Monday, February 1, 2010

At the lake...

...well, reservoir to be exact.  But lake sounds nicer to me - more natural.  Anyway, here are a few shots I took with Nikki (the knife).  She was a super trooper and even got in the water repeatedly!  I really like shooting in nature, but it is hard to find spots that aren't "private property -- no tresspassing" and that are relatively private and that aren't too far from the vehicle (all the gear is heavier than you might think).  Anyway, this spot at Nicasio Reservoir fit the bill.  SF photographer Julia Comita came along to learn a bit about the process and she was very helpful throughout the day.  Thanks for looking.

 






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5 comments:

  1. James HaysFebruary 1, 2010 at 3:48 PM

    Once again Ed, fabulous.

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  2. Alice ModelFebruary 10, 2010 at 1:41 AM

    beautiful, Ed!!

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  3. ErioMay 2, 2010 at 9:46 AM

    Ed,

    Your work has been quite an inspiration for me. Thanks for putting up the blog!

    I'm curious, about the 1st 2 images. Can you explain how Nikki's skin can be so dramatically different between the 2 photos? I see the exposures are a hair different, but not to the extent of Nikki herself.

    T

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  4. Ed RossMay 2, 2010 at 11:10 AM

    Hi T. Thanks for comment.

    I'm sorry to say I don't have a good explanation, in that I can't give "scientific" response, but rather only experiential. I have noted that the exposures of women with olive-toned skin is very sensitive. If you under expose much at all, their tones go dark quickly. This is often a real challenge, as the camera has no "readings" for UV light, so every shot is a judgment call. The lighter the model's skin, the less hyper-sensitive it becomes. I find this phenomenon most troublesome within any particular shot, as an arm that is partially shaded can get VERY dark -- unnatrually so. And, I would add, it is a problem with my favored lenses -- petzvals -- as the light drops off toward the edges, so unless the face is right in the center, the tones on the body can vary dramatically. I think this is partially why portraitists of the by-gone era only used the sweet spot of petzval lenses, i.e., the visual problems mount when trying to use the perimeter. But, for me, to hit a petzval shot with the benefit of the permiter effects without the unnatural degradation in tones -- visual nirvana. Thanks for your query. Ed

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  5. Mr. CrinksOctober 1, 2010 at 11:56 AM

    These. These are the ones that got me hooked... on both your work and Nikki. Beautiful.

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