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Home » Archives for Zhi Lee

About Zhi Lee

Award winning NZ wedding, travel and portrait photographer. Creating images for the enjoyment of others really gets me going. It is through photography that I get to connect with people and express a little bit of creativity.

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Here are my most recent posts

Travel

Beautiful Marlborough Sounds

  • December 7, 2016December 7, 2016
  • by Zhi Lee

If you ever have the chance to visit Marlborough Sounds, take a camera with you. It’s beautiful in any weather, 24/7, 365 days a year!

Marlborough Sounds is located just North of New Zealand’s South Island.  It is easily accessed by boat from Picton.  Picton is a 3-4 hour cruise from Wellington, or you could fly there via Sounds Air in 25 minutes from Wellington.
Marlborough Sounds Summer's Evening

Marlborough Sounds on a Sunny Summer's Day

I wasn’t sure if my larger Manfrotto tripod would make it through as carry-on luggage, so I packed light with a cheap $30 tripod from Dealextreme.  The problem with light tripods is even the smallest amount of shake (from ground movement even through walking!) will manifest in your image.  At these smaller resolutions they look OK, but click on the images to view the camera settings and view the images in high resolution.  These are my first attempts at astrophotography.  What do you think?

Marlborough Sounds Night Sky

M42 (better known as "The Pot" or Orion), according to fellow astrophotographer Greg Stevens
M42 (better known as “The Pot” or Orion), according to fellow astrophotographer Greg Stevens
  • Aperture: ƒ/7.1
  • Camera: Canon EOS 6D
  • Exposure bias: +2/3EV
  • Flash fired: no
  • Focal length: 24mm
  • ISO: 640
  • Shutter speed: 1/40s
Portraits

Movember at TradeMe

  • November 18, 2016January 7, 2017
  • by Zhi Lee

A few chaps from TradeMe Auckland are partaking in Movember to raise awareness of Men’s health.

Today we documented the mo-gress (mo progress, get it?)
Movember - Toby H
Movember - Toby D
Movember - Paul
Movember - Zach

Hit up these mo-pages and contribute to their cause:
TradeMe’s mo-page
Zachary Young mo-age
Toby Delamore’s mo-page
Toby Holland’s mo-page

And Cody’s not actually doing Mo-vember, but he’s all mo’ed up anyway.
Movember - Cody

Behind-the-scenes Lighting setup

This is our lighting rig:

Konova portable backdrop, YN-568EXII flash, High Speed Sync, Canon 6D, 50mm, f2 ISO 50, 1/250s
Konova portable backdrop, YN-568EXII flash, High Speed Sync, Canon 6D, 50mm, f2 ISO 50, 1/250s
  • Aperture: ƒ/2
  • Camera: Canon EOS 6D
  • Flash fired: yes
  • Focal length: 50mm
  • ISO: 50
  • Shutter speed: 1/250s
Commercial

Trade Me Auckland Office Photos

  • October 21, 2016
  • by Zhi Lee

Anthony Au-Yeung and I were asked to create images capturing the vibe of the Trade Me Auckland office.

We set out to capture a mixture of people and environmental shots.

All up, this photo shoot took an hour, thanks to Ant’s keen eye and hand with staging.

Trade Me Auckland Office - Retro Bulbs
These retro bulbs hang from the ceiling, brought to life against a lush green wall.

A close up shot of these hanging retro bulbs against our green wall.
A close up shot of these hanging retro bulbs against our green wall.
Trade Me Auckland Office - Hanging Basket Chairs
These funky hanging chairs are fun to sit in (for short periods)

We were scratching our heads at how to make this setting look interesting, without capturing all the construction activity outside the glass facade. So Ant thought outside the box, and got me to take the shot from above!

Trade Me Auckland Office - Sun Room
This is the sunniest spot in our office, right by the glass facade. Cosy enough for an afternoon read or getting stuck into some code.
Trade Me Auckland Office - Putting Green
The amazing 3 hole course!
Trade Me Auckland Office - Atrium
Can’t find a meeting room? No worries, bask in the sun in the open plan atrium.
Trade Me Auckland Office - Desks
Light and bright open plan desks

Trade Me is an awesome place to work, and it shows on everyone’s faces!

