How Did They Do That?! Episode 2

It takes a lot to create a great photo, and sometimes the process seems like a mystery to the casual observer. In each episode of How Did They Do That?!, I interview a photographer about the creative process behind one of his or her recent popular photos. This time, I talk to =hakanphotography about what went into creating Pinar Eris Collection-Dreamer8.



Can you tell me some of the technical details about this photo?

Shot on Canon 5D with a Canon 17-40mm f/4L lens. Pushed it out to 17mm at 100 ISO using f/5.6 (which is the sharpest aperture for this lens in my opinion) with 1/125 shutter speed. No flash, using natural light. But these values mean nothing because every shot will have their own characteristics depending on the location and the lighting so you would need to know how to adjust your camera accordingly for what outcome you are going for.

What are you trying to say with this photo?

I shot this for designer Pinar Eris, so I tried to exhibit her clothing the best way possible. There is no story and consistent look/style in these sets because I wanted each shot to be visually pleasing on its own to the viewer's eyes. They had to be viewed one by one and still would have an impact. That was my goal.

What kind of preparation went into making this photo?

This was actually shot at the end of the day while we were waiting for our ride in Venice Beach to get back home. Twink was sitting next to me on the road and I took couple of shots of her and was very pleased with the results. So I continued to take more shots and I got this one. My advice to you guys is to be always on the look-out and be aware of your surroundings even after the shoot is completed, you might get your best shots then.

Did you have a purpose in mind, or a goal for this shoot?

To make sure my photos reflect Pinar's designs the best way possible. I did not want to do a classic catalog shoot where you see the clothes and the model against a plain background in a studio like setting so I mixed in a city setting with her designs and it worked out very well. It set out a mood where her clothing created a more powerful effect on the viewer.

Did you have any problems or challenges with the shoot?

I always live through my photo shoots a day before, imagining what could happen, how I would shoot it etc... so I rarely have any problems on my end. However nature sometimes creates problems as it was a very windy day at the beach. That's why you see Twink holding on to her hat in most of the shots that I took there. But she did it in a very graceful way so that nobody would realize that if she did not hold on to it, it would fly away. We had also passers-by saying things to the models but they were funny rather than problems. All and all it was a very entertaining day.



As you can see, great fashion photography is more than just snapping a pretty picture of a pretty people in pretty clothes. Fashion is about image, and the photographer and model must work as a team to assemble all the correct elements that project that image.

Thanks *hakanphotography for sharing some insight into your creative process. Until next time, ^superkev out!