Evolution of a shot

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I recently completed a shoot for a bank that was opening a new branch in a California location.  It was to be a lifestyle image to appeal to customers looking for a personal banking service to compliment their busy and affluent lifestyles.

The image on the right is the final one as it appears in one of the print advertisements. 

I was happy to be able to deliver a image that was relaxed and easy made all the more achievable with great clients and models on the day. This was just one of 3 locations we covered on the day. I had brought 5 models along to the shoot and an assistant and on this day the weather was also cooperating with our needs. The sunlight was very strong by the time we got this shot and I was using a large diffuser with fill flash to retain all the details in the shadows and also the highlights of the white clothing. The dog wasn't originally part of the concept, but while we were on location one of the clients spotted it and asked if I'd be willing to work with the dog and see if I could add something to the shots by using it. I always carry releases with me, so with a quick bit of negotiating and a couple of signatures, we now had 6 models!

With a selection of models at our disposal we were able to shoot a good set of variations for the concept we were working to. You can see a few of the contact sheets that I made and supplied to the Creative Director at the Bank's ad agency.
In the top image you can see that while the models were waiting for their starring roles we gave them cameo roles in the backgrounds of some of the shots. There were many many shots plus the ones we took at other locations - which will be used for other ads. So the final choice was made and it was time to go back to my raw file and give the client something that was right for print usage.

The image was shot as follows: RAW. Exposure program - Manual. Shutter - 1/3200. f/4.5. focal length - 17mm. ISO 200. With diffuser and off camera flash. Below is an animation showing the basic steps I used to bring the image to it's final state.
Click on the image to view the animation. (Approximately 45 seconds long).


Enjoy!

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