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Rebirth of the Bird at L’Atelier & Beyond Studio in Paris
Selection of portraits of model Rebirth of the Bird taken at L’Atelier & Beyond Studio in Paris, France.
Claire
I’m headed to Paris tomorrow for probably the last time this year. So in honor of that, here are some portraits I did with model, Claire aka RebirthoftheBird. A brilliant model, Claire has one of the most intense gazes I’ve ever seen, drawing immediate comparisons to alluring actresses like Penelope Cruz or Eva Green. Her look could cut glass! Can’t wait to shoot with her again.
These were taken at my favorite studio in Paris, L’Atelier & Beyond. It was the first studio I’d worked in in Paris and it remains my favorite to this day. Not only for the space itself, but the friendly staff. I consider the owner, Karine, a good friend. She always takes care of me and rolls out the red carpet whenever I’m in town for shoots. It feels like “my space”, a space where I can create at my best. The light feels right and the rustic backgrounds are reminiscent of old Paris. We often talk about gear feeling right to use, but I’ll take that notion farther and apply it to places as well. There are just some places where I feel my creativity can flourish and this is one such space. Honorable mentions being the studios I frequent in Düsseldorf and Prague. Paris as a whole always leaves me feeling inspired. Walking the streets and visiting the places frequented by artistic legends from Picasso to Avedon or Dior to Saint Laurent, fills me with a zest for creating and enjoying the process I don’t get anywhere else.
Closing thoughts at the end of this post. Hope you enjoy this set!
PHOTOGRAPHS
Model: Rebirth of the Bird @rebirthof.thebird
Studio: L’Atelier & Beyond @latelierandbeyond_studio
Location: Paris, France
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SONY FE 85MM f/1.4 GM II AND SONY FE 28-70 f/2 GM LENS
My favorite photo from this set. I told you, her look can cut glass. The intensity!
IN CLOSING
This set of images utilized a different approach to post-production than I’ve previously used. Usually I would edit the original in color then convert it to black-and-white in Capture One. However, I’ve found that Capture One alters the RAW image very differently than a .TIFF or .PSD file. Colors and/or tones don’t look the same. So I’m looking at my finished works and they don’t quite have the punch as my adjustments on the RAW files within Capture One.
To outline the old process: Global adjustments in Capture One > Export as a TIFF > Retouch in Photoshop > Bring final TIFF back into Capture One > Apply chosen Style of Preset > Export JPEG at various sizes for desired medium (e.g. social media, website, etc.)
The new process: Global adjustments in Capture One > Apply chosen style of preset > Export as a TIFF > Retouch in Photoshop > Bring final TIFF back into Capture One > Export JPEG at various sizes for desired medium (e.g. social media, website, etc.)
Below are two examples. The image on the left utilizes the old process, the image on the right uses the new process.
New process
Accurate color, contrast, and tones applied to the RAW file in Capture One.
Old process
Notice how faded it looks or the flatness of the white background?
The only downside is, I have to commit to a look. The old process would allow me to get both a black-and-white and color version of the same photo. This new method requires me to commit to one or the other. Or process both a black-and-white and color version which will have to be retouched independently. It’s more work, but yields a higher quality result overall. I’m still tinkering, but wanted to share my findings.
As for the shoot, it was a chill and fun vibe. I like my sessions to be low-stress affairs where people can come in, chat, chill, and create. This is not a high-pressure fashion campaign, but more of a personal, intimate setting which often results in portraits that feel relaxed and most importantly, authentic. As mentioned, I have more to come from this session, but hope you enjoyed these. Not every group of photos I post will be 15-20 image epics. Sometimes it’s just a handful. And sometimes, that’s enough.
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Olivia Linz at Ape Studios in Barcelona
Selection of fine art images of model and generational talent Olivia Linz taken at Ape Studios in Barcelona, Spain.
Olivia Linz. Easily one of the greatest models of all-time. I like giving people their flowers while they’re here.
