Combining Fitness & Fire Photography
Utilizing fire trails to demonstrate motion in a few different exercises.
We've all seen photographs before of light trails through various forms of light painting; cars passing by, flashlights, pixelsticks, wool spinning, etc.
How often do we usually see fire as a tool to create light trails? Or how about using fire inside a gym to create light trails?
How this shoot happened:
My gear used for this shoot:
Nikon D810, Sigma 24mm 1.8
(2) Interfit S1's with full stop CTO gel, along with Interfit's remote trigger
26" white diffused beauty dish as backlight modifier, 39" Selens para as main light modifier
Shooting tethered via Macbook Pro into Capture One pro 9
For BTS footage, we used:
Go Pro Hero 3+, 4, 4+
Sony RX100M3
Camera Settings: 0.5 seconds, f/6.3, ISO 100
With this setup, I knew I wanted to capture the direction that the flame would travel, while still showcasing the athlete in a flattering & dynamic way.
To light the kettle bell, we simply stuck some tape to the bottom and applied a little lighter fluid to catch the flame. Prior to each take, we made sure to have the athlete dip the outside of his hands in some water to protect the skin from any flame that may come close.
I'd like to give a shoutout to Interfit for their newest strobe, the S1. They were the only two lights I used for this shoot, and were more than enough power to compensate for the needs of this shoot. With the units, I could use the S1 Remote to wirelessly control the power of each individual unit from my camera. This is a huge help for when my lights were already raised 9 feet high, and reaching the power control on the unit is pain in the butt.
Check out the unit here:
http://interfitphotographic.com/product/interfit-s1-acbattery-powered-hss-ttl-flash/
Check out my full review here:
http://www.brandonwellsphotography.com/blog/interfit-s1-review
Camera Settings: 6 seconds, f/8, ISO 100
I knew I wanted to showcase more of the action of this shot, since the fire trail is a little less interesting. We had to start the beginning of the shutter with a bigger flame, just so that you could see his body move from the left side of the frame to the right.
Since this photo was a much longer shutter speed, I had remotely triggered the flashes when I knew he would cross the correct position of the photo. This was a much easier method to execute, compared to just using rear-curtain sync and attempting to time the tail end of the shutter.
To be prepared for safety, we made sure to have a few available items:
(1) Fire extinguisher
(3) Wet towels
(1) Giant bucket of water
For most cases, putting the fire out with a wet towel would have been a better extinguisher, so that we could preserve a piece of equipment to remain flammable until the shot is accomplished. A bucket of water was close by to keep our towels wet. If somehow things were to get completely out of hand, a fire extinguisher was also nearby and ready for use
Camera Settings: 1.3 seconds, f/8, ISO 100
This shot was one of my first ideas I had come up with. I knew the bar path throughout the snatch would create a really interesting fire trail.
This is a very similar setup to the kettle bell swing above, but a different background and a different movement create something very different in the end.
To ignite the flame, we simply sprayed lighter fluid on the side of the plate facing the camera. By the end of the movement, most of the flame had died out, and was easier to extinguish with a wet towel.
The team! (Left to right, top to bottom)
Dillon Padgette (Digital Tech), Nader Issa (Athlete), myself, Behrad Ghomeshi (Fire Assist), Ben Tims (Fire Assist), Jetton Fontenot (Athlete), Andrea Valdez (BTS Video). Not pictured: Nicole Hughes (Assistant/Producer). And thanks to Jeremy Thiel (CoFounder of Crossfit Central) for letting us use the gym!
Thanks for taking a minute to check out this project, and please give it a share!
2016 USAPL Raw Nationals Portraits
Portraits of elite athletes at the 2016 USAPL Raw Nationals in Atlanta, GA.
So I just got home a few days ago from Atlanta, GA for the 2016 USAPL Raw Nationals. With over 1,200 lifters, the event last from Wednesday-Sunday. I knew I was going out there with a mission of shooting some De Novo athletes, but I also wanted to squeeze in a personal project while out there.
