DLWS Kauai Final Shoot – Fire Knife Dancer

This is our final shoot from DLWS Kauai.  The location is Anini Beach; a quiet location with very calm water.  Besides the pleasant scenery; we were there for the main event – fire knife dancer Paul!

DLWS Kauai – Surf’s Up!

Our assignment for 3rd day morning was to take portraits of each other with and without flash.  Now this is more in my alley.  Our group decided to pool together our Nikon speed lights; this way, we would be able to overpower the ambient light and cycle really fast if we needed to.

DLWS Kauai – Koloa Sugar Mill

We were privileged to get permission to shoot at the old  Koloa Sugar Mill – said to be the first commercially successful sugar mill of Kauai island.  Founded in 1898, this was the happening place back then; unfortunately, all there is left now are some abandoned structures.  We were told all these will be torn down soon.  Locals call this place the ghost town.  You can hear all kind of weird noises as the wind howls through the mill.

DLWS Kauai – Hanalei Bay

Destination for day 2’s morning shoot was Hanalei Bay; near Princeville.  As usual, weather was completely unpredictable – we drove through rain, clear sky, then down pour all within 30 minutes or so.  Luckily the rain stopped when we arrived at the beach.

DLWS Kauai – Lost in Paradise

Well… we literally got lost. 

DLWS Kauai – ‘Opaeka’a Falls

Day 1 @ DLWS started at ‘Opaeka’a Falls 6 o’clock in the morning.  This is truly s spectacular location with steep canyon walls and jungle vegetation.  With the correct framing, no one can tell this was taken from a lookout right next to a busy road.  Now, someone decided to build a house right on top of the fall; which totally ruins the picture.  Thanks to Photoshop, no one seems to mind.  The problem for me (a people shooter) was –  I got bored really quickly.  I can frame the water fall so many ways before I realize it just doesn’t change very much. 

Sunset Shot from DLWS

I got this sunset picture while waiting for the lights to turn on at golden gate bridge.  It was shot with a Singh-Ray blue and gold polarizer; this is a neat little filter that turns your picture either gold or blue depending on how you turn the filter.  Again, I believe it was 1 or 2 stops under exposed for drama.

Golden Sunset over SF Bay

DLWS Day 3 PM Shoot – Golden Gate Bridge

For the final shoot of the workshop, we went to SF Marine Headlands for GGB’s night shot.  It’s actually really easy to do.  2 stop under exposed with camera on tripod.  The key is to wait for the perfect moment where the ambient balances the lights from the bridge and the cars.  Personal taste.

Golden Gate Bridge Sunset

DLWS Day 3 AM Shoot – Muir Woods

We got a break on day 3.  We got to wake up late – 6AM.  The destination s Muir Woods to get some forest scenes.  I found this little creek with flowing water and spent most of the time trying to get a sharp picture.  The problem is, I was shooting from a wooden bridge.  Every time someone walks by, the tripod shakes!

This is actually not a tricky shot:

– Wide angle lens.  So any aperture will get good depth of field.

– Polarizer.  Used to get rid of the reflections on the water.

– Slow shutter speed to bring out the white water.

Creek at Muir Woods

DLWS Day 2: Afternoon Shoot

We got a chance to shoot at San Francisco Fire Department’s station 34 on day 2.  What’s special about this station is that they have a cost rescue unit with a truck full of special gears for water rescue.  These are the brave people who would jump into the treacherous waters under the Golden Gate Bridge if they have to.

The lady in the picture is Trish Lee.  Joe McNally setup his large Lasolite white translucent  panel with multiple SB-900 flahses.  I decided to borrow his setup and quickly placed a single SB-600 flash behind the white panel.  You can’t go wrong when you follow master!  The trick to this shot is to balance the flash (which is coming from left side, above camera) and the ambient light (which is a combination of day light, truck tail lights, and the flashing gumball lights from the siren).  If the flash is too strong, then it will look unnatural.   If it is too weak, then Trish’s face and upper body will be too dark.

Trish - SFFD Station 34

Here is the lighting setup (Joe is standing behind the light stand).  Joe has his nice SB-900s clamped to the panel.  My little SB-600 is on the light-stand.

Lighting Setup