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This was my last FIne art Nude session to date, and not the last one I will do (never say never) but I don’t think I will do many of these this year. They were fun for me to make as long as I was able to find a common ground with my clients, or if it brought something fresh to my portfolio. I realized my last sessions didn’t meet these requirements. If I don’t learn anything, if I am not inspired, if I just feel I am clicking a button, then I have to move on. This doesn’t mean I will not come back to the genre later, but for the past 5 years, I tried to follow my heart, even if this meant making difficult business decisions. This session happened during my stay in an apartment in Toulouse last year. It’s crazy how time flies by. These are the other sessions I posted here: Temporary Studio Part I Temporrary Studio Part II Temporary Studio Part III Temporary Studio Part IV Temporary Studio Part V Clara is of course not new to my work, we’ve met a couple of times before. Just type in her name in the search tab and you should able to find our past collaborations. She was the first session I had in that apartment. The first one is always a challenge, it’s usually the one where things don’t work, accessories are missing, and mistakes are made. If you want to work with me it’s probably better to be the last one to show up in front of my lens, because we faced and solved most of the problems related to gear and the space we are using, and I’ve tried a bunch of ideas before our shoot, which will make me more efficient. My favorite trio in the bag, the GF110mm, 80mm, and 55mm, the latest GFX camera, and my lighting gear still hasn’t changed, we used 2 X GODOX AD1200 pro, 1 X AD600 pro, and 1 X AD300pro. Maybe a little video might help you understand what happened that day: I couldn't resist, I had to use my Pixapro Optical Snoot, at least for a few images. So this is how we started this session. A fake window frame, a harsh light, and a few apple boxes. Clara P. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF55mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO 125 We then had a more traditional approach with a top light guiding us for the pose. ,I am still using these amazing backdrops from GRAVITY, that I bring with me every time I can. I just love their textures and colors. Clara P. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF55mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO 125 If you look at the previous sessions I made in this apartment, I underexposed my background. I simply had to ask my model to step forward, closer to the camera, and replace my lights to add drama to my portraits. In this case, I asked her to stay close to the backdrop. Clara P. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF55mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO 100 Red and green, never disappoint. If you are looking for color contrast, this works most of the time. The Red fabric wasn't necessary, but it helps me keep my model's hands busy because after all these years I still find it hard to place them. Clara P. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF55mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO 80 We ended the session with a few artistic nude shots. A few hanging sheets and a light in the back and we were all set. For the rest of the setup, just watch the video again... but between us, a single light placed to the left or right of your camera might be enough... or use a simple reflector to give a more dramatic mood and accentuate her silhouette. Sometimes it doesn't take much to dress up a scene... However, I'll bring less wrinkled sheets next time. Clara P. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF55mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/1.7 ISO 100 This session is the last in the series. Clara is currently in competition, so we may cross paths again for some urban fitness shots.

