SHOOTING PORTRA 160 AT SUNRISE
Shooting a model at sunrise on Carolina Beach, North Carolina, offers a magical blend of early morning tranquility and breathtaking natural light. The serene ambiance near the Carolina Beach Fishing Pier, with its gentle waves and pastel skies, creates an ideal setting for capturing stunning portraits. Using the Contax 645 medium format film camera, paired with the exquisite 80mm f2 Zeiss Planar lens and Kodak Portra 160 film, allows for capturing the soft, diffused light of dawn in all its glory.
As the first light of sunrise graces the horizon, the golden hour begins, providing a perfect opportunity to utilize the warm, flattering light. Kodak Portra 160, known for its fine grain and exceptional color accuracy, beautifully renders the subtle tones of the early morning sky and the model's natural complexion. The low ISO of Portra 160 ensures minimal grain, allowing for smooth, creamy skin tones and rich detail. The wide aperture of the Zeiss Planar lens at f2 creates a shallow depth of field, softly blurring the background and bringing the focus to the model's face, adding a dreamy quality to the portraits.
Positioning the model with the rising sun behind her creates a stunning backlight effect, highlighting the edges of her silhouette and creating a natural halo. To manage the strong backlight, a reflector can be used to bounce light back onto the model's face, ensuring even illumination and preventing harsh shadows. Alternatively, shooting slightly off-angle from the sun allows for a balance of direct and ambient light, enhancing the model's features while maintaining the softness of the early morning glow.
Throughout the session, I used a Sekonic handheld light meter to accurately meter for the shadows. This approach ensured that the shadow details were well-preserved, providing a balanced exposure that captured the nuanced tones of the scene. The combination of meticulous technique, the high-quality Zeiss lens, and the exquisite Portra 160 film culminates in portraits that are both technically precise and artistically captivating, perfectly capturing the serene beauty of a sunrise at Carolina Beach.
