I have had a lot questions about how I shoot, so I wanted to discuss my process and I how I get to the final product that I share with you!
The Gear:
Gear is so important for me and I check out the terrain I'm shooting and go with cameras/lenses which make sense with what I want to capture. My standard gear is the Sony A7riii but most recently I have been using the Fuji GFX 50s. The combination of two cameras makes it easier to jump between lenses without having to stop and change and gives me both a zoomed in and a super wide perspective on the fly.
The Shoot and the 'Bank' turns.
Since a shoot is fast moving and limited in time, quick decisions need to be made on what to shoot. I am in constant dialogue with the pilot during the shoot and we work together to identify good content. Once we find an area that looks good- I ask the pilot to circle around and get right over the area 'Bank' turn the helicopter. This allows me to get right over the subject and shoot with the top down perspective a lot of my work is known for.
Editing and Printing
Because of the fast nature of how I shoot, each shoot produces between 1200 to 1500 images. I tend to spend the first few weeks in Adobe Lightroom after going through and organizing images and also sharing on socials and getting a general direction of what I want to print. From there I make a series of edits to fine tune in Adobe Photoshop and make test prints to narrow down the best looking images that translate on paper. I also get a good idea of sizing and resolution as I blow up the images.
Final Printing and Framing
Once tests are done - I work with clients to determine a final look and frame style and get the frame custom made to order. (Pictured here is 'Lead Time' sized 48 x 72)
