Balance
May 21, 2023 14:14:51 #
Balance:
(The ability to control the placement of the body's center of gravity in relation to its support base.)
I've worked with numerous Yoga practitioners over many decades who have shared their love and mastery of this ancient spiritual and fitness paradigm. While the Lion's share of athletic pursuits bring a burden i.e. liability of injury to the table. Yoga is a stand out since it has long enjoyed a reverence amongst the medical community as therapeutic rehabilitation.
Commonly known as Sports medicine, Neuromuscular medicine etc Yoga has countless centuries of proven success. I recently was prescribed extensive PT (Physical Therapy) by my pain management specialist (Licensed MD) following a complex spinal fusion of C4; C5; C6 and C7... I was amazed that the movements, duration and intensity actually mirrored what I had learned in my many years of Yoga practice. The duration/intensity were virtually a direct mirror of specific Yoga postures I had practice over the years.
Important Note: I've also worked with a myriad of Ballerinas all who immediately warmed up before their photo shoots on the variety of Yoga mats I have in the studio. All stated that without Yoga the continuation their ballet careers would not have been possible. Each and everyone had been professional trained in Yoga (no exceptions).
While females tend to out number males (my experience) in Yoga Studios by at least 5 to one there are indeed many gifted gentlemen Yoga practitioners who's skill set eclipses all but a precious few lady Yoga practitioners.
It's never too late to begin a Yoga practice, albeit this is one fitness pursuit that definitely should not be self taught. Without the guidance of a certified/registered Yoga instructor you may actually be in harms way.
Food for thought: Yoga's origins can be traced to northern India over 5,000 years ago...
It was first mentioned in ancient sacred texts called the Rig Veda.
Please enjoy imagery of two gifted colleagues:
Arianna (a 12 year old thespian) and Heather (an agency represented model and professional ballerina).
(The ability to control the placement of the body's center of gravity in relation to its support base.)
I've worked with numerous Yoga practitioners over many decades who have shared their love and mastery of this ancient spiritual and fitness paradigm. While the Lion's share of athletic pursuits bring a burden i.e. liability of injury to the table. Yoga is a stand out since it has long enjoyed a reverence amongst the medical community as therapeutic rehabilitation.
Commonly known as Sports medicine, Neuromuscular medicine etc Yoga has countless centuries of proven success. I recently was prescribed extensive PT (Physical Therapy) by my pain management specialist (Licensed MD) following a complex spinal fusion of C4; C5; C6 and C7... I was amazed that the movements, duration and intensity actually mirrored what I had learned in my many years of Yoga practice. The duration/intensity were virtually a direct mirror of specific Yoga postures I had practice over the years.
Important Note: I've also worked with a myriad of Ballerinas all who immediately warmed up before their photo shoots on the variety of Yoga mats I have in the studio. All stated that without Yoga the continuation their ballet careers would not have been possible. Each and everyone had been professional trained in Yoga (no exceptions).
While females tend to out number males (my experience) in Yoga Studios by at least 5 to one there are indeed many gifted gentlemen Yoga practitioners who's skill set eclipses all but a precious few lady Yoga practitioners.
It's never too late to begin a Yoga practice, albeit this is one fitness pursuit that definitely should not be self taught. Without the guidance of a certified/registered Yoga instructor you may actually be in harms way.
Food for thought: Yoga's origins can be traced to northern India over 5,000 years ago...
It was first mentioned in ancient sacred texts called the Rig Veda.
Please enjoy imagery of two gifted colleagues:
Arianna (a 12 year old thespian) and Heather (an agency represented model and professional ballerina).
Fitness & Lifestyle Model: @ariannaharrisofficial (Currently Unsigned) Make-up: @_sammyanthaa (resident MUA for Reston Studio) Hair Styling: @devonbaltimore (formerally with VOGUE NYC)
(Download)
Fitness & Lifestyle Model: @ariannaharrisofficial (Currently Unsigned) Make-up: @_sammyanthaa (resident MUA for Reston Studio) Hair Styling: @devonbaltimore (formerally with VOGUE NYC)
(Download)
Fitness (Yoga) Lifestyle (Crow Pose: Bakasana) Model: Heather (formerly agency represented) Wardrobe: Leggings by @oldnavy, Sport Bra by @victoriassecret
(Download)
Fitness (Yoga) Lifestyle (Camel Pose: Ustrasana) Model: Heather (formerly agency represented) Wardrobe: Leggings by @oldnavy, Sport Bra by @victoriassecret
(Download)
Fitness (Yoga) Lifestyle (Pose: Utthita Hasta Padangustasana B) Model: Heather; Lighting Assistant: Justin
(Download)
May 22, 2023 07:09:03 #
Thomas902 wrote:
Balance: br (The ability to control the placement... (show quote)
Thomas, Very nice photos. Although not into yoga these are nice poses. Keep posting. Thanks BE SAFE!!
Tom
May 22, 2023 07:40:47 #
These are very good! The lighting excellent. I like the way it "isolates" the subject. Nice. Personally, I don't know if I have EVER been that flexible.