I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the best models in the world. Truly. Maybe they’re not as famous as the supermodel, influencer ilk (not because of talent mind you), but man if these wonderful ladies and gents don’t bring their A+ game to shoots. Olivia Linz is one such person. I think she’s a generational talent. Every pose is effortless, delicate, and considered with the facial expressions to match.
To grow as a portrait photographer, it’s vitally important to work with people that help raise your game. From your team to the model in front of the camera. Especially the model. Olivia’s brilliant for this. No kidding, everytime we shoot, I feel like I go up another level. I approach the picture differently and consider options I may would have overlooked before. A great model can bring that out of you, just like a great photographer can bring something unique or surprising from the subject. That transfer of inspiration not only makes shoots fun, you also feel like you’ve grown as an artist from the experience. Isn’t that a big part of what it’s all about? Constantly pushing ourselves and seeing how we can improve shoot after shoot?
This set is from a previous trip to Barcelona and my first time working in the wonderful Ape Studios. It’s a beautiful space in a great location. The lighting and layout are perfect for my style of working and I really appreciated how clean the space was and how accomodating the staff were for our little shoot. The first time Olivia and I worked together, we were in a tiny studio in Lisbon, so it was great to work in a much larger studio to see what we could really do when giving the proper space. For portraits, a small space is fine, but I like a bit of room when shooting nudes.
I have enough images to create 3-4 sets from this single shoot, so here’s the first. I love these images. Sexy, sensual, yet refined and beautiful. Those four adjectives sum up the goal of my nude work. Or at least the goal I strive for when working.
Closing thoughts at the end of this post. Hope you enjoy this set!
PHOTOGRAPHS
Model: Olivia Linz @oliivaa_linz
Studio: Ape Studios @apestudi0s
Location: Barcelona, Spain
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SONY FE 85MM f/1.4 GM II AND SONY FE 28-70 f/2 GM LENS
This last image is one of my favorites. Just a happy accident when I saw her reflection in the window. Yeah, it’s out of focus, but that’s the whole point.
It was intentional I swear. ;-)
IN CLOSING
As you can see, I’m still using the same gear as mentioned in previous posts. I’ve been really happy with my kit, so no need to tread over old ground again.
Regarding the shoot, I had a bit of a struggle with the Instagram police when posting any images from this shoot. If Instagram even sees a hint of nipple or too much skin, my account gets flagged and it won’t show the post. So after removing several images from this set, I ultimately decided to just post a single image and those curious to see the rest can visit me here on the blog. I think we need to convince people to venture out of their social media bubbles anyway. I hate censoring my work on Instagram. Don’t get me wrong, I totally understand why. My work is not for children and my account is public, so in the spirit of decency, we censor to protect the children. And maybe the grandmothers. But it’s disappointing as some people won’t bother to click elsewhere and will only see one frame from the set. Guess I can’t worry about that too much. It’s beyond my control.
Creatively, things just flowed as normal. What differs with this group of images is I’ve change my post-processing style. I think this is the best style yet. I’ve been tinkering around with a new, more contrasty, almost Tri-X like style in Capture One. I love the tones in these. Dark shadows that aren’t muddy. Strong highlights that aren’t blown. Contrast that isn’t over done. Grain that gives the image texture and character. And when the right subject matter is featured? You have a winning combo. I even made a new color style as I’ve yet to be happy with any styles I’ve used that are supposed to have bold color. I basically want the depth and style of my black-and-white images, but in color! Is that so hard?! Thankfully I think I’ve cracked it. Expect to see more color images going forward.
Lastly, I know it’s been quite some time since I’ve posted on the blog. There are many reasons for this and I will go into more detail in a separate post. I haven’t gone anywhere, just had to shift focus for a bit to grow as an artist, but I’ll delve into it next week. An important announcement is coming soon.
A big thank you to Olivia. I’m not exaggerating when I say, it’s models like her that make me a better artist. I can’t thank them enough for sharing their creative energy with me and assisting in my growth. I’m scheduled to work with her again soon and I’m eager to see what we’ll come up with next. More sets from this shoot to come, but I hope you like these as much as I do!
