Superhero Photo Challenge: Hair light

I don't normally get a "vision" for how I'm going to photograph my clients. Mostly, I take it as it comes. The light, the mood, the moment... it gets created very spontaneously and I don't have much of an agenda.

This session was different. I saw it fully formed in my mind several hours before: A vintage slip, magic hour sunshine, sexy, pretty, the golden light in Denise's curly hair, a wheaty field.... I was giddy at the thought and texted her from my walk along the Berkeley Marina.

Do you have a vintage slip? I'm thinking sexy, sexy magic hour sunshine... !

I didn't hear back from her for hours. Did she not get the text? Did she not like the idea? Was that whole sexy undergarment thing inappropriate? I was immediately embarrassed that I had asked. I called her to check in and heard someone else's voicemail entirely. I was confused until I realized I had been texting the wrong Denise! 

omg. 

We all had a good laugh about it, and it turns out Denise brought a sexy little slip dress anyway. My vision was realized! 

For this week's photo challenge, venture out at the magic hour (this shoot was done at about 6:30pm) and get that glowy light behind your subject's head. Meter for their face so they are not in silhouette and witness the gorgeous halo of light in their hair. It is something else.

Comments

[Petchy]

I love the "hairlight" effect - these photos weren't taken at the "magic hour" but I still love how they turned out:

http://petchy.smugmug.com/photos/611054997_FQv5h-L.jpg
http://petchy.smugmug.com/photos/611056614_aWdbb-L.jpg

Ofcourse I am totally biased when it comes to the subject matter ;)

[Marcie]

So very creative. Love the sense of romance you captured..and the light is extraordinary!!!
I didn't quite get the halo effect I would have liked..but tried for something similar here as well:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=815

[djbeat]

so beautifully shot! i find it so hard to get my lighting correct in these situations - your's is perfect! well done

[Puna]

This little girl just appeared with the light behind her. She was gorgeous.

http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2009/08/august-15-hair-light/

And here I posted her with a different edit a while back.

http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2009/08/august-3-sunshine-muse/

I just love her!

[Dee]

I am yet to try this .. shooting against the sun and the glare... i really like the effect on it ... very vintage true..

[mandie segura]

This is beautiful. Love that it all worked out, despite miscommunication. We are only human, after all. :)

[dibriggs]

This is my first submission. Not sure if it "fits" but I love the theme and others' posts. Thanks for sharing!

http://dibriggs.smugmug.com/photos/620625568_4hv3Q-M.jpg

[Becky]

I love delicious hair lights and sun flare :)

I used a subtle natural hair light in many of these images, but it's the last two in the post that are magic!

http://blog.bagdanoffphoto.com/?p=1558

[Charrie]

Just did this a few weeks ago with my daughter. Even got some cool sun flares!
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/292Scrap/Celeahwithsunbehind.jpg

[Macy]

Beautiful pictures! So glad the shot worked out the way you had envisioned!

I'm new here, so I'm still figuring out how this works, but I just posted a session where I caught some hair light and I LOVED it. I'm going to keep trying it on purpose form now on. *grin*

Shots 3, 4, and 5 in the post...

http://www.macyrobisonphotography.com/blog/2009/08/12/photo-shoot-carrie/

[alina]

Great tip! Such a fun mood in these shots!

[Kate C.]

Oooh! I've got one -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katherinec/3763548003/

[djbeat]

terrible photo but fun experiment - thanks!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/djbeat/3824900093/

[Dana (Buttercupyaya)]

I too, love the hair light effect, but seem to only get it by accident. :) Here is one SOOC. ;)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/buttercupyaya/3700590124/in/set-72157620989632461/

[Jeanette]

LOL that's hillarious!! What stunning photos, love the vision you had

[georgia]

just beautiful!

[jody]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3044486038/in/set-72157619032125777/

I did this photo of myself last spring I think for another SS challenge. I Love the way it came out ... self portrait too so its amazing it came out at all LOL

[Shelly]

I accidentally caught this one when my son was playing 'golf'

http://www.morales-blog.blogspot.com/2009/08/superhero-photo-challenge-hair-light.html

[jen]

Just so happens I got my son to stand still for a few seconds, http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaycee/3824067299/

[Sara]

LOL! That is too funny! Beautiful images too!

[Jessica]

This is my first post. loving the hair light hour lol
this was from my family shot one of the kids pointed and we all watched this sweet yearlying as she watched us.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3473/3835258800_4984bdfdfb_o.jpg

[photo restoration]

I stumbled onto your site and have found it really interesting with some great articles and photographs!

[jenica]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/onelittleone/3848045650/
brings the warmth right out of their soul and wraps itself around your heart.
xoxo

[Tia Bailey]

I love the golden hour. Here are a couple from a recent senior session that just took my breath away:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1000beautifulthings/3745560214/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1000beautifulthings/3769362518/

xoxo
Tia

[Ceren]

good article and very nice site you have

[estetik]

I am happy to find this very useful for me, as it contains lot of information. I always prefer to read the quality content
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