Very honored to have the sequential cover of Nikon Owner Grays of Westminster Magazine. Unusual occurrence. Looking at them side by side, it’s pretty obvious you’d think they were taken by different photographers. I mean one live beauty shot, in an LA studio, with all the accoutrements of such a shot—heavy strobe, gel, fill in frame, no environment, glam makeup. The other is an unadorned environmental portrait of New Mexico plains.
Different covers, different subjects, different skills. But… the same photo. In the studio (Thanks for using the studio, Gianluca!) we work with the stunning Thais D’Lima, a Brazilian beauty, and luckily for us now based in California. Eyes that make the camera do not want to look away. (Beautiful makeup by Claire Piao.) Over/under beauty light combo. Full control. Last year, I contrasted this cover with a light shot available as a cover for Cuba Seen magazine. And here we are again… Thailand on the cover. And an ongoing and extraordinary relationship with the most elegant (and excellent service) camera shop, Grays of Westminster.
And fit for Nikon Owner magazine. Shot with a Nikon Z7, paired with the fastest lens I’ve ever used… the phenomenally sharp S series 58mm f0.95 NOCT. Wide open. A small piece of DOF falls (manually) on the eyeball. Precise focus assist in the AF-only settings menu.
And then, another cover appeared. This one from Nancy De Santis, one of the most beautiful people effortlessly stepping in front of a camera lens, anytime, anywhere. Very fortunate to know Nancy and her husband Rick Iannucci, who together run Horses for Heroes in New Mexico. They pair retired and active-duty military personnel who have suffered from PTSD and/or physical injury with the truly amazing healing effects of being directly involved with horses.
Sheila Welch, a consummate equestrian woman I worked with in Texas, once told me, “There’s something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” Portrait of Sheila below, a favorite since I led the men’s room at the Will Rogers Memorial Center during the Futurity horse cutting championships.
For the picture of Nancy, I looked at the passage from the Hippocratic Oath, which applies to the making of the picture. “First, don’t hurt.” Beautiful scenes presented, so don’t get in the trunk of a car and take out a light megatron and blow the scene to smithereens. The lightest touch is needed, and in this case it is the Profoto B1-X with a 1×3 soft box strip, located to the right of the camera. Barely felt. Almost no. From the lighting school “enough”.
Once again, honored to once again own a Nikon Owner cover. An issue with Nancy’s portrait is coming out this month.
more tk…
Post Covers! first appeared on Joe McNally Photography.