Trade Me Auckland Office - Staff
The awesome people who make up Trade Me Auckland
Trade Me Auckland Office - Staff
More awesome people
  • Aperture: ƒ/2.8
  • Camera: Canon EOS 6D
  • Exposure bias: -1EV
  • Flash fired: yes
  • Focal length: 200mm
  • ISO: 400
  • Shutter speed: 1/640s

Related Images:

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Portraits

Setting up a New Photo Studio

  • April 17, 2016April 18, 2016
  • by Zhi Lee

If you’re a part time photographer, setting up a dedicated studio space means you don’t need to set up and tear down every time you bring a client through.

This blog post describes my setup to achieve maximum results in a small space.

2 light setup. Key light camera left, kicker camera right.
2 light setup. Key light camera left, kicker camera right.

Studio lighting gives a photographer total control over how light falls on their subject.  To ensure that light isn’t bouncing off every wall, a deep grey colour (Dulux Maraetai) was chosen for the walls.

I installed a Meking 2 roller wall mounted backdrop system with 2 Savage seamless paper backdrop rolls, black and white.  White backdrops are actually very versatile.  With controlled studio lighting, you can make a white backdrop appear darker, most typically grey.

Meking 2 Roller Backdrop System. Nice soft natural light from window if required.
Meking 2 Roller Backdrop System. Nice soft natural light from window if required.

As a carpeted floor is too soft for standing on a paper backdrop (it will crease), I bought 2 pieces of MDF thinboard to line the floor below where the backdrop fell.

Savage 2.7m Seamless Paper Backdrop and Two 1200 x 1200 MDF thinboards
Savage 2.7m Seamless Paper Backdrop and Two 1200 x 1200 MDF thinboards

My little model Mikayla tugging at the camera straps – as you can see, the option of natural light is an attractive alternative.

Give me that camera!

The backdrops had to be trimmed to 2.4m down from 2.7m.  It’s an easy job with a hacksaw.  Here’s how!

Chopped off the end of the backdrops with a hacksaw.
Chopped off the end of the backdrops with a hacksaw.

And here’s the hero in the room.  I couldn’t afford for light stands to get in the way so up went an Interfit INT309 Wall Mounted Boom Arm.

Interfit INT309 Wall Mounted Boom Arm - large range of motion.
Interfit INT309 Wall Mounted Boom Arm – large range of motion.

 

Interfit Wall Mounted Boom Arm
Interfit Wall Mounted Boom Arm

Look, no light stands!  All that room below the softbox!  Perfect for little (and big) models!

Visico 300WS Strobe with 80cm x 100cm softbox overhead. Unedited, straight out of camera.
Visico 300WS Strobe with 80cm x 100cm softbox overhead. Unedited, straight out of camera.

 

Single light set up - unedited straight out of camera
Single light set up – unedited straight out of camera

This is how much control you get from a well set up studio.  I can’t wait to explore the possibilities!  This space will give me the room to polish my understanding of lighting.  I am looking forward to bringing people through my new studio.  Click here to book a studio session with me.

Digging the versatility of the Interfit boom arm. Anchored at 4 points onto wall studs.
Digging the versatility of the Interfit boom arm. Anchored at 4 points onto wall studs.

The true hero of the day is my little angel, Mikayla.

Daddy don't forget to put your lens cap away.
Daddy don’t forget to put your lens cap away.
  • Aperture: ƒ/4
  • Camera: Canon EOS 6D
  • Flash fired: no
  • Focal length: 24mm
  • ISO: 1000
  • Shutter speed: 1/40s
Baby

Tips for Mum’s and Dad’s preparing for a Baby…

  • October 19, 2015October 18, 2019
  • by Zhi Lee

 

 

IMG_1748

I’ve been getting asked to do more baby photo shoots lately, and thought it would be a good idea to put a checklist to prepare mum, dad and bub for the session.

