Michelle

Model: Michelle | Canon 5Ds / EF 135mm F/2.0L USM | 1/160 - f/4.0 - iso 100

Not every photograph needs to be taken in a studio. You can just as easily create something beautiful in a bed in the bedroom. The possibilities are a little more limited, though. You're restricted by the height of the bedroom ceiling, whereas a studio often has much more headroom. You're also more limited in how far you can position your model from the flash. But there's usually a way to work around these constraints and create something beautiful. It's often much easier than hauling an entire bed into your studio.

Of course, this photograph is a fairly close-up shot, and it would have been relatively easy to recreate it in the studio.

The lighting came from a single flash with an octagonal softbox positioned to the side. This produced wonderfully soft light that illuminated the entire scene beautifully.

The relatively long focal length, combined with a fairly wide aperture, creates a shallow depth of field. The lens itself is exceptionally sharp, so as long as the focus is in the right place, sharpness isn't an issue. That shallow depth of field is precisely what draws the viewer's attention to the model's face.

Together, Michelle's pose, the soft light and the shallow depth of field create a relaxed photograph. By not looking directly into the camera, the model also maintains a certain distance from the viewer. You might even feel a little like a voyeur.