It started as a single photo for a single article. It evolved into a book project that I’m truly enjoying working on. We travel the country photographing very special pilots and this past week, we worked with a couple more, Larry Perkins being very special to us. He has flown many a photo mission for my lens, the Epson Finish Strong campaign in the Super Corsair #57 one of the most memorable. Our relationship with Larry goes back to day one of our aviation work and that really helps when setting up the shot. Until you see the finished book will the single portrait make sense. But with Larry, the P-51D Mustang was the perfect backdrop for this gifted and amazing pilot.
The majority of these portraits I do by myself so the system I have is based on that. This time, I had Sharon which does help when it comes to making exposure adjustments (she’s a stand in during testing). The set up is rather simplistic so I can do it by myself. I’m shooting with the D750 / 24-70VR with lighting provided by a pair of the amazing Profoto B1s with a 5.0′ RFi Octa Softbox and OCF Softbox (1×3′) attached. The Octa is left and provides the side lighting. The Strip is on the C Stand right over the lens barrel. You can see them in the photo, the one stand with no head might make you wonder. That’s my stand in for the subject. It’s set to the subject’s height and placed where I want them to stand permitting me to roughly set up light points and frame framing.
There is a 81a Gel in the main light, the strip box and none in the Octa. When it comes to exposure, I go old school, all manual. This is in part to maximize the power from the lights. It also permits rapid change in exposure for ambient light (shutter speed) and the flash (aperture). You might be wondering if the cone connected to Larry’s elbow an accident or not. That is very deliberate and my own little story in my head of the Mustang nudging Larry to go flying. Larry’s elbow cocked as if telling the Mustang to wait another minute. I set up with the sun still up and shot after the sun was below the horizon. The shooting took minutes, set up and break down an hour. And the whole time, we laughed and told stories which comes out in Larry’s smile. This was number 32 so they are getting easier and me, more confident. And all of them, very enjoyable!