Baby’s Milestones

As a new parent, I am lucky to have first hand experience photographing Mikayla over the course of 12 months, from birth to 1 year old. More on that later. It’s been a valuable experience in learning how you need to adapt a shoot to baby’s age and mood. Between 1 and 2 weeks for example, they snooze a lot and like to be tucked in or swaddled – cuddly or blanket wrapped sleepy poses work best.  According to BabywearingInternational.org – after 2 weeks, newborns become less comfortable with womb-like poses.  At 1 month, they start lifting their head and responding to sound. At 3 months, baby starts holding their head and begins to get more mobile but can’t quite crawl yet. Baby centre UK have written a good article for more on baby’s milestones in their first year.

Shooting bubbles against a black backdrop. Caon 6D, 1/125s, f4.5, ISO100

Which leads me into these questions and tips that form …

The checklist:

  1. How old is bubby?
  2. Is the shoot all about bubby or will mum/dad or a sibling be in it?
  3. Do mum/dad mind using flash?  There are mixed opinions on using flash so I won’t go into that debate but I’ve been photographing my kid with flash since birth.  There are other options – natural light (e.g. windows), and continuous lighting.
  4. Bring a few props that bubby is familiar with.  This will help calm their nerves and get them acclimatized with a new environment.
  5. Ensure baby is well fed just before the session.
  6. Depending on baby’s age, if you’re going for sleeping poses (especially with a newborn), keep them awake 1-2 hours before the session so they can settle into their sleep routine on set.  Typically after the newborn stage, ensure baby is well rested just before the session so they can interact with props and the photographer.
  7. Dress baby with loose clothes to avoid lines on their skin.  Plain clothes are best, without patterns or printwork, as they detract from baby’s face.
  8. Bring a pacifier.  It’s essential!
  9. Depending on baby’s age, a typical shoot can take between 1 and 3 hours.
  10. If the shoot is on location (i.e. at home), ensure that there is a heater in the room

IMG_1731

Lastly, relax and enjoy the shoot.  It’s an awesome experience that time will never buy back!

If you’re thinking of a baby shoot in Auckland, contact me!

Mikayla 1st year1-50 sec at f - 1.850 mm50 mmISO 250ISO 250

  • Aperture: ƒ/8
  • Camera: Canon EOS 6D
  • Flash fired: no
  • Focal length: 102mm
  • ISO: 125
  • Shutter speed: 1/125s
Farmers Dance at KFV Travel

3 Day Seoul Itinerary

  • May 17, 2015May 23, 2015
  • by Zhi Lee

3 Days in Seoul

My wife and I had the opportunity to visit Seoul for 5 days.  We wanted to share our Seoul itinerary and tips because of the lack of English resources around.  As a photographer, I wanted to get as much in as possible in a short time.   This itinerary presents many colourful photographic opportunities, with a mixture of street, food and landscape photography.  I hope you enjoy these images!

Hot Tips

Seoul’s subway is a myriad of easily 200-300 stations.  Any time spent counting I’d rather be writing this blog post.  In the next few hours, a new station would probably be being built as we speak!  We were lucky enough to be given an oldish (what looked to be) 2 year old map from a relative.  Already it was outdated and we identified a couple of new lines on it!

Korea Travel Hotline and Subway Map

To help you get around the subway, you need an up-to-date map from one of the many visitor centres, or the airport.  We found that the best map is one produced by the Korea Travel Hotline.  It comes in a small-ish format without too many folds and doesn’t flop around like the cheaper massive town map.  The Korea Travel hotline is a free service for tourists – dial 1330 from a mobile or landline, or Skype them free through this account – “kto1330”.  They’ll help you with translations, directions, food, anything!

Korea Trave

The next essential must-have time-saving life-saving website you absolutely need to bookmark is this subway map that will allow you to plug in the name of a station and have it highlighted on the screen.  Trust me, it will save you tons of time especially if you’ve got a train to catch!

Useful bookmark to have while travelling in Seoul http://subway.umka.org/map.php?find=&city=seoul
Useful bookmark to have while travelling in Seoul http://subway.umka.org/map.php?find=&city=seoul

Changing Money

The best place for currency exchange is in Myeong Dong – the best rates are on the street where the Chinese Embassy is.  We hunted around multiple shops and found the rates around Ewha Women’s university pretty favourable too.