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Nici at Kuuz Studio in Prague
Selection of portrait and fine art nude images of model Nici taken at Kuuz Studio in Prague, Czech Republic.
Love this photo so much, I posted a color version below. I think I prefer the black-and-white though. What do you think?
I have a few models I work with whenever I visit Prague. It’s a city I often like to begin my trips through Europe in. There’s something about the setting, the atmosphere, and my favorite studio, Studio Kuuz, that gets me excited to take photographs. And the models are phenomenal. Beautiful, creative, and enthusiastic about shooting. They help me do my absolute best work. I stress the importance of working with the best people you can, and my model Nici, in this set, is one such person.
This was our second time working together and I feel like we improved dramatically over our first session. Don’t get me wrong, the first shoot was great and I felt I improved as an artist. But I feel like we really raised our game even farther with this set. One thing I like about working with her is she understands posing and positioning so well. Not a finger or toe was out of place whenever she would pose, then pause in order for me to get the picture. She always knows where the light is and what angle she should be at for the best results which makes my job so much easier. I have to do considerably less directing and can get in a flow of capturing photographs as they occur naturally. It’s a very freeing experience and one of the benefits of working with experienced models over, say, regular people who will often need more directing. It’s also one of the reasons, I only shoot professional models for nude work. Who has time to deal with the awkwardness, insecurities, etc. of the average person who wants to pose because they think “it will be fun”? When you work with professionals they know themselves, they have experience, they understand what you’re trying to achieve, and everyone’s working to serve the photograph, not their individual vanity. Or at least that’s the environment I foster on my own shoots.
I would argue nude modeling is much more difficult than posing with clothing. Not to dismiss the hard work of fashion models, but posing nude requires such a higher awareness of where your limbs are. A misplaced hand here or there may still work in an image with clothing, but ruins a nude photograph. You can even hide limbs with clothing or accessories like handbags or some other prop the model can play off of. When posing nude, you don’t have that luxury. You have to play off of the space itself, be aware of the light’s position, and pay attention to your entire body. Plus hair and other anatomical parts for the women. It’s a skill not every one has and takes time to get better at. Not to mention, most people are uncomfortable posing nude altogether. It isn’t for the shy, prudish, or faint of heart.
A big thank you to Nici, who has helped me grow as an artist every time we’ve worked together.
Closing thoughts at the end of this post. Hope you enjoy this series!
PHOTOGRAPHS
Model: Nici @rici.pic
Studio: Kuuz Studio kuuz.studio_kosire
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SONY FE 85MM f/1.4 GM II AND SONY FE 28-70 f/2 GM LENS
IN CLOSING
Whenever I do shoots like this, I end up with thousands of images. These sessions last about 2-3 hours and I’m shooting nonstop. I’m not a spray and pray type of shooter, but when you work with such a great model, they’ll give you so many amazing opportunities to capture a great photograph, it makes sense I tend to shoot more than normal. This series is just a small sample from our shoot. There are many other images that work as either a series or as a one-shot, so I’ll be sharing those over time as well. It’s great to have options.
Equipment wise, I went with my trusty Sony A7RV, the new Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II (My favorite 85mm lens of all time), and the Sony 28-70 f/2 GM. The 28-70 is a beast of a lens, but I prefer its improved light gathering capability, sharpness, and character over the standard 24-70. The new 85mm is fantastic. So sharp and detailed with such a perfect rendering of faces. It is by far my favorite 85mm lens and one that stays in my kit for all shoots. I can do practically all my work with this trio of lenses. I’ve been so enamored with Sony’s lens offerings lately that I’ve sold all my third-party glass. I’m all in with Sony these days and I feel my creative life has been easier and more peaceful as a result.
I’ll be back in Prague next month and will probably shoot with Nici again. She’s essentially my muse there so you’ll be seeing a lot of shoots with her going forward.
