I was recently contacted by Bucks Life magazine, the large-format swanky lifestyle magazine that covers all things interesting in Bucks County, our little artsy, funky corner of Pennsylvania. They were doing an article highlighting some local art luminaries, and they wanted to include me?
Well, I didn’t argue, but they said they’d send a photographer and I said, “wait, I’m a photographer, let me shoot some luminaries for you.” (I can hear you now, marveling at my marketing acumen and self-promotion chutzpah). We negotiated and I walked away with an assignment to shoot 4 luminaries and 1 dimbulb, me.
So I duded up in my best Joe Photog outfit, and invited my old buddy and super people-shooter Pete Byron for lunch (we’re both May birthday boys and always have lunch around our natal days). I was going to shoot the thing myself with Pocket Wizards, but why waste 25 years of friendship and a great eye behind the camera, especially if you can get him for a chicken salad ?
That’s the stream behind my house and I’ve never stood in it to take a picture, but I’ve cleared debris, and cooled off in it, and I thought it’d be a photogenic location (plus, I could just drag the gear out of the garage and not load it into a car!).
I blew the dust off some of my old corporate lighting gear and had the big 4’x6′ softbox and the DynaLite Uni 400 JR., powered with a Jackrabbit battery and triggered with an old Pocket Wizard on the bank of the stream and then I waded in with my precious old 500mm f/4P Nikkor and an old D70 body (I’d risk the lens, but not a current body, to a dunking).
Of course, I had my angle all picked out and tripoded and all Pete had to do was focus and click the shutter….but you can’t tell a shooter of Pete’s caliber how to do a portrait, and before I know it, he’s got the camera off the ‘pod and he’s sitting on the grass shooting from a low level.
An lo and behold, if his angle didn’t kick mine all up and down the proverbial playing field. Now, if he could just use the minus 30lbs filter and press my jeans, I’d be ready for the pages of Vanity Unfair, or Fried and Stream….
What we did technically was just to slightly underexpose the overcast light, and then use the big soft light from the box to create a soft, but directional light on me with the shadows where you want them (not under those baggy eyes!). 1/250th f/8, ISO 200, D90 with the 70-200VR for the tech crowds
Arun Paul
5 Jun 2009You are no dimbulb Bob – I did laugh at the “Fried and Stream ” Comment
Dana Hess
5 Jun 2009Nice pic, Bob. I’ve often wondered why photographers take so long to update their publicity shots. It’s like they go from 35 to 55 in the blink of an eye. Of course, most of us are much more comfortable behind the camera…
Bob
5 Jun 2009Dana: Well, part of it is nobody likes to look older, and part of it is that if a magazine already has a headshot of you in their files, you can’t get a magazine to run an updated headshot unless you really jump up and down….and I’m getting too old to do that!
Brenda Tharp
5 Jun 2009You handsome dude! We’ll have to call you “Indiana Krist” now. Love the hat. When I was there in January that stream was frozen over! Glad this assignment came in May. And Happy B-day by the way. Hope you and Peter had a great lunch.
Bob
5 Jun 2009Hi Brenda: Yes, the hat took care of a lot of unwanted highlight area and eliminated the problem of reflections on smooth, rounded surfaces! Hope you’re well!
Renee G
6 Jun 2009Bob, very nice shot of you… and in a red shirt? In all the sessions I’ve been to, I have never seen you in any colorful garb. You should try it more often. It suits you and your personality! (I insist Brad wear bright shirts when we travel just in case I need a model somewhere in the shot). Hope you had a nice b’day!
Tim
21 Jun 2009My question is does that horse of a lens make the fishes look bigger? I would have love to see you slepping that beast through Africa. Oh yeah is that a Bob Krist Photo Vest in Black? are are you now color coordinating at its finest?
Bob
21 Jun 2009Tim: It makes EVERYTHING look bigger, over and under the water. But it’s too darn heavy to carry. That black vest is just a little fashion item….see you in Maine.Bob