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!
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
[Reply]
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.
[Reply]
awesome…I love your stuff and I am glad to see a new blog entry
[Reply]
Nice stuff, I think the available light shot by the lockers is one of my favorites.
[Reply]
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
[Reply]
No Problem Curt! Glad I can help.
[Reply]
awesome shots!
I love decisive moments like that sand shot.
[Reply]
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?
[Reply]
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).
[Reply]
Hi Dustin!
What kind of lightstrips are you using? Are they custom made or can i purcase them from B&H ?
Steve
[Reply]
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
[Reply]
Great shots and it’s fantastic to see someone share their set-up… More please!
- Matt
[Reply]
Just AWESOME!
[Reply]
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.
[Reply]
Hey Kevin, we just threw/kicked up the sand. It only took a few shots to get it perfect. Got lucky I suppose.
[Reply]
The strip softboxes are Paul C Buff and work with all his lights he sales. They work great!
[Reply]
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!
[Reply]
Are you shooting with Alienbees?
[Reply]
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
[Reply]
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
[Reply]
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
[Reply]
Hey Dustin,
Are you using the Alienbee B800 or B1600 for those outdoor shots? What about inside the strip boxes?
Thanks!
[Reply]
Hey Alex, all the lights are b800s.
[Reply]
D-
As always, amazing stuff! You are the cream of the crop…Keep it up..
[Reply]
Love you, love your work, love Alien Bees lol
[Reply]
Hi Dustin,
Awesome shots!
What size Octa is that on your B800? Its not a Buff is it?
Thanks!
[Reply]
are all your lights from every post B800′s ?
[Reply]
Amazing the effect that have achieved in darkening the sky so much with the spot light. Would like to try that one myself. Looks very dark and mysterious.
[Reply]
I like your football shots, and I like the way you set the lighting. Very thoughtful.
The ONLY sand dune critique I have, and I am far from perfect, is that the subject does indeed look posed. I know you said he was posed in a running stance, but I thought that it looked posed even before I saw your comment about it. I wonder if you could have achieved a stronger take on it by having him run through the frame, and increasing your shutter speed and light to compensate? But then again, I wasn’t there and maybe that was impossible too. In any case, it’s a fabulous shot. GREAT job.
[Reply]
This is truly amazing work! I’ve learned a bunch of stuff just reading your post. My favorite shot was the guy running up the sandy hill. Tossing sand up was a great addition!
Thanks!
[Reply]
There is no charge for awesomeness, but I would pay to take some awesome photos like these! Good job, very creative.
[Reply]
I just found your blog today and I think you have some awesome stuff! Thanks for sharing!
[Reply]
WOW that’s really nice trick u use to create stormy clouds effect. I guess it takes a lot of skill to create something like that. Is there a “guide” teaching you how to do that. Thank for any info.
Regards
Jo
[Reply]
An object lesson in great lighting. Thanks
[Reply]
Awesome Job, and I concur that Sand Dune Park does not look nearly as daunting as it actually is. I’d suggest to any reader ever out in Manhattan Beach to visit.
[Reply]
Hi Dustin,
Your work is fantastic. It has really inspired me to work harder at what I do!
Keep up the great work.
Rob
[Reply]
Beautiful shots. Lighting is everything.
[Reply]
Great job Dustin, these pictures are quite amazing! Keep us updatet please
[Reply]
Wow! You sure do some amazing work! Love the portrait of Robert Woods. I’m going to check out several more of your posts …
[Reply]
Truly great photos, such a great sporty feeling with all the sand action. Have you been working much with Photoshop, one can wonder?
[Reply]
Wow! Great stuff!! Thanks so much for posting!
It’s very inspirational, especially seeing the tech specs involved. But great work! I’ll definitely be coming back here! 
So creative!
[Reply]
Wow – I was going to admire you Photoshop skills on that first shot because it looked so dramatic l … until I read that it was all done in-camera. Excellent.
[Reply]
amazing work as always!!!
[Reply]
Great work. Could you please fix the other pages? The links work, the pages come up, but the images do not show. I was really anxious to see the Female Basketball shoot.
Thanks,
–Rick
[Reply]
Incredible shots Dustin.. This is one site I really love to visit often. Keep it up!
[Reply]
Beautiful work, keep up the amazing work
[Reply]
awesome pics…sand dunes are cool:) keep it up.
[Reply]
Sorry to see that you aren’t updating your site anymore. I really enjoyed following your work.
[Reply]
AMAZING!!! I am waiting for more…
[Reply]
Nice stuff what lenses were used?
[Reply]