Thank you again to Nici and Studio Kuuz. You bring out my best!
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Musings: May 23, 2025
Some musings while I’m away in Paris. Today I’ll be talking about technical difficulties, Panasonic’s new cameras, my new gear, and the unfortunate passing of master photographer Sebastião Salgado.
My mobile workstation. A lot going on in image. Capture One, K-Pop, a fine art nude, and Charlie Chaplin. What an odd combination.
I AM NOW EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES
Well if it isn’t Murphy’s Law, my old pal.
I’m writing this from my hotel room in Paris. Today, I woke up bright and early ready to finally post about my trip to Japan back in March. I spent a lot of time last week gathering images and on the day before my departure, I could have sworn I put the Capture One session on my hard drive with me. I get here and nope, they’re nowhere to be found. No worries! I can access my images remotely! I use an app that lets me access my computer back home. I fire it up and start exporting the files into Dropbox so I can access them here. I log in a few minutes later to check the progress and my desktop has several notifications telling me my hard drives have disconnected.
What the fu…
For hard drive storage, I use OWC’s Thunderbay enclosures. While they are fantastic for speed and durability, they have a fatal design flaw. The port where the Thunderbolt cable connects is too shallow so the cord will fall out if it isn’t support somehow (pressed against a wall for example). What’s probably happened is the cord fell out and now I can’t access those images. Not to mention I have some clients who need some photos retouched while I’m away.
Wait a second! This literally just dawned on me. I have an online backup of all my images.
I know this is starting to sound like an ad or something, but truthfully I figured it out. I should have copies of all my images in my Backblaze account. My entire computer is backed up to the cloud!
*checks account*
It works! Ah yeah, we’re back in business! I’m selling those Thunderbays when I get back. Never again.
Ok, ramble over. Here are some musings to hold you over!
RECENT PHOTOGRAPHS
Model: Iryna Berdnyk @irynaberdnyk
Studio: L’Atelier & Beyond @latelierandbeyond_studio
Location: Paris, France
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SONY FE 28-70MM F/2 GM AND SONY FE 85MM F/1.4 GM II
Some portraits of Iryna straight out of the camera from yesterday. I said she’s becoming my muse and it seems that prediction is coming true. We do great work together and it’s been exciting to see her growth as a model in such a short time. I’m wishing her all the success as a model. She really has the “it” factor.
This shoot was fun. We experimented with some different looks this time around and I tried some new lighting equipment that worked out far better than I imagined. Those coming in a future post.
After taking such a long break in April, I was a bit worried I would lose my improved skills, but I think it’s once you hit a certain level of artistry, it’s hard to go back to what you did before. Practically impossible once your technique is refined.
Expanding on that thought, think about drawing if you’ve ever drawn seriously before. In the beginning, say when you’re a child, your drawings are rough. Crooked lines, bad proportions, etc. But as you gain experience and put in years of practice, your drawing is considerably better. No more crooked lines. People look lifelike. You’ve mastered highlights and shadows. Even if you wanted to attempt to draw how you were when you were a kid, you’d be unable to. The muscle memory is so trained now that you couldn’t draw as rough as you did when you first started.
Photography is very similar. Once your eye is trained, refined, and nurtured, it’s hard to go back to the style of images you did in the beginning or even a short while ago. You’ve arrived in a new place and there’s no going back. That’s quite comforting I must say.
Anyway, my work is better now and I’m proud of that.
GEAR TALK
Panasonic’s Recent Camera Releases
The Panasonic Lumix S1 II. Finally. But probably too late.
I know I’ve been hard on Panasonic over the past year or so. It’s really from a place of love and disappointment than hate. They have so much potential, but have routinely dropped the ball. They’ve sort of let their passionate community of fans down over the past few years. “Mid” releases, radio silence on any upcoming product announcements, and abysmal customer service.