Travelling to the Boseong Green Tea Plantation

The Boseong Green Tea Plantation is well known for its luscious green fields.  We did really want to visit it during the week as we had blocked out other activities for the weekend.  Fortunately we realised (through the 1330 Korea Travel Hotline) that the express bus from Seoul Station only runs once a day at 3.10pm during the week.  Take note!!

I found various sources of bus timetables such as this, and they had conflicting information so your best bet is to call the 1330 hotline directly.  There are other less direct ways to get from Seoul to Boseong, but we didn’t want to spend more than 10 hours in a day in transit – it was either a direct express bus or nothing!  There is a direct bus we’re told that runs from Seoul Bus station to Boseong at 8.10am on Saturday.  Do note that it will not take you straight to the green tea plantation – you’ll still need to take a cab or local bus.




Making the most of a short trip

You’ll find the best of Seoul through day trips.

Day 1 – City Tour

Myeong Dong Shopping District

However if you’re a metropolitan city shopper and foodie, there’s lots to see and eat around Myeong Dong (think Made-in-Korea sock shops, dessert shops, restaurants with very cheap Soju ~ US$2. And we did have an interesting encounter with restaurant staff protecting us from a gentleman who had one too many to drink!).

Myeong Dong Shopping District
Myeong Dong Shopping District
Myeong Dong Shopping District
Myeong Dong Shopping District
Try the Milk Shaven Ice desserts at Sul Bing in Myeong Dong
Try the Milk Shaven Ice desserts at Sul Bing Korean Dessert Cafe in Myeong Dong

Ewha Women’s University

This is THE area for cosmetics, makeup and trendy clothes, obviously targeting the young demographics in the area.  You’ll find great food, and even a little cat cafe nearby in Shinchon (within walking distance).

US$1 pairs of socks
US$1 pairs of socks in Ewha (also lots in Myeong Dong)
Streets around Ewha Women's University
Streets around Ewha Women’s University

Insadong Arts and Crafts Market

Insadong is known as the local folk flea market with lots of arts and crafts for a bargain.  We scored some framed hand painted paintings for NZ$10, and hand-made muslin baby face cloths for $2.

Apart from the crafts, you will also find quaint eateries down back-street alley ways.   I’m told everything’s delectable but go for the more “off-the-track” ones for the best food.  We were fortunate to indulge in the best grilled mackerel we’ve ever had.  It was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, full of flavour!

Off-the-track restaurant in Insadong
Off-the-track restaurant in Insadong
Grilled mackerel in Insadong
Grilled mackerel in Insadong
Tofu Soup
Tofu Soup

Bosingak

A 15 minute walk from Insadon is this bell pavillion called “Bosingak”.  You can’t enter it, but it’s quite a sight to walk around from the outside.

 

Bosingak Bell Pavillion near Changdeokgung
Bosingak Bell Pavillion near Changdeokgung. In the Joseon Dynasty, this bell was struck to announce the opening and closing of the four gates around Seoul. At 4 am and 10 pm the bell was struck 33 times and gates were opened and closed. It was used as a fire alarm as well. In modern times, the bell is rung only at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Because of the massive number of people who attend this ceremony, Metro trains on Line 1 of the Seoul Subway do not stop at Jonggak Station on New Year’s Eve. (Wikipedia)

Namdaemun Market

After a day of shopping, head on down to Namdaemun market for a slightly different shopping scene – one lined with street food, ginseng vendors, textiles, bags, apparel, anything conceivable really!  This is the perfect place to end your day with the food options and the nearby Namdaemun Gate (10 minutes walk from the market).  If you’re asking for directions, you’ll need to refer to it by the local name “Sungnyemun”.

Namdaemun Gate
Known locally as Sungnyemun, the Namdaemun Gate is a sight to see at any time of the day. Note that it is not much more than a gate. You’ll be able to walk around it before it closes at 6pm, but otherwise it’s pretty much visible and lit up after closing time, and it makes a great photograph.

