"My friend Laa is a belly dance performer out of Boston and she's quite talented as a model. I really wanted to go for something that had movement, flow, grace, beauty and emotion...all this to really show her off, and the idea off...something that could co-exist in a Conceptual, Editorial & Fine Art world.
Newport, RI has beautiful ocean expanses with large rock formations around Ocean Drive where there is almost no one around during the late afternoon and into the evening, and the wind is always blowing strong all day round. I took the week before to pick a less populated, quiet and tall expanse of rock formations right near the ocean front. I knew that Laa's Movement alone would not be enough to make this shot really capture all of the flow happening, so, I made my way out to the nearest fabric store the 3 days before to pick up a 15x15 foot piece of black clothe to move in combination with her movements and the wind.
This photo was not easy to capture with the lighting, Laa getting the right facial expression, pose, as well as having the clothe cooperate, as well as the deadline of the fast setting sun. Just as the sun was about to set, I pushed the exposure lower, aperture a bit higher, and dialed down my Alien Bees B1600 strobe from 1/2 to 1/16 power. We both put on our A-game's and pulled it off with solid results."-Travis Alex
EXIF:
Dimensions: 4256 x 2832
Cropped: 4256 x 2832
Exposure: 1/30 Second at F/5.0
Focal Length: 50mm
ISO Speed Rating: ISO 100
Flash: Did not fire (Used a Bare Alien Bee's B1600 Head at 1/16th Power)
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: Nikon D700
Lens: Sigma 50mm f/1.4