Original subtitles

Good day,

let's start now this series of videos

to explain how we got to the final shot.

Many times that is the process we might find difficult.

We get to a place and, what calls our attention?

On this occasion I will show you this photo

that was done on a workshop I gave in Bali

along with another Photographer, James Day.

We had a great time, it was an interesting event

because most of the attendees had already

6 or more years of photography experience.

I don't really like -I get frustrated- by doing photos

in front of other photographers.

Workshops is what I feel more nervous about

because is all about showing what you have been explaining

and it is the reason why they are all there.

But achieving an iconic image, in front of so many people

it is kind of intimidating. But, lets do this.

I will show you where this photo came from.

The workshop was in a two-storey house

the talk was on the first floor and upstairs we had

something like a mezzanine.

Since I got there these stairs caught my attention,

"They're cool" I said.

But it is very obvious using the stairs in such an ordinary way;

the classic photo of the bride on the spiral stairs...

So, I am always thinking on: "How can I break that cliché?"

"How can I leave the routine of making an ordinary-stairs photo"?

So, I will show you here...

This is the contact sheet,

This was the first idea: to split the grooms,

leave them with clean spaces between them

And the bride was standing and I asked her to lean,

as if she was doing an "L" with her body.

And I liked that idea.

As you can see, I always try that...

I try to have different expressions of the person that is on focus.

In this first one he was looking up,

in this second one I asked him to be in a more "zen" mode

looking directly into the camera, more serious

and then I started to make some noises for him to have a reaction.

She was still. It was amazing how she

could fold herself like that.

And... we were developing that idea

and, as you know, I shoot a lot.

And then we did this:

You can see here how the bodies are positioned

-I need to do a cut right here-

He was on the opposite,

-there was someone up here holding his legs,

as if he were doing crunches.-

So, it was a little hard and tired for him,

we did several attempts,

as you can see, he could not stand,

so he had to return to normal position.

Then, we tried again. Now she was with her eyes opened.

This was the final photo.

But this was the attempt.

I mean, the idea was a clean background

-I always try a clean background-

and to play with the geometry of the place.

I will now move to Lightroom

to show you the process of the edition.

I will go step by step here.

This was the original shot.

Then I tried to level the shot

because I always cut them...

And little by little I cleaned the things that

I don't think are worth showing up.

Rearrange.

I applied my "Arre Lulú" preset

I played a little bit with the curve.

Here I saw which "curve profile"

I liked the most within my own preset.

I started playing. I used Krishnas, I used mine...

And at the end I used...

-Here I am still with the curve points settings-

As you can see it was just about applied the preset

and then playing with the curves.

I was asked about the "Develop Presents"

and I really like that, that you can apply a preset,

then you can apply a curve, and then you can apply...

-I missed this part-

The profile.

So, profile/curve and the preset itself

will give you different shades.

In this occasion, I used "Samm Blake" curve

Then I played with high lights here,

I put more light on her,

I lowered the exposure a little,

-just to not make it so obvious- and that's it.

I cleaned this part with Photoshop

-I felt it was dirty- This part too.

So, yes, I always start with a preset, guys.

I use the "Arre Lulú" and, from there I modify that preset,

playing with curves and with the other photographer profiles.

So, yes... This was the idea, the concept.

A simple stair.

This guy shared a photo in this group that I am in...

Here is another part of the stairs,

of what we was using it for.

So, that's what I want you all to see:

How is that something so ordinary and so obvious,

if you have an idea of what you want to do,

you can go beyond of the image itself.

It took me about... let's count the images...

It took me 49 photos that were taken in...

From 4:27 to... 4:31.

It took us 4 minutes to mature an idea.

So, I ask you guys that: when you are in your shots

please, go slow.

We feel like time goes extremely fast

and we need to calm down "The beast" telling us:

"Change your location" "They are noticing that you

have no idea of what you are doing"

That will always happen, Raza.

So, calm down,

find those things that make your photos "unique"

and let them mature step by step.

Venga. Let's do this! Have a great day and...

¡Éxito Raza!.