Testing the Flashpoint Xplor 600
These images were a result of my first ever shoot with the Flashpoint Xplor 600, my most powerful light to date. The heavier light meant carrying it to the beach was a pain, but the battery and completely wireless controls meant the operation was a breeze. I started in the trees along the path to the water, getting some images with the muted browns and greens in the background while waiting for some color to appear on the horizon.
Once the sun began to set it became clear that the overcast evening was not going to give the bright sunset I wanted, but I made do, placing the sun directly behind the model whenever possible to make the relatively dark sky appear as bright and colorful as possible.
I had a vision of a photo such as this one before heading to this location; a photo of a fashionably dressed woman standing on the rocks at the edge of the ocean, with waves crashing and the sun setting behind her. The overcast weather meant no sunset, but I could still get three out of four goals. The model was reticent to stand in the wave’s path, but I was able to convince her, unfortunately the unpredictability of the waves and the shotty autofocus on the A7sii led to frustration by all parties involved. Eventually we got a few images, but every image that capture the waves also had an unflattering facial expression on the model.
Luckily Photoshop came to the rescue and I was able to replace her shocked face from the cold water’s impact with a bright smile from an earlier image.