Why did it take so many years for me to do a proper workshop in Toulouse? Probably because very few people know I live there. Some think I am still living in Strasbourg, others think I am hidden somewhere in Paris. But no I’ve been living in the pink city for over 5 years now and apparently, I should be staying around for a bit.  I wasn’t even sure my wife and I would stay here this long and this is probably why I haven’t made any effort to get to know the city and bond with the people here. COVID didn’t help either, and my latest health issues got me staying a home for several months earlier this year. But here we are, maybe this is the beginning of a new start, who knows? Just like the Workshop in Nancy, this one was made possible thanks to Numeriphot, Godox, and last but not least Numeriphot, my go-to photography store in Toulouse. Workshop Miss Numérique (Nancy) Like any of my past workshops, my goal was to share my experience, show how I interact with my models, how I direct them, and the basics of how I build a simple image using artificial lights from flash to LED lights. Communication is key, so it’s always at the heart of my workshops, and I always have a simple approach that can be understood by amateurs and still be inspiring for more experienced photographers. I once again was accompanied by Angelina Rakova, who you may have seen in my work before: BTS Dance portrait photoshoot The GF20-35mm experience Studio work is not my Forte, I try to avoid working in studios feeling that I am much more comfortable and creative on location or outdoors. But I’ve been doing home studio and studio work more in the past years since I started doing more traditional portraits. Gear-wise, I worked once again with the Fujifilm GFX100II. The GF55mm stayed on most of the time, with some shots made with the GF80mm. I had the GF110mm and also the GF20-35mm lens in my bag. The GF110mm is usually my go-to portrait lens, but with around 15 other folks around, the crew, and all the light stands and accessories, the GF55mm was the best choice, for maximum freedom. So remember that it wasn’t an artistic choice, it just made my life easy on set that day. The studio is big enough to use the GF80mm and even the GF110mm for full-body shots if it's not packed. For the flash setups, I used the 2 X AD600pro and a QT400III. For my key light I used my favorite light modifier the Parabolic P128 and 2 X Godox Stripboxes. For the led setup I ended up playing with only 2 lights, the Knowled M600D as my key, used with the P128, and the SZ300RGB placed inside the QR-P90. They all had a sheet of diffusion and grid that went intermittently depending on the needed scenario. Here are a few images from the workshops, and the rehearsal, the selection illustrates the different lighting setups we utilized: Angelina Rakova (Numériphot Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/200sec f/1,7 ISO 50 From one flash to 2 and finally 3. Placement is everything, and sometimes one light is enough. For something moody and with lots of contrast positioned the lights away from the backdrop and placed a sheet of diffiusion and a grid for more control. Angelina Rakova (Numériphot Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/4 ISO 50 The "Sandwich" I hope I am the only one who uses that term, I just love how it sounds, and it is self-explanatory. The model is caught in between 2 light sources! Angelina Rakova (Numériphot Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/160sec f/2 ISO 50 And finally, for more control over your shadows, you can introduce a Third light. For the following image 2 strip boxes are placed on either side of my model and the P128 with a sheet of diffusion is placed behind my back at a low setting. This last source is used to fill in the shadows. Angelina Rakova (Numériphot Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55 mm f/1,7 R WR 1/320sec f/4 ISO 250 So many options, and combinations are possible with already 2 lights. But you can go even further by throwing colors in the mix. This could be the topic of a future workshop, it was hard to decide on the day, as there are so many possibilities, and so many paths we can explore. I simplified the setup for the images created with LED lights. I just changed the color of one light and set it at 3200K and the other one is a Daylight balanced light. The advantage of continuous light is that you can right away see the results and place your lights much faster. Angelina Rakova (Numériphot Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55 mm f/1,7 R WR 1/800sec f/4 ISO 640 I improvise a lot (maybe too much) during my workshops. This is due to the changing audience from one session to another. We had a little bit of spare time in the afternoon, so I asked the attendees to join in and help me out with a simple "fake" dress image. Angelina Rakova (Numériphot Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF20-35mmF4 R WR 1/400sec f/4 ISO 250 at 35mm I would like to thank the entire Crew at Numeriphot, I had a lot of fun doing these. Thank you Sacha for the Makeup ( @sachamakeuppro ), and a shoutout to Ryan my assistant of the day Léa ( @lr_audiovisuels ) who was kind enough to make a few backstage pictures for us. Last but not least, thank you GODOX and Miss Numérique, I hope to see all of you guys again soon.