 

Day 2 – Nami Island

This is where they filmed the Korean drama series Winter Sonata.  The whole place is quite gimmicky, centred around the movie, with Winter Sonata souvenir shops, Winter Sonata statues around the Island and lots of tourists.  They call their ticket booth “Immigration” and you need to get a “Visa” into the island.  BUT, if you wander off the touristy paths around the fringes of the island, you’ll find serenity in the leaves of Verdant Trees, and a foggy mysteriousness that surrounds the enclosing waters.  For the adventurous, try Ziplining into the island!

 

Zipline into Nami Island
Zipline into Nami Island
Forest of Verdant Trees on Nami Island
Forest of Verdant Trees on Nami Island
Unicef, Nami Island
Unicef, Nami Island
Nami Island Sunset
Nami Island Sunset

Day Trip 3 – Korean Folk Village

It takes about 2 hours to get there by train (Suwon station) and a free shuttle bus just outside the visitor centre.  It’s best to head here when they just open during a weekday.  Crowds start to arrive after mid-day for the later shows.  Allow half to a full-day at the KFV.  There’s plenty to soak in.

Traditional Wedding Ceremony at the Korean Folk Village
Traditional Wedding Ceremony at the Korean Folk Village
Village Life at Nami Island
Village Life at Nami Island
Traditional Korean Huts in KFV
Traditional Korean Huts in KFV
Equestrian Stunt Show at the Korean Folk Village
Equestrian Stunt Show at the Korean Folk Village



Farmers Dance at KFV
Farmers Dance at KFV
Farmers Dance at KFV
Farmers Dance at KFV
Pottery Making at KFV
Pottery Making at KFV. For a small fee, you can have the pots posted to you, but you’ll need a valid Korean address a few weeks past your visit.
River that runs along KFV
River that runs along KFV

Day 3 – Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung is one of the “Five Grand Palaces” built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty.  This palace is not the largest, but it’s big enough with lots to see, and you could easily spend a few hours discovering the many nooks and crannies of this magnificent piece of Korean architecture.

Nicely landscaped and scattered with flowers, Changdeokgung palace is both majestic and peaceful at the same time
Nicely landscaped and scattered with flowers, Changdeokgung palace is both majestic and peaceful at the same time
Sights around Changdeokgung palace
Sights around Changdeokgung palace
Incredibly detailed roof tiles
Incredibly detailed roof tiles

IMG_0081

 

 

Parting Notes

There’s so much to see in Seoul.  It’s a vibrant city with a rich history, that has preserved it’s culture, yet it feels so technologically advanced when you look at the skyscrapers around you in town.  I’d recommend spending at least 3 days here, but if you have but 3 days, this is the perfect itinerary!

For those interested, I travel light with a Canon 6D (for full-frame goodness without weighing a ton) and these lenses – 24-105mm f/4 L (for versatility) and 40mm F2.8 STM (for compactness).

  • Camera: Canon EOS 6D
Creative

Epic Steel Wool Photography with a Graffiti Backdrop

  • May 10, 2015May 10, 2015
  • by Zhi Lee

The Images

Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 24 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera left with 80x120cm Softbox
Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 24 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera left with 80x120cm Softbox. Makeup: Kyran Tashea. Model: Priya Wallabh. Photographer: Zhi Lee
Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 5 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox
Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 5 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox. Makeup: Kyran Tashea. Model: Priya Wallabh. Photographer: Zhi Lee
Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 5 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox
Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 5 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox. Makeup: Kyran Tashea. Model: Priya Wallabh. Photographer: Zhi Lee

 

Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 5 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox
Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 5 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox. Makeup: Kyran Tashea. Model: Priya Wallabh. Photographer: Zhi Lee

 

Idea and Theme

Following from our fiery dark angel shoot that also involved fire, I wanted to build on the experience we already had shooting at Corbans Estate Arts Centre.  (For more info on our previous hip hop themed shoot, check out this blog post).  And so we set out with a casting call with the keywords “Epic”, “Dark”, “Graffiti” and “Fire”.

