Client: Lacertosus Training Equipment
Athlete: Roberto Cavallone
Crew&Tech: Digitalmovie.it
Photography: Matteo Mescalchin
ProductionDesign: Andrea Mescalchin
WHO:
Roberto Cavallone is an Italian crossfit athlete with uncommon strength and considerable determination for getting things accomplished.
Working with him has been simply amazing both for subject performance, as well as on the side of human interaction being him really personable guy with straightforward speaking.
THE GOAL:
The goal for this project was set in creating a series of images stylized on Lacertosus visual mood and showing the athlete during his typical workout. Interpreting client's expectations at best, we kept things pretty real therefore working out to get authentic sweat while lighting the scene for a dramatic atmosphere.
FRAMING for the action:
Keeping concentration and focus during the resting time between series has provided some good opportunities for me to shoot some full body shots without giving up on portraiture angles and strong close up shots as complementary extras for the series.
HOW:
The rules of the game Roberto and I agreed on before the shoot, were simple in the purpose of keeping all actions real on one hand, and all tech set ups quick enough to blend seamlessly into the workout timeline. It happened anyway that I squeezed out a couple of reps out of him to maximize on the intensity of some actions.
We ended up with a pretty intense shoot where we both (athlete and photographer) felt enthusiastic for the visual outcome.
TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS:
Tech solutions I developed with my team at digitalmovie.it are based on the idea of using the best suitable technologies for a given situation. Over time, this principle took me through an experience-based process that organizes the lighting work on a systematic approach I call #DIQCCPlighting. More on this on my website.
Following this method allows me to manage a multiple lights set up with great balance between fine control and quick operations. Once I set my modifiers on mobile strobes I'm ready to dance, within the range of the style and options, in a decently fluent way. A wireless device connecting my camera to an iPad, provides real time monitoring to my assistant for quick adjustments on the go. Besides, a nice monitoring system is often useful to make the athlete aware of the visual work, maximizing engagement but also rewarding him on the fly for his intense efforts.
Tried once a long time ago for its legendary reputation, I found Chimera being my favorite manufacturer in the lighting industry both for products duration and performance. On top of it, I personally love the wide range of modifiers available to my lighting arsenal all fitting unexpected and sometime unexplored solutions to so many photographers. My best choice in the light control area is Lighttools which also provides me with the ultimate solutions for very refined occlusion.
STYLE:
In a way, my lighting style is both the consequence and the starting point of my #diqccpLighting method. They are linked together as I think it wouldn't be sustainable to craft a good number of images per session, if the lighting style was not adequately time effective. Form a lighting diagram perspective however this series is based on the emerging effect of a strong and soft top-down light centered on the action, with 3 other lights serving as rim, side filler, and background/ambient.
IMAGE PROCESSING:
Digital image development is relevant for the series as shadows and highlights are quite accurately adjusted accordingly with the desired occlusion effects. Building contrast in a game of balance and off-balance is one of the key elements of my processing. Color adjustments also contributed to the image look and keep up well throughout the series to my eyes.
No other retouch work has been performed on the batch of images to keep fully intact the authenticity of the scene.
LOCATION
After the latest renovation works, Lacertosus Show Room turned out to be the perfect location for the project as dark wall and well arranged background elements blended in nicely with my lighting style.
Find out more about:
my work at matteomescalchin.com
our studio at digitalmovie.it
Roberto on IG
Thanks for watching.