The making of a Ballerina Portrait {Bozeman Portrait Photographer}

I had the privilege to meet and befriend several talented local photographers at my workshop in Butte a few weeks ago.  When we headed to our respective homes on Sunday, we were eager to stay connected and work together in the future.  So I was thrilled when Rab Cummings called me up to see if I’d be interested in helping him with a shoot last weekend.  Rab is very into studio photography, which is a completely different animal than on-location natural light photography.  My equipment basically consists of a camera and a few lenses (and some minor support like batteries and memory cards).  I can load everything up in a bag that I can swing over my shoulder and carry with me as I’m running around the park to photograph my little portrait subjects!  Studio equipment consists of backdrops and stands and lights and flooring and extension cords and light meters and on and on.  And it barely fits into an SUV.

I was eager to learn a little more and get a peek at how some of his stunning images are created.  Contrast me at one of my typical photo shoots (all my gear is visible in that photo):

(photo courtesy Erin Cobb Photography)

With the set-up at Rab’s photo shoot (all carried in from the car by him!):

Although I didn’t help carry the equipment in, I did help set up, with Rab giving me a studio-lighting tutorial along the way.  When the gorgeous models from the Montana Ballet Company arrived and the shooting started, I helped out holding some lights (and grabbed a few shots with my own camera in the other hand!):

I even stepped out from behind the umbrella for a few more shots of my own.  My camera wasn’t equipped to work with the studio lighting, so I was left to take advantage of the backdrop, some natural light from a lone window, and lots of post-processing photoshop magic to achieve a look different from any other shooting I’ve done, but that is impressive none-the-less.

Stunning.  Just simply stunning. . . there is certainly something to be said for studio photography, eh?