First hands-on An Affordable steadicam system, that will help you smooth out your shots and more. This summarizes in a way the video. I don’t always film with a gimbal, and I use a steadicam with a vest only on occasion. Only when the shot calls for it, or when I know I will have to carry a few Kgs around for long periods. I was tired of having sore arms and back pains after a long day filming. So this was potentially the solution for me. I trust Proaim for a few things now. My dolly system and my apple boxes are from them, and as of today, I’ve been more than satisfied with their products. So when I had to consider owning a system like this, they were my first choice. Proaim Apple Boxes Proaim Dolly I needed a compact, light, and sturdy system, something I could take apart and carry rather easily on location. And of course, it had to be affordable as this would be my Stabilizer because let’s not kid ourselves there is a reason why camera operators exist. If there is a decent budget, I wouldn’t operate myself. But still, I was curious to see how this tool would help me for my projects, I am currently in a phase where I want to know as much as possible about the art of Filmmaking. Of course, there is a learning curve. And it took me a while to get used to the system. Setting it up, finding the right components that fit my style, and learning how to use it… I am not there yet. That’s why I had to practice and use it as much as possible to get those clean shots. This considerably reduces the bounce movement of the camera. It sometimes feels that I am on dolly tracks or a tripod. This opens new possibilities and will enrich your vocabulary. The arm is probably the most impressive part of the system. No plastic there, it feels strong. You have Two sets of springs depending on the weight of your setup. The vest is well made too, If I had to complain, I wish the buckles were not plastic, but so far they have done their job. It feels comfortable and will push me to favor heavier setups… not that I want to. Still, I own a few lenses and accessories that unfortunately add considerable weight to my camera, so if I need to move my camera and create those gliding smooth shots this will greatly help me do that. But let’s face it, I also use this whenever possible and when needed, when I know I will be shooting for a long time. My arms thank me for that, my back to… And I am a guy with serious back problems. The Steadicam itself is very streamlined, nothing fancy, the bare minimum to make it functional is there. It’s super light because of carbon tubes and all you need is this simple tool provided in the bag to adjust the length of every part. I have an additional set of weights just in case, and as I said earlier, everything comes in a bag for easy transport. All of this package is available as of today under 1k. You will probably see this bad boy more in action in a future BTS video… but more about that when the time is right. I have to train a bit more. Get yours: Flycam G-Axis Carbon Fibre Stabilizer with Vista-II Arm & Vest

Complete Behind the scenes Last photoshoot session of that day, with Nyamgerel... an amazing Handstand performer and contortionist, currently performing for the Cirque du Soleil's show OVO. All the setups used for the first sessions earlier that morning were used that afternoon. I prioritized the use of only one light as I favor the dramatic look overall for all three sessions. Again, I only used a 2nd light to lift the shadows and recover some details. So I advise you to watch and read the 2 previous articles: Nansy Damianova Portrait session Danira Quintanar Portrait session Now this is new! I rarely shoot above eye level unless I am creating a dramatic top-down shot. I usually want my model to be fearless, strong, and heroic in my shots, this is why I heavily used wide-angle lenses in my early work, captured my models from the ground, exaggerating the perspective and elongating the body for maximum effect. I stepped away from that approach a few years ago, or at least, it became less systematic. But again for my portraits, I rarely went above eye level, so this was a first. Nyamgerel Gankhuyag (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/200sec f/1.7 ISO 200 It feels as if I am dominating the subject, looking down, and depending on the staging your model may appear much more vulnerable from that perspective. Because of her extraordinary abilities, she used the sofa differently, forcing me to reconsider my framing. This is why these feel different from the ones made earlier that day. I even changed for the GF80mm for a couple of shots, to give a sense of distance. Nyamgerel Gankhuyag (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/200sec f/1.7 ISO 200 With Danira I used a wide-angle lens for the table photos. With Nyamgerel I switched back to the GF55mm. This completely changes the way you perceive the room. I also don't have to worry about warping and distortion with this lens. Nyamgerel Gankhuyag (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/200sec f/1.7 ISO 200 We had to go further! I ended up doing one top-down shot. We had everything on hand to make it happen so why not? My only request was for her to fit inside the shape of the table. It turns out it was an easy request. Nyamgerel Gankhuyag (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/125ec f/2.2 ISO 400 Of course, we ended the session in the bathtub. I had to fight again with the size of the room, and I knew she would do some crazy shapes and forms in there so I was eager to get up there and see what she could do. The GF55mm was my first choice because I wasn't sure we would be able to pull it off with the wide angle. Nyamgerel Gankhuyag (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/250sec f/1.7 ISO 125 I am happy we had the time to still do a few wide-angle photos, as we got a few keepers. These sessions were a sort of appetizer, for the film shoot we had the next days... But more about that in a bit. Nyamgerel Gankhuyag (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 20-35 mm F/4 R WR 1/160sec f/1.7 ISO 400 at 20mm

