Dunedin birthday weekend/strobe fun, Part 2

I figured going to Dunedin I might get the opportunity to get some different shots with strobes. Since buying some Pocket Wizards Plus IIs using flash has become heavily influenced in my photography. I was shooting with another photographer getting some stock images on a golf course, I spent most of the time mucking around with flashes. Sometimes its a good thing having 'strobist addiction', sometimes not ha.

I was glad I brought some canon 580EX IIs with me. Coming to the end of day 1 of the Dunedin trip with sunset growing closer we set out to St Clair beach. Lovely long beach leading to the Otago Peninsula. The boys over the last few weeks have been pulling back flips off these posts. I loved the way they flow into the water, cool angles.

With the wet sand it wasn't the softest landing so the boys only lasted a few times till the ankles started to give. So we went off down the beach for softer landings running and jumping off sand dunes. I was a bit disappointed I didn't get more chances to get that one angle I loved with the poles.

Cameron Hollamby, gainer

Me

A shot of me with the camera's settings preset, I was after a new Facebook profile picture. One thing wrong though. I couldn't do back flips... how can I combine something simple onto a pole. After attempts and enough courage I got to my 'hands'. Leaped up, the shot was too early "dam!@!", tried again. Perfect this time but to not thinking about landing it I went head first to the ground. Well at least the shot came out alright.

Working with flashes lately and thought this picture would go nicely. I thought id have a few more ready for the post but will have another update some time. This shot is from the previous week where I had fun with the strobes mixed with powder. My model for the shoot, Holly Arrowsmith was curious how this could work with being covered by powder. "is this actually going to work, it's not a prank is it?". I was hoping to use water but water + winter.... doesn't seem to work out, funny that. Will leave that for summer time. The powder was fun to experiment with because there was a fine line of using too much or too little. shot after shot we took finaly getting exposure, flash and powder correct. Then came the fun part, going crazy with angles and movement. Hoping can get some more pics up soon.

In the end it went from clothes on to just jockeys then nothing. Was interesting watching the public horrified as they go past as Cameron tried to 'warm himself up'. Landing the flip and capturing the shot we were done for the night, well we thought. Just about to pack up the light changed again so after many attempts with timing we finally got it. Three one-handed handstands.

Me, McGregor Fea, Cameron Hollamby

Final shot to leave you with. Part 3 with more surfing up tomorrow, stay tuned. Stefan Haworth