I've always wanted to take some portraits of some elite lifters in their environment. I've never seen it done before personally, and I think I discovered how difficult it may be.
Usually when I am photographing a person, theres a submission of time & focus between myself, and the subject. In this case, I knew that if I wanted to photograph these athletes, I would have very little time to do so (maybe 30 seconds), I would have to gauge a more convenient time to ask each person, and I would have to make it somewhat comfortable for them so it wouldn't throw off their game. With a few of these however, I got to catch a few lifters that may not have been competing on the day I was shooting so they ultimately had more availability.
Given this was my first attempt at doing such a project, I was pretty happy with the outcome, and it was cool to pay it back to the sport with having something to give as a gift to the elite. Remember, these are only a HANDFUL of the elite lifters that competed. They were people I either knew by association, or met that day and asked for a quick picture. There were many other people I wanted to photograph, so maybe next time this project may be priority to do so.
Enjoy.
Some behind the scenes screen grabs of my portable and minimal setup. No backdrops, just white walls of the convention center.
Dave Ricks
Ben Rice.
Bryce Lewis.
Derrington Wright.
Tina Daneshmand.
Matt Gary & Suzanne Hartwig-Gary.
Jorge Rosado.
Jesse Norris.
Marisa Inda.
Charlie Dickson.
Stephen Manuel.
Rori Alter.
Dave Ricks.
Mike Tuchscherer.
Adam Palmer of 9for9 Media.
Katie Rutherford.
Joey Ferratti.
Claudia Chaloner.
Ewa Januszkiewicz.
The New Interfit S1 - Review & Samples
My review of the new Interfit S1 unit.
So a few months ago I picked up one of these brand new Interfit S1's, and wanted to give it a spin to see how well it held up. These were brand new to the market, and STILL haven't really been reviewed online, so I figured I'd make something applicable to most photographers, instead of just specs.
Check out the video:
Here's the link to Interfit's site:
http://interfitphotographic.com/product/interfit-s1-acbattery-powered-hss-ttl-flash/
Since there will obviously be a ton of people wanting the specs of each unit to compare the two, here ya go. Pulled from B&H:
Profoto B1
Maximum Watt/Seconds: 500W/s +/- 1/20 Stop
Flash Variability: In 1/10 or 1 Stop increments 9.0 Stops:
2.0-10 power level (1/256-1/1)
2.0-500W/s
Recycle TimeMinimum/Maximum: 0.1-1.9 sec.
Quick Burst Mode: 20 frames per sec.
Flash Duration: Normal mode (t0.5): 1/11,000 - 1/1,000 sec. min/max power
Freeze mode (0.05): 1/19,000 - 1/1,000 sec. min/max power
Color Temperature: 5,600K
Modeling Light Control: Off / Proportional / Free (full) 5.0-100%
Max Sync Speed: Up to 1/250 sec. in normal mode
Up to 1/8,000 sec. in High Speed mode (requires free firmware update)
Wireless Remote: Yes, via optional Air Remote TTL-C/N, Air remote, Air USB (Profoto Studio) Wireless range:
Up to 1,000' (300 m) for normal triggering
Up to 330' (100 m) for TTL with optional Air Remote TTL-C
Frequency Band: 2.4 GHz
Triggering: Air radio slaves, optical (IR), sync cord
Operating Voltage: 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, Self-sensing
14.8 VDC/3 Ah via included, rechargeable battery
Battery Type: Lithium-ion
220 Full power flashes Battery life: 300 charge cycles (to 80% left)
Battery Charge Time: 2.0 Hours with included 2.8V multi-voltage charger
Fan Cooled: Yes
Auto Dump: Yes
Auto Power Off: Yes, after 60 minutes of disuse
Sleep mode after 30 minutes of disuse
Flash Ready Indicator: Beep tone, ready right, modeling light dimming
Battery Charge Display: Green LED indicators: 3 Sections: 100-70%
2 Sections: 70-40%
1 Section: 40-10%
1 Section blinking
< 10%
Circuit Protection: Adaptive thermal control
Operating Temperature: 14 to +122°F (-10 to +50°C)
Storage: 4 to +140°F (-20 to +60°C)
Dimensions: Length x diameter:
Body only: 12.2 x 5.12 (310 x 130 mm)
With 5/8" (16 mm) stand adapter: 12.2 x 6.69" (310 x 170 mm)
Weight6.61 lb (3.0 kg) Including battery
Interfit S1
Maximum Watt/Seconds: 500Ws
Wireless Range: 300' (100 m)
Flash Variability: 7.0 Stops (2.0 to 8.0) in 1/10 stop increments
Recycle Time: Maximum 3.0 sec.
