I originally wanted to build the bare bulb backdrop for a boxer vanity project, but when I was contracted to photograph the dancers of Changi Mi Dance and Drum, I saw it as an opportunity to build the wall sooner and test its effect. I have a soft spot for using light sources as design elements, because they can create really strong moods within a photograph. In the image above, I wanted to capture what it must feel like to be on stage during a moment of exalted glory.

The wall was built on site and consisted of thirty light sockets mounted across 8' x 8' of thick polystyrene board. The boards were attached to a PVC frame that was weighted in place with cement filled buckets. The wall was designed to be portable and the exposed seams were of no concern since they could be removed in post.

The client wanted to create a series of portraits that presented him with a casual yet professional demeanor. He wanted to update his current photography because he felt it painted him in an overly serious way--an unsuitable pairing with his light and humorous nature.    

I like to approach these projects much like a chef preparing a multi-course dinner. In the same way a chef will create a feast of many textures, colors and flavors, I like to create a series of images with many distinctive moods and aesthetics that work well in sequence. I felt my client could benefit from this type of approach, especially if the images revealed different aspects of his personality. In the same way we find someone who is emotionally engaging personable, inviting viewers to glimpse various dimensions of my client's personality through photography could produce a similar effect.  By appearing engaging and personable, my client appeals to industries seeking to hire the person -- the person who also happens to be a professional.

The client had a concept where he would be standing on a floor covered with cards while looking up toward the camera. To cover the floor uniformly with cards would have taken an exorbitant amount of time. Instead, I opted to shoot smaller groups of cards, remove them from their backgrounds and arrange them across a virtual floor. Using photo manipulation techniques, I then dropped this floor into the shot using some physical cards as a reference for perspective. Finally, I matched the lighting from the original scene and added the subject's shadow. 

When photographing outdoors in bright, midday sunlight there is an enormous disparity between the amount of light reaching the darkest and lightest parts of the image. In the past you faced the option of either letting the highlights 'blow out,' or go completely white in the image, or letting the shadows go completely pitch black.  Nowadays, there is a process called HDR (High Dynamic Range) that allows you to retain detail in the highlights and shadows: You take several images of the same scene taken at different exposure levels, and, using software tools, are then able to combine that data in a meaningful way. 

I was able to combine the six images above and distribute their tones where I wanted them. I was even able to remove the sunlit area on the back wall by tweaking the red color channel during a black and white conversion.

For this concept, we did several takes of card sprays.  I was then able to composite a variety of takes and images to arrive at the final photograph.

Here are some other images from the shoot.