Model: Carole Schell
Photography: Damien Lovegrove
Camera: Fuji X-T2 with 35mm, 56mm and 90mm prime lenses
Back in June I spent a day in Switzerland photographing Carole with my friend and fellow X photographer Jean-Pierre Vicario. Here is a selection of the images that I shot using an X-T2 prototype. Enjoy.
01. Natural light magic using the 90mm lens.
02. Carole is lying on a slab of concrete outside a swimming pool complex. I was led by the light when I found this spot.
03. “Gis a twirl” Pro Neg S is the perfect film simulation to control the supreme contrast of full sun in June. I delivers delicate hues too.
04.
05. A little exercise in composition, pose and framing.
06. I like to keep the buzz and fun going in front of camera. Good times :)
07. Natural light moments in the park on the 90mm lens.
08. Sunlight through the trees is excuse enough to create some magic.
09. A paddle steamer passed us by. La Suisse is a beautiful craft.
10. Take the plunge. Carole strikes a pose for my X-T2 and the 90mm f/2 lens.
11. Lakeside moments without and with a Cactus RF60 Speedlight.
12. The delight and beauty of youth.
13. Carole in the back streets. Red yellow and blue are the primary colours of pigment and always trigger a shoot moment for me.
14. The dapple of Sunlight through trees inspired the original Scattergels. Now a lighting icon.
15. Swiss beauty, posh nosh and pure mountain spring water.
Sorry for the delays to the updates here on Prophotonut. I’ve been completing my latest book. I’m 400 pages in and it’s everything I know about portraiture in a book. Keep an eye out for it. Not long now, I’m instructed (by my team) to finish it within a couple of weeks of posting this and it really is coming together now. Midnight oil stuff. Carole Schell features in it too and I deconstruct several of the images we shot together in the boudoir and out and about on location. At the last count there were 386 photographs all shot on Fuji X cameras in the past 5 years. Captioned with exif data, and deconstructed with the lighting information etc. It’s a real gem.
Please feel free to comment on these pictures or request I spend time in your beautiful part of the world with fabulous shooting opportunities.
Thank you for your continued support.
Hello Damien.
When shooting wide open with off-camera flash, what kind of ND filter do you use? If so, how many stops of exposure reduction do you use?
Thank you!
Hi Paul,
I use Hoya Pro ND filters. I use the values that I need to get to the aperture that IO want. I wrote an article about values etc here: https://www.prophotonut.com/2015/08/17/nd-filters-for-flash-with-mirrorless-cameras/
Kindest regards,
Damien.
Hi Damien,
I was wondering if you are now using the the Cactus V6 II in your work? Looking to upgrade in prep for my XT-2 arrival this week – but not sure if the XT2 is going to work 100% with it.
I read of some issues with the XPro2, so any insight appreciated.
Thank you
Hi Den, As you know, Fuji are in the process of rolling out their new HSS flash firmware to all the cameras in the X series lineup. When I first tested the Cactus V6 mk2 with my X-T2 it worked fine but now that the X-T2 has full production firmware there are issues with Cactus. The latest firmware for X-Pro2 has the same issues. Cactus are working on these and already have a beta firmware for their V6 mk2 that works for HSS on the X-T2 apparently. Cactus are just waiting on a production version of the EF-x500 (aren’t we all) to set the shutter timings for optimum performance. Once they have this they will be able to finalise the firmware and then once Fuji update the X-T1 etc the V6 mk2 should work seamlessly with all Fuji and this HSS debate will be a thing of the past.
Kind regards,
Damien.
Can’t wait for the book Damien! Keep it up, I’m sure it’s always hard to finish a book but just keep pushing!
Thanks Jin, The book is finally here: http://lovegroveportraits.com/ Kindest regards, Damien.
Stunning images as usual Damien.
Thank you Simon :)
Lovely photos, Damien! I really like the sense of motion in #3. 35mm lens at f/5.6?
Thank you Jay :)
Excellent work as usual Damien! fantastic and inspiring pics. On image 04 I can see a soft ray of light coming from upper right corner to the lower left. Is it natural light, created in post processing or with the Cactus RF60? Thanks in advance for sharing with us all your knowledge and experience.
Thanks Blasco,
That was me messing around in Lightroom. I just used the gradient tool. It’s a gimmick and I’m not a fan so I’ll leave my original file un affected.
Cheers, Damien.