FashionPhotographyBlog.com caught up with Photo of the Week winner, Alana Tyler Slutsky to find out what has been happening since she shot her winning photo from her “Painted Ladies” series. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Alana Tyler Slutsky photographs fashion, beauty and portraits. From our previous interview with Alana, we discovered that she loves to play with color and light, as well as the idea that “fashion is fantasy.”
So where is the photographer at now in her photography journey? According to Alana, she is constantly growing, ever-learning and ever-experimenting, “Now, I understand what I’m doing a lot more. Everything is premeditated and every detail is planned out It’s no longer a guessing game where I plop down lights and move them around to get what looks good – rather I go in with a plan of where everything should be placed, what modifiers should be used and what the f/stops should read. Also, I won’t shoot without a team. Before I used to shoot with whatever was lying around and would do the makeup myself (that was a total joke!) or have the “model” do it themselves. Nowadays I won’t work unless I have a team of hair, makeup and wardrobe. These are all details that tie together to make an amazing image. If you’re missing one, it’s like trying to drive a car with a flat tire – it just doesn’t quite work.”
The last article that we spoke to Alana she showed us an example of an experimental concept, back from when she was first testing lighting, became the inspiration for her recent “Second Skin” editorial shoot that got published in Creem Magazine. It was coincidental that around the same time she won Photo of the Week. It must have been meant to be. So how did the shoot for “Second Skin” come about? Alana explained, “The “Second Skin” images were the brain child of my makeup artist, Cassie Kurtz and myself. We spent a few hours on the phone bouncing ideas back and forth until we came across this one. I like to think that the “Painted Ladies” images were buried deep within my subconscious and the underlying idea of that series helped shape the “Second Skin” shoot.
To create shoot, Alana shot this series using an Alienbees strobe, a soft box and a reflector. For photographers who are starting out and don’t have the budget for expensive equipment, Alana recommended “Paul C. Buff/Alienbees is an amazing company for young photographers! Not everyone has tens of thousands of dollars in order to own all of their own pro gear (such a Profoto/Broncolor etc…). Paul C. Buff is an affordable solution with the greatest customer support ever! Definitely check them out if you’re in the market for some lights. It does not hurt that they have almost every modifier you’ll be looking for! (No. I’m not paid by Paul C. Buff/Alienbees to promote them… I’m just a huge fan!)”.
Speaking of lighting, I asked the photographer, how is her lighting setup different now? She replied that “My light is a lot more controlled. Now, I know exactly what I want and figure out a proper set-up and what the light-output should read before ever setting foot on step. Being good at lighting is all about knowing how to manipulate it – from shadow transitions to color temperature.
To find out more information about this shoot or contact Alana Tyler Slutsky feel free to visit any of the following:
Blog: http://alanatylerslutsky.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.alanatylerslutsky.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alanatylerslutsky
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alanaslutsky
What do you think about Alana’s new work now compared to her previous Photo Of The Week entry? Please post your comments in the comment section below.
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