The Mermaid Shootout WPPI weekend in Las Vegas

Mermaid Blog Post #1

Mermaid_Shootout_2017_IMG_6055_tu2

This image is straight out of camera.

Yes you can light like this. No need for filters later.

The only photoshop here is skin smoothing.

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Back in February I conducted a fantastic Mermaid Shootout during WPPI weekend in association with Interfit Photographic. I know, long time before blog post, but I thought it was time to talk about lighting and achieving the look straight out of camera.

Image setting:

Canon 70-200L series at 75mm

ISO 400

1/125

f/4.0

BTS: This shot is actually set up the opposite, with the modifiers positions switched.

IMG_2430 Lighting set-up    Look mom, NO CORDS.    Notice we are working with the amazingly portable Interfit products. The S1's have builtin battery power and the soft-boxes are foldable and lightweight. 

2 Interfit S1 strobes and a canon TTL flash.

•Key light to the front of model's face is the S1 with a 40º grid, Interfit barn-door modifier, with green gel.

•Sidelight is the S1 with foldable Beauty dish w/ diffusion.

•Backlight is a Canon TTL flash, set on the ground directed at the model to separate her from the background. Radio Slave attached to trigger.

Here's another version from a slightly different angel. Again, straight out of camera. Only photoshop is some skin smoothing. No color manipulation. The green you see on the model is from the gelled light.

Mermaid_Shootout_2017_IMG_6081_tu

With a little forethought, you can achieve the image you want straight out of camera and not spend endless hours in photoshop after the fact.

See more about this shoot and different set-ups in the following blog posts.