2) Wardrobe - we were presented with several options as she has hundreds of options. That wardrobe choice helps the two pop off the cover pretty well, in my opinion.
3) Location/Audience - yes, friends, we are shooting in America, with American sensibilities, tastes, and an audience as well. This is not a newstand magazine, but rather, one distributed to a target audience in gyms and fitness clubs around the United States.
Denise, our main subject, isn't just the mom, she's also a very popular fitness guru, which is why she was selected for this cover. She knows her way around a set because of the countless videos and photo shoots she has done, was involved in selecting & approving of the final images used, as anyone of her level of success is, & would be.
To answer the technical inquiries -
1) Tethered Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II, w/primes - a 50mm f1.4, & an 85 f1.2.
Hi all! To answer the questions/comments so far - the Publisher (who also served as Art Director) was on-location with us (he's the gentleman wearing all black), and the cover was a feature about Denise & her daughter - both were AWESOME to work with! I have, in the past, done much more stylized work, but a straightforward cover of two attractive people - for a magazine called Family Fitness - was what was called for. (continued in next comment....)
@angstmxm It's a Canon 1D-series, probably a 1Ds MkIII. Extremely boring cover if you ask me. Too static and it looks weird that they are so dolled up while wearing fitness clothes, maybe it's an American thing.
@amsp79 boring indeed...no DOF..all in focus...pretty meh pose to the camera...but maybe that's what that magazine wants? I dunno..
I'm no pro like John. it seems like he has a very professional setup there with that whole HQ [do they have eye-fi cards that are CF? so the images transfer wirelessly straight to the computer?]...
anyways, hes pretty professional..so it seems, but if u ask me? shooting should be lighter\funner..and that suit reflects a too-muck official \ serious vibe. thats me.
@eladbari I actually am a professional, I shoot mainly high fashion campaigns, editorials and some advertising. Even if hypothetically that was what the magazine asked for (I doubt it since he's showing the photos to the mom, not an Editor/Art Director) you can always do something better really. To answer your question; there are no wireless CF cards, only SD. There's a wireless transmitter for Canon (WFT-E2) but it's really too slow for pro use, better to tether with a USB cable.
@amsp79 so u wanna tell me that the Mom chose the picture? dont You usually pick the best one yourself? or the editor? and Maybe then u ask your subject if he\she are ok with it,but, usually theyre hyper-critical and so u never let them lead the way into picking the right one.They wouldnt know what's best for the magazine..
im a videographer, not a photographer...u can check a sample here:
/watch?v=Rh76E2Sq1SE
and i would've Never reach a result id like if the models would sit next to me :$
@eladbari I think you misunderstood. I have no idea if the mom did the choosing, my point was I didn't see any editor there giving directions, so I doubt the end result is because the mag. wanted it that way but rather because of the photographer. Judging by the low quality of the magazine I'd be surprised if there was any real concept work done at all. I don't show models the photos except for aiding in my vision, and I always pick the photos or in collaboration with the AD/Editor in some cases
@eladbari Usually if the magazine has a vision for the shoot, especially a cover, the Editor/Ad is there to supervise that the end result is what they had in mind. There's also a million decisions that need to be taken on the fly, concept and reality are two very different things, and stuff usually get changed up on location. The suit does seem out of place, I always work in comfortable clothes as you're moving around a lot and sets tend to get hot from all the lights, but to each his own.
@amsp79 well,i see john replied to some comments here. very kind of him,despite us talking some trash here :]
i totally get the difference between concept and reality. things always dont go exactly by the book.. and sometimes its actually good :]
ya, sometimes u gotta "suicide" for these shots u want...u need to get on the ground..etc..so a suit wont..erm..suit the situation.But maybe john knew this video would come up -so he made sure hes dressed well? who are the kinds in suits?apprentices?
