Concept
I am always looking for new photo project ideas, and I liked the idea of changing the classic fairy tale concept a bit. Instead of a damsel in distress, why not make her the heroine? This is the first one in the series, and is based on a bad-ass Little Red Riding Hood. So she has an axe to take down the wolf.
Setup and Lighting
I used a Sony a7RII with a 24-70/2.8 G Master lens and a 70-200/4 G lens, on a Gitzo traveler tripod, tethered with a Tether Tools TetherPro USB Cable into Capture One on my PC laptop. The lighting was a Sony HVL-F60M flash with a Lastolite Ezybox Hotshoe softbox, triggered with the Sony wireless transmitter and receiver. One of my assistants held the flash so I wouldn’t need to get a permit.
I also shot some video to make a little teaser reel for the project after I shoot a few more.
Shooting Tethered
Shooting tethered allows me (or my assistant/tech) to check focus on the fly, and let me know if there are any issues with exposure or composition.
Post-Processing
I processed in Capture One 10 and ended up using pieces from five different frames to make the final image. It was a sunnier day then I wanted so I shot and used a background plate, plus additional frames to make the cap larger and a better frame for the ax head.
Logistics and Gear
The first step was to think about wardrobe and props, I got most things through Amazon because I couldn’t find what I needed locally. Next step was finding a model. I used a website called Casting Networks to post a casting and then selected from there. I scouted a few days before to find a good location in Central Park to shoot. The day of the shoot, the model and my assistants all met me near the subway by the park and we walked in together. In addition to the gear mentioned in the setup, I had a Manfrotto 055 tripod with a Gitzo laptop plate, several Manfrotto bags with to carry everything and a collapsible changing tent.
The Team
I had two assistants, Alley Maher and Sharlene Morris plus the model Christine Pardo. Alley and Sharlene helped with setup, behind the scenes, checking the laptop while I shoot and hauling gear around.
About Tony Gale
Tony Gale is an award-winning portrait photographer shooting for a range of advertising, editorial and corporate clients. Visit his Instagram @tonygalephoto or his personal website.
