With summer in full effect we braved the heat to do some swimsuit photography with Lisa Dillon a wonderful model who gave us some bulletproof looks in the 90 degree heat.
The lifestyle photography shoot was a great break from my advertising work and magazine editorials. No guys in ties at this 20,000 gallon pool we rented for the production. No animals were harmed in the making of this swimsuit feature! Enjoy.
The quality of the light outside in Miami during the summer months can be quite harsh, especially during the midday hours. Lisa was flying in from a production in Los Angeles and was delayed in transit, so we got a bit of a late start. It’s important to also factor in ample time for the glam team, in this case Melissa Conner who provided excellent hair and make-up, with stylist Kristina Kitchen who pulled some amazing swimsuits and accessories.
A good way of softening harsh light is to put up an Avenger 12 x 12 with white translucent fabric. It was put on medium roller stands which allow you move it quickly as the sun moves across the sky. The light walls of the studio bounced quite a bit of light back into the scene which worked out perfectly.
I added a bit of color grading in Capture One, my favorite digital imaging software. It handles many different raw digital files from most types of cameras. In my case I use it for my Phase One XF IQ 260 digital images.
This is my workstation with all the essential items, coffee, dual Eizo monitors, wacom intuos pro tablet and an Apple wireless keyboard. Not picture is an item every photographer who puts in long hours editing and retouching his images has……the Aeron Chair. Without a doubt one of the best investments in your health and workspace.
For this image we added a couple Profoto B-1 strobes for a bit of edge light to bring out her face and, hips and legs. To give the image a more stylized look, Kristina provided a white apple, that she painted the night before. A white fabric backdrop was draped in the background.
Its a wrap and the swan was richly rewarded with a kiss.
Photographer: Jeffery Salter
Stylist: Kristina Kitchen
Hair and Make-up: Melissa Conner