I’ve been saying these things for years and people downplay it. In light of their recent releases people are starting to wake up and have started calling them out. Comments sections on product announcements aren’t all rosy like in the past. Now people are asking hard questions and throwing scathing criticisims their direction. And the shills on YouTube and photography outlets will try their best to get everyone excited for their cameras.
The shills are the worst. Clickbait video titles, using words like “King of cameras”, “Masterpiece” is just hyperbole by a bunch of phonies who likely won’t actually own the camera, but will try to convince you to buy it. The shills deserve their own post, so I’ll end my criticism of them here for now.
For Panasonic, the excitement is gone. You’ve burned the consumer too many times and now they’re the worst thing they can be towards a brand, apathetic. The S1R II got announced and it had cool specs, but nothing to sell your Nikon/Canon/Sony for. The S1 II just got announced and while the specs are cool, it still doesn’t outdo Sony’s 4-year old FX3. Not to mention people are now calling Panasonic out on a huge oversight I’ve mentioned countless times: “Where are the lenses?”
It’s hard to recommend anyone investing in the ecosystem when all the other major manufacturers have a well-rounded first-party lens lineup. Panasonic has released no new S PRO glass since the first year of release! That’s pitiful. Sigma has come out with TWO versions of their 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN ART lens in that timeframe. They either don’t have the resources or ambition to keep up with the big players in the field. And that my friend is why they lose.
An easy win for them would have been to release a full-frame GX8 style camera with small lenses to match. In this era of social media and content creation, where every young photographer wants to be a street photographer, it’s a no brainer to release a small, stylish camera that can be used in that capacity. For the street/travel/hobbyist photographer. Nope, instead they release that pitiful, crippled Lumix S9 that they can’t even give away.
Panasonic, hear me: GX8 style body, full-frame sensor (maybe the one in the new S1 II), 4K 60P no crop, no overheating issues, small lenses. Profit.
So while some of their remaining customers have given in to full blown masochism, others with real professional and/or demanding needs have moved on. Buy anything but Panasonic these days bro. It’s over.
Some New Additions to My Gear Family
Before my trip, I picked up another Sony A7CR and FX3. I now have four cameras. Two A7RV’s plus these two. I know, I know, a bit excessive eh? I also bought a trio of new lenses. Two, count ‘em two, Sony 24-50 f/2.8 G lenses. And one Sony 16-25mm f/2.8 G Lens.
I’ll explain my equipment loadout:
A7RVs - My workhorses. They’re set up to shoot professionally. I just grab them and they help me produce the work I’m known for.
A7CR - My everyday carry/travel camera. It’s too risky to take my work cameras everywhere with me. When I’m traveling for shoots, I’d rather leave my workhorses where I’m staying and go with another camera that won’t be the end of the world if something happens to it. Sure there are cheaper options, but I still want the A7RV’s image quality. I’ve tried countless other small cameras, but despite my best efforts, I’m a bit of an image quality snob. No medium format though.
FX3 - My video camera. I’m not planning on shooting any film projects just yet, but I will be recording more behind-the-scenes video from my shoots as I work to build out my YouTube and other channels.
For the lenses, I have two 24-50’s as one will be on my A7RV at all times. It’s a perfect focal length for travel and everyday photography. The other will be used on the FX3 alongside it’s brother the 16-25. Those two small lenses handle all of my practical video needs.
While we’re talking lenses, I sold off all my Tamron lenses and have decided to shoot predominantly Sony glass. Don’t get me wrong, the Tamron’s were great in terms of size and affordability. However, in terms of image quality, I noticed a stark difference between them and some of my other lenses. The only third-party glass that remains in my kit is my Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro lens. That one delivers the same level of visual acuity as my Sony’s so it stays. I also prefer 100mm+ in terms of focal length for a macro lens. I’m not sure why 90mm Macro lenses are a thing. I digress.
My Dream Lens
Want.
