Wrap-Up: Outdoor Fitness Photography on location in Venice with model Chris Gaines
One of my earliest shoots was this session with Chris. I had put a casting call out online and he responded quickly. It was test-shoot at a local high school that had a number of useful environments to capture his athleticism over an industrial backdrop.
Using an assistant to handhold a speed light on a stand, my goal was to blend the artificial light into the ambient as seamlessly and unobtrusively as possible. We were shooting in the late afternoon under partly cloudy skies which made for really nice lighting conditions. I positioned Chris in a number of different spots with varying wardrobe, and produced a variety of looks featuring him working out or posing in dynamic ways.
The afternoon sun at one point, streamed through underneath the cloud layers and added some nice drama though long shadows and bringing a nice edge light across his silhouette. Being able to use existing structures to photograph Chris in shade or partially in direct light made for very pleasing images and resembled the control you get in a studio.
Looking through the body of images that were created that afternoon, I was extremely happy with the crisp, vibrant color and light that made Chris ‘pop’ in so many examples. In addition, I equally liked the warm soft light of pre-dusk that created great natural-looking images that conveyed time and place so well.
—
“I’m very interested in working with you on this project.”
Chris Gaines
—
A sampling of the images can be seen below. If you’re interested in commissioning my services and want to learn more, contact me.
Session Details:
- Time: Late Afternoon
- Duration: 2hrs
- Location: Venice, CA
- Camera: Canon 5D MkII
- Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM
- Speedlight: Flashpoint ZOOM Li-On R2