If you told me that I would do a styled shoot featuring polka dots, zebra print, lime green, red heart shaped sunglasses and that I would absolutely love it, I’d call you crazy. Well, my friends…here’s the proof! This fun set was photographed at the Cabana Lounge of the Caribbean Motel in Wildwood Crest, NJ. We are so thrilled to have been given the opportunity to shoot at this historic landmark, known for it’s “Doo Wop” architecture and fun, retro decor. It’s a piece of Americana and the perfect backdrop for this summer’s styled session.
These photos were captured in the same location, shot with the exact same lens and settings only seconds apart. They were edited the exact same way as well. So why do they look so different? It’s all about the light – in the case, the quantity of light. In the first image, I asked Basia to position herself directly behind the sun. I positioned myself at eye level and allowed the light behind her to flood my lens. This created the soft, hazy look you see in this image below.
Even though I do like this type of effect for certain scenarios, I tend to favor images that pop. So we made some few changes to add more contrast and clarity to our next shot. This time I had Basia turn another 45 degrees away from the sun ( I used a reflector to bounce more light on to her face). I also took advantage of my trusty step stool to shoot at an angle slightly above her eye level to avoid flooding my lens with light this time. You can still see the glow and warmth of the backlighting, but my subject clearly pops in this image. This shot is definitely more my speed, but there’s no right or wrong way to do things. It’s all a matter of preference. However, it never hurts to try something new. The more you learn how to manipulate light (whether it be natural or off camera), the better photographer you’ll be!
This month’s Creativity Project theme is street photography. According to Wikipedia, street photography features subjects in candid situations within public places and does not necessitate the presence of a street or even the urban environment. It can also be devoid of people entirely. This type of photography is always a challenge for me. But when I’m on vacation, it’s a different story! I think it’s the “tourist” mentality that allows me to relax and capture my surroundings with more ease. Here’s a few “street style” photos from my most recent travels – places both near and far. To continue the circle, visit Scarlett at House of Emery for her take on this month’s theme.
Welcome to Mad Hearts Photography: the blog! A place where I share my latest photography projects and life's other adventures.