The Sony FE 50-150mm f/2 GM Lens. $4,000 and absolutely beautiful. Zooms are so good now, you don’t experience the same quality drop versus primes as you did in the past. The Sony 28-70 f/2 GM is so good, I doubt I’ll buy an expensive 35mm or 50mm prime lens again. There may be times where I want the small size of a prime or the extra stop of light, but I don’t see the need for a 35mm or 50mm f/1.4 lens for the type of images I make. So my portrait photography kit would be the 28-70/f2 GM, the 85mm f/1.4 GM II and the new 50-150 f/2 GM lens. That would cover all my bases well into the future.
$4,000 isn’t anything to scoff at so I’ll be saving up for that one. It’ll probably be a Christmas gift to myself this year. Just put a little aside here and there over the next 6 months and it’ll be mine! Can’t wait to get one!
ON THE TOPIC OF TRAVEL
Traveling is fun, but in my opinion, overrated. It’s become such a thing people like to flex about as if they’re doing something spectacular. These days travel is fairly reasonably priced. If you save up, take advantage of some deals, you can travel. The downside for me is airports. In general they suck and plane rides are rarely comfortable unless you’re in fancy first class and even that is dependent on the accommodations provided by the airline. If you’re a photographer/creative, you may end up spending loads extra for bags to be checked then have anxiety hoping that all your equipment will arrive unscathed.
Then there are the time changes. I arrived in Paris on Wednesday, took a short 2 hour nap that evening and couldn’t sleep a wink that night. I literally stayed up all night and didn’t go to bed until midnight on Thursday. Finally, I feel more normal and adjusted to the time. Despite my best efforts, adjusting to the physical rigors of constant travel is something I’ll never quite get used to. It’s just a part of the experience at this point.
With that said, I won’t be doing any more traveling until September. I want to plant my feet for a bit and focus on things domestically before I jet off to another destination. I will travel within the US (Miami, LA, Mississippi, etc.), but unless a can’t miss opportunity presents itself, I won’t go abroad. I need to stay grounded for a while. There are a lot of things to work on and I’m unable to do that in the midst of traveling.
So for now, it’s Paris till Tuesday then off to Santorini for a bit.
I’m staying put once I return.
RIP SEBASTIÃO SALGADO
A brilliant photographer and by all accounts a wonderful person. RIP.
Today, master photographer Sebastião Salgado passed away at the age of 81.
I find his passing shocking after having gone to his exhibition in Barcelona back in March of this year. It was the first time I saw his work in person. Admittedly, I’ve known about his work for years, but never considered myself a fan. Don’t get me wrong, his work is brilliant. Masterful portrait, documentary, and landscape photography. It just wasn’t the type of work I was interested in early on, so I didn’t really follow his career as much as say Richard Avedon or Irving Penn.
However, after attending the exhibition, I came away with a newfound appreciation for his work and really started to understand his passion for the projects he pursued. Just look at these:
I could see myself pursuing similar projects in the future. Working with unique cultures and getting to meet such interesting people is a dream to a portrait photographer like myself. Yeah, there’s definitely a lot I could learn from Mr. Salgado.
The photography world has lost one another of the few remaining masters of the craft. We must appreciate them while they’re here and never forget them as people nor the contributions they’ve made to this wonderful art form.
Godspeed Sebastião Salgado. Prayers for you, your family and friends.
I NEED YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS
As I’ve mentioned branching out into YouTube and having my own workshop eventually, I’m looking for questions from photographers regarding portrait photography. What are some of the things you would like to learn or know more about? Leave a comment below or shoot me a message on Instagram. I want to compile a fairly comprehensive list as I build the curriculum for the workshop and come up with topics for tutorial posts. Your contributions will be much appreciated!
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Iryna Berdnyk at Sala 86 Studio in Lisbon
Selection of portrait and fine art images of model Iryna Berdnyk taken at Sala 86 Studio in Lisbon, Portugal.
Sometimes I have the pleasure of working with a model that is just a natural. Every pose, every expression is effortlessly on the money. That’s the feeling I get when working with Iryna Berdnyk, a model who, in a lot of ways, is quickly becoming my muse. I discovered her from the work she did with an amazing portrait photographer, Ela Asanova (@ela.asanova). It was a beautiful black-and-white portrait series that stays in my inspiration folder till this day. I just had to work with her. I’m someone who doesn’t mind traveling for the opportunity to work with certain people and Iryna is worth it.