Complete Behind the scenes I won't share the story twice, so head to the first session we made inside this apartment here: Nansy Damianova portrait session! Did we apply the same recipe here? Almost! I worked with Nansy and Danira at the same time, so needless to say to save some time I used the same setups for both for almost the entire session. But you would have guessed this by yourself: Still, even though the location is the same, the model isn't. The way Danira reacted to my directions, the way she moved, and the ideas she threw at me were quite different from Nansy. You definitely see it in the final pictures, we used the sofa quite differently. Danira Quintanar (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/250sec f/1.7 ISO 125 I love using my surroundings, the furniture, the walls, and everything that makes up the environment we work in. So we had to use this table. Danira was at ease and proposed a lot of options. The main thing was to be able to choose between them because as usual, everything didn't necessarily work. Danira Quintanar (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF GF 20-35 mm F/4 R WR 1/200sec f/4 ISO 125 at 35mm It was fun to see how each one of them utilized this bathtub. I didn't change much for this one, It was just a matter of finding the right pose and focal length. In the end, I only used the GF55mm lens with Danira. Danira Quintanar (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/160sec f/1.7 ISO 80 We ended the session with simple portraits made with the GF110mm. Maybe one of my favorite portrait lenses that I still do not own. If I made more portraits like this one I would probably invest. I'm always curious about any type of transparent material. Especially when there are patterns and textures we can play with. My flash was placed on the other side, and we didn't use any reflector, as I was quite happy with the shadows that were created. Danira Quintanar (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR 1/160sec f/2 ISO 80 The last session happened in the afternoon, with a completely different light entering the apartment, and of course a different performer! Stay tuned.

Complete Behind the scenes I promised the entire Behind-the-scenes video of each session, so here is the first one featuring Nansy Damianova, an Ex-Gymnast now dancer and performer at the Cirque du Soleil. The company was in town for the show OVO, and this time I had the pleasure of seeing the act from backstage. We first discovered the show in 2018 thanks to Alanna Baker who was performing for the Cirque du Soleil. She was kind enough to put me in touch with some of the dancers currently with the company. One thing led to another, and we ended up creating some images for 3 incredible artists. The plan was simple, a simple portrait session in a nice apartment in Toulouse and a short video (more about that shortly) filmed inside the Musée des Augustins here in Toulouse. The first morning I met Nansy and Danira and this is Nansy's part of the session: You can 2 lights in the video. An AD300pro and an AD600pro, both paired with, respectively a Godox AD-S65S softbox an umbrella with a sheet of diffusion. The smallest light was used as my main light aiming at the face, and the 2nd one for the overall exposure, or to fill the shadows. I sometimes only used the main light, as I preferred the rapid fall-off and dramatic lighting. Nansy (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/250sec f/1.7 ISO 125 This couldn't be a simple portrait session, knowing what these amazing artists are capable of, we had to explore and take advantage of their physical abilities. After a few traditional portraits, I gave Nansy a bit more freedom. Nansy (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/250sec f/1.7 ISO 125 The Bathtub photos were a challenge. The room is tiny, the ceiling low and the light was barely entering the space. I placed on the right side outside the room my strongest flash aiming at the window. The light was bouncing off the walls, but we quickly needed a little bit more so I added another flash behind me with the light hitting the back wall. I just wanted a bit of light to recover some of the details in the shadows. The GFX100II, performed well under these circumstances. Responsive, definitely faster than the GFX100S, and delivering clean images... Nansy (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 20-35 mm F/4 R WR 1/160sec f/4 ISO 400 at 20mm I used the GF55mm to shoot "tight" and the 20-35mm to have the entire bathtub and a bit more of the room. Distortions and warping were hard to handle, especially with some of the poses where her limbs were getting close to the edge of the frame. Nansy (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/160sec f/1.7 ISO 80 The GF55mm gave something much more natural and was easier to use. You can feel better how the actual space is. Like always, it depends on the results you are aiming. Stray tuned, the other three sessions will be posted this week!

