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Checking in - Recent work

from Chris Yeager (cyeager@ix.netcom.com)

OK, checking in- I've decided this year to work on my studio game- which was basically nil- my break came when I got to join a studio coop in Cambridge, (Mass) for $95 a month members get first sign up first serve access to a fairly decent shooting floor, lightstands, backgrounds, tripods etc, you bring your own lights and cameras... I picked up one of the photogenic 500ws monolights, very cool unit with infinite settings via sliders, coupled it with a photek softlighter umbrella-with-diffuser for my main light, using reflectors for fill. I have one of those Polaroid 110s converted by Four Designs, it helps me experiment with setting up- and it makes amazing negatives with the PN 665.... though it's a little wide for what I like to do. (The shot below was not done with the polaroid.... it's 35mm Plus-X, a canon zoom, probably 210mm... I have never worked with this speed of film before- or smaller apertures, now i can.)

I plan to do a series of non-headshot, no-frills "front elevations" of my friends, the singers and poets of Boston. I figure this camera-neutral approach will let the people themselves be the content, rather than a lighting scheme, (they can be some awesome looking people) and it will get me comfortable with basic lighting. People are already asking me to do headshots-press photos, and I've already figured out that I don't have the time, and they don't have the money to make me have the time, so these are going to be at my invitation and at my pace.

This is Esther, we've known each other a long time, she asked about photos and I told her if she'd come up and just stand there for a while while i tested stuff she could use the results... I photoshopped out the catchlights in her eyes, they were huge from the 60" softlighter... gotta do something about that... since this picture is really about the gaze, I'd like to know whether they obviously look altered to you... (of course now that I've told you about it...) Also notice the Boston style, vs NY, no makeup whatsoever....

It continues to be an occasionally very expensive hobby, and a fantastic way of connecting with the world- Ed Kang, Are you in Rome yet?

(posted 8424 days ago)

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