I've been trying to get back into doing photoshoots again. Unfortunately, this summer was busier than I intended, between getting sick, working, FSAE, starting my honors thesis, and moving out of my old apartment. Admittedly, I also haven't been aggressive enough in trying to secure photoshoots, but alas.
However, when my friend Matt said he was looking for photos, I was down for them. He told me that his Scion FRS is at a steady-state. He'll leave it like this for now until he's ready for the next stage, so he figured he should get photos of it now since he'll be able to use them for a while. The highlight of this stage is the Rocket Bunny spoiler, wrapped in carbon fiber. So, naturally I had to showcase that. Of course, he has a good set of other mods as well, both internal and external. Internal upgrades include the intake, Agency Power headers, front and rear sway bars, and an Invidia exhaust with midpipe. Externally, a diffuser, side skirts, black roof wrap, and Autodipped wheels complete the look.
Matt's FRS is a workhorse. He's put on thousands of miles on it from daily driving and trips. He actually recently came back from California and 86 Fest before this shoot, and the rock chips on the front show.
Matt wanted to take shots at Tempe Town Lake since he never had any shots here. If you've seen my previous photos, you'll see that this is a main spot of mine since I'm usually in Tempe. This shoot also let me discover that the lake security that usually shows up and kicks you out of the ramp at nights/the evenings aren't present during the afternoon, something I'll be taking a note of for later.
The cloudy, monsoon weather made for a perfect backdrop of the lake. It also made for some interesting lighting situations. When the clouds covered the sun, I opted to go for a cooler temperature to capture the relaxed mood of the weather at the time (this being an Arizonan summer, the fact we could be outside and enjoy the weather says a lot). Being next to the approach path for Sky Harbor also allowed for some cool shots with planes in the background.
Meanwhile, when the sun came out, since we were approaching the evening, I went for a warmer color temperature to capture the vibrancy of the desert sunsets that we get treated to when the monsoon clouds roll in.
I also have been experimenting more with HDR. The D750 has what I think is faster continuous-high speed shooting as well as more increments than my D5300. Plus, now that I'm using my tripod more and Lightroom having a built-in HDR function, it's been a no-brainer to try using HDR more.
I definitely have the itch to shoot some more. As time consuming as it is, I still love taking photos, and having a photo shoot is a great chance to get to catch up with people. It was certainly great to get to talk with Matt for a while, since we're both usually busy and can only exchange a few pleasantries when we see each other.