Spring Flower Set

On March 21st, I did a spring-themed session with the lovely Anastasia. I have had this set up in my head for months, and needed to execute it, so I could move on to other thoughts.

For this session, I used:

Photography Equipment	Props/Miscellaneous
Cannon R6 24-105 mm Lens Transmitter/Trigger 2 Phottix Strobes 2 Cannon Speed Light 2 c-stands 1 Backdrop stand 1 white backdrop Sandbags 2 umbrellas Clamps 2 Pink gels Spyder color checker Laptop Teather cable	2 Gold flower stands 2 Gold flower planters Spring flowers (daffodils & tulips) 3 Trellises Astroturf Styrofoam Posing block

The setup

The image in my head was of a garden full of daffodils and tulips with a trellis.  I don’t have access to a garden like that, so I made my own with fake flowers, a trellis, and astroturf. Note, all the materials were from earlier shoots, because I repurpose and reuse, especially the flowers.

I started with the white backdrop, then added the green astroturf. I then place the trellises to make a mini alcove.  I then placed plant stands on either side of the trellis and placed large planters on those. From there, I arranged bunches of flowers on Styrofoam blocks to create mini flower beds.  I added the posing block to give the model a place to sit.  Finally, I draped some flowers and ivy on the trellis, so it didn’t look so empty.  

For lighting, I place a speed light with a pink gel on the ground at the back corners of the astroturf, pointed at the backdrop at a 45-degree angle to light the backdrop.  I then placed a strobe with a bounce umbrella at the left-hand corner of the astroturf to act as the main light. I then placed the second strobe with a bounce umbrella about 15 degrees off center behind me to act as a fill light.  The goal was to make these images light and airy.  I wanted to add a little softness and glow with a black pro mist filter, but it wasn’t the right size for the lens I was using.  

Camera Settings

For this session, I used ISO 100, with an aperture of F8 and a shutter speed of 1/200s. My focal length ranged from 32mm to 85mm, with the most common being 39mm.  

The Photos

With studio sessions, I get to make adjustments to one photo and carry them through the whole set.  This makes editing easier because I can just make minor tweaks to the photo and adjust the crop as needed.  I started by adjusting the exposure and white balance of the test image with the color checker.  I then adjusted the clarity and contrast to ensure those were correct before running it through the color checker software to ensure the colors were correct.  From there, I removed any minor blemishes, filled in gaps in the flowers, and made any minor adjustments.  Finally, I applied a blue/blue color grade to the image, which toned down the pink coloration in the whites and skin tones.   While I love the pink in the background, it was a bit overpowering and needed to be toned down slightly to make the final images work.

We did two different dress looks with the same set, which resulted in two different vibes: the first being a classic Regency garden look, and the second being a more modern romance vibe.

These first two images are classic Regency era-inspired looks. (Amazon has some decent Regency era-inspired gowns.) The first portrays reading in the garden and maybe being disturbed by a ruckus on the lawn. I loved the idea of using one of the flowers as an impromptu bookmark.   The second image, I feel, is a very classic image that could easily be a painting, with the over-the-shoulder look.  The expression gives the impression of being all done with little games of the “season”.

These last two images are after the wardrobe change to a more modern yet just as romantic outfit.  These images are light and romantic, and I feel they could be ads for some perfume with a soft floral bouquet of peonies, roses, and a hint of orange blossom, with a name like ‘Rosee d’Ame’ or the ‘Last Bloom’. In the first image, the background speed lights didn’t fire, but I think the image still works.  While the second image I added a little haze too, in order to make the image a little softer and dream-like.

The Wrap Up

In general, I like how this session turned out. Anastasia was awesome as always. She nailed the mood of both outfits, with refined elegance for the first and dreamy romance for the second. I’m not happy that my speedlights kept misfiring, but that is a known issue I am working to fix; replacing them will cost.  When I use this set again, I think I want to go for a painted floral or textured background to help sell the garden feel a little more.  I contemplated ordering a floral backdrop, but didn’t really like anything I saw online.  Also, I noticed I need to raise my lights higher and move them a bit farther away to keep the shadows off the background. While they are not directly noticeable and add a bit of texture to the background, I’m not overly fond of them.  Also, I think I want to work some tulle into the set, instead of the flower garland and ivy, or alternatively, I just need more ivy.   

You can see all the images from this session here: Spring Flowers.

 

Credits:

Model: Anastasia (@brunklestein)