{Self-Portrait Project} You're Next

exposure: 1/4000sec f/stop: 2.8 iso: 400

Hi everyone! In the spirit of Halloween I thought I would do a self-portrait that would fit with the occasion. I was sort of going for a Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th) or one of those slasher film villain looks. I wanted to be holding a machete or a huge knife or even an axe to add more to the photo but I didn't have any and a small kitchen knife wouldn't do. Anyway, Happy Halloween!

I took this photo with my camera mounted on a tripod turned slightly turned on its side to get a bit of a tilt in the photo. I used two flashes with red gels on light stands behind me and the camera was triggered via a remote cable.

Gear used:

- Sony a77 with Carl Zeiss 24-70mm 2.8 lens attached

- two flashes with red gels (HVL-F58AM & HVL-F43AM) 

- two light stands 

- remote cable

- tripod 

{Snapshots} Zombie Walk

Hi everyone!

It's been quite a while since I've done a snapshots post but today I'm bringing it back in a lead up to Halloween. From Hyde Park to Elizabeth street to Prince Alfred Park a swarm of zombies plagued the streets, stopped traffic, chased civilians and invaded a 7/11 store. Everyone was in great character, moaning and growling and it was one of the most funniest and the most unique walk I've ever did. Can't wait for the next one. Enjoy the pics!

{Self-Portrait Project} Night Drive

exposure: 1/640sec f/stop: 2.8 iso: 200

Hi everyone! I used to drive around a lot to the city and pretty much anywhere at night taking photos in different places or just hanging out with friends. I was more a nocturnal person compared to what I am now, getting up at four in the morning to take photos. I guess this photo is a tribute to my old nocturnal life.

I took this photo in my car with my camera set on a tripod in the driver's seat facing the back. I used two flashes, off-camera on light stands. One was outside next to the door I was facing and the other was at the back of the car. I used a remote cable to trigger the camera and flashes. I didn't actually take this self-portrait in the city. It is instead two photos in one, where the city background was taken a long time ago and I my self-portrait was taken today. I merged the photos together in photoshop to the best of my ability (my photoshop skills aren't that great) and this is the final result.  

Gear used:

- Sony a77 with Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f2.8 lens attached 

- two flashes (HVL-F58AM & HVL-F43AM)

- orange gel

- two light stands

- remote cable

- tripod

{Self-Portrait Project} Hola!

exposure: 1/15sec f/stop: 2.8 iso: 200

Hi everyone! Or shall I say hola! The past couple of days, the weather in Sydney has been great but unfortunately, I'm a bit sick so I actually haven't had the chance to go out that much so here is just a simple random self-portrait of myself with a very cheesey smile in the studio with one of those comic like speech bubbles. I have an idea to do something like this with speech bubbles later on but we'll see if that goes on ahead.

The photo was taken with my camera mounted on a tripod triggered with a remote cable. The speech bubble is on one of my light stands which I edited out in photoshop. I also used a simple bounce flash.

Gear used:

- Sony a77 with Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f2.8 lens attached

- one flash (HVL-F43AM)

- remote cable

- tripod

{Self-Portrait Project} Grief

exposure: 1/4000sec f/stop: 2.8 iso: 400

Hi everyone! This photo is dedicated to anyone that has had or knows anyone that has had to deal with a physiological disease or a mental health illness. Everyone reacts to it differently. Some may get angry, some may become depressed, some people carry the burden on their shoulders with a smile or others can deny and refuse to accept that there is a problem. I think my reaction if I ever had something like that is feel completely alone and lost in my thoughts. I recently lost a relative to cancer and though I miss her, I know she's in a better place.

RIP Lola

Also note that today is world mental health day where its main goal is to create awareness and educate people on mental health. It can affect anyone but it can be treated effectively because the support is there.

I took this photo with my camera on a tripod and a remote cable. Wireless flash was used attached to an Orbis ring light to the left of the camera. Converted to black and white in photoshop.

Gear used:

- Sony a77 with Carl Zeiss 24-70mm 2.8 lens attached

- one flash (HVL-F58AM)

- Orbis ring flash

- remote cable

- tripod

{Self-Portrait Project} Bowl diving

exposure: 1/250sec f/stop: 14 iso: 200

Hi everyone! I was at home deciding what kind of photo I should take for this week's self portrait but after much deliberation it was already night time so I couldn't do what I wanted. Make this a lesson to myself to always plan my shots ahead. I ended up thinking of what kind of shots I actually do like which are mainly fast action water shots. So I filled a bowl of water, poured some milk to get some color into it and plunged my head in.

I set it up on a couple of jars to get the level right, pre-focused the camera and had my remote cable ready to take the photo. I was using my external flash mounted on the camera as well. You can't actually see all of my right hand but I was holding the cable to trigger the shutter. I only took one shot because this made a huge mess after the splash and I got in a bit of trouble with all the water everywhere but it was worth it.

Gear used:

- Sony a350 with Carl Zeiss 24-70mm 2.8 lens attached

- one flash (HVL-F43AM)

- remote cable