Kyran Tashea Makeup Artist responded with these concepts when I asked for a gangster / rock-and-roll look.  The final makeup on the day differed slightly as we had to improvise with water resistant makeup that wouldn’t run in the rain.

Makeup Diagram by Kyran Tashea Makeup Artist
Makeup Diagram by Kyran Tashea Makeup Artist

Warm-up Profile Shots

To get into the groove, we warmed up with a few profile shots that Kyran and Priya could use in their portfolio.  As this was an unpaid collaboration, I feel it’s important for everyone to take something valuable home (apart from the fun we had on-set of course!).

Canon 6D, 1/160 sec at f /7.1, 58 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox, YN 568 EX II model rear right with 30x30cm Softbox (no baffle)
Canon 6D, 1/160 sec at f /7.1, 58 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox, YN 568 EX II model rear right with 30x30cm Softbox (no baffle). Makeup: Kyran Tashea. Model: Priya Wallabh. Photographer: Zhi Lee
Canon 6D, 1/160 sec at f /7.1, 58 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox, YN 568 EX II model rear right with 30x30cm Softbox (no baffle)
Canon 6D, 1/160 sec at f /7.1, 58 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox, YN 568 EX II model rear right with 30x30cm Softbox (no baffle). Makeup: Kyran Tashea. Model: Priya Wallabh. Photographer: Zhi Lee
Canon 6D, 1/160 sec at f /7.1, 58 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox, YN 568 EX II model rear right with 30x30cm Softbox (no baffle)
Canon 6D, 1/160 sec at f /7.1, 58 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox, YN 568 EX II model rear right with 30x30cm Softbox (no baffle). Model: Vijay Prema. Photographer: Zhi Lee

 

Preparation

Having asked for permission from Corbans Estate Arts Centre (Henderson, Auckland), we set out to meet at 8pm on a Friday, despite the rain.  Vijay and I pulled up in different cars to a lone car parked in the upper carpark.  We knew it had to be our model, Priya Wallabh, or makeup artist, Kyran.  It was Kyran.

To add to the challenging conditions, we had to push start Kyran’s car as her battery went flat while waiting with headlights on.  Turning up to a shoot early, that’s dedication!  Priya arrived shortly after and as it was still pouring, the best course of action was to have makeup done in the car.  More trying conditions!

Makeup in trying conditions - What can you do in the rain, right?
Makeup in trying conditions – what can you do in the rain, right? Makeup: The talented Kyran Tashea.

Lighting

Finally, with a bit of patience and luck, the skies cleared up at 9pm.  There were 2 walls to choose from – a low colourful wall that turned out to be too overwhemling with the sparks so I made it monochrome …

Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 24 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox
Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 24 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox. Makeup: Kyran Tashea. Model: Priya Wallabh. Photographer: Zhi Lee

… and a much taller black and white one.  We decided to go for the latter because it gave us good height as a backdrop, and the top of the wall was conveniently the upper deck of the carpark, which allowed us to spin the steel wool from a height.

This was the final lighting setup, a powerful strobe at 3/4 power to the right of the model.  Initially, we started out with a 20 second exposure, which was very challenging for Priya, as 20 seconds is a long time to keep absolutely still.  We then dropped it to 10 seconds, but that required more fervour from the steel wool swinger, getting as much sparks flying as possible within the shorter amount of time.

Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 24 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera left with 80x120cm Softbox
Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 24 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera left with 80x120cm Softbox. Makeup: Kyran Tashea. Model: Priya Wallabh. Photographer: Zhi Lee
Canon 6D, 20.0 sec at f /10, 5 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox
Canon 6D, 20.0 sec at f /10, 5 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox. Makeup: Kyran Tashea. Model: Priya Wallabh. Photographer: Zhi Lee

The Crew

Thanks to these outstanding people who made it possible:

Model: Priya Wallabh
Makeup: Kyran Tashea
Photographer: Zhi Lee http://localhost:8888/zlphotography
Assistants: Vijay Prema, Sirina

Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 24 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox
Canon 6D, 10.0 sec at f /10, 24 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox
Canon 6D, 20.0 sec at f /10, 5 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox
Canon 6D, 20.0 sec at f /10, 5 mm, 100 ISO, Visico 300W Strobe to Camera Right with 80x120cm Softbox

Safety

Precautions were taken with a fire extinguishing can on standby.  Vijay and I had practised on a separate set beforehand so we knew what we were doing.  Never attempt steel wool photography on dry grass or near flammable items.  We had the safety net of wet walls and floors that were the aftermath of the rain.

