Description
f/1.6 | ISO 250 | 1/2500 | 85mm
When I shared this image, the questions weren’t about posing or location. They were about the image itself.
Why ISO 250?
Why 1/2500 if the subjects are still?
Was it masked?
Was it underexposed and lifted later?
Is that the edit or is that how it looked out of camera?
This image is from 2016, and I captured it with my DSLR (Nikon D810). I only used natural light, with no portable reflector, and because it was a very cloudy day (a storm had just passed), there were no reflective surfaces.
This course walks you through the full process from capture to final image so you can see exactly where the look is built.
You’ll see the complete series straight out of camera, meaning all the RAW files, not just the ‘best shot’ from the lot. That tells the story. I explain why I chose the settings I did, how I read the light in that moment, why I chose my location, and how I made exposure decisions without chasing “safe” numbers. The RAW file was not underexposed. It was built intentionally before I snapped the shutter.
From there, I move into the refinement process and show how the edit enhances what was already there instead of trying to fix it. You’ll see how deep, rich tones and clean natural highlights begin at capture and are carried through post.
This isn’t a dramatic before-and-after transformation. It’s about building a strong file first, then refining it with control.
If you’ve ever looked at an image and wondered whether the magic is in the edit or in the exposure, this course answers that clearly.
Run time – 29 minutes
This video will be made available within the VP Box.