3 Cirque du Soleil, artists one apartment I'm getting more and more tired of seeing my face on the screen. I'm slowly transitioning to a new formula. To be honest, I don't think I'm doing you any favors by providing more information. So for this new Behind-the-scenes video featuring 3 amazing artists from the Cirque du Soleil, we're going to keep it simple. Let me explain. It’s all there. Does gear matter? Not so much, the most important part is my lighting placement, the general setup, and staging. Then of course the result, where I advise you to head to my blog to see the images in better quality and further analyze the result. The rest is for you to experiment. The only way in my opinion to learn and make significant progress is by experimenting in the field. These videos should only be there to inspire and eventually open new doors. 1st image: Nansy (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/250sec f/1.7 ISO 125 2nd image: Danira Same settings 3rd & 4th image: Nyamgepel Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/200sec f/1.7 ISO 200 The gear I am using, camera settings… you have everything on the blog. For this session, I had the Fujifilm GFX100II, the GF20 - 35, GF55, GF80, and the GF110mm lenses. What more do you need? Oh, I forgot, 2 flashes were used, an AD300 pro and an AD600pro. I brought two umbrellas this time for convenience and one layer of diffusion plus the AD-S65S softbox with a grid. 1st image: Danira (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 20-35 mm F/4 R WR 1/200sec f/4 ISO 320 at 35mm 2nd image: Nyamgepel Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/200sec f/1.7 ISO 200 The light coming from the windows was constantly changing during the session, so I decided to rely on my flashes instead. From one to two sources, I favored the 2 lights setup. One was for the upper body and the other one was for the overall scene or to fill the shadows. For the Bathtub images, the approach was different. I tried to place one light as high as possible outside the room as a backlight. To avoid its presence in the frame it was on the side. The light bounced on the walls which helped in this case. I still added another light behind me bouning off another wall, just to slightly raise the ambient light in the room 1st image: Nansy (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 20-35 mm F/4 R WR 1/160sec f/4 ISO 400 at 20mm 2nd image: Danira (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/1.7 ISO 80 3rd image: Nansy (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR 1/160sec f/1.7 ISO 80 Nyamgepel: (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 20-35 mm F/4 R WR 1/160sec f/1.7 ISO 400 The apartment is not that big and the rooms are rather small. But, I am used to working in small spaces, so I was able to find solutions for our portraits. You can now watch or rewatch the video and carefully analyze the light placements, the position of the models, and of course the shadows on the resulting images. All the individual sessions will be posted here on the blog next week, this means the complete gallery and behind-the-scenes videos. How did I retouch those images? I am glad you asked, just simply click here: Photoshop's best companion. Danira (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/160sec f/2 ISO 80

RETOUCH4ME, another AI retouching program? A market that keeps on growing… Retouching assisted by Ai, further reduces your time in Photoshop and helps you deliver these images fully retouched to your client much faster. I’ve shared my experience with EVOTO Ai, a standalone solution in a past article. It has strong features but it doesn’t quite fit my workflow. So how is retouch4me different… and how does it perform? It took me some time to wrap my head around Retouch4me because the approach is completely different from EVOTO AI. One one hand, Retouch4me is a series of plugins used within Photoshop for retouching. On the other, EVOTO Ai is used as a stand-alone software for retouching and color grading. When you head to Retouch4me's website, you have to choose which plugins you need and buy each one individually. Once bought it’s yours to use. With EVOTO Ai you pay for each photo you export by buying some credits upfront, one credit equals one export. I have been using PS for more than a decade now and I won’t step away from ADOBE’s software for now. So EVOTO wasn’t ideal for me as I had to open another separate software. Retouch4me meets me halfway. I barely change my workflow, from a capture one session I open my file in Photoshop for editing and usually start dealing with any skin problems I may have on a portrait. I use the frequency separation technique most of the time, I would then do a bit of dodging and burning, localized (face and body), and then general over the entire image. This may take some time, it's different for every image, and it’s the least fun part of the process for me. This is why I got myself the Heal, the Dodge and Burn, and Volume plugins… and on top