Equipment

All you need is a bunch of steel wool caged within a whisk.  Set it on fire and then swing the whisk around (carefully), with a lanyard clipped into the end of the whisk
All you need is a bunch of steel wool caged within a whisk. Set it on fire and then swing the whisk around (carefully), with a lanyard clipped into the end of the whisk

 

For more information on how to do steel wool photography, check out one of these videos on Youtube.


 


  • Aperture: ƒ/10
  • Camera: Canon EOS 6D
  • Flash fired: no
  • Focal length: 24mm
  • ISO: 100
  • Shutter speed: 10s

Related Images:

Corbans Estate Hip Hop Orbis Ring Flash Lit DJ Jynkz Corbans Estate Hip Hop Corbans Estate Hip Hop Corbans Estate Hip Hop Corbans Estate Hip Hop
Promoting Chinese Wushu Creative

Chinese Martial Arts (Wushu) Photo Shoot

  • March 17, 2015March 17, 2015
  • by Zhi Lee
Promoting Chinese Wushu
Model: Zhi Lee
Photographers: Vijay Prema and Zhi Lee

Story Behind the Shoot

Martial arts has been a passion of mine since I started in the local school club back in 1997.  Training in the sport since my teenage years has sharpened my motor skills  (or so I would like to think) and given me the agility and strength to move on to more adventurous sports like rockclimbing.  Really, the qualities that define you as a person get established through the activities you immerse yourself in.  For me, that was Wushu.

After migrating to New Zealand in 2001, I felt a part of me missing and finally found the Chinwoo Athletic Association in 2004.  At that time, we had a class of about 4 students.  It’s now grown to at least a hundred under the coaching of Coach George Guo, and more recently my Wushu brothers who have gone on to take on some of the coaching.  Duty called and I was conscripted into the Singapore army, during which I trained with the guys from NUS Wushu for a year.  Unfortunately I fractured my right ankle and due to injuries from other sports, have “retired” from Wushu but it’s spirit lives on!

The reason for this shoot is to promote the sport within New Zealand.  All athletes who participated did so on a voluntary basis for the same cause.  We would like to see the next generation of athletes benefit from the same fun, rigour and discipline that is Wushu training.  Thank you to athletes Michael Yip, Siu Yuat Wong and Jeffrey Wang for taking the time out to do this.  Thank you to Vijay Prema for helping with the setup, and thanks to the Wongs for lending us the venue.

Wushu Promo Shoot

Promoting Chinese Wushu
Athlete: Michael Yip
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Single 150cm Octabox to camera left and model top right. Visico 300W Strobe
Promoting Chinese Wushu
Athlete: Michael Yip
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Single 150cm Octabox to camera left and model top right. Visico 300W Strobe
Promoting Chinese Wushu
Athlete: Jeffrey Wang
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Promoting Chinese Wushu
Athlete: Siu Yuat Wong
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Promoting Chinese Wushu
Athlete: Siu Yuat Wong
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Promoting Chinese Wushu
Athlete: Siu Yuat Wong
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Promoting Chinese Wushu
Athlete: Siu Yuat Wong
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Promoting Chinese Wushu
Athlete: Jeffrey Wang, Michael Yip
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Promoting Chinese Wushu
Athlete: Jeffrey Wang, Michael Yip
Photographer: Zhi Lee

 

 