Flash Duration: 1/1000 - 1/9000 sec. min/max power
Color Temperature: 5700 K +/-100 K
Modeling Light: 10W LED
Modeling Light Control: Off, 50%, 100%
Flash SyncNormal: 1/250 sec.
High-Speed Sync: 1/8,000 sec.
Wireless Remote: Built-in Receiver
Optional Interfit TTL-Canon/Nikon 2.4 GHz Remote
TriggeringWireless remote, sync cord, IR/optical
Operating Voltage: 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz
Included battery
Battery Type: 4500 mAh lithium-ion
350 full-power flashes in Manual mode
400 full-power flashes in HSS mode
Battery Charge Time: 3.0 hours with included multi-voltage charger
Fan Cooled: Yes
Auto Dump: Yes
Dimensions: Length x Diameter:
With Dome and Handle: 13.4 x 5.1 (34 x 13 cm)
Weight6.3 lb (2.85 kg) including battery
Now that the tech specs and mumbo jumbo is over....here is where the application comes in.
I have been using the S1 as my main light for the past few months, and it has been a staple so far for my camera gear bag. The light is beautiful (I know a modifier has an influence on this). I still can't get over how portable a strobe can be without having battery packs...but nonetheless...it's still good with that feature aside. I usually shoot with just one light, and maybe a few extra's for a rim light, or to emphasize some ambience. So when I pack my camera bags for an assignment, I have been using this thing non stop as my main choice.
I have a few different light modifiers I have been using with the S1. The main 3 are these:
26" White beauty dish
36" Reflective diffused umbrella
39" Selens deep parabolic umbrella
I choose these three main umbrellas simply because of the portability of each (the same reason I picked this strobe). Each of these easily fold up or fit into the suitcases I travel with. I'm also not usually shooting more than 2 people per image when I shoot, so something this size is perfect for my needs. I also bring with me the zoom reflector that comes with the unit, but I personally don't ever use it, or have the need for it, unless I just want to use the unit as a strong backlight.
I personally really like using the beauty dish for its simplicity of a portable unit. It's 500w that you can hand-hold and walk around with. When I use the dish, I use the diffusion sock to soften the light a little more, and it's just as soft as the other two modifiers...just with a much bigger spread.
Here's a selection of images I've made over the past few months with the Interfit S1:
S1 as main light through the 36" umbrella. Side lights are speed lights with gels. One speed light behind subject up near the roof, pointed down to brighten the chalk.
S1 as main front light, shot through the 39" Selens. One speed light on each of the sides to highlight edges.
S1 shot through 26" beauty dish with diffusion sleeve. Light positioned above camera.
S1 shot through the 39" Selens to camera left.
S1 shot through a 60" silver parabolic umbrella. This is another umbrella I own that I use on occasion.
S1 shot through the 36" umbrella to camera right.
S1 as main light to camera right, shot through the 39" Selens. Speed lights on each side, and above from rear to highlight edges.
S1 shot through the 36" umbrella to camera left. One speed light in the right side towards the back of the room as fill.
S1 shot through the 39" Selens to camera left.
S1 shot through the 36" umbrella to camera left. One speed light to the right to highlight the bag/leg.
I've heard before that because of the minimum power output of this light, it can be hard to use in a dark setting. So this photo was made with the S1 at its lowest setting. Camera settings were 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 800. The Selens umbrella is double diffused (the inner baffle removes any possible hotspot). So if this is still too much light for a dark ambient setting, you can always just get some ND gels and put that over the bulb.
