Portrait: Football Player Robert Woods
Tags: d700, football, lighting, nikon, portrait, sports
Here is a portrait I did of Football player Robert Woods a few months back. I couldn’t post it until it was printed.
I was very happy with how the shots turned out on this shoot. Robert was a real class act to work with and even told me about Sand Dune Park! Where he works out…along with a bunch of other athletes including Kobe Bryant. You might remember that guy from the NBA Championship he just won. Alas, I did not take a portraits (or even see him) on this shoot.
The first photo was at Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach CA. When you first step up to it, it looks simple but I was surely winded after just walking (at a fast pace) up the hill to a little over the half way point and I was training for a marathon!
I used one light with an octabank (held by my assistant Jake) with a battery pack. It was on full power to over power the ambient and make the clouds look dark and stormy.
My assistant Kicked sand in the front and I throw it to the back. We only did a few before it turned out like this. He is actually standing still and posing.
Model: NIKON D700
Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Macintosh
Lens (mm): 15
ISO: 200
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/250
This is what the hill looked like. Had tons of people on it and It was VERY sandy as you would expect. My assistant Jake looks very displeased with the amount of sand in his shoes.
I also dump out enough sand to fill a childs sandbox after getting done with the shoot.
This shot was naturally lit! GASP! I used the light coming through the upper windows and set my white balance to 10k.
Model: NIKON D700
Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Macintosh
Lens (mm): 48
ISO: 250
Aperture: 4
Shutter: 1/640
Two side lights with strip boxes and large octobank in the front.
Model: NIKON D700
Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Macintosh
Lens (mm): 70
ISO: 125
Aperture: 11
Shutter: 1/200
Two lights with strip boxes pointed in towards him for each side. I shot this on a dark grey background with no light hitting it. So it turned black.
Model: NIKON D700
Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Macintosh
Lens (mm): 70
ISO: 125
Aperture: 9
Shutter: 1/250
A set up shot. Dark Grey back ground.
Thanks for stopping by!
33 Comments, Comment or Ping
David
Dustin,
)
I found your website yesterday surfing Google images.
I must tell you that you kept my attention for a few hours.
(I stayed way pass my bedtime
I went through your blog posts and check your amazing work.
Seeing your setups and your comments is really inspiring.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and your talent like this.
Keep up the great work. I’ll stay posted.
David
Sep 25th, 2009
Paul
Dustin, thanks for sharing. I’m always in awe at your work. I like all the shots in this post but the last two (above the setup shot) are just incredible.
Sep 25th, 2009
Steve
awesome…I love your stuff and I am glad to see a new blog entry
Sep 25th, 2009
Guy Rhodes
Nice stuff, I think the available light shot by the lockers is one of my favorites.
Sep 25th, 2009
Curt H.
Dustin,
great site / blog. your skill is evident from you work / results.
your true professionalism is evident from your willingness to share your knowledge / experiences. Every body learned what they know from someone else as no one was born with in built knowledge. Thanks very much for being willing as well as able to pass on / share your techniques & accrued skills…..
Curt H.
‘el Condor loco’ GRAPHIX
Townsville, Qld. Australia
Sep 26th, 2009
Dustin Snipes
No Problem Curt! Glad I can help.
Sep 26th, 2009
sean
awesome shots!
I love decisive moments like that sand shot.
Sep 26th, 2009
Robert S.
Hey Dustin,
Another great post. I notice you use the strip boxes on a lot of your shoots and it’s a great effect. Do you need to put some blackout flags between you and them to keep from getting glare in your lens when firing towards you even at though their probably at a slight angle?
Sep 26th, 2009
Mark H
Dustin – thanks for another great post. It’s always useful to see how the pros achieve such great lighting.
Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge (again).
Sep 26th, 2009
Steve
Hi Dustin!
What kind of lightstrips are you using? Are they custom made or can i purcase them from B&H ?
Steve
Sep 26th, 2009
Kevin Miller
Dustin,
I’m curious as to how the sand that is in the air in the top shot got there. Can you explain timing/technique on this? THX
Kevin
Arvada, CO
Sep 26th, 2009
Matt Sanderson
Great shots and it’s fantastic to see someone share their set-up… More please!
- Matt
Sep 26th, 2009
Frances
Just AWESOME!
Sep 26th, 2009
Dustin Snipes
I do use flags a lot of the times but the strip boxes are a lot better for noting getting flare than just regular reflectors.
Sep 26th, 2009
Dustin Snipes
Hey Kevin, we just threw/kicked up the sand. It only took a few shots to get it perfect. Got lucky I suppose.
Sep 26th, 2009
Dustin Snipes
The strip softboxes are Paul C Buff and work with all his lights he sales. They work great!
Sep 26th, 2009
Daniel Arevalo
Sweet shot at the dunes. I know what you mean about being winded. I’ve been there myself and nearly threw up after sprinting to the top like and idiot!
Sep 26th, 2009
Matt Lange
Are you shooting with Alienbees?
Sep 27th, 2009
Alex
Hey Dustin,
Are you using a B800 or a B1600 on the outdoor shots? I’m planning on buying some Alienbees, and have been curious if the B800’s are strong enough to overpower the ambient.
Thanks,
-Alex
Sep 28th, 2009
Jeff Lewis
Dustin,
You did an amazing job with these pictures. The cool thing about these is Woody is a former student of mine and you and I are friends.
Good job.
Jeff
Sep 28th, 2009
Tuffer
Wow. The sand pic (amazing timing, it wasn’t a composite?) and the natural light pic (just damn, emotion)… those are particular standouts and show you as an all round photographer
Sep 29th, 2009
Alex
Hey Dustin,
Are you using the Alienbee B800 or B1600 for those outdoor shots? What about inside the strip boxes?
Thanks!
Sep 29th, 2009
Dustin Snipes
Hey Alex, all the lights are b800s.
Sep 29th, 2009
Tim
D-
As always, amazing stuff! You are the cream of the crop…Keep it up..
Sep 30th, 2009
Merwen BA
Love you, love your work, love Alien Bees lol
Sep 30th, 2009
Nick
Hi Dustin,
Awesome shots!
What size Octa is that on your B800? Its not a Buff is it?
Thanks!
Oct 7th, 2009
D.Royal
are all your lights from every post B800’s ?
Oct 17th, 2009
Nathan Rodger
Hey Dustin -
Love your work – these images are so strong and have great impact!
One thing I noticed today – was did you recently go through and watermark all your images? You having issues with image theft?
Sad if thats why – I miss the clean look of no stamping!
Dec 2nd, 2009
JB
These are awesome pic. Love you work, I personally own a D700 but always thought that i needed a D3 to get pics looking like this. Thanks for the inspiration.
Dec 24th, 2009
Tim Campain
I love the photo of you emptying all that sand out of your shoe; how uncomfortable was that?!
Dec 29th, 2009
Louis Lopez
Dustin,
Nice Job on these images. I have not been to your blog in a while, you have been busy.
Interesting note, I photographed both the Serra Football Team and Individual football photos for Robert Woods for several years and you and I are friends, and I have used the “facilities” in this locker room where you set up your lights.
Jan 28th, 2010
Dustin Snipes
@JB Not a problem. Thanks for checking out my blog. I love my d700. For some reason i use it 90 percent of the time and leave my D3 in the bag or use it as a secondary camera with a different lens on it. But I use the D700 and love it! For some reason to me the color just seems better, I could be crazy tho.
Feb 8th, 2010
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