Location, location, location...need suggestion on this spot

ntransition · Aug 13, 2013

I have spent hours driving around my small town looking for interesting places as backdrops for outside photographs with people. I am planning to shoot two young ladies, best friends, tomorrow and I found this secluded spot under a bridge.

But now, I need some help with the set up. I am hoping I can use the natural light only because, other than an on-camera speedlite, I don't have any other lighting equipment. Will that be enough? Or do I need to wait until I can invest in more equipment to get a professional looking image.The structure is so wide, where would I place the subject in order to take advantage of the light coming in from the right.
.

DiskoJoe · Aug 14, 2013

Are these two ladies hobos or traveling vagrants?

Designer · Aug 14, 2013

If this is the best place you could find, what are you going to do about the puddles?
Do they trust you well enough to go with you to this place?
If you are going to shoot this in strong daylight, you are going to need more light to counter the sunlight.
What is your design concept in shooting them here?

ntransition · Aug 20, 2013

Designer said:
If this is the best place you could find, what are you going to do about the puddles?
Do they trust you well enough to go with you to this place?
If you are going to shoot this in strong daylight, you are going to need more light to counter the sunlight.
What is your design concept in shooting them here?

This is right after it had rained. The next day I drove past to look again and the puddles were gone. I was wondering about the light as well, and I probably would wait for an overcast day to use it. It looks pretty dumpy, (and I would need an adventurous client) but I do like the architectural structure and think with some creativity this could work. I was actually wondering if anyone had any creative ideas to share. I will ponder it for awhile to see if I think of anything. Thanks Designer. :mrgreen:

shaylou · Aug 20, 2013

That's not a very flattering place to take pictures. I would look for another place if I was you. If you have to shoot here go very early in the morning as the sun is coming up. That will be you best light and you will need all the help you can get here.

frommrstomommy · Aug 20, 2013

unless a grungy senior shoot is on your agenda.. I vote nay.

Designer · Aug 20, 2013

ntransition said:
I do like the architectural structure and think with some creativity this could work.

Well, o.k., now I can see something. This is just a rough idea, but why not shoot this at night using some gelled speedlights pointed at the structure? Have your model in the foreground, dimly lit, and dressed to kill (literally, NOT in evening dress).

12sndsgood · Aug 20, 2013

I think this can work if a grungy edgy look is what's wanted. and a lot of kids would be into it. dress for the location. lightwise. man trying to just use natural light under a bridge is asking a lot. id try to see what the light looks like early because it looks super harsh in your photos and your speedlight won't probalby be enough to overcome that. maybe as designer suggested. go with a later approach. try to get your speedlight off camera to light your subject.

The_Traveler · Aug 20, 2013

Or you could shoot when the sun is directly overhead and the under the bridge is open shade.
If the subject is dressed nicely or interestingly, it becomes a study in contrast of the subject in the foreground and the OOF bridge.

Shoot in raw, could be great.

gsgary · Aug 20, 2013

Get them to hang like bats with no knickers on

Gavjenks · Aug 21, 2013

That must be a REALLY small town for this to be the best option.

Unless your town is literally a few houses right off to the side of this underpass, and surrounded by mile after mile of strip mines, you can do better. Aren't there any parks at all, maybe a gazebo, or a cute main street, or like, a creek with a foot bridge or something? Or even just an open grassy field somewhere with a few big (non-dapply) trees to soften the light under.

All of the above are a little boring, but at least are flattering / neutral.

Derrel · Aug 21, 2013

DiskoJoe said:
Are these two ladies hobos or traveling vagrants?

Traveling vagrants? Is that like "military intelligence"? lol

I got a kick out of Gavjenks' comments above...how ARE the strip mines in your neck of the woods? any nice ones? Maybe some that have nice ochre-colored dirt walls that are 150 to 200 feet high? could be sweet! Lending new meaning to the term "earth-toned backdrops".

All kidding aside, this type of urban/grunge/concrete look has a lot of appeal to today's younger people. For some reason, dirty, filthy, mold- and mildew-covered concrete bridge supports, filthy urban back-alley walls, and that kind of stuff is an appealing scene to many of today's younger generation. MY suggestion when using those kinds of backgrounds is to pay close attention to the receding planes of the walls or pillars, and to AVOID allowing the vanishing line side of the pictures to dominate...

What I mean is, if say a girl is posed leaning against a concrete wall, that there be MORE space in front of her, and less space on the "far side" of her, so that there is more empty space in "front of" or on the "camera-side" of her, which leads they eye into the frame, and then to the subject. Most people make the mistake of framing these kind of pictures so that thee is a ton of dead space on the "far-away side", and the pics look awful.