Burnt Out

[Wandjina]

This is Marcie.
Marcie is a street walker and a heroin addict.
She has been the subject of a number of my recent photographs. I like her as a model because of her weathered face, which reflects her life out on the street under the harsh Australian sun and the ravages of her addiction.

An abandoned service station (gas station) on her patch had been burnt out two nights before this photo was taken.
Before the authorities had time to secure the site, I rounded up Marcie off the street, gave her a $20 modelling fee and we ventured inside for this photo shoot.

I used a Canon 430 EXIII speedlite on a light stand set up about 2 metres (6') away from Marcie to enhance the small amount of natural light filtering in from the left of the image. There was no light modifier. I wanted the image to be harsh. The speedlite was probably at maximum power as it was quite dark in the bowels of this building. I can't remember the exact flash settings.

Camera settings: 5DMIV, 1/40, f/4.0, ISO 500. Lens: EF 24 -105, f/4L, IS USM at 24mm.

Processing: I darkened the background. Cloned out the charred piece of timber in the bottom right hand corner of the image and placed it in the top left hand corner. I made it parallel to Marcie's right arm to accentuate the angles of her pose. I extended it a bit with the clone tool, then jiggled the Lightroom sliders to their extremes to add clarity and emphasize her weathered facial features.

[Manfred M]

An interesting story about the location and your model. Not surprisingly, the two work well together. The hard light is very effective in this scene; it brings out the wear and tear that your model has gone through. Your speedlite gave you a nice light spread, more than what I would have expected at that distance, even with a 24mm setting. Did you tilt the light 90 degrees to constrain it? I like the details coming in from the background; the original seems a bit stronger that way. The retouched image looks like you crushed some of the shadows and brought out a few specular highlights on the camera left side of the face.

A good strong "gritty" image and for $20, probably the lowest modelling fee I've heard of.

The post-processing is quite effective too, you've pulled out a lot of detail not seen in the original image. I wonder if you might have pushed a bit too hard. I find that the dramatic lighting (actually the shadows) on the camera right side of the face is more effective in the original than in the retouched image. It just adds a touch more mystery.

Regardless, great portraiture!

[Wandjina]

Thanks for your comments Manfred.
I really don't remember too much about the speedlite nor the settings. There was a lot of broken glass, nails and other debris lying about, and as soon as I saw that I had a near correctly exposure in the back of the camera, we were out of there. The whole shoot of 10 -12 images was done and dusted in two to three minutes.

[rpcrowe]

IMO,this is a very powerful image... I like the original version best. However, either version reflects the hard times Marcie must have lived through... I think it is very respectful to pay a person for posing like this...

[Stagecoach]

Powerful image, well done.

[William W]

This is Marcie. . .

Great shot. Bravo.

I used a Canon 430 EXIII speedlite on a light stand set up about 2 metres (6') away from Marcie to enhance the small amount of natural light filtering in from the left of the image. There was no light modifier. I wanted the image to be harsh. The speedlite was probably at maximum power as it was quite dark in the bowels of this building. I can't remember the exact flash settings. . .

Yes. Well done. Well thought through. I’d like to think a previous conversation prompted your thoughts toward this: in any case, the lighting is very well done.

Post Processing is very effective. Overall you should be very pleased with this one. It is a statement.

(Personally, as I’ve mentioned before I’d prefer a larger image to view: especially this one, not for critique, but because it appears to be so very good.)

WW

[selig1656]

Outstanding and as stated so powerful effect on both captures.

[Wandjina]

Thank you all for your positive comments

[lovelife65]

Fantastic photo with an emotional story to tell. The best thing about it is even without the details surrounding her life, the photo tells enough to know she’s had a hard life.
Wonderful work thank you

[Jim A]

Seems excellent to me, Martin! Plus having the story, sad though it is, gives extra depth and meaning. I prefer the darker version as it is grittier and accentuates the power of the image.