Light, Shadow, and Emotions
Capturing Light, Shadow, and Emotions - Part 2
Welcome to this week's inspiring edition of "Behind the Picture Magazine!”
Last week's captivating photo assignment left a lasting impression, igniting our creative spark.
This week, our talented contributors have once again crafted captivating photos that artfully capture the interplay of light and shadow within their chosen niche.
Assignment Brief
Take the same approach that you’ve taken with your light and shadow self portrait and apply that to behind the camera, shooting your niche using dramatic light and shadow.
bonus if you show emotion. Or
show a product or
add a twist.
this is your niche photographed using the contrast of light and shadow.
no self-portraits allowed.
horizontal.
Ready to be blow away by the results?
Let’s immerse ourselves in this week's inspiring photo assignment submissions.
Mike Morrison
Where did you draw inspiration from to create your photo?
I looked through images on the Behance website for inspiration that evolved into my own creation.
How do you handle reflections and glare when photographing vehicles?
I use a circular polarizer to reduce glare when needed.
Did you face any particular challenges during this assignment?
My greatest challenge was this being shot in my garage and lacking space.
I used a 10-foot black backdrop behind the bike to block out background clutter and did direct light painting.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start incorporating vehicles into their photography?
You need a lot of space, scout and plan ahead, be aware of surroundings, background obstacles like poles, stop signs, etc that don't add to the image.
For day assignments use the Photopills or similar apps to see where the sun will fall on your vehicle during the shoot.
For more from Mike be sure to visit his Social Contacts.
Morrison Auto Photography (Instagram)
Amund Thompson
Where did you draw inspiration from to create your photo?
While building my mood board for this shoot, photographer Mark Mann was a standout for my inspiration.
I find his style and use of light breathtaking.
Did you face any particular challenges during this assignment?
My constant challenge lately has been getting models or willing subjects.
I lucked out on this as he is a friend and neighbor.
My issue with this shoot directly was getting a perfect white background.
I wanted to achieve this without having to muck around in post work.
Can you share a memorable experience from this photo session?
We had a great time reconnecting; we’ve been friends for a couple decades but haven’t been in touch lately.
What advice would you to aspiring portrait photographers?
Repetition is incredibly important, I also found that doing these weekly assignments with the instant feedback loop is what has pushed me to feeling much better about my work.
I don’t know about you, but I’m my own worst critic!
For more from Amund be sure to visit his Social Contacts.
Steve Bourdeau
Where did you draw inspiration from to create your photo?
I'm not sure where the inspiration came from exactly, but the vision was to replicate light coming through a large window or door into a dark room, creating the dramatic shadow across the wall.
I envisioned this shot to accompany a story of an artist existing in a dark place in life and looking to a brighter future.
Did you face any particular challenges during this assignment?
Creating that diagonal shadow proved to be pretty difficult, and I still wasn't able to get the sharp hard shadow I was looking for.
That is something I'll have to continue to figure out.
How did you make your subjects feel comfortable during this photo session?
I have been working with this subject for over a year now in the Navy so the familiarity definitely helped.
While shooting, I showed him what it was looking like and gave instruction to on how to improve the shot.
Making the subject feel like they are part of the process is important, because they truly are part of the team that makes the magic happen.
What advice would you to aspiring portrait photographers looking to incorporate using light and shadow in their work?
If you have a vision, try to make it a reality.
Focus on the light you are using/creating and how it interacts with objects to create shadows.
When it comes to exposure, decide what you want to emphasize, whether it be the light or the shadow, and expose a bit lower than you think in order to emphasize the shadows without sacrificing detail in the subject.
For more from Steve be sure to visit his Social Contacts.
Ana K
Where did you draw inspiration from to create your photo?
My initial inspiration came from Banksy's graffiti piece "Girl with a Heart Balloon."
Since it was also the first week of school, I decided to merge these two elements for this shot, blending art with a sense of new beginnings.
Did you face any particular challenges during this assignment?