of that the Mattifier plugin... just in case. These are all I need for the majority of my work. One may argue and say that EVOTO proposes a bunch of features in one single package, which is true. However, I found myself using only half the features of the program (at best). I am in a phase where I wish to step back. this means a moderate and subtle approach to the amount of retouching applied to an image. And this is why Retouch4me suits me better at the moment. So how does it perform and how do I use it? It’s easy, like any plugin just open the one you need, and adjust a single slider for the desired effect. I choose to use the mask or soft layer function, and once you press apply, it does the work for you. You can then reduce the opacity of your layer, or even add a mask if you wish to reduce or erase the effect on specific parts of the image. My priority was to optimize my current workflow and this is a real-time saver for me. It does a fantastic job most of the time. With some of my bendy models, the effect is at times less effective. But on regular portraits, I barely have to modify anything and can move on to the color grading part. Some before and after (not color-graded) The Mattifier plugin, helps me reduce shine or harsh highlights. I don’t use it all the time but it came in handy on some of my recent images. So you guessed it, it’s a matter of workflow. In the end, most of the software I tested, delivered great results. If you use Photoshop, If you wish to have a natural approach in your retouching, and if you usually work on a small number of files per session, then you are a bit like me and Retouch4me might be your best bet. If you work with high volumes and need fully retouched photos on huge sessions. Then you might look away as other solutions will help you deal with that better. I may take a closer look at their other plugins, but for now, these are all that I need. Check out the links below for a discount and some useful links. Like always all the galleries are on the blog and the the scenes video of these sessions are also there… So if you are interested in that you know what to do. I guess that I will catch you in the next one, take care, and until then, have a good one. Get 20% discount: CLICK HERE

A short dance film feat. Angelina Rakova This article is an update of a previous post. I added 2 videos to further show how these videos are made. The approach is different each time, but I sometimes come back to this method that I've used a couple of times now over the years. But before we dive a little further, just a few words on how this one came to be. It became a habit... I find an apartment, make a couple of photoshoots, and then challenge myself to write a quick script or synopsis and do my best to make it happen. It's part of my training, and I am not even joking. I get access to these locations and tell myself that it might not happen again, so let's make the most out of it. So here is the unaltered synopsis I initially wrote and sent to Angelina: Synopsis "A woman, haunted by the tragedy that binds her to a Haussmannian apartment, unfurls a long, transparent fabric and dances with it. Her movements, infused with deep emotion, convey her tragic tale, and the fabric symbolizes her emotional burden. As she collapses and disappears, a couple enters the apartment, unaware of her ghostly presence. Later, a real estate agent discovers the fabric on the ground and wonders where it came from, a poignant reminder of the woman's tragic story." You'll quickly notice we changed a few stuff. I couldn't get a couple available for my ending so I had to ask one of the models to fill in and shoot the ending on a different day. Angelina did an incredible job, as a big chunk of her choreography was changed on the spot because we couldn't rehearse on location before principal photography. I even asked to change a few things because I had specific shots in my head I wanted to include in the final film. So here it is, "For rent", filmed on the Fujifilm XH2s and native Fujinon glass. ⁣⁣⁣- For RENT - Dancer & Choreographer: Angelina Rakova ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ A film crafted by HazeKware 1st AC M⁣arlène Blackdough⁣ Filmed with the Fujifilm XH2s ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Real-estate agent:⁣⁣⁣ Marlène C.