Here's the link again to their site:
http://interfitphotographic.com/product/interfit-s1-acbattery-powered-hss-ttl-flash/
Hope this sheds a little more light on this new strobe. I think its worth it.
UPDATE*
I was recently shipped out a new remote for the strobe that has some updates that extend the battery life significantly. There has also been a firmware update that allows you to use TTL within the HSS, and more camera compatibilities.
-B
My Reasons Why You Should Capture Everything
I’ve been a huge fan of pulling out the camera and recording my life for many years now. I think based on my experiences in doing so, I am inspired to share my insight on why you should become a fan as well. Lets dive right in:
1. Life is short
We live in such a fast paced world these days that we often forget how fast time really goes by. I know for me, it felt like as soon as I graduated high school, my life has doubled in speed and just flown past me so far. If life is so short, shouldn’t we be challenging ourselves to make the best of the time we have?
2. Home videos are even more accessible
We (thankfully) no longer have to live in the days of 2mp flip phone cameras, ginormous handycams, developing our photos at Walgreens, or worrying about pixelation.
Almost every piece of technology we use on a daily basis has a camera. (Phones, laptops, tablets, MP3 players, etc.) Each device we utilize only seems to get cheaper and cheaper as time goes on, meanwhile the quality of the camera inside these devices keep improving. At the same time, we can take the photos or videos that we capture, and share them straight to a stream of different locations. Which leads me to my next point...
3. Storing photos/videos has never been easier
It seems like every year, storage options also get cheaper and cheaper. I remember a 1TB hard drive costing more than $500 5-10 years ago. Now you can pick one up at a local electronic store for $50-70.
With all this development, something new has emerged in the last few years that makes life even easier: cloud storage. It used to be a scary thing to actually trust computers with your data being “somewhere up in a cloud in space” or however they say it, but with the advancement and support behind these resources, it only gets safer and safer. You can now get the same 1TB of space from Dropbox for only $10 a month, with no contract, no cancellation fees, or anything. Google Drive is also a great and similar option that may work more seamless for you based on your accounts and devices.
Some people might not want to trust social media platforms for keeping photos and videos, but I’ve learned to just upload, then delete from my phone. To me personally, the quality of the file that gets uploaded to something like Facebook right from my phone, is good enough for me in the future (unless I’m working with much larger files, projects, etc). Especially now that Facebook must remind you what happened on this day in every past year, uploading your memories there is an even greater internet based photo album.
4. The more you capture, the more you want to go do
Do you ever notice that the more time you spend on something, the better/faster/easier that certain task becomes?
I find capturing photos/videos to be the same. The more I record them, the more I want to record them. Sort of like getting addicted to a new social media platform...the more you use it, the more you want to use it. Which, just fuels creativity for HOW you want to use them. It makes you want to go to new lengths to capture certain things. What beats gathering some people you love spending time with having an idea of something you’d like to capture, and going out and making it happen? There’s countless memories to be made…and at the end of the day:
5. You can never have enough memories
I don’t think this is even a question. Memories are the joy of life. They are what we reflect on when we’re having a good time, when we screw up, when we accomplish our goals, when we meet new people, when we build families, and so on. Bottom line… you can never have enough memories.
To rewind back to my first point…..life is short. And if you have the accessibility to capture more memories, while continuing to be even more in a convenient way, why not?
-B
Fire & Fitness
On a recent shoot, I got the chance to experiment with the one element I’ve been dying to explore. Ever since I learned how to shoot fire from my friend and mentor, Benjamin Von Wong, i’ve been wanting to put it to use in some of my own ways. In this case, I wanted to leave a trail to surround the subject in a spiral motion upwards, so I made sure safety and comfortability was priority among everyone involved before even trying this shot. Overall, I was excited with my results from this experiment, and I can’t wait to find more ways to create some awesome pictures with fire and fitness!
Here's the full res final image:
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