Alexandra
Alexandra was going to be a guest speaker in a conference and needed updated portraits. She reached out and we worked on a few different looks so she could have an array of options, both for the conference and for social media use.
My gear list was kept on a minimum, making it that much easier to transition between locations: a Nikon D750 and a Sigma ART 50mm and a collapsible Profoto reflector.
The overcast day provided beautiful, soft light from all angles. The flash was kept in the bag and I only used a reflector on one location to fill in the shadows.
Crossfit Aveiro team portraits
Crossfit Aveiro got in touch with me to shoot their team portraits to use on their social media and website.
It’s always nice to come back to this place to photograph the team or the workouts: I’ve been training there since it opened and it’s amazing to see them grow; as a business, as a family and as a community.
For this shoot, I packed light: a Profoto B10 and AirTTL-N trigger, a Manfrotto 5001B Nano light stand, an Elinchrom Rotalux octabox, my trusty Fujifilm X100F and strapped it all to my bike. The size and portability of this setup makes it very easy to transport from one side of town to the other and can still get great results. All without a single power outlet.
I started by placing the the main light on my left and we shot a few horizontal portraits to include their logo on the wall: for this setup, I used the natural, warm light of the gym to act as a fill on the right by dragging the shutter just enough to create a little separation.
For the closer portraits, we moved the setup to one of the black walls and I had them sit on a plyometric box. This time, I removed the second diffuser from the octa and shot through only the interior baffle. The light is a little contrastier and the shadows are a little deeper, making the portraits that little bit more interesting.
Bernardo
Bernardo came to me in need of an updated profile picture for his social media and a few other things. I’ve known Bernardo for over a decade and he’s one of my dearest friends - so I couldn’t be happier to photograph him.
He is a photographer and the man behind the Exodus Aveiro photography Fest, Trilhos da Terra and so many other projects that I can’t even keep track.
My favorite background is a simple white wall, so we looked for one in the city (it’s hard, so many tiles and graffitied walls!). No lights or light modifiers were used to shoot the portraits, other than that ball of fire in the sky diffused by a giant blanket of clouds.
Isabel
I first met Isabel years ago when she was working with Trilhos da Terra, right here in Aveiro. She is one of the people behind Nat Geo’s Exodus Aveiro fest and a powerhouse. An incredible hard working woman, who makes anything happen.
I’ve wanted to photograph her for a long time and we finally made it happen - we met up in Aveiro and photographed in a couple locations for a few different looks.
Shooting in Aveiro with minimal gear meant I could carry it on my bike and be mobile (game changer - more on that in another post). Tools: Nikon D750 + 50mm lens for natural light // Fujifilm X100F paired with a Profoto B10 in a shoot-thru umbrella on a Manfrotto Nano stand for lit portraits.
Crossfit Aveiro
Crossfit Aveiro has once again commissioned me to document a full day of classes for their social media channels and overall online channels, so I got there at 6:30 one morning and spent that day with my favorite camera photographing the space, the coaches and the members while they worked out.
The box (that’s what they call a Crossfit gym) is split into two main areas: one facing East and another facing West. Both have huge doors, letting beautiful natural light in, that ranges from direct, harsh sunlight to a reflected, soft and diffused glow; the OSB panels covering the walls add to the warmth of the light.
I chose to edit all the photos in black and white to remove all distractions. That way, the viewer can focus on expressions and body language rather than kettlebell, bumper plates or even garment colors.
Tools: Fujifilm X100F and natural light.
