It was one of those days
a photographer dreams about. A day when the
pieces just fall into place.
Going into the shoot, though, he was not sure what
to expect.
“This was my first time shooting at this location,” said
Feelings, who previously worked in administration
and in the non-profit sector before turning to his
true passion. “I have never shot with her before.
She is a model and won competitions.
Zamani Feelings, the 47-year-old
Philadelphia shutterbug in his fifth year
as a professional, had grown partial
to shooting with natural light. Model
Jennifer Lynn and White Box Studios in
Ocean Grove, New Jersey proved to be
the magical combination.
“What makes her an excellent subject is not only her
physical attractiveness and particularly her facial
features but her ability to convey emotion through
her facial expressions and with her eyes. She was
a natural in the sense that she not only didn’t need
much direction but she also seemed to sense what
was working and where to position herself without
needing my input.”
Armed with his Canon 5d Mark 2, Canon 200mm
2.8 prime and Sigma 85mm 1.4 lens he set about
the task of shooting with natural light.
“My approach to natural light photography is always
a strategic but simple one,” he said. “The key is to
find the optimal lighting in an environment with a
background that will complement the subject while
using a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of
field that will isolate the subject. In addition I will
utilize an assortment of angles to add variety of
perspective.”
“Yes, this came about through a combination of
studying other photographers’ techniques and
through trial and error hands-on experience,”
he said. “My first consideration when shooting a
subject in natural light is what is the quality of the
available light. Quality of light is defined as lighting
that is flattering to the subject and enhances the
feel of the overall photograph.
32
Fall 2016 2016
SUMMER
coachandplayer.com
Before Feelings hit his home run at the shoot, he
had gone through his share of trial and error.
This would be the place holder for the caption.
photograph by @justinPrice