@eladbari I'm not really trashing his work, he put the video on youtube and I'm just sharing my opinion on it. I can appreciate him trying to defend it but really that is not a good shot no matter the circumstances. The natural light is harsh mid-day sun, the fill is a basic octa almost straight on making it look flat, and the DoF is too much making it look like it belongs in a home & garden mag. Also it's too static, why not introduce some energy and movement? it's about fitness after all.
@amsp79 very interesting points.Especially about the whole movement thing [despite it is..a still image]. i once worked with a photographer and always heard her tell the subject "ok, freeze.now hold it.." and i was the videographer near her, and i was like-"no!! no! the opposite! move, move!" :]
so i dont get what's the problem of photographing while ur subjects are moving [if you have the right shutter speed, etc].
Also, i dont know much about lighting.wish there were tutorials on it!
@eladbari There is no problem freezing movement, as long as you have a flash with short enough flash duration. I use Profoto myself, it's pretty much the industry standard and very popular with rental places.
@amsp79 how does freeze movement has to do with short enough flash duration? how does it affect your subject not moving? u mean, no blur?
About the DOF. i just dont understand, if you have so much light..its daytime, and u have that big light behind u also-And youre doing still pictures [not video] -then why not putting an ND filter or putting a higher shutter speed-so you can open your apature to make Shallow DOF in your image?
John didnt do it there. i just dont like all around sharp pics.
Thanks so sharing behind the scenes.
Would you happen to remember Flash Exposure to ambient background exposure difference?
Yasmin.
YasminPhotographics 2 weeks ago
YEAAA AMYE YOU GO GIRLLL
Xyzqtt 3 months ago
2) Wardrobe - we were presented with several options as she has hundreds of options. That wardrobe choice helps the two pop off the cover pretty well, in my opinion.
3) Location/Audience - yes, friends, we are shooting in America, with American sensibilities, tastes, and an audience as well. This is not a newstand magazine, but rather, one distributed to a target audience in gyms and fitness clubs around the United States.
Thanks for your questions/comments.
johnhharrington 7 months ago
Denise, our main subject, isn't just the mom, she's also a very popular fitness guru, which is why she was selected for this cover. She knows her way around a set because of the countless videos and photo shoots she has done, was involved in selecting & approving of the final images used, as anyone of her level of success is, & would be.
To answer the technical inquiries -
1) Tethered Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II, w/primes - a 50mm f1.4, & an 85 f1.2.
(continued in next comment....)
johnhharrington 7 months ago
Hi all! To answer the questions/comments so far - the Publisher (who also served as Art Director) was on-location with us (he's the gentleman wearing all black), and the cover was a feature about Denise & her daughter - both were AWESOME to work with! I have, in the past, done much more stylized work, but a straightforward cover of two attractive people - for a magazine called Family Fitness - was what was called for. (continued in next comment....)
johnhharrington 7 months ago
-"Were Gonna have Fun!!!"
-awkward silence..
:P
eladbari 7 months ago
What camera does John use?
angstmxm 7 months ago
@angstmxm It's a Canon 1D-series, probably a 1Ds MkIII. Extremely boring cover if you ask me. Too static and it looks weird that they are so dolled up while wearing fitness clothes, maybe it's an American thing.
amsp79 7 months ago
@amsp79 Thanks! Yeah, the pictures dont look that interesting to mee neither. And it seems very american XD
angstmxm 7 months ago
@amsp79 boring indeed...no DOF..all in focus...pretty meh pose to the camera...but maybe that's what that magazine wants? I dunno..
