For my second virtual portrait session via FaceTime screenshot, I was lucky enough to be able to work with Kristina Koumaeva. We've known each other for years but I still get so excited every time I get to work with her! There is so much teamwork involved in a great portrait session, this concept is even more apparent when using a technically limited method like this.
Unlike my last virtual portrait session, we had a third party helping us out. Kristina's boyfriend, Josh came along and was kind enough to hold the camera. I would give him direction in how I wanted the camera positioned, and he would relay any directions I had for Kristina if she couldn't hear them. This method offered much greater flexibility and made for a smoother session overall.
Kristina is literally made of creativity so she came prepared with fabulous outfit options and took us to a location near the Ballard Lochs. The textures were rough and the location had major industrial vibes so it was a lot of fun to play with. I especially loved the contrast between the muted tones of the location and the bright colors in Kristina's sweater.
The lighting was also a lot of fun to play with. I generally shoot around golden hour to take advantage of the soft, flattering light but this set was shot when the sun was still fairly high in the sky. I decided to embrace the harsh shadows and did my best to take advantage of the awesome shapes they made. The downside was that the camera constantly wanted to overexpose which was tricky to do anything about via FaceTime screenshot.
Overall I was really happy with how this session turned out. I'll admit I get a little frustrated with the technical limitations but it's so nice to keep creating and to have to think about things a little differently. Would you ever try a virtual portrait session?
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