How I Got the Shot 7

FROM LIGHT SPILL TO COLOR

Sometimes the thing that looks wrong in the RAW file becomes the thing that makes the finished image.

This photograph received thousands of likes whenever I shared it, but the finished image doesn't tell you much about where I actually created it.

It was an alleyway.

In this tutorial, I'm pulling everything back so you can see what I saw before I created the photograph. I'll show you the actual location, why I chose that particular section of the alley, how I built the composition, where I positioned my subject, and why I placed my light where I did.

But there was something else happening in-camera.

My flash was spilling onto the wall.

Normally, that isn't something I want. The RAW file shows it clearly, and instead of pretending it wasn't there, I'm going to show you exactly what I did with it.

During the edit, I took that unwanted light spill and completely changed how it contributed to the image through color grading. Something that could have been considered a problem became one of the elements that gives the finished photograph its atmosphere.

That's an important part of how I work. Not every decision is about eliminating everything imperfect. Sometimes it's about recognizing what you already have and figuring out how to make it work for the image.

You'll see the pullback BTS, the original location, my lighting decisions, the RAW file, and my complete edit from RAW to final. You'll be able to separate what I created in-camera from what I developed during the edit and understand how those two parts worked together.

And even if you don't edit in Photoshop, there is still a larger lesson here. I'm showing you how I looked at an ordinary alley, decided what belonged inside my frame, controlled what the camera saw, and then used an imperfection I didn't particularly like to my advantage.

The final image looked intentional because the entire process was intentional.

This tutorial is included in the VP Box. Standalone purchases include lifetime access.