roleychiu
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 p.1 #7 · Is she Americas Next Top Model? | |
Sure! Luckily I have explained the setup in detail in another posting on deviant art, so i'll copy and paste it here:
[The following is copied and pasted from an oldjournal entry on another comuunity site]
Here's an example of the Dior campain with Raica Oliviera. This is what inspired me to shoot the dark and backlit series. You'll notice the circles in the back and the 'dim' feeling and tones. I wanted to get close, but not too close. I used the style as a guide for my own journey. I saw this shot a month ago and started planning for it very early. my submissions are a result of 3 weeks planning and coordination with both model and makeup artist which included lots of emails, meetings, and shopping for the right stuff! The shopping was fun. we spent alot of cash for this shoot. the clothes were pretty pricy. What an expensive hobby lol. but it's just way too much fun..
Knowing I needed some manner of backdrop, I went shopping for some 4'x8' black coroplast at Revy Home and Garden. Cost me $18 and had to got to 3 different stores to find the right type. Here's me cutting holes in the backdrop to be used as my backlighting effects.
Here's me using my dad's dremel and a rig he helped put together (my dad is a crazy industrial designer and has every tool imaginable in teh workshop). attached the dremel to the plastic and mounted a pin for an even circular drill around the outlines i mapped out. I had to make sure that the holes were just the right height because Elena would be quite tall even while sitting down. I couldn't have the circles too high or too low or it wouldn't show up just behind her head like in the Dior ad. (arrgh the pressure of getting things right!!).
Here's me wiping the backdrop clean of dust. Dust on a lit surface can destroy a shot. especially if its lit from an angle. um.. you might want to ignore my bummy attire and my bed hair.
Happily finished! My mom was wondering WTF i was building down there and I kept telling her it was for a photoshoot. But being the typical asian mom, she was complaining that it was 'zhoh ju sai day fong' which means getting in the way of everything hahaha. my mom is so cute. okay... so backdrop complete... but we're not even half way yet.. *buckles under pressure*...
So the big day arrives.. I pick up Elena from her place and we begin the joyous process of the time honored photoshoot. Here's the lovely Grace applying her primers. We agreed to focus completely on eyes and lips for this shoot. Gold and yellows mostly for tone and shimmer powder all the way for that glam we just love so much. If you look closely you can see the Dior ad in the back as reference for us as we started to build our shot. Check out Grace's makeup kit in the back. it's almost the size of my DJ case. I'm so glad she knows what she's doing because i can't do makeup to save my life. I like this shot because it looks like Grace has her pinky up Elana's nose.  go grace go!
This is my crazy photoshoot tent of fire. Lots of make-shift and low budget solutions applied here. Low budget photography all the way baby. Elena's 5'11 hit the circles at the perfect height that I drilled at. (thank god). I had to brace that MF'ing backdrop with a lumber brace from my dad's workshop. I originally tried a test shot without the draped covering and was getting some devious atmospheric lighting. I knew i had to get rid of it somehow, so i put together another LBS. (low budget solution) HAAAAAAHAHA. Ever detail was very important to me at this point. I didn't plan this long and come this far to mess up on a stupid detail. i'd never forgive myself. Here's grace putting on some last minute gloss on Elena's lips. Grace is as anal about detail as I am about getting good service a fast food places. Look there's my beautiful gold reflector for that yum yum glow.
Elena had way too much chocolate that morning. (Kit Kat) and was bouncing around during the car ride over. Look at her being so adorably goofy. Elena is wearing the stuff we so aduously chose for the style. When we were buying the top, the japanese sales assistant asked: "is she model ?" and i said: "yes she's an international model and i'm her photographer". haah she beamed: "ooooooh! she sooo tall!!" Of course i got no lovin from her because photogs are not as cool as models  . Although I had an interesting time walking around with a tall beautiful white model, having everyone staring at us and wondering what a geeky looking chinese guy is doing with a tall russian model on the street.
The fabric kept getting in my face. But i needed more darkness. I garbage bagged my large window in my room for more light control. to the left of me is an LBS. to the right is another LBS. and i myself am an LBS. Grace was slacking here when i needed reflector work under the bag.
For those that have seen the submissions, this is when I shot #1 (the first submission). Elena is concentrating on keeping the composition steady. Lots of yoga work helps in this department. Poor elena had to endure my directions for this shot. Was very nit picky with the detail in this one shot. (see Elena photoshoot 1 for the final shot of this composition). BTW.. look! the circles i drilled worked! haha.
This is the ONLY way to tweak a shot. :P had to tuck some stupid part of the shirt that was in my shot. Elena seemed to enjoy it from her expression.. i mean.. i had to be professional as always to ensure the shot was clean. We unbuttoned her shirt and setup for Elena Photoshoot #3 (see submission). This is one situation where most men wish they had my job. perks of the trade.
Setting up for the bikini shot. The makeup was further tweaked to Grace's perfection. You can see some of my vinyl and a corner of an tech 1200 MK3 box  . That bikini was expensive dammit
While i was setting up for the shot, elena and grace were on my bed surfing. She just got her new website up and poor grace couldn't spell Kulikova. hehehe. I love Elena's name. its so melodic.
One final shot before I took everything down.. I was so proud.. for the fleeting moments that this setup was up. Sandy Wei (one of my past models) saw this picture and said: "ooooh its cute. i want to live inside it".
Tuckered out after a successful yet stressful few weeks for us. I was the tail end photographer for the month of May for her. She did 18 shoots this month including mine. That's just insane i tell you.
look at grace!!!! she's so cute. she fell asleep in the car ride to my place. she went clubbing the night before and came home buzzed and tired at like 4am. then woke up in the morning to do grad makeup for 9 girls before working with me. If anything, this shoot is dedicated to the hard work of these two remarkable females. I love them both.
Edited by roleychiu on Jun 28, 2004 at 09:25 PM GMT
Edited by roleychiu on Jun 28, 2004 at 09:27 PM GMT
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That is certainly preferable..