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shining under the spotlight
1st Placeshining under the spotlight
AllenP


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Sports V (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM
Date: Feb 2, 2012
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/125
Date Uploaded: Feb 3, 2012

 I wanted to create a commercial photography look with this challenge with an edgy and gritty lighting. I used the same lighting technique that I used in my image below except for the reflector. Instead I just laid a large round one on the floor to fill in the shadows just a tiny bit. The lights hitting her from the strip banks were just about at full power and the light coming out of the beauty dish served as the fill light at low power. The spot lights that you see in the image are actually the strip-banks themselves that I decided to include in the image to give it a bit more edge. She is in fact a damn good basketball player and an overall great athlete.



If you have ever worked with strip banks you know that it is simply impossible to light an athlete during a game like this. Lighting with strip banks is a game of fraction of inches and that is why they do these types of commercial shots in the studio or under controlled lighting and then drop the subject in a background that was shot separately. The action was that she was dribbling the ball while maintaining a fierce look and interesting pose until we were able to freeze her with a pose that we were both happy with.

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 57
Avg (all users): 7.6711
Avg (commenters): 8.1579
Avg (participants): 6.8788
Avg (non-participants): 7.8908
Views since voting: 4441
Views during voting: 398
Votes: 152
Comments: 54
Favorites: 7 (view)

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AuthorThread
 02/15/2012 03:41:25 PM
Very nice
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/14/2012 10:00:56 AM
The lighting is spot on! I need some lessons. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 05:05:32 PM
Intense! Congratulations on your win.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 04:29:48 PM
Well deserved Blue! Congrats!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 04:16:17 PM
Congratulations on the Blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 01:37:26 PM
I gave this a 10, fantastic mood lighting and fierce expression gives it enormous intent of action.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 12:54:05 PM
What I love about this photo (besides the excellent lighting) is the color palette. It's a dream of mine to be able to light a shot to this degree of perfection.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 10:10:45 AM
I can't help but comment again. . .this has got to be one of my favorite sports shots of all time, which is incredible as I am not a basketball fan. Love it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 10:06:58 AM
Congrats on the Blue. She sure has that 'I am gonna school you punk' look on her face...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 09:40:35 AM
this could be used in ads and commericals all over the world. Professional quality sport portrait. Really well done Allen!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 07:45:55 AM
I for one also knew this was your work Allen. It's a very good image and well deserving of the score and placement. Congrats! Fantastic lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 07:32:12 AM
Congratulations it was my winner all the way.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 03:56:47 AM
I could tell from the thumbnail this was yours :-) Great result and score. The only criticism I had (and it got you a 9 rather than 10) was that her eyes were shadowed which I thought made her look tired.
I could see this image on bilboards advertising sports stores. It's superb. Sell it to nike! :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 03:50:11 AM
The light is fantastic!! Congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 10:46:08 PM
I had no doubt where this would end up. Congrats on the blue! I kept staring at that crop that speaks action, that's what makes this so good imho.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 08:46:34 PM
congrats Allen, very professionally done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 08:21:31 PM
Ha! I was going to say... this might also be nightpixels. Ah, wonderful shot and lighting. Congrats on the blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 08:09:03 PM
Great Shot! Congrats on the well deserved blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 08:02:49 PM
WD Allen.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:49:05 PM
I thought this might be yours. Terrific light. I love that setup.
Congratulations Allen!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:45:06 PM
Yep. I'm so glad others saw the same that you and my 9 do. :D
Congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:32:51 PM
Yeah not a surprise one bit, congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:29:19 PM
Originally posted by FocusPoint:
You have a 2 for that? Oh for the love of.... freaks!

Very nice photo and lighting :)


My thoughts exactly! I finished in 10th and only have one vote below 5, this is an incredible image and was my pick for the blue and my highest scoring image in the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:26:46 PM
congrats.. interesting lighting..!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:08:35 PM
Congrats on the blue. This one had color all over it from the get-go :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:07:46 PM
Your lighting is so incredible! huge congrats on the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:06:30 PM
Brilliant, Allen. Congrats on the blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:06:21 PM
Amazing, my only 10 during this challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:04:08 PM
Very wonderful image. Great job! Congrats on the very well deserved blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:04:02 PM
Congrats Allen.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:02:15 PM
You have a 2 for that? Oh for the love of.... freaks!

Very nice photo and lighting :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
02/12/2012 06:31:06 PM
Softly intense.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 07:43:44 AM
Great lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 01:33:05 AM
Love the crop and almost everything else as well.My winner.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/11/2012 07:57:36 PM
Love this photo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/11/2012 02:09:36 AM
great lighting has to be nightpixels... i mean allenp, intense stare and excellent capture of teh ball being held or at the top of its bounce 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/09/2012 01:37:37 PM
Fabulous lighting!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/09/2012 11:24:22 AM
Excellent speedlight control. The subdued colours make it (as well as the stare down) very businesslike. I find the crop on her forehead unsettling.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/09/2012 07:16:27 AM
Where's the logo? This looks like an ad for Nike or Gatorade.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/09/2012 03:29:13 AM
Beautiful shot... but too staged for my taste
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2012 05:04:03 PM
Great lighting, pose, and composition, but that window in the upper left is frightfully distracting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2012 03:48:59 PM
This has the intensity of a Leo image. Beautiful light, although I'm not loving the grayish skin tones.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/07/2012 06:57:33 PM
A Set up shot, which will most likely ribbon. I do love that beam of light to the right.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/07/2012 02:11:27 PM
My choice for the blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/06/2012 03:02:42 PM
I like the idea and image overall. But do find the lighting style on her face, a little off. I'm not sure if it's processing or lighting, But It just has an unnatural, dirty look to it. Giving her a bit of a zombie look.
Still though an excellent concept and image. opportunity
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/06/2012 01:38:52 PM
(!)
Excellent.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/06/2012 01:05:49 PM
my favorite, you should be proud of this photograph - 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/06/2012 12:27:08 PM
Awesome lighting!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/06/2012 10:35:59 AM
Wow. Leo? If it's not Leo it's lit as if Leo had lit it, and that's a compliment. Captivating gaze, a bit of mystery. Excellent.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/06/2012 03:36:28 AM
Well done, this is an advertisement quality shot, the only thing missing is the company logo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/06/2012 03:27:17 AM
great photo...she looks so determined
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/05/2012 09:50:04 PM
Nicely set up 'studio' shot, but why cut off her head?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/05/2012 08:54:42 PM
If this doesn't win I will punch someone's face off of their face!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/05/2012 08:00:14 PM
Captivating shot. Cant escape that stare and love the stop action of ball in hand
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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