Sometimes, we manage to find ourselves and our cameras in the coolest and most unusual of locations. It might be intentional, it may be completely by accident, and sometimes we’re being set up. The latter is what happened here for Texas based photographer, Keydrin Franklin. Having recently spoken at Fort Worth Camera’s annual Foto Fest event, the organisers set him a challenge. This challenge resulted in the creation of the image above, amongst others. When we saw it, DIYP reached out to Keydrin to get some more information on how it all came together.
One question that always pops up is how photographers get access to shoot at places like this. So we asked Keydrin how he got access to this one.
Keydrin did offer a few words of advice for photographers seeking locations, though. My experiences are pretty much the same. If I stumble upon a location that would be cool to shoot at and it’s on private property, I just ask. As Keydrin says, the worst they can do is say no, and if that happens, you’ve lost nothing. They could just as easily say yes. Sometimes there may be a fee involved, but unless they get asked a lot, I’ve found there often isn’t. I have also found that many places don’t mind you using their venue as a backdrop as long as you follow their rules, remain respectful, and pay any necessary shooting fees. This location is a little different to the kinds of places Keydrin normally shoots, though. It offers up a new set of challenges. And a full sized C47 is a big of a large prop for a photo shoot (no pun intended). So, we asked him about his equipment choices for this shoot, and how they differ from his regular go-to gear. The Nikon 200mm f/2 is a favourite of Keydrin’s, but with a lens that long, one has to wonder just how far back he had to get. Directing your subject can be a little tricky at that kind of distance, though. As can communicating with your assistants to adjust lighting, etc. When it came to the lighting gear, it was fairly straightforward. Just two lights. The post processing on the above shot was pretty straightforward, Lightroom with a little compositing to remove the voice activated lightstands. But not all of the images were so easily created. The image right at the top of this post is actually a composite of 30 separate photographs. This required a fair bit of planning and technique, as well as post work.
The other 25 images were different light shots of the aircraft that I merged together in post. I started out having Brandon (assistant/friend) hold the light for the first few images, but then decided to light the aircraft myself and have Brandon hit the shutter since I knew exactly how I wanted it lit. See images below.
After merging the images, I began the process of toning and replacing the sky. Once I feel I am satisfied with the image (and save it…this is important), I take a break and come back to the image a few hours later with a fresh set of eyes. Keydrin accepts that HDR, exposure blending and replacing skies might not be everybody’s cup of tea. And that’s ok. It’s not Keydrin’s usual thing, either. But he did have a few words to say on the topic of experimenting with different styles and techniques. Or, in Keydrin’s case, the next 30 shots combined into one. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Keydrin. If you want to find out more about Keydrin and follow his work head on over to Ninetwentyfour Photography. You can also catch his behind the scenes adventures on YouTube and Facebook.
