Photo copyright Thomas Miner
I was inspired to create this image from seeing this type of photo done before online. However, I wanted to try it with my own creative style and see what sort of image I could create. I wanted to show the natural beauty of my model, as she doesn’t always think she is pretty but she really is. One thing I had difficulty with was trying to find a good location and model. When planning this shot the most important thing was to have a model that is experienced and extremely comfortable with the photographer. I chose to go with a close friend of mine who has modeled for me in the past as my subject. The main reason why I picked her was because of her blue eyes, I think they are really piercing and defiantly provide a good example for the saying that the eyes are the windows of the soul.
To light this I wanted it to look like natural light so I used a flash and a white reflector underneath her face to give a very subtle fill light. The flash was on the lowest power as to not blow out the highlights in the face. My setting were Shutter Speed 1/200 aperture f7.0 and ISO 800. I had difficulty getting the eyes tack sharp as the eyes are the main focus of this image. I used a Cannon 5DMkIII with the 70-200 2.8 lens at 125mm length. I chose this lens because of the beautiful bokeh that it produces as well as the compression that it creates in the background. I would have preferred to have used a 85 f1.4 however at the time I only had access to the 70-200. I am normally a Nikon D610 shooter so shooting with a Canon was a little odd. A problem I did have was when I went from inside to outside the UV filter on the lens was not tightened all the way to some air got inside and formed a nice hazy circle in the very center of the lens. This proved to be a huge headache as I had no idea what was going on until I looked closely at the lens. The hat on the model is what really draws the viewer’s eyes to the models eyes. I think that it defiantly complements the face and almost frames it.
About the Photographer:
My name is Thomas Miner, I am a freelance photojournalist who covers everything from weddings to landscapes. I been a photography for five years now and started my photographic journey my Junior year of high school. I have photographed the 2015 USA hockey national championships in Salt Lake City. I prefer to photograph people because I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. I feel that everyone has a story to tell, but they sometimes may not come off as someone who does but they really do. As a photojournalist it is my job to take everyday events and make them seem like something extraordinary. I really love color in my images, especially my landscapes. Showing the true color of the subject is very important in conveying the correct message.
To read more about the Northern Arizona University “Behind the Image: Guest Blogger” project on our blog, please read the introduction at http://youcansleepwhenyouredead.com/wordpress/3rd-annual-northern-arizona-university-behind-the-image-guest-blogger-project/. Please take a minute to leave your insights and constructive comments in the Comment section below – the student would love to hear from you!