The Girl with the Suitcase

带着手提箱的女孩

Concept

A dusty dirt road somewhere in the fields. A beautiful girl with a suitcase walks along it towards us in counter light and a light dress. Perhaps she is leaving the old life and going towards changes.

Inspiration

More than once, I had seen this beautiful road going off into the distance between fields of corn but didn't know what to shoot there. But one day, I saw a beautiful girl with a big suitcase at the train station who was going to conquer the capital. I liked this image and thought I would like to see a similar image on this beautiful road.

Color choice

The photo was shot in a contrasting sunset sun, and everything was in warm orange shades; it didn't make sense to change.

Wardrobe

We needed a dress that would show through a bit in the backlight, showing off the model's figure beautifully. Having plenty of different clothes in the closet for photo shoots, a brown-colored dress with a small white pattern was chosen, which looked like a retro dress, matching the suitcase and the girl's image.

Backdrop

It was necessary to show the road going away in the distance, the perspective of this road beautifully. Show the fact that the girl is coming from behind the horizon, having traveled a long way. Mature corn bushes, road, sunset sky. Everything you need for a great composition.

Hair and makeup

The hair is intentionally loose, so the backlight draws beautiful highlights on it. If the hair was gathered, for example, in a braid, then the part of the girl's shoulder, neck, and face would be illuminated by side light, and the photo would be somewhat different. Makeup, as in most of my photo shoots – light, not bright, emphasizing the eyes and beauty of the face.

Light

The light is natural, sunset, around 8 pm, the light is orange, warm, and beautiful. At this time, the light was not bright enough to use a reflector, and the girl was not backlit from the front by anything.

Posing

It was necessary to show the model in motion so that she had dust flying from under her feet, which is clearly visible due to the backlight. So, the girl just walked towards me, and I took countless photos, choosing the best one. On the one hand, she is carrying a suitcase, and on the other hand, she is holding onto her dress, pushing it aside to make it more visible in this place.  

Camera and Optics

Nikon D600, Nikkor 85 1.4g F2.5 1/1000 ISO 100.

Depth of field

The aperture chosen was 2.5, so the background would be blurred but still clear and readable. If you open the aperture more, the clouds will be indistinguishable and merge into one solid mass. If you close the aperture more, up to a value of 5.6, the leaves and bushes will be overly detailed and attract unnecessary attention.

Shooting angle

To show the perspective of the road going into the distance, it was necessary to photograph from a height of about two meters. Realizing this, I took a chair with me to the photo shoot, on which I climbed with the camera. It also favorably affected the fact that the horizon line rose above the model, and the orange contour of light on her hair did not merge with the orange clouds in the sky. The photo was taken in a place where the girl's feet are in the light, thanks to which the raised dust is visible, and there is an effect of movement. The girl in the shot is shifted slightly to the right of the road, making both streaks of car tires visible. The camera is in the middle of the road, making the perspective and both lanes of the road perfectly visible.

Cropping

The cropping is done to show both the whole model and the surrounding location, a beautiful sunset sky with rays of light. The model's head is in a golden ratio, which makes the photo effortless to read and looks harmonious.

Expression

The spirit of sunset and warmth, the smell of fields and dusty roads. The photo looks like a frame from a movie, and the viewer can admire the harmony of nature and this beautiful stranger. The viewer involuntarily wonders, "Who is she, and where is she going? And will she have time before dark"? The photo gives warm emotions and hopes that she will do well.

Post-processing

The sky is inserted from another photo of mine, taken at sunset in Turkey. Rays in the sky harmoniously complement the photo, making it even warmer and more harmonious. Retouching in plugins with simulated photographic film further enhanced the effect of warmth and sunset. The face and skin had to be lightened. Additionally, there was no possibility to illuminate with a reflector when shooting.