Category Archives: Portraits

Volleyball IOTW Portraits Take Three

Daily Illini, Portraits, Sports, Studio, ,

The U of I Volleyball team is awesome, so the DI sports staff chose to feature players Ashley Edinger and Johannah Bangert as Illini of the Week this week. I got to redeem myself from the speedlite fail debacle of last week, and I stepped it up with two AB800s with umbrellas, PW plus IIs, a vagabond II, and my 580exII. Working under a time constraint sucks, but studio shots are fun stuff. Thanks to people who let me borrow their gear and my friend Trevor for helping me carry and setup all this gear.

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Images Copyright Dean Santarinala/The Daily Illini Oct. 13, 2009

IOTW Take Two

Daily Illini, Portraits, Sports,

This was my second time taking portraits of Kylie McCulley for Illini of the Week, and I came out with much better photos than last time (my first IOTW, which was full of basketball hoops) but unfortunately I was having some technical difficulties with my off camera speedlite not being triggered. So instead of spending 5 minutes setting up and 10-20 composing and taking shots, I spent 15-20 minutes frustrated with speedlites and 5 minutes actually shooting. I had more ideas but didn’t have time to implement them. Oh well. Live and learn.

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Portrait of a Harvard Man

Friends, Portraits, Studio

Sam called me up today and asked me if I could take his portrait for his Harvard school ID card. Here’s the best of the quick 5 minute shoot which took place in my own backyard (aka his house):

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Photo notes: I tried doing a 2 1/2 strobe setup but I think there’s something wrong with my Speedlite. FAIL. I didn’t feel like trying anymore so I just bounced off the ceiling since what I was planning was overkill anyway. I switched from f2.8 to f8 in the middle of it all, but I think I prefer the softness here at f2.8. Looking back I probably should have tried out Johnny’s 85mm f1.8 instead of my 70-200mm. The DOF would’ve been even more ballin’.