Black mask

I like masks and outdoors photography.

I took these photos last year, in a private area near Great Falls. The lighting and the environment were perfect, and the model helped a lot during the session, recommending poses and following my recommendations. Continue reading “Black mask”

Indigenous Deity

When I was building the Dark Queen mask, I made an ornament with some leftover pieces, designed to be worn in the forehead. Initially, I intended to utilize this ornament in a dark concept, but when the model wore it, it looked more like an avant garde version of an indigenous plume.

Avant Garde Indian Deity

Continue reading “Indigenous Deity”

Dark Queen – Mask

I wanted to experiment with new props in my photo shoots and decided to create a mask, out of a cardboard. The process was empiric and improvised. It was like practicing origami in the beginning, creating volumes by cutting and folding the cardboard, and then giving shape to the mask by incorporating the leftover pieces that I was cutting out.

This is how the foundation looked like when I got the shape done.

Process to create a mask - foundation

Then, I started the second part of the process, which consisted of bathing or dipping little pieces of paper in glue mixed with water, and then pasting them in the foundation.

This process gave the mask a hard finish and texture.

Process to create a mask - details

Finally, I used gold acrylics to paint the whole mask.

I realized that I needed a special dress for that mask, so I went to a fabrics store and bought 3 yards of velvet-like fabric to simulate a cloak, which made a perfect match.

The mask didn’t work quite well for the model who wore it, though, it didn’t fit her well and she had trouble to see behind it, in great part because the holes for the eyes have the measurement of my face (I build that!), so I’ll keep that in mind for the next mask I design.

Dark queen

I took these photos at around noon. The sun light was coming from the top and it created high contrast in those areas where it was hitting directly, and also projected harsh shadows of leaves and branches over the model.

Dark queen

I decided to explore different angles and move around while the model stayed at the same spot.

When you work with natural light, the only way to change the lighting is by keep moving and take photos from different points.

Dark queen

In order to give a feeling of being deep into the woods, I intentionally included some out-of-focus branches and leaves in front of the model.

Dark queen

I’m very pleased with the outcome of this photo shoot. The model did a great job, she was very patient and stayed cool wearing that mask, and was always open to explore different poses and angles during all the session.

Dark queen

This photo shoot was taken with a Canon 5D Mark II and a 70-200 mm lens.

Nude and nature

I took these photos of a friend two weeks ago, near the Potomac river, in a quite private spot away from the public.

My wife assisted me with bouncing light to the model, and retouching her hair and makeup. This was an informal photo session, we made a little bit of planning with a different idea in mind and we ended shooting nudes, which turned out to be fantastic, thanks to all those rich textures given by the light and trees that were around us.

fine-art-photography-lucuella Continue reading “Nude and nature”

Fotografía en escenarios naturales

Las siguientes fotografías tienen como concepto restaltar la belleza de la naturaleza y su imponencia con relación al ser humano.

La siguiente sesión de fotos fue algo informal, aprovechando que teníamos a una amiga de visita. El primer día que intentamos hacer el estudio había pronóstico de lluvia, nos fuimos preparados con sombrilla y chaquetas en caso tal que lloviera durante el estudio pero la lluvia se desató apenas iniciamos el estudio. Alcancé a tomar pocas fotos, pero no logré desarrollar la idea, ni tampoco a establecer esa confianza con la modelo para explorar poses y ángulos. Este fue el resultado de esa primera sesión:

herndon-photographer-lucuella Continue reading “Fotografía en escenarios naturales”

Silueta y movimiento

Hace algunos años hice las siguentes fotos como ejercicio de iluminación y movimiento. Para ello, ubiqué una lámpara halógena de 500 vatios detrás de la modelo y otra de frente con difusor, o tela delgada en frente de la luz para atenuar la intensidad y hacerla más suave.

experimentacion-fotografia-movimiento
Continue reading “Silueta y movimiento”

Nina jugando en la nieve

Hoy hice mi primer muñeco de nieve con la ayuda de mi esposa. Para ser la primera vez, quedó bastante decente.

Snowman

También estuvimos divirtiéndonos con nuestra chandosa Nina, una perrita horrible y hermosa que adoptamos el año pasado.

Nina

A Nina le encanta la nieve, se vuelve loca cada vez que la ve, corre por todas partes y hasta clava en ella como si no le importara el frío.

Nina corriendo en la nieve

Tomar fotos en la nieve no es fácil, el blanco refleja muchísima luz por todas partes y por lo tanto afecta la exposición de la cámara si se usa en modo automático, haciendo que la nieve quede con detalle y todo lo demás oscuro. Continue reading “Nina jugando en la nieve”

Frozen nature in this weird Polar Vortex

The polar vortex this year has been a bit crazy, sending cold waves down south resulting in heavy snowfall and low temperatures.

Few days ago we had a constant rain for some hours, which combined with the cold weather it froze the water over the trees.

These photos were taken with a 70-200mm lens, using close apertures to capture as much detail as possible. In most of the photos I used extension tubes, which allows to take closer photographs, like a macro lens.

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

To take photos like the one below, I usually set the lens to the closer focus in manual mode and then get myself as closer as possible to the subject and adjust the focus by moving closer or farther. To make sure that I don’t lose any details, I take more than one photo for the same composition, because in macro photography the depth of field is very short and details can get easily out of focus.

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Frozen branches

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

These are some photos I took some weeks ago in the football game Redskins vs Lions. I actually did a decent work, after tailgating and having four beers (2 ales and 2 IPAs) for breakfast. I have to admit that 50% (if not more) of the photos I took were of the redskins cheerleaders. I used my 70-200mm lens, with middle and large apertures to focus on the players (and cheerleaders) and separate them from the background.

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins vs Lions

Redskins cheerleaders

Broncos won 45-21 today over Redskins. Some people might say that Redskins sucks, but I think their cheerleaders represent them really well. These are some photos I took some weeks ago, with my Canon Mark II, using a 70-200mm f2.8 lens.

redskins cheerleader

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