see what birds might be visiting in the early fall migration.  

I started off, as I always do at Cosumnes, by driving down Bruceville Road and the fields and ponds over on that side.  I was greeted by hawks and adorable baby cows!  These two stopped their playing to stare at me as I pulled up.  The four baby calves were so cute as a mama cow stood guard! 

While on a nearby telephone pole this Red-shouldered Hawk was searching for his next meal. 

I was a bit surprised because most of the ponds were still dry.  I guess I shouldn't have been that surprised since we had been having such a hot and dry summer.  But I'm always saddened and surprised at the lack of water when I travel around the Western U.S. now.    

But there was some water and ducks in one of the ponds on Bruceville as well as one pond across from the Visitor Center parking lot that had a bit of water in it.  I could see ducks and some wading shorebirds there so I decided to park and walk over.  

An older woman was sitting on the bench on the viewing platform so I hung back a bit so as to not disturb her.  I guess I needn't have bothered because she got up and walked over to greet me.  She was very friendly and we stopped and talked about birds and nature for about 10 minutes which was quite nice.  Then we wished each other well and changed places with her walking to her car by the Visitor's Center and I taking her place on the viewing platform.  

I didn't sit on the bench as the water was not up to the viewing platform.  Instead, I planted myself on the edge of the platform with my feet in the wild grass surrounding it.  

There were quite a few birds who looked similar to each other but also slightly different?  I believe these are Long-billed Dowitchers.  

And I think this is a Least Sandpiper.  So tiny!

Least Sandpiper

Black-necked Stilt

Long-billed Dowitcher

Northern Shoveler (female? or juvenile? - not sure)

Least Sandpiper with a much larger small female Northern Shoveler duck behind her.

Ducks dabbling.

Greater Yellowlegs

Dowitchers

Greater Yellowlegs

Least Sandpiper

Greater Yellowlegs

Black-necked Stilt

Killdeer

Flying Geese

It was starting to get dark, so I headed back to Bruceville Rd for one last check before heading back home.  This time instead of the Red-shouldered Hawk sitting on the pole, there was a beautiful and much larger Red-tailed Hawk on a pole at the opposite end of the road. 

I got there just time to catch the Pintail Ducks rise up in a swirl of joyful noise to fly around in circles and land 20 yards away.  

Pintails look so fancy with their elegant tails and blue and black striped bills.  Ducks are truly amazing. 

I just love ducks, geese, and cranes flying!  When it gets close to sundown, these guys fly to water to settle in for the night safe(er?) from predators who don't really want to run through a marsh looking for their next meal.  It's always a great show and there is nothing more peaceful than listening to the gentle honks of geese, quacks of ducks, and cooing of cranes as the sun sets.

I highly recommend when you have too much going on in your head, replace it with the joyful noise of birds and the visions of sunset.  It'll do wonders for your mental health.  Plus remind you that there is beauty and amazement to be found all around you and that the world is still a beautiful place. 

xoxo

Panasonic Lumix Fz80

Throwback Thursday: "History of Models" - My 2nd Photoshoot with Beautiful Ladies in Flowery Clothes July 2017

In my last post, I was reminiscing about how I switched from nature photography to human photography, I decided to post (or in some cases, repost) my photoshoots involving models in chronological order.  Shoots like these are such fun!  And challenging. 

To be honest, for an introvert like me with social anxiety, it's not easy to learn how to work with models.  I lucked out at my first shoot at Preston Castle, because there were many other experienced photographers on site that were happy to help me and coach me.  Even though I didn't have any lighting equipment and could only use ambient light, I was so excited by how the photos turned out!  Especially with the historical and architectural aspects along with the models. 

I am dying to go back with some ideas in mind and take my own model and props/clothes with me so I don't have to share like I did the first time.  Maybe 2023 will be the year I can make some of my ideas come to fruition.  I tried once and it is wayyyyy harder than it seems to put on a successful shoot with themes, models, styling, etc.

But I was so thrilled with my first experience with models that I couldn't wait to try another one!  Luckily I had found Meet Up through the organizer of the Preston Castle shoot and joined a few groups.  And my next happy, flowery shoot was well-coordinated and staffed by a Meet-up group (not very active in the last few years unfortunately) that is run by a professional photographers.  She had about 6 models there for this "lifestyle" shoot with floral clothing (the theme) at a prime location at William Land Park gardens.  She even brought a changing tent and was also standing by to help the amateur photographers in the group learn. 

I had SUCH a great experience at this shoot.  In large part due to another professional who was there and who was so helpful at casually teaching us amateurs some clever ways to work with models and ambient light. Isi S-M!  You are awesome and I am forever your fan!

It was such a bright and beautiful Summer day when we did this shoot.  I love these gardens at William Land and I was so happy with the experience and results.  Here are some of my favorite shots.  

This is Sabrina and I just loved the way the light fell on one eye in this shot.  And she has such pretty cat eyes.  I know I do like some weird edits and shots that others may not like, but I have to go with what I like.  :)  I guess it might be different if I was a professional.

This is Melissa.  And here we are demonstrating a technique taught to us by the wonderful Isi.   She called it the "HaHaHa".  

Don't tell your model to smile or laugh.  Just laugh yourself.  In this case, Isi recommended just going "hahaha" when you want your model to smile or laugh.  We practiced it for the rest of the shoot and almost invariably, the models would respond with a very nature laugh or smile.  :)

These young ladies were so talented at posing!

Michelle is the next model I had the pleasure of working with.  She was so great posing around the stone columns.

Hahaha!

This is probably one of my favorite photos ever. 

Isi also took great efforts to teach us willing amateurs how to find the light.  Especially the "hair light".  How to position your model in the shade but with the sun slightly behind and shoot slightly upwards. 

Looking at these old photos again has made me realize that I kind of forgot a lot that I had learned from these early experiences.  I'm really grateful for having these opportunities to stretch myself and learn new things.  I always love learning even though I wasn't so great at school! 

For the next installment of "History of Models", I am re-editing the photos I chose to feature.  I like m edits but boy have I learned a lot since then.  I really overdid it with some things and also have some better software now.  :)  I hope you look forward to the results of my "Creek Creatures" photoshoot!

 xoxo