JuNE 2023, HSINCHU - 24°49′N 120°59′E
Okay, how do I explain this session best?
Lets say, it all started with us joking about having the most handsome korean in our friendgroup. He actually is taiwanese. We really think he has potential to model, especially after our exchange semester, where we spent a large amount of time in the gym and in the sauna, telling the forbidden stories.
So we decided to rent a photo studio to take some pictures of Eric, but the pictures where exceeding our expectations, so our company decided to get some as well. Starting from te left, there is Mo, Zaneta, Eric and Remy. I will not go into detail of everyone this time, because the article would be too full of good words. Turns out, the korean isn't the only 帅哥 shuai ge, in the group and there are some more individuals in it.
Soon the studio got too hot, and that is the reason, why I can't share all the pictures. If you were there the day of the shooting, I'm certain, that we will laugh a lot about this one in the future.
February 2023, Taipei - 25°02′N 121°33′E
February 3rd, 22:00: I take a train from Göttingen to Frankfurt.
February 4th, 02:00: Finally I decide to sleep on a suitcase packing station at the airport, next to me sleeps a middle aged chinese man, who I had some nice conversation with.
06:00: I receive a message in the RWTH NYCU Group, Hanna and Mo have arrived at the airport. Jasmin arrives soon after with her mom, we were super nervous about our flight, the longest I would embarque until that moment in my life. We rush through security, leaving Zhi behind, who wasn't giving any signals of arriving. As you see in the pictures above he made it to Taiwan in the same plane as us.
07:00: First of many stretching sessions, lead by Jasmin, getting ready to avoid cramps, because of sitting too long. I thought what is wrong with this woman, we sit like 8 hours everyday to study at uni, how can you get cramps, because of sitting. Well stretching was a good decision.
15:00: Or about that time I remember seeing a straight line of lights out of the window, looking at the map I saw that we were just above Pakistan and India, I guess that was the border.
February 5th, 06:00: We arrive at Taoyuan International Airport, ahead of us 9 days in the capital, before checking in our dorms in Hsinchu.
Starting from the left, there is me, Jasmin, Zhi, Hanna and Mo
October 2021, Aachen - 50,77823° N, 6,08864° E
This session took place at the core of one of the most prestigious universities in Germany, RWTH Aachen University.
Aachen is the most wetern city in Germany, sharing borders with not only one, but two countries, the Netherlands and Belgium. Did you know that Aachen is right next to the tallest mountain in the Netherelands, which by the way is only 322,4 meters above sea level. It is also the city, where Carl the Great lived.
Aachen has taken a special place in my heart. It is the place, where I started living alone, made new friendships and started my higher education.
The University where I study is a combination between old and new, this contrast is especially appreciated, when you attend the location where the Central Building and the Super C Building stand. The Central Bulding, (which is currently being renovated, as seen in the picture in the upper left in the background) is the most traditional building of the University and looks a bit like the stereotypical traditional University. Next to it stands the Super C, a building that has the shape of an inverted L.
The session:
I wanted to use the blue reflections of the crystal walls and combine them with the beautiful yellow tones of the Fall. Creating a strong contrast. In order to boost the focus on the model I tried to keep the clashing colors in the background.
This was the first session ever of Humberto and I soon noticed, he was a little shy and rigid in front of the camera, so I decided to take some ridiculous pictures. We tried to immitate Mary Poppins with her umbrella. This lightened the ambient and soon I was getting the pictures of the models natural smile.
5 tips, when you have a shy model in front of the camera:
- Don't force poses, it may look awkward
- Snap some silly shots, without caring about the outcome
- Talk with the model and get to know them
- They sometimes black out and don't know what to do, so guide them
- Lastly, tell them to show you their meanest face, they will laugh 100%
If you want to see more pictures of this photoshoot, check out my Instagram profile, @nicolasbruna_
Feel free to contact me to snap some photos, I'm still learning a lot, and trying to get as much practice as I can!
January 2022, Aachen - 50,77823° N, 6,08864° E
It's one of those days, why is the sun shining so bright today? My roommate stormed into my room. "Have you looked outside??, by the way, I just saw some cool skating pictures where you can't see the background." I didn't understand. He answered: " Those where you open the shutter for a long time and follow the skater, can you do them?" I affirmed.
This is a brief story of how these pictures where created, now I will explain to you how to take these kind of photos.
- Put you camera in manual mode
- Slow the shutter down, (1/10s on the left pictures)
- Play with the aputure, so the picture isn't overexposed
- Lastly, follow a part of the subject that moves steadily while you take the picture
My secret tip is placing your subject about 4 meters away from the background, to achieve the optimal swoosh effect.
One day, maybe one day me myself will learn to land an ollie...