Christie Bauer + The Story Behind
Some things just fill our hearts without even trying and this delightful capture from Christie is one of them. We are completely smitten with it not only because it shows the bond between a child and their beloved pet, but also because of the superb backlighting that wraps it’s arms around them. Then toss in the beautiful bokeh along with the mist….you can certainly see why we wanted to feature it here and know more behind the backstory. So without further ado, continue on to read more about The Story Behind Christie’s charming photo:
IG Handle:.
@christiebauerphotography
What inspires you?
My children are my muses, and they inspire me to pick up my camera almost every day. It is such a privilege to be able to capture them as they grow, change and explore. They have always been my inspiration, but it wasn’t until I took a deeper dive into photography that I was able to use light and composition to tell a more complete story of their childhood with my images.
Where was this photo taken?
A family farm in Baker City, Oregon.
How did the location add or hinder to your image?
The location created a setting where the light filtered through the barn, catching the dust in the most magical way.
DSLR, iphone, instant or film?
DSLR – Nikon D850 shot with Sigma Art 35mm 1.4.
What were your camera settings for this image?
1/640 sec at f/ 2.2, ISO 500.
Can you tell us “The Story Behind” this shot?
I was exploring my aunt and uncles farm with my kids early one morning, and noticed the light beams streaming through the holes and windows of the barn. I had my camera and took some shots, but decided I wanted to get back out the next day with our puppy. My middle is always up for being a model, so she threw on a dress and came outside with me (it was a little chilly)… We made our way out to the barn and I had her interact with our dog. A cold little girl and a rambunctious puppy provoked challenging, but I just snapped away and hoped we would get at least one keeper!
What speaks to you about this image? What specifically made you press the shutter?
The light, catching on the breath and the dust is what made me venture back out to the barn. I love that I captured our puppy and my daughter because they have a special relationship.
What was your composition technique with this shot?
I used a center composition for this shot. The light is really the focus of this shot, so a simple center composition lets the light literally shines through the center of the image, illuminating the subjects.
Did you have any lighting challenges/How did you light the image?
I used morning light, filtered through the windows of the barn to light this shot. The biggest challenging was hitting focus through all the the haze and dust from the light, but watching the light hit the flecks of dust made all the missed-focus images worth it. My favorite part of this image is the light burst through the knot hole at the top of the window.
Was this photo happenstance or did you visualize it prior? If so, how did you envision the image and set up for it?
I visualized this shot prior to taking it. I had already played with the light the morning before, so when I went back to the barn I knew the window and placement of my subjects. I wanted them to be illuminated by the light and have their whole bodies in the frame. The barn was small, and I really wish I had a 24mm lens so I could have a wider crop.
Did you use a preset to edit this image, your own selective edits or a combination of both?
I used Smal 01, grain removed and some other tweaks.
Do you have any addition information you would like to share with our readers?
This is actually a bit of a composition! The knot hole was perfectly lit in a few of the images, but not the one where I happened to get the puppy and six year old engaged and in the frame, and in focus. So I composited the knot hole from a previous image into this image through photoshop.
Want to continue to be inspired by Christie work? Just follow her at the links below:
SITE | FACEBOOK