Shooting with young kids is always fun, but it can be tricky.
You need to come prepared with snacks and promises of exciting rewards.
I also relied on natural sunlight for the shadow effect, and fortunately, it was a sunny evening.
Can you share tips for capturing subjects in natural movement?
For capturing natural movement, I recommend using burst mode with focus tracking enabled.
Be patient and repeat shots multiple times to catch those perfect, candid moments.
What were the camera settings & gear you used for this photo?
For this shot, I used an 85mm lens with an aperture of f/6.3, a shutter speed of 1/640s, and natural sunlight as the main light source.
Could you share a brief story behind the photo?
This photoshoot was a family affair. The subject in the photo is my niece, Nika.
Originally, both Nika and her brother were posing, but when her brother got upset and wandered off to play, Nina stepped up as the star of the shoot.
It's always good to have a backup plan!
For more from Ana K be sure to visit her Social Contacts.
Mats Karlsson
Where did you draw inspiration from to create your photo?
I’m not sure where the inspiration came from for this photo.
It was more about using what was available for the time and doing something with those components.
Sunset, the model and the location. I knew the location had great light at sunset.
So that was really the starting point and then trying different poses and angles.
What emotion were you conveying with your photo submission?
I am a calm person, and I think that is being reflected in my photos.
Being calm most of the time, I have to say I was a bit stressed at this photo shoot because of the light disappearing during sunset.
But I would say the picture conveys calmness.
Can you share a memorable experience from this photo session?
Well, we were a bit late to the scene.
Didn’t exactly know when the light I wanted would show up.
We came just about when the light was perfect, so we had to work fast.
We managed to shoot about 140 pictures in 4-5 places with different poses in 20 minutes.
I knew we had some nice pictures, so we celebrated work-well-done with ice-cream in old town, Stockholm, which is close by.
A good summer night!
Did you face any difficulties with this week's assignment?
Well, the place I chose for this picture has a wall leaning towards me.
That made it a bit difficult in post to make a final photo without the leaning wall look strange.
I was struggling a bit on the shoot with different distances with the double spread in mind as well as the leaning wall, trying to achieve straight lines in the photo.
A bit stressful, I must admit.
For more from Mats be sure to visit his Social Contacts.
Mats Karlsson Photography (Instagram)
Best In Show
Justin Mitchell
How do you feel about winning Photo of the Week and Best in Show this week?
I was actually really surprised.
There were so many great photos for that week.
I liked mine but I didn't think it would be POTW.
I was actually going for an action shot in this shoot but in the end I felt better about this portrait shot in the same session.
Where did you draw inspiration from to create your photo?
I had started following the work of some sports portrait photographers (aka "sportraits"!) on youtube, especially with the use of strobes during the day.
Can you share a memorable experience from this photo session?
The talent is my youngest son and I have to say thay the effort he put into this shoot was amazing.
Originally I wanted to capture him diving and saving the ball in the goal area and so we started the shoot with him diving with the ball.
He must have gone through at least 50 dives... landing on the ground, no cushions or mats!
So for me, his determination for us to get the right shot is what I'll remember the most.
And in future I'm going to have to find some sort of mat for him or any other model to dive on.
Did you face any difficulties with this week's assignment?
A few. I had originally wanted the afternoon sun in the background (either as a smooth rounds light source or sunstar) and when we got to the field, the only goal available was facing the wrong way.
So we had to drag it around 180 so I could get the sun in the background, and line it up with some lines to make it look in place.
Then, by the time we set up the lights etc and tested etc, the sun went behind the clouds for the rest of the shoot... so we had to readjust for no sunlight.
Another funny thing happened...
I was shooting with two strobes, set opposite each other, and there was a time when I was trying to cut down the front light and as I was dialing it down it just wasn't affecting the shot, until I just turned it off...
That's when I realized I had the A and B lights swapped around!
Amateur hour!
What advice would you give to aspiring photographers?
Just practice and practice as much as you can.
