- backlight
- hand on chest
- sitting pose
- Sitting
- road
- Rim Light
- picnic
- night sky
- night
- lower thirds
- light beams
- Evening
- Backlit
- dust in light
- dust
- dirt road
- Dark
- champagne
- Center Framed
- car lights
- Car
- beams
- Smokey
The story behind the image
I always carry two big trash bags in my bag as a clean base to sit on for situations like this. I loved the fog rolling up from the valley through the light beams, creating a cinematic mood. It was quite a challenge to find the perfect distances between the car, the couple, and the camera and to find the best vertical position and camera angle to avoid direct backlight and at the same time compose the picture to my vision. Once I figured it out the rest worked by itself.
Directions
Describe how you spoke to your subject(s)
After placing them on the ground in front of the car I did not have to give any more directions to the couple because they just enjoyed the moment that we created while opening the champagne bottle, cuddling, and kissing.
What did you say?
“Sit down in front of the car”..”Cuddle and enjoy!”
Tone of Directions
Calm
Composition
Centering the couple in the middle of the image worked very well for this one. The Symmetry of the elements in the image balances the photo and adds to a dramatic mood. The Leading Lines of the shadows, the fog, and the light beams draw the attention right into the middle of the Frame directly to the Couple.
framing
Lower Thirds
Focusing
Describe how you spoke to your subject(s)
I simply used Single Point Autofocus and focused right onto the couple’s faces. The autofocus of my Sony is luckily so reliable to focus properly in lower light situations like this. If it´s not working in such situations I would work with simple manual focus and focus peaking or maybe use my headlight to lighten the subject just for the purpose of setting the focus.
Focus Mode
Single Shot Autofocus
Focus POints
Single Point
Focused on
the couples faces
Equipment &
Exif
Camera
Lens
Flash
Filter
1/80 @ f/1.4 ISO5000 WB-Auto
The way the EXIF is written out follows the common photographic method (with the inclusion of White Balance at the end). Here it is broken down:
Shutter Speed @ Aperture ISO White Balance.
Light & Weather
Since the main light source was coming from directly behind the couple, this created a rim light that separated them from the dark background. The shadow of the couple created beautiful Lines leading into the center of the Image. I wanted to avoid the lights shining directly into my lens to keep off Light Flares so I had to find a lower position to hide it behind the couple.
Light Type
Artificial Light
Editing Workflow
How did you edit this image?
I used my own preset as a base. Cropped and leveled the image to make it symmetrical. Lifted the exposure and shadows a little bit. Adjusted the white balance a bit more to the warm side and added a bit of noise reduction.
Editing Software
Adobe Lightroom Classic
Preset Used
Custom Preset
Challenges
The main challenge was to hide the strong lights from shining directly into my lens to keep off the strong light flares and to achieve a good composition at the same time.
Solutions
I drove my car back about 5 meters further after I realized it´s better to hide the lights behind the couple. I tried some different positions (different distances) and chose a lower camera position (lie down on the ground in the end).
Location
Location Name
Kops Stausee
Location aDDRESS
Zeinisjochstraße, 6794 Gaschurn, Austria
Loation Type
Road
Country
Austria
I´ve often heard photographers say “don´t do experiments with paying clients”. I think besides the safe shots you should always make sure to have, you should also try new things over and over again. Couples are very curious when you tell them “let´s try something new” or “let´s do an experiment”. Don´t be afraid, if something doesn´t work out as you´ve expected. There´s nothing to lose as long as you have the safe shots and your couples are having fun. Most of the time I am surprised by the results. It would be so boring to only do your same standard program in every shoot.
