Hockey on the Sea CASE STUDY #8
CAMERA:
Hasselblad 503c
LENS:
120mm macro
FILM: EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:
Kodak Plus X
f/8 at 1/15 second
Luz 1200 pack with medium Chimera light bank OTHER:
Assignment
Gitzo tripod
My assistant and I set up in about an hour, worked
For my “Fathers and Sons” project, I contacted Gor-
out who should be where, and did several test shots
die Howe. He and his sons agreed to a session on their
before bringing the family to the boat. At that point,
boat in the New Jersey shore.
I knew I had only about twenty minutes of good background light. Because of my preparation, though, this
Visual Objective
was more than enough time. The Howes liked the
Gordie and all but one of his sons were professional
short session and seemed to have fun. (The real treat
hockey players, but I wanted to capture them away
was when they asked my assistant and I to have dinner
from the ice. I wanted a clean background with just a
with them. They were cooking up the fish they had
suggestion of the environment—the fishing rod.
caught that morning—and it was a great meal.)
Posing
Tips
Group portraits always pose logistical challenges. Since
Extension cords were key to this successful shoot. I
this photograph is about the patriarch, I placed Gordie
didn’t own a portable pack at the time, so I ran a 100-
in the center, surrounded by his sons. The fishing chair
foot extension cord from the boat to the outlet on the
presented the perfect way to accomplish this. Once I
dock. Today I still travel with extension cords, giving
placed Gordie in the chair I arranged his sons. Marty
me an option if my portable pack dies (provided there
held the top of the chair, Mark placed his left hand on
is an outlet nearby).
Murray’s shoulder, and Murray placed his right hand on Gordie’s shoulder. This created a visual flow of
sunset behind subjects
hands that leads to Gordie’s face. I had Gordie rest his hands on his lap, anchoring the group. The Story
Not knowing what to expect, I brought all my equipment to the family’s condo on the ocean. When they
medium softbox
mentioned that they had caught some fish early that morning, a light bulb went off: I realized I had to photograph them on the boat at dusk. LIGHTING CASE STUDIES
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