I'm on a bit of a strobe learning curve at the moment so I've been watching lots of videos and then physically getting all my gear out and shooting and practicing what I've watched.
The more I do it, the more it starts to feel natural and that helps when I'm actually doing a shoot.
And on the lighting thing, it helps me to try to replicate photos I like...
It makes me analyze the photo and try to work out where the lights were placed, how they're modified etc..
I find that really helps me.
Has the Carty Method played a part in your creative growth?
Yes, definitely.
I look at photography completely differently now and I'm working more on making photos rather than taking them...
Thinking about what I want to make, then the process and paying attention to all these details that I had never thought about.
I also have a different viewpoint to my photography now, focussing more on making it a business rather than just going out and taking photos with no "viable" commercial objective...
This is key.
For more from Justin be sure to visit his Social Contacts.
Géran Raath
How do you feel about winning Photo of the Week and Best in Show so consistently?
It’s a great honor.
I am very pleased to produce work that Carty sees value in.
The competition is so strong that I have to pull out all the stops with every submission.
Where did you draw inspiration from to create your photo?
This was a real headscratcher for me.
I wanted to try various concepts but remembered Carty’s voice - “focus on your niche.”
I’ve wanted to do an eyewear shot for my portfolio for a long time, so this was the perfect challenge to get that done.
How did you manage reflections and shadows in this product shot?
I used a large piece of diffusion overhead and did not put any direct light on the glasses.
I also angled them so that the reflection was of the diffusion material giving a nice gradient in the lenses.
For the shadow, I had a dark background that I kept the diffused light off of but it was too simple, so I cut the shadow with a snooted light to create more depth.
Did you face any difficulties with this week's assignment?
It’s becoming easier to avoid major challenges with Carty’s training.
However, the background light was a bit flat.
So, I added haze with a smoke machine to make it a bit creamier.
What advice would you like to give to our aspiring photographers this week?
Keep shooting, join the Carty Method.
There are so many awesome mentors in there to help you get better.
I have learned so much in the short time I’ve been in the community.
Has the Carty Method played a part in your creative growth?
Absolutely! It’s my go-to for problem-solving and inspiration every day.
For more from Géran be sure to visit his Social Contacts.
Geran Raath Photography (Instagram)
Do you want to have your work reviewed by a 34yr pro?
Subscribe to CARTY on YouTube
Join the Carty Method Photo Reviews
If you're ready to elevate your photography skills, cultivate a winning mindset, and become part of a vibrant, supportive community, subscribe to CARTY on YouTube and go to TheCartyMethod.com and join the Carty Crew Community.
For those looking to submit their work and receive professional feedback, Carty’s Photo Reviews is the perfect opportunity.
New to what CARTY is doing?
👉🏾 Carty a Pro Photographer, Director, and Educator based in Toronto, CA.
His goal is to educate and connect a global network of visual creators.
👉🏾 Mindset shifts and Immersive Pro Education on YouTube 👈🏾
Learn more about CARTY and see his work at 👉🏾 SteveCarty.com
Join his photographers community 👉🏾 TheCartyMethod.com/community
Work with him 👉🏾 theCartyMethod.com
Subscribe to Behind the Picture Magazine to see the best new photographers from all over the world level up right before your eyes. Weekly photographer transformations are happening right now.
Become a smarter photographer in 5m a week by Subscribing to CARTY on Substack.
A Life Behind the Camera. (Over 1700 Subscribers)
Watch the live replay of this photo submission
Carty is a Pro Photographer, Director, and Educator based in Toronto, CA.
His goal is to educate and connect a global network of visual creators.
👉🏾 Mindset shifts and Immersive Pro Education on YouTube 👈🏾
Learn more about him and see his work at 👉🏾 SteveCarty.com
Join his photographers community 👉🏾 TheCartyMethod.com/community
Work with Him 👉🏾 theCartyMethod.com
The Carty Method Instagram @TheCartyMethod
Congratulations 🎉 Such wonderful work!