Ryan Doco Connors - The Four Elements

Ryan Doco Connors (Portrait Photographer) // The Four Elements

"A four piece photography shoot featuring the four elements; Earth, Wind, Water and Fire. This was an interesting take on the four elements."

EARTH 

FIRE 

WATER

AIR

Ryan Doco is a creative portrait photographer and had created this project based on the four elements. I wanted to find at least on photographic example on the subject I am basing my project on. 

Quoting from his video he lists the five key points to the photo shoot;

concept

make up

styling

location 

photoshop

The gear he uses on the shoots is, as he states in his video, a 50" Wescot Apollo with a Nikon SB-600 Flash. The lens he used is an 85mm, 1.8f and the camera is a Nikon D300. He explains how the concept and the visual ideas are the most critical factors on this particular shoot and not the equipment he uses. The only external light he uses is a large soft box, shooting on 1/16 to create an even light over the model. 

After my workshop for the look book with the two photographers who came down from London they explained how the soft box is used to create a day light affect and how the beauty dish is used to create an airbrushed, clean, sharp affect - mainly used in fashion and portraiture. This is why I used mainly soft box's in my last shoot, I wanted something more softer and a more natural tonal quality from the lighting rather than something harsh.

 He explains how sketching is important information when it comes to photographing a high concept shoot and knowing your location to show to the make-up artist and stylist.

Proffessional make up artists and stylists make the world of difference on a shoot, collaborating is something I would definitely like to do in my final year.