by Gary Fong
Photographer: Scott Holstein, www.scottholsteinphoto.com
Throw a few cameras together in bag, a set of wireless remote lights, and a boat. It’s just another day at the office for Scott Holstein in the Florida Swamps. For extreme projects in swamp country, one could add a few more items to the camera bag…mosquito repellent, snakebite, and alligator equalization systems (an AK-47 comes to mind).
I’m not saying Holstein is a little shy on his equipment list…but I would have included a few reptilian knowledgeable game wardens and a couple more well-fed photo assistants who could double as gator bait, while he shot the pictures.
Conceptual photos need a lot of conceptualizing…in some cases, a good life insurance underwriter is a good ally. Let’s take one small item…the model, McKenzie Burleigh, traipsing in the muddy swamp up to her Prada slip-ons. Scott, did you think about carrying her to the boat?
Now for the Nit Picking
An opinion not shared by the Miss Burleigh, who held the wireless strobe disguised as an antique lantern longer than it took her to get gussied up for the shoot, I do like the light. I’m sure her biceps felt sore the next morning. Holstein started well before the ambient light settled into the right balance for the strobes. Then he blasted away until the ambient was no more. Nice image…nice balance on the crusty geezer in the back of the boat too.
Scott a word of caution…when working in an environment with hungry environmental reptilian, it’s good to keep one eye looking through the viewfinder and the other on what might take a bite out of your leg…or that of the scrumptious model.
Plan for contingencies. What if the model’s leg got the Captain Hook treatment? (Yes yes yes… crocodiles…alligators…it would make no difference to McKenzie if a reptilian mouth had a hold of her foot.) Plan for the unexpected in order to complete the shoot.
My recommendation, include a backup model (her twin sister would be nice), if it were imperative that McKenzie limp aboard a life-flight helicopter nonstop to the hospital.
To learn more about Scott's experience in setting up the shot, please enjoy this video.
Hey Gary,
Thanks for the post! I enjoyed working with McKenzie and Ed on this project and appreciate their commitment to it. McKenzie actually carried me to the boat! The video was produced by Carlin Trammel over at http://www.stormspeedentertainment.com so be sure and check him out.
-Scott