Tag Archive for: location

Tip : Hiding backgrounds

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While working on location you will sometimes find awesome backgrounds, and sometimes…. well less interesting (and that’s putting it mildly).
Now not in all locations it’s possible to use smoke or change the background, for example for the simple reason everything else is cool and interesting. So how do we solve this.

A very simple trick (and easy to do) is to use a very strong backlight, mimicking the sun, a window… or just a very strong backlight (whatever you want). This way we overpower the background and fill it with light but also “draw” more detail in (in this case) the staircase leading up to the light.

Setting this light up can be tricky, make sure you feather it so you don’t blow out detail, and if that’s not possible, maybe aim it more up so it blows out the ceiling but not the rest, and just crop that part of in your composition, it isn’t a matter of just “throwing” a light source somewhere and blast it with light, it does take some planning. But when it works it actually never really disappointed me.

 

For much more tips, techniques etc. check out my book “Mastering the model shoot” or our instructional videos (also available via this site).

New Ultimate weekend in Emmeloord February 26/27 2016

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This is without a doubt one of the most intense workshops I teach, and probably the only one like this on the market.
In 2 jam-packed days you will learn anything you want to know about model photography with a small group of attendees in our own studio in Emmeloord.

 

Topics range from :
Shooting on location and in the studio, working with sets you can build yourself, styling the model/sets, finding the right angles, adding motion, working with smoke, tips and tricks for lenses and gear to spice up the shoot, duo and single model shoots, building complex lighting sets or keeping it simple, mixing light sources, advanced and easy metering, calibrated workflow and much much more.

 

And that’s just the shoot part… 😀
I also discuss the complete workflow after the shoot including many tips for Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One and plugins (or without), and new this time is a complete run-through of integrating mobile devices in your workflow for traveling photographers (or coach retouchers)

 

But it doesn’t stop there….
You will also get loads of business tips to build your brand PLUS every day starts with an intense Q&A in which the attendees can ask whatever they want and get the answers during the Q&A or everything is incorporated into the workshop.

 

As you can see this is a very complete workshop so we were not able to jam this all into 2 normal days… that’s why the ultimate weekend actually runs a lot longer.

 

Day 1 :
10:00-21:00 including a nice diner with our team in a local restaurant (according to some this alone is worth the admittance :D)

 

Day 2 :
10:00-16:00 (17:00)

 

For more information and bookings check : https://frankdoorhof.com/web/tours/ultimateweekend/
If you already did an ultimate weekend we have a very special “Illumine” discount, contact us for this.

 

some of the previous results

 

Nadine February 20 2015 0636

Anna Matthea outside October 3 2015 0041

Linda 3

Manon Juni 13 2015 0289

Nadine May 22 2015 0262

Esther Keuze May 16 2015 0223

Jonathan Hoegen Januari 23 2015 0343

 

Ultimate Weekend October 2/3

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It’s almost that time again……
On October 2/3 I teach another one of the Ultimate weekend workshops from our studio in Emmeloord. As you know I love teaching and these weekends are very very dear to me. In a normal workshop you work with a group for the better part of a day, but at the moment you start to know each other well it’s almost over.

 

 

In the Ultimate weekend we work from 10:00-21:00 on day 1 and from 10:00-16:00 (17:00) on day 2, including an awesome diner on day 1 with the whole team, this is a lot of time to get to know each other and really get those questions and discussions rolling and heating up, it’s for me the best teaching experience period.

 

 

We always keep these groups very small so we have a great interaction between the group and there is always an assistant close to you to help you out with questions when I’m talking to someone else for example. So it’s an almost non-stop experience.

 

 

Now I can type a lot here, but why not visit : https://frankdoorhof.com/web/tours/ultimateweekend/ for an overview of what we do during the weekend and of course you can book also, at the moment we only have 3 seats left, so don’t wait too long. BTW if you already did an ultimate weekend we now have a special discount of 150.00 if you book again, please contact us directly for this offer.

 

 

Some of the shots we took during past ultimate weekends.

Nadine May 22 2015 0262

Nadine en Jonathan May 22 2015 0142

Esther May 16 2015 29780

Nadine-February-20-2015-06361

Nadine-February-20-2015-09761

 

Nadine in the woods

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Locations are important for a successful photoshoot of course, but these locations shouldn’t always be castles, abbeys or stunning xxxxxx, they can be pretty simple but thanks to the lighting, storytelling, styling etc. come to life.

 

During our trip through Scotland we found several areas of woods where it looked a bomb went off and left the area in a post apocolyptic state, most of these sites were however not easily accessible… until we found this one. We did have to climb a bit but I think the end results are worth the climb.

 

Lighting : Elinchrom Quadra ELB400
Camera : Sony A7r with 24-70

 

So the next time you look for a location, don’t just think about the “beauty” of the location, but think about the story, the styling etc. and you will find out that even the most simple locations can look great.

nadine 48 - July 14 2015

nadine 61 - July 14 2015

nadine 93 - July 14 2015