Featured Photographer – Irina Jomir
1. Tell us a bit about the image?
The image is about maternity, perhaps not love as many would expect, but the beauty of becoming a mother. Maternity changes a woman from inside out. It´s a point when she bridges from the state of a girl to a woman. Its when femininity makes senesce. I wanted to portray it and I wanted the image to be about her and not her baby. That’s why I used a strong visual accent on her femininity by creating circular lines, soft light and soft colour palette.
2. What inspired you to take the shot?
I’ve been photographing this woman a couple of times before and knowing her nature from the photographer´s perspective made me want to make this shot even more personal in my most artistic way. Truly I just wanted to create the most beautiful maternity portrait of herself, the one we both would be very proud of. So I guess my inspiration was the model.
3. What gear did you use for the shot including lighting?
Camera: Canon 5d mk4, lens: Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, Profoto B10 plus x2, Photek soft lighter – L with double diffusion, white V-flat.
Camera settings: ISO 250 ; 1/160s ; f/6.3
Lighting: one strobe slightly behind the backdrop, camera right, pointed at the ceiling to replicate skylight. Second strobe camera right, 45 degrees to model with Photek soft lighter size L with double diffusion. A V-flat in white, camera left to fill in shadows. Backdrops: behind the model – Gravity Backdrops, on the floor – self-made.
4. Tell us about the editing process?
I use Capture One to prepare my image for master edit. There I do some basic adjustments like softening the contrast in skin tones, work on white balance and high dynamic range. Then I export it in Photoshop proceed with more advanced edit like skin retouching and composition. This particular image is a composite of three separate images. When the master edit is done I finish up with colour toning. For that, I use Infinite Color Panel created by high-end retoucher Pratik Naik.
5. How does this piece reflect you as an artist?
I would like to belive it reflects my admiration of woman’s nature, strengths through softness and femininity.
Social media pages:
https://www.irina-jomir.com
https://www.instagram.com/irina.jomir