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Visitor:⁣⁣⁣ Nina Portalier⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Filmed in Toulouse⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Music:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ - Lashed Over A Hundred Times -⁣⁣⁣ Music by Sebastian Kauderer⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ a HK VISUALS short film⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Angelina did a fantastic job that day. We couldn't rehearse, she discovered the location on the day, and with the ideas I had on the day she had to rewrite a big chunk of her choreography. "Rewrite" is the right word. I wanted to film different angles of the same choreography in two different rooms (initially 3). I wanted the viewers to feel disoriented, not knowing exactly her position inside the apartment. I still gave her 45 minutes before we started rolling, and gave her a few indications and the type of shots that were essential to make it work. The piece is short which is an advantage, she also doesn't start dancing right away. This was our only chance to make it work in a few hours. Once everything was set, I decided to apply the same method we used for my tryptic: "Will you be there" From three to two rooms, we agreed to film the entire choreo (without the intro) from beginning to end for all the main angles I wanted to cover. A mix of tripod shots and handheld camera work. I decided to share with you a quick edit of Angelina's performance in both rooms. The edit and color grading weren't baked and served as a base for the final video. but these 2 edits that were made before the final one, helped me choose the right sequences, and sped up my process of deciding when to bounce from one room to another. Here is the first room and main performance: Here is the 2nd room: These é videos were never meant to see the light of day, unlike the "I will be there" 3 videos, that showed 3 different perspectives. I learned so much during the process of this one, and hope this experience will help me on future bigger projects. If you have any questions about my process, I will be glad to answer them. I will catch you guys in my next project!

Featuring Manon (Asuki) Parts I, II, III, and IV are now available on the blog. This Fifth session with Manon aka Asuki, was from the start a photoshoot made for the blog exclusively. A fine art nude session that wasn't planned, but I am glad it happened. This allowed me to meet a new model and further use my optical snoot. Temporary Studio Part I Temporrary Studio Part II Temporary Studio Part III Temporary Studio Part IV Since this is part V, you already know by now the gear used for this session. The optical snoot was heavilyu used on this one. After some quick portraits with my Gravity backdrop, we switched to a fine art nude session with a more dramatic setup. Manon (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/2 ISO 80 Manon (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/3,2 ISO 100 Manon (Asuki) (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/1.7 ISO 80 Hard light, contrast, and shadows are what we were looking for. The optical snoot gives us many options to shape our light. I used different methods to open my shadows and have a bit more detail in the dark. I opened slightly one of the windows on the side, for a few images, and tried with an additional light placed behind me. Manon (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/1.7 ISO 100 I ended up preferring the one-light approach, for some images, as I had enough details in the shadows, thanks to the light bouncing off of the (very) white walls. Manon (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF 55 mm f/1,7 R WR 1/125sec f/2 ISO 80 Working with a big monitor, really helped this time as I was able to discuss the poses and better direct my model. It also helped her understand what I was looking for much more efficiently. Once my optical snoot is set up, I position my model to show and hide specific parts of the body. This is where your model’s experience can make or break your session. Trust is key, and with experienced models, once the groove is on, you’ll get your results fast. Manon (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/2 ISO 100 Manon (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/3.2 ISO 80 It was my first time working with Asuki, and we quickly got into the photoshoot. It was just a matter of finding our rhythm. The next step for me would be having more props and more options for staging. Maybe I haven’t found the right location for this type of session yet. I hope 2024, will allow me to finally create the images I want. Manon (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/5 ISO 80

Featuring Sarah Lemzaoui 4th session, all portraits, same gear, and location, I am just mixing up the ingredients at this point... and learning from other sessions. This is common, when I do multiple photoshoots in the same location 2, 3 days in a row. The first 2 are usually the ones where I mess up the most, and the last one or two are the ones where I am more efficient. As I am reaching the end of my stay, I've faced most of the problems and resolved most of them. On the first day, I discovered that there was no power in the apartment. So I had to bring 2 ECOFLOW deltas to power and recharge my gear, at the very last minute. I also brought a tube light and a few small LED lights for the bathrooms. Not one but 2 tether cables from Area51 Tether Co. stopped working. They are supposed to be made for professionals and up to speed with the GFX system... and now I have a pair of dead cables. I had to get my good old tether tools cable, which