Test shot with Rose and Mimi

Last Saturday, Rose helped me set up the huge black background for my portrait photo op. The background spreads to 12 feet wide and 8 feet high. I didn't know what I was thinking when I bought this but that's another story. Then I fixed the lighting. One strobe at the back as the master to provide the rim lighting. The other strobe is the slave facing a white umbrella. I set this at about 45degrees from the subject and angled downwards. I needed to make test shots so Rose and Mimi became my test subjects. I really like how the rim light works here. Very minimal post production. Just burning the background to darken some stray lights.

My client didn't show up so we just ended having fun with the lighting set up the next day. More of that on my next post.

There are No Fat People in New York

The word fat is banned in NY so one could only refer to them as Plus Sizes and Gravitionally Challenged. Also, because of Bloomberg, New Yorkers have to go to New Jersey to access transfat filled diet. Cheers.

Brooklyn, New York

© 2013 Rob Castro

Fujifilm Finepix, XE-1, XF 14mm

How to read a free newspaper

Red at work

Version 8/13/13

Art usually reflects the worldview of the artist.  Sometimes it's not as obvious.  But there are times when it's undeniable.  I took this picture at the Chalk Walk Festival in Old Pasadena.  Care free posture, just taking her time.  From my perspective, I thought that the artist was creating a mirror image of herself.

Featured Comment by Kamilah Castro:  If you read into it, your photo could be a commentary on beauty or true art.  Maybe art, in her case, is that which she wishes to see in herself.  While she is imperfect, smudged with dirt, hair unkempt, through art, she can create something beautiful, and perfect, and untouched.  Note the way she caresses the woman's cheek with longing.  Wishing real life could be that beautiful, wishing she could be that beautiful.

On a technical note, the composition is great.  Love the angling, the use of reflection (not just the artist and the drawing but also the other pictures of women in the back).  The artist already looks a little cartoonish maybe because of the enhanced definition in the freckling but wonder if you make her more cartoonish it would be cooler.  Like you can't tell if she is a drawing herself.  The artist can't be separated from the art.

Elliot

Elliot is getting so much nice comments that he is now famous.

Featured at Red Bubble