May 22, 2023 08:10:37 #
May 22, 2023 08:38:19 #
May 22, 2023 18:40:28 #
May 23, 2023 10:29:33 #
"Very nice photos..." tshift
Thank you for your kind words Tom, greatly appreciate your taking the time to review and reflect...
I've truly enjoyed following your incredible journey here on the UHH Sports Photography Forum.
You have advanced your expertise by a complete order of magnitude over the years...
Obviously a stellar result of your consistent focus and dedication to the craft.
Please keep up the good work, looking forward to more of your epic sports rendering Tom
Cheers! Thomas
Thank you for your kind words Tom, greatly appreciate your taking the time to review and reflect...
I've truly enjoyed following your incredible journey here on the UHH Sports Photography Forum.
You have advanced your expertise by a complete order of magnitude over the years...
Obviously a stellar result of your consistent focus and dedication to the craft.
Please keep up the good work, looking forward to more of your epic sports rendering Tom
Cheers! Thomas
May 23, 2023 11:42:28 #
"The lighting excellent..." rcorne001
Thank you ever so much for your thoughtful reflections on our team's efforts here Rick.
Such endearing words from a tremendously gifted master of the craft...
I'm lately in awe at what you've brought to this forum with an entire myriad of breathtaking pivotal moments.
You are a beacon of inspiration to others here and an incredible difficult act to follow.
As for illumination? Countless hours of testing, balancing and fine tuning studio strobes to the point that when the model walks on set virtually no test shots are required... These Yoga postures are extremely difficult to move into and gracefully recover from. Asking the talent "Hey can we try that again?" simply isn't an option.
Hope this makes sense... Frame rate, luck or happenstance a.k.a. "chance" isn't a variable in the mix here.
Albeit the last image of the set is another story entirely... While I've metered daylight ambient many many times... In this scenario direct "hard" low angle sunlight was merely a "Kicker" to halo Heather...
The Key Light was a cluster of four SB-910 speedlights shot through a 9 foot parabolic umbrella in HSS a.k.s. (High Speed Sync) to give full length even coverage of Heather yet their falloff allowed the background to go one stop under exposed.
The Camera? A Nikon D3x who shutter count is currently above 41,000... And it's paid for it's self long ago which is amazing considering it remains the highest price point Pro Camera Nikon has ever brought to the table. Worth every penny in my humble estimation. Not even one single firmware update! Nikon nailed it right out of the gate... though they did have a firmware update for the new 800mm Nikkor...
That's it, the D3x was good to go out of the box. That said it's totally eclipsed by the new Z9 which clearly is a triumph of mechanical/electrical engineering... Nikon has once again completely owned the top spot in Sports/Action commercial photography.
The Lens? An AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G IF ED VR II (shot at f/3.2 here)... again another piece of kit that has worked flawless for over a decade of usage... The only "modification" I've added has been a Kirk LP-45 Tripod Foot which I highly recommend since this beast weighs in at 1660 grams, as such the OEM foot wasn't up to the task.
btw I couldn't have managed the last outdoor location image without my lighting assistant Justin who has an incredibly high mechanical aptitude... something that plays well when assembling a 9 foot shoot through with a cluster of four speedlights. No way would a light stand have worked here... It would have required over 80lbs of sandbags... An 9 foot sail in the wind? Nope has to be pole mounted and hand held.
The entire team was pivotal in the mix here... I'm only the guy running the camera... but I love what I do :)
Thanks again Rick! Looking forward to more of your breathtaking renderings!
Thank you ever so much for your thoughtful reflections on our team's efforts here Rick.
Such endearing words from a tremendously gifted master of the craft...
I'm lately in awe at what you've brought to this forum with an entire myriad of breathtaking pivotal moments.
You are a beacon of inspiration to others here and an incredible difficult act to follow.
As for illumination? Countless hours of testing, balancing and fine tuning studio strobes to the point that when the model walks on set virtually no test shots are required... These Yoga postures are extremely difficult to move into and gracefully recover from. Asking the talent "Hey can we try that again?" simply isn't an option.
Hope this makes sense... Frame rate, luck or happenstance a.k.a. "chance" isn't a variable in the mix here.
Albeit the last image of the set is another story entirely... While I've metered daylight ambient many many times... In this scenario direct "hard" low angle sunlight was merely a "Kicker" to halo Heather...
The Key Light was a cluster of four SB-910 speedlights shot through a 9 foot parabolic umbrella in HSS a.k.s. (High Speed Sync) to give full length even coverage of Heather yet their falloff allowed the background to go one stop under exposed.
The Camera? A Nikon D3x who shutter count is currently above 41,000... And it's paid for it's self long ago which is amazing considering it remains the highest price point Pro Camera Nikon has ever brought to the table. Worth every penny in my humble estimation. Not even one single firmware update! Nikon nailed it right out of the gate... though they did have a firmware update for the new 800mm Nikkor...
That's it, the D3x was good to go out of the box. That said it's totally eclipsed by the new Z9 which clearly is a triumph of mechanical/electrical engineering... Nikon has once again completely owned the top spot in Sports/Action commercial photography.