worked flawlessly throughout the different sessions. Sarah is not new here, you've seen her in the past, so browse the blog to find our past work together. I love working with her, even if sometimes I think we laugh a bit too much! UPDATE: One apartment and 6 separate sessions, 3 are already online! Temporary Studio Part I Temporrary Studio Part II Temporary Studio Part III The four-light set-up was used once again, like the other sessions you have one light at the top for her face, to strip boxes behind her on either side and the Godox P128 in my back. This is not hard to guess when you look at the images. Just look at the catch light in her eyes, and the shadows on her face and body. Sarah Lemzaoui (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/2.0 ISO 80 We tried different outfits, and I would sometimes slightly change my settings and the power of my flashes depending on what she was wearing. But overall the look is the same! Sarah Lemzaoui (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/2.2 ISO 80 She sat down on an apple bow and we switched to the portraits made with the Optical Snoot. Because of the shape of the light, we have to be precise. This makes it harder for the model to improvise. I've worked many times with the optical snoot, I love the possibilities with it and how you can create something "moody" fast. The tool I never thought I needed Fine art nude part II Sarah Lemzaoui (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/2.2 ISO 80 Something I didn't propose to the other models, is a series of backlit portraits... with a twist... Sarah is also lit on the side, but your eagle eye should have spotted it in the video. Placed behind her back is a 200cm X 150cm 7 in 1 Godox reflector kit. I of course used the translucent panel and placed a flash, pointing at the white wall, so that the light could bounce back at us. This considerably reduced the hotspot and gave us a more even light on the panel. Sarah Lemzaoui (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/2.0 ISO 80 After a couple of shots with the first outfit, we brought back the shiny jacket, and I screwed on my lens a snow mist filter for a "dreamy" effect. Sarah Lemzaoui (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/1.7 ISO 80 This session was the easiest and fastest one of them all. The hardest will be up next... after Christmas of course!

Featuring Erica D. Part I and Part II are available on YouTube and of course here on the blog. This 3rd session with Erica, ultimately couldn’t have been published on YouTube. There is not enough footage according to my standards, and the images we got may not be suited for YouTube anyway. It was our first time together, and like the first three sessions I did in this same apartment, we opted for a hard-light approach with a lot of contrast. It was a challenge for me, I am not going to lie, as I usually go for contrast, but still try to have softer transitions. From time to time, I've even placed my main light on the same axis as my camera. I am usually not a fan, but that was the look we were aiming for. I often describe this as “Obvious” and “direct” in terms of lighting. The goal is not to be subtle, we don’t want a “natural” look. Erica D.  (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/3.2 ISO 80 Erica D. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO 80 The Four Light setup didn’t move. It remained the same throughout all 6 sessions. I did change the position of the light above her head a few times but overall the placement was as follows: The AD300 pro with the Godox AD-S65W for her face placed on top, 2 strip boxes placed behind her on either side and the Godox P128 behind me or above my head. I can’t remember exactly, which flash was on which modifier, but I used the AD600 Pro and 2 AD1200 Pro. Erica D. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/3.2 ISO 80 I still went back and forth, placed my light slightly off-axis and back, as if unconsciously I was fighting my old ways. Habits are hard to break, but these kind of exercises help me a lot. It forces me to be creative, and I learn much from my mistakes. Erica D. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/2.8 ISO 80 Camera and lens-wise, you already know what I used, if in doubt, I invite you to watch and read these 2 once again: Temporary studio par I Temporary studio part II Erica D.  (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF80mmF1.7 R WR 1/125sec f/2.5 ISO 80 Erica D. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/2.5 ISO 80 It was an interesting experience for me. If the model had given me "carte blanche" I would have done a few things differently. But it gave me a few ideas for future sessions. Now I am thinking about doing something somewhat at the opposite of what we did here. I want to work with big indirect light sources, for a soft look. I haven't done this in ages, so I hope to do a few next year. Erica D. (Toulouse - France) Fujifilm GFX100II + GF110mmF2 R LM WR 1/125sec f/2.0 ISO 100