So... I knew I wanted my object to be a lamp. I started out thinking along the lines of Coley -- regular table lamp hanging from a tree. Maybe with a person under it. Reading a book? But I couldn't quite picture it... I knew the cord would be threaded up through the lamp, so it could hang from it's cord, but would the person be too far away? And I really didn't have any good tree candidates.
Then I thought of a floor lamp in the middle of a wooded path. I liked that idea, but it seemed to need a person, and it seemed to ruin it whenever I tried to place the person in my mind.
Lamp in the river! That's it! The person could be bathing. Big bath brush, shower cap...
That's it!!
Grabbed the husband, the kids, and the lamp, bought a ruffled shower cap, tied a 580ex II flash up in the shade of the lamp (in a ziploc bag, in case the lamp tipped over) and headed out to the river.
First problem -- the waves in the river were bigger than normal! We couldn't put the lamp out farther, because the waves would have knocked it over. We couldn't move my husband in closer, because he would have been too shallow, so he really wasn't in the best placement as far as the light went. But that's just life. The composition wasn't going to be perfect, but it was the best we could do.
2nd problem, the waves kept knocking him over!
3rd problem, the cord was strung out on the beach. Since this was a working lamp, the deal was to try to keep the plug dry so that it would continue to be a working lamp... that didn't happen... I tried to rig a baggy around the cord, and my son tried to keep it from washing into the water. It was a lost cause.
4th problem no light on bather's face. Not a problem, we had extra flashes, but couldn't really figure out the best way to make the lighting make sense
and then...
it started to pour!
Rain!
Lots of it!
Quick!! Get the camera gear, lamp, everything into the car!
Did we get the shot?
ummmm... no, not really...
rain stopped 5 minutes later.
We're still there, might as well try again.
Dragged everything out and continued shooting. Darkening skies making things much more difficult. Too dark to work with. We'll have to work with what we have.
How's the cord doing? lift up baggie around cord... baggie full of water...
Come home -- process shot, rinse brackish water off of lamp, enter shot, let lamp dry for 24 hours before trying it.
Lamp doesn't work. Uh oh. Husband is not going to be happy. Sheepishly admit to husband that night. Husband replaces burnt out light bulb that wife had unknowingly put into lamp.
Lamp worked!
Thanks for all the comments! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)
Huge thanks to my husband and kids!
Outtakes:
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Oh my, Wendy... I just love the notes. I imagined this was an entry with a story, but I never thought it would have been like that. I honestly can't imagine my hubbie and kids doing such things for a picture. You lucky gall :)
Congratulations
Congratulations and thanks for sharing the alternative takes, mostly interesting. The last one with just the lamp is simply haunting and evocative, wonderful.
Ohmygosh.... you have way too much fun! That sounds so crazy... but so fun. What great sports your family is! This is such a fun photo. Great payoff! Congratulations!
oh, this gave Rick and I a good laugh...well done!!! I don't think I could get Rick to be one of my subjects if I bribed him with....well I can't think of anything that would motivate him....lol
"Remember that time we took the old lamp down to the river?" - I can hear it being said for many years to come. Congrats on this just reward for your continuing adventures!
Congratulations Wendy! Your notes are a hoot! Your husband deserves some sort of medal. And waves in the river? I thought it was the sea. We don't have waves in our rivers.
Lol this is a crack up, you really made him do that, NO WAY!
Would of loved seeing the reaction of someone turning up at the beach at the time of shooting.
Sunday Night Bath
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