The Lens? An AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G IF ED VR II (shot at f/3.2 here)... again another piece of kit that has worked flawless for over a decade of usage... The only "modification" I've added has been a Kirk LP-45 Tripod Foot which I highly recommend since this beast weighs in at 1660 grams, as such the OEM foot wasn't up to the task.
btw I couldn't have managed the last outdoor location image without my lighting assistant Justin who has an incredibly high mechanical aptitude... something that plays well when assembling a 9 foot shoot through with a cluster of four speedlights. No way would a light stand have worked here... It would have required over 80lbs of sandbags... An 9 foot sail in the wind? Nope has to be pole mounted and hand held.
The entire team was pivotal in the mix here... I'm only the guy running the camera... but I love what I do :)
Thanks again Rick! Looking forward to more of your breathtaking renderings!
May 23, 2023 11:53:01 #
"...great shots!" jaymatt
Thank you so much for your continued support John it is greatly appreciated!
And many thanks for providing such a constant stream of thoughtful reflections on all the other posters here on UHH. You have brighten the day for so many UHH photographers with your thoughtful replies.
I'm always looking forward to your post John...
Wishing you much success moving forward...
Cheers! Thomas
Thank you so much for your continued support John it is greatly appreciated!
And many thanks for providing such a constant stream of thoughtful reflections on all the other posters here on UHH. You have brighten the day for so many UHH photographers with your thoughtful replies.
I'm always looking forward to your post John...
Wishing you much success moving forward...
Cheers! Thomas
May 23, 2023 12:40:45 #
"Excellent set and narrative..." yssirk123
Again thank you so much for your continued support Bill...
You always seem to find the time to review and reflect...
In this case the (Narrative) I felt was truly important to the imagery since Yoga typically isn't a frequent flyer here on the Sport Photography Forum.
Actual Yoga isn't a competition but rather a "Lifestyle" and as such highly beneficial to a Yoga practitioner's general health/wellness. These time honored benefits have been brought about through centuries of diligent study and pursuit over thousands of years... Certainly not the latest and greatest fad...
Yoga has become an integral component of fitness, health and wellness industry, as well as the mental health industry, all of which are multi-billion dollar industries. The Lion's share of practitioners are between 30 to 49 years old. Once again, it is a "Lifestyle" not a competition...
Thanks again Bill...
All the best on your photographic journey.
Again thank you so much for your continued support Bill...
You always seem to find the time to review and reflect...
In this case the (Narrative) I felt was truly important to the imagery since Yoga typically isn't a frequent flyer here on the Sport Photography Forum.
Actual Yoga isn't a competition but rather a "Lifestyle" and as such highly beneficial to a Yoga practitioner's general health/wellness. These time honored benefits have been brought about through centuries of diligent study and pursuit over thousands of years... Certainly not the latest and greatest fad...
Yoga has become an integral component of fitness, health and wellness industry, as well as the mental health industry, all of which are multi-billion dollar industries. The Lion's share of practitioners are between 30 to 49 years old. Once again, it is a "Lifestyle" not a competition...
Thanks again Bill...
All the best on your photographic journey.
May 23, 2023 12:58:17 #
"Expertly done..." PAR4DCR
Thank you so much for your continued support Don, it is truly appreciated!
And yes if anyone would attempt these Yoga postures without proper instruction their spine would likely be in harms way.
That said with proper guidance you're never too old to pursue an active Yoga practice.
As I approach 80 I've simply traded my traditional Yoga Practice for a more focused Physical Therapy paradigm at the direction of my physician.
I've found little if any difference between Physical Therapy and a Yoga Practice... It's just that Yoga is more embracing in as it addresses the mental/spiritual aspects also... However at the physical level they are pretty much identical.
Again many thanks Don...
All the best on your photographic journey
Thank you so much for your continued support Don, it is truly appreciated!
And yes if anyone would attempt these Yoga postures without proper instruction their spine would likely be in harms way.
That said with proper guidance you're never too old to pursue an active Yoga practice.
As I approach 80 I've simply traded my traditional Yoga Practice for a more focused Physical Therapy paradigm at the direction of my physician.
I've found little if any difference between Physical Therapy and a Yoga Practice... It's just that Yoga is more embracing in as it addresses the mental/spiritual aspects also... However at the physical level they are pretty much identical.
Again many thanks Don...
All the best on your photographic journey
May 23, 2023 18:49:41 #
rickberns
Loc: Conroe, Texas
Thomas902 wrote:
Balance: br (The ability to control the placement... (show quote)
Thomas well done balancing your outdoor ambient light around the model (last photo) and ocf filling light with 4 small flash devices, did I catch you say 9' umbrella, and you used hss which uses the power. The studio shots are exceptional, if I may ask, just looking at how your subjects are illuminated with your studio flashes, are you using 2 side strip box flashes on the left/right sides, a flash softbox above the subject and at minimum 1 main softbox/umbrella flash on camera left or right? What type and power of heads did you use for your flash. We'll done on your work, I always enjoy your input whether you are posting or responding.
Rick
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