She’s amazing. Funny, creative, and so easy to photograph. She can just be sitting in a chair doing nothing and it looks like she’s posing. And her face! A portrait photographer’s dream.
On my last trip to Portugal we had the opportunity to work together. This time in a new studio, Sala 86 in Lisbon. I’m always a little cautious when booking different spaces as I’m unsure how the lighting and layout will work for a particular shoot, but all worries were put to rest soon as I walked in. Everything was designed and laid out so meticulously. So intentionally. I snapped a bunch of photos on my phone and put it in an ever expanding folder I have of studios that have design elements I’d love to use in my own studio someday.
What was also interesting is that the studio is on the ground floor of the building. You’d think it wouldn’t get good light when compared to studios that are on a higher floor, but the light was beautiful the entire time. Very soft, directional, and painterly. I think this was also helped by the fact the studio has pieces of diffusion paper over the windows, helping to cut down the harshness of the direct sun. Brilliant idea and something I’d never seen done at a studio before. I took note of it.
Iryna was great at modeling in the space. Sala 86 had both a large empty space and an area with couches, tables, etc. For some, a large open area can be difficult to model in, because there aren’t a lot of elements to play off of. But a great model can make the most of it. Whether it’s an empty room or small closet, the best models can instinctively calculate what poses will produce the best results for the setting. Once she understood my composition(I routinely show the models the photos throughout the shoot), she did the calculations in her head and made it look easy. I just had to aim the camera and shoot. Can’t wait to work with her again!
Closing thoughts at the end of this post. Hope you enjoy this set!
PHOTOGRAPHS
Model: Iryna Berdnyk @irynaberdnyk
Studio: Sala 86 @86__sala
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SONY FE 28-70MM F/2 GM AND SONY FE 85MM F/1.4 GM II
IN CLOSING
For this shoot I added two new lenses to my kit. The new Sony 28-70 f/2 GM and 85mm f/1.4 II GM. Before committing to the purchase I pondered medium format for a few days, but didn’t want to deal with the slow speed, larger files, and bulkier, heavier equipment. No, I wanted to continue with my A7RV’s, but I felt they needed some lens upgrades.
So I got rid of the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN(a lens I didn’t love but tolerated - the distortion is awful) and Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens(a lens I adored) in favor of Sony’s newer options. I wanted the zoom for its versatility and wider depth of field over other zooms in the range. And the new 85mm for its improved sharpness, focusing speed, and unique rendering.
I tell you I have no regrets.
This combo is heaven. Both lenses are super sharp and quick to focus in the often low light conditions I’m shooting in. When working I often use two cameras, one with each lens attached. On shoots like these, I don’t bother with lens changes, I just grab the other camera. It keeps me in the moment and speeds up my workflow. Both lenses receive my seal of approval. They’re phenomenal.
On another note, someone recently commented on my nude photography saying:
“I really love your nude work. It’s nude, but it doesn’t feel raunchy or suggestive. But more beautiful if that makes sense? Like art.”
A description I’m humbled by and one I would agree with. That’s intentional.
Nudity can often tow a fine line between being beautiful or even pornographic. Posing, facial expressions, and even the location can influence the viewer’s impression. Not to mention their own ingrained thoughts and feelings about nudity. No matter what, to some, it will always be too much. They see a naked body and immediately check out or pass judgement. And that’s okay, to each their own.
I try to find a balance with my own nude images. Some are artsy and some are provocative while being tasteful. I think you can do artsy without being boring. And sexy without being raunchy. And in the end, it comes down to what you’re comfortable with and the sort of photographs that move you.
I’ll probably add a few images from this set to this post so come back on Monday just in case!
A big thank you to Iryna for another amazing shoot. More to come.
Hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below!
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