About a month or so ago I shot a few portraits of Jane Rah, a high school golf rock star who has already played in the LPGA tour. Here are some of my favorites and a few set ups. Sorry, I dont have more. It was a rush to get all the photos we needed in before the sunset. We met around 6:30 so we wouldn’t have to deal with such harsh light. I brought along my awesome assistants Chris and Brian to help trek the gear around the golf course. Luckily when we showed up we had a golf cart waiting for us to load up. (This was the first time I ever drove one of these bad boys and I must say I just may take up golf after driving this thing.) We brought along two alien bees AB800 lights with a beauty dish and a softbox umbrella (brolly box, I think is what they are called, I may be wrong) I used the beauty dish for the majority of the shooting. I also had my trusty Alien Bees Vegabond II battery pack. (which is awesome, I just picked up second one.) We had to make five different photos for the magazine so I already had some in mind because I scouted the course before hand. Our first location was with the golf cart on the first fairway but later I wished I would have taken the first photo with out it because I feel it distracts or maybe just move it so there is more separation between the two. (that maybe just me)
-1D Mark III 16-35 at 22mm The beauty dish was the main light (off camera right) and the sun acted as the rim light (notice the warm glow on her arm and face) Settings ISO 50 1/250 F10
-1D Mark III 16-35 at 16mm Sun was main light. Alien bee with just a reflector was rim light. It was behind and to the left of the golf cart. Settings ISO 100 1/320 F6.3
-1D Mark III 16-35 at 16mm Beauty dish main light off camera right, sun rim light Settings ISO 100 1/320 F8
Canon 1D Mark III 85mm 1.2 Natural Light Settings ISO 100 1/5000 F1.2
Next I went to the hole on the course that overlooked the ocean. Canon 1D Mark III 85mm 1.2 Beauty dish main light (and sun) off camera right. Alien bee with a brolly box camera left behind her for a rim. Settings ISO 100 1/125 F7.1 On the way to the sand trap I wanted to go to I noticed the sun was almost done and thought it would be a great silo of Jane if we stopped and shot it.
Lens (mm): 35 ISO: 50 Aperture: 8 Shutter: 1/160 Temperture white balance 10k (in camera) Once we got to the sand trap I started I hustled to get the lights in place not only was the sun almost 100% gone Jane’s parents were waiting for here. Oops! I dont remember taking this shot, but Chris is standing in with a “flag” (black cardboard from walmart) and Brian is standing there forgetting to turn on the other light (beauty dish).
The other light is off to the left cross lighting Jane. This is the shot I envisioned the entire time and was waiting for unfortunately they don’t always turn out like you want them to. Turns out its hard to hit sand up and someone and not blink every-time, but its OK. I still like the photo. I also had the coach throw in the ball from the side so it didnt hit me in the face.
Lens (mm): 16 ISO: 200 Aperture: 10 Shutter: 1/320
I laid on the ground side ways and shot underneath a small piece of plexiglass so the sand wouldn’t hit my camera (and face!) I also had a towel over my head. I looked pretty sweet Im sure. Next, I got up to shot the same shot but this time of her coming out of the bunker.
Canon 1D Mark III with a 70-200mm 2.8 Lens (mm): 95 ISO: 200 Aperture: 9 Shutter: 1/320 Two lights cross lighting, one in the front more than the other to hit the face better.
I had a lot more good ones but will put them up later if anyone wants to take a look at them. Thanks again for looking and like always feel free to ask questions! *UPDATE* This article is now featured on www.askthephotographer.com
Great concept on the sand trap shots. My favorite is the last one – landscape orientation with the waist-up of your subject.
I don’t think though the golf cart adds anything to the first series – and it gives the wrong context to my mind. Players on tour don’t ride carts…they walk. Players at the local club…ride carts.
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Thanks for the writeup. I just recently added your blog to my RSS feed, and I really enjoy looking through your lighting decisions.
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Hi!
Great images. Really cool to hear you describe every shot.
Is it much post processing?
Cheers, Fredrik in Sweden
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This is great and really informative, i really liked the first picture, Keep up the great work
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Hey Dustin,
You know, this is weird. I was just thinking the other day, I wonder if Dustin has shot any golfers and low and behold, I come in this morning and here it is
Great job! Love the shot with Jane and the cart, I agree, maybe a slight separation of the two would have been good but nevertheless well done.
BTW: Once you try golf, it’s very very addictive. I’m just off to golf rehab
K
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Dustin, thank you very much for sharing the secrets
The pictures are great!
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I think if you’re going to do the sand shots like that, you should drag the shutter a bit to get the motion of the sand. Clint Clemens did it really well several years ago:
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Very nice blog dude. Keep posting informative stuff like this and soon you will be able to fix the dent on the front of your car.
Love Mark
markjrebilas.com/blog
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Sick post, really appreciate all the technical info you provide, helps me get an idea of what I’m doing is right in the ballpark. Keep crankin out the posts and best of luck.
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Dustin,
Your shots are great. One thing that is not captured by a setup shot is how you have obviously mastered the art of making your subjects feel comfortable with the camera. That has always been one of the hardest things about shooting portraits (at least for me), but you seem to get the personality of the people in your shots, which means they have let down their guard.
Of course, the technical aspects of your photos are spot on as well.
I notice from your posts that you don’t spend a lot of time in post. Do you use a commercially available action set, or have you made your own. When you have time, a little tutorial on your post would be most appreciated.
Chris
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Great shots and explanations. I am wondering if you have syn problems with alien bees when shooting over 1/250? I did not think that was possible.
Regards,
Bill
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Dustin,
Thanks so much for continuing to share your work. You continue to be an inspiration to me and I’m sure to many others. Keep it up. Best..
Ben
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just so i get this…
you bring out as many lights as you can carry…..
shoot it as if you are in the studio….
great stuff.
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nice work! like the blog.
-luke
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Number 5 is my favourite.
Great lighting.
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I absolutely love that you include diagram shots for your setups. It helps me SO MUCH. I really have to see stuff to visualize it. I love that you’re doing well in the photo industry. You deserve it, and you’re helping people like me that are trying to make it more than you know.
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Incredible shots. I discoverd your blog since david Hobby linked you to Strobist, and I have included you into my favorites and come to visit you every week. Do you know any web page where I can learn to do post production?
thanks for all the info that you share in this blog
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i go to that school! go torrance high!!
great shots.
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I know her father!Mr.Rah works at Hawthorne High School!I go there! Congratulations!GO JANE RAH!
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i wanna see more golf pictures.
i’m on my school’s varsity golf team.
golf is the bomb! :]
i love golf.
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i was wondering how you were shooting at 1/320 (above the sync speed..?)
thanks a lot
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I played golf wtih her at Los Verdes when she was age 14. she shot 3 over par that day including an eagle on the #1 par 5 hole. not only a great golfer but a good sport and very nice person. she will not doubt be a big star on the LPGA some day.
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I love how you post camera settings as well as set up shots. I have been looking for someone to do that! Thanks!
Your work is incredible!
Keep it up!
Matt
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