Behind-the-Scenes

Promoting Chinese Wushu
Athlete: Jeffrey Wang
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Single 150cm Octabox to camera left and model top right. Visico 300W Strobe
Model: Vijay Prema Photographer: Zhi Lee Single 150cm Octabox to camera left and model top right.  Visico 300W Strobe
Model: Vijay Prema
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Single 150cm Octabox to camera left and model top right. Visico 300W Strobe
Model: Vijay Prema Photographer: Zhi Lee
Model: Vijay Prema
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Stroboscopic effect created using Yongnuo 565 EX II flash on Multi mode
Athlete: Michael Yip Photographer: Zhi Lee Single 150cm Octabox to camera right and model front.  Powered by Visico 300W Strobe.  Single Yongnuo 565 EX II below model set on 1/4 power multi mode.
Athlete: Michael Yip
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Single 150cm Octabox to camera right and model front. Powered by Visico 300W Strobe. Single Yongnuo 565 EX II below model set on 1/4 power multi mode.
  • Aperture: ƒ/8
  • Camera: Canon EOS 6D
  • Flash fired: no
  • Focal length: 24mm
  • ISO: 50
  • Shutter speed: 1/125s

Related Images:

Life Art Life Art Toddler Portrait
Creative

Behind-the-scenes Video – Photo shoot with Angels and Fire

  • February 26, 2015January 7, 2017
  • by Zhi Lee

What do you get when you put some adventurous photographers and models, and a dark firey concept together?

Some blazing photos!

For more images, check out these posts:

Fallen Dark Angel Holding a Branch

Fallen from Heaven

Credits

Photographers

Zhi Lee Photography / http://zhi-lee.com
Node Photography / http://nodephotography.com

Hair and Makeup

Makeup by Lisa Robb

Models

Alisha Fitzpatrick
Katrina McCloy

Venue

Evoke Studio (Thanks Sue for trusting us with your backyard).

Video and Pyrotechnics

Vijay Prema

Assistants

Don Chin & Vincent Chik

Portraits

Photographing Babies and Bubbles Against a Black Backdrop

  • February 22, 2015
  • by Zhi Lee

I set out to photograph the growth of my beautiful daughter on a weekly basis over the span of a year.

This is week 15 and I wanted to experiment with my new 150cm Octabox.

An Octabox is an octagonal shaped softbox that produces an even quality of light with little drop off between the centre and the edges of the softbox.  You can pick one up for about $100.  Natural light will work too; all you need is a plain dark backdrop like a dark wall or wardrobe door.

Behind-The-Scenes Lighting Setup

For this image, a black backdrop was placed against curtains.  Notice the white buffet on the right serving as a soft reflector, creating gentle fill behind bubba.  Equipment: 300W Visico Strobe, 150CM Visico Octabox at 1/4 power.

 

Shooting bubbles against a black backdrop. Caon 6D, 1/125s, f4.5, ISO100
Shooting bubbles against a black backdrop. Caon 6D, 1/125s, f4.5, ISO100

Achieving Complete Blackness

If you are using studio lighting, you will want to ensure that the softbox is placed pointing slightly away from the backdrop into the subject.  I had the luxury of a big octabox which wrapped around the subject so that some of the area between the subject and backdrop is still light.  If you are shooting in natural light, you will want to ensure that there are no bright spots on the backdrop (plain dark wall / door).

Creating Bubbles

To create bubbles, you will need dishwashing liquid and a bubble gun.  This is absolutely necessary because you are not going to yield many bubbles blowing into a wand manually.  You could always photoshop in more bubbles by compositing but I prefer to get everything straight out of camera.  We purchased one from The Warehouse for $10.

The Final Images

I’d highly recommend recording the growth of your baby on camera.  I wish I could do this more often!

Shooting bubbles against a black backdrop. Caon 6D, 1/125s, f4.5, ISO100
Shooting bubbles against a black backdrop. Caon 6D, 1/125s, f4.5, ISO100
Shooting bubbles against a black backdrop. Caon 6D, 1/125s, f4.5, ISO100
Shooting bubbles against a black backdrop. Caon 6D, 1/125s, f4.5, ISO100
  • Aperture: ƒ/4.5
  • Camera: Canon EOS 6D
  • Flash fired: no
  • Focal length: 96mm
  • ISO: 100
  • Shutter speed: 1/125s

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