I'm no pro like John. it seems like he has a very professional setup there with that whole HQ [do they have eye-fi cards that are CF? so the images transfer wirelessly straight to the computer?]...
anyways, hes pretty professional..so it seems, but if u ask me? shooting should be lighter\funner..and that suit reflects a too-muck official \ serious vibe. thats me.
eladbari 7 months ago
@eladbari I actually am a professional, I shoot mainly high fashion campaigns, editorials and some advertising. Even if hypothetically that was what the magazine asked for (I doubt it since he's showing the photos to the mom, not an Editor/Art Director) you can always do something better really. To answer your question; there are no wireless CF cards, only SD. There's a wireless transmitter for Canon (WFT-E2) but it's really too slow for pro use, better to tether with a USB cable.
amsp79 7 months ago
@amsp79 so u wanna tell me that the Mom chose the picture? dont You usually pick the best one yourself? or the editor? and Maybe then u ask your subject if he\she are ok with it,but, usually theyre hyper-critical and so u never let them lead the way into picking the right one.They wouldnt know what's best for the magazine..
im a videographer, not a photographer...u can check a sample here:
/watch?v=Rh76E2Sq1SE
and i would've Never reach a result id like if the models would sit next to me :$
eladbari 7 months ago
@eladbari I think you misunderstood. I have no idea if the mom did the choosing, my point was I didn't see any editor there giving directions, so I doubt the end result is because the mag. wanted it that way but rather because of the photographer. Judging by the low quality of the magazine I'd be surprised if there was any real concept work done at all. I don't show models the photos except for aiding in my vision, and I always pick the photos or in collaboration with the AD/Editor in some cases
amsp79 7 months ago
@amsp79 But should there be any editor on location, so he must choose this pics on the fly?
couldnt it be that the pics were sent to him after they were done with the mom?
after all, yea, it does look like a small magazine. so, the demands wouldnt be that high..i guess..
whaddya think about the whole suit thing? :]
maybe its because its america...so, thats the dress code? i dunno..
eladbari 7 months ago
@eladbari Usually if the magazine has a vision for the shoot, especially a cover, the Editor/Ad is there to supervise that the end result is what they had in mind. There's also a million decisions that need to be taken on the fly, concept and reality are two very different things, and stuff usually get changed up on location. The suit does seem out of place, I always work in comfortable clothes as you're moving around a lot and sets tend to get hot from all the lights, but to each his own.
amsp79 7 months ago
@amsp79 well,i see john replied to some comments here. very kind of him,despite us talking some trash here :]
i totally get the difference between concept and reality. things always dont go exactly by the book.. and sometimes its actually good :]
ya, sometimes u gotta "suicide" for these shots u want...u need to get on the ground..etc..so a suit wont..erm..suit the situation.But maybe john knew this video would come up -so he made sure hes dressed well? who are the kinds in suits?apprentices?
eladbari 7 months ago
@eladbari I'm not really trashing his work, he put the video on youtube and I'm just sharing my opinion on it. I can appreciate him trying to defend it but really that is not a good shot no matter the circumstances. The natural light is harsh mid-day sun, the fill is a basic octa almost straight on making it look flat, and the DoF is too much making it look like it belongs in a home & garden mag. Also it's too static, why not introduce some energy and movement? it's about fitness after all.
amsp79 7 months ago
@amsp79 very interesting points.Especially about the whole movement thing [despite it is..a still image]. i once worked with a photographer and always heard her tell the subject "ok, freeze.now hold it.." and i was the videographer near her, and i was like-"no!! no! the opposite! move, move!" :]
so i dont get what's the problem of photographing while ur subjects are moving [if you have the right shutter speed, etc].
Also, i dont know much about lighting.wish there were tutorials on it!
eladbari 7 months ago
@eladbari There is no problem freezing movement, as long as you have a flash with short enough flash duration. I use Profoto myself, it's pretty much the industry standard and very popular with rental places.
amsp79 7 months ago
@amsp79 how does freeze movement has to do with short enough flash duration? how does it affect your subject not moving? u mean, no blur?
About the DOF. i just dont understand, if you have so much light..its daytime, and u have that big light behind u also-And youre doing still pictures [not video] -then why not putting an ND filter or putting a higher shutter speed-so you can open your apature to make Shallow DOF in your image?
John didnt do it there. i just dont like all around sharp pics.
eladbari 7 months ago