Add the the Dynamics!
If you are looking to add something new to your senior portrait work and for sportraits, adding water is the way to go! I love the dynamic feel of it and how it can add dimension and even emotion to the images. I have tried using different ways to add water to my work including a standard hand sprinkler, an actual rain machine designed by one of my buddies and a portable rain machine that I designed myself. All of them created awesome results, so there is not just one way to do it. Whatever works for you would probably be fine. Here are some things to know before you get started:
- Remember it's about safety - do not ask your subject to do jumps or anything that might put them at risk.
- Remind them to bring a towel and warm clothes to change into once the shoot is over.
- At minimum, you will need to have at least two flashes, but three is ideal.
- The rain droplets show up much better on a darker background with light shooting through them.
- Experiment with lighting angles on the front of the subject.
These are just a few tips that I would recommend, however, I have an actual document that I created that you can download for free that has my information about building your own portable rain machine as well as some tips and tricks. You can use the link below to download it absolutely free! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!
