What do I do with my arms?

One of the questions that I have heard most times in my life is the one that gives the title to this post: “What do I do with my arms?”. During a photo shoot it is very common for the model I work with to ask me this question. Since I mostly work with women, this post is dedicated especially to them. For this purpose I decided to ask Dariia Lola for help, a dance teacher with whom I have collaborated a couple of times.

What do I do with my arms?, Dariia Lola in the pic, shot by Archerphoto

She made a few suggestions and we made a small series of photos to show examples of how to work to achieve the best results in a photo session, whether outdoors or mainly in the studio.

What do I do with my arms?, Dariia Lola in the pic, shot by Archerphoto

One of the first questions is to determine what you should do with your hands. The softer the position, the better, and we will avoid showing our palms whenever possible and offer our backs, always seeking relaxation so as not to transmit tension. If the palms have to appear, due to the position of the arm, you should avoid it being frontal.

Another key issue is to always offer obtuse or acute angles with your arm: you have to avoid a right angle, 90º, because it always gives a less natural, more forced image.

Dariia Lola by Archerphoto

Hands should always touch very gently, even brush, never press. That will avoid unwanted shapes. In general, you should avoid tense muscles and work with a relaxed body and limbs. The exception to this will be when you want, for expressive reasons, to generate a feeling of tension. In this case you must keep the active muscles visible and show the contact of the hand against the skin.

More ideas about what to do with your arms

To make the arms look stylized, it is also usually interesting to avoid directing them directly towards the camera when they are flexed, because they tend to convey a greater sensation of volume.

Keeping your shoulders balanced will convey harmony and calm. Having one higher than the other will help us manage expressiveness and dynamism: one thing is not better than the other, they are options that we will choose to achieve our objectives.

What do I do with my arms?, Dariia Lola in the pic, shot by Archerphoto

We must also remember that the hands will allow us to guide the observer’s gaze. This can make a figure, face, object or space stand out in the photograph. So they are an expressive resource that will help us and that we have learned to use a little better in this post.

All of these tips are suggestions. Later, when working in front of the camera, they can be omitted because we are looking for a certain composition that, at first glance, is interesting. It is not a question of taking them literally.

I hope I have answered your question “What do I do with my arms?” In any case, we leave here a small gallery with some options for managing the arms. If you need more than what is in this post, Dariia is a danc e teacher. You can contact her on Instagram, @dariialola. If what you need is a professional photo session, you can send me an email to sergi@archerphoto.eu, contact me on Instagram (@Archerphoto) or send me a Whatsapp or Telegram to +34 644459753.

August 5, 2021August 5, 2021

Anthy 35, manual lens for enjoying photography

Testing the Anthy 35, a manual lens, review by Sergi Albir, Archerphoto, professional photographer in Valencia, Spain

With so many photographers in the world it is not uncommon for one to want to make a difference with others. The choice of lenses, like this Anthy 35 by Yasuhara, can be a very important question in terms of the style of photography that we achieve. This is not a very expensive lens. It is not a very spectacular lens: it is a lens with personality and that has an undeniable charm when it comes to working.

In the photographs that I have uploaded there are two categories, so to speak: those that have not been processed except with the watermark and others, in which there is only my signature and if they have had editing in aspects such as contrast, clarity, etc.

In this review of the Anthy 35 produced by Yasuhara Co., Ltd I will talk a bit about the technical aspects, I will show some photos taken with it and I will comment, above all, my personal impression, because the data, important as it is, does not tell the story, it does not describe the feeling. I’ve been using Canon’s RF mount version (of course it’s a full frame lens), but the versions for other mounts are pretty much identical as far as I know.

I was taking some photos with Laura Carreras ( @lady_pequis ) and other pics around the city, especially testing the lens in low light conditions.

Technical details

First of all: the aperture of this lens is 1.8. So we could say that it competes with Canon’s RF 35 1.8, with the difference that Canon’s is autofocus. It’s a great lens, much more expensive, but it doesn’t have the retro point of being forced to work manually all the time. I, who started taking photos with a Mamiya SLR many years ago, I love the fact that I have the ring with the opening in my hand. It is comfortable and practical (some new autofocus lenses are incorporating the ring again, as in the case of Fuji) and it is just as fast to work. However, it is not a choice: the camera has to be operated in manual mode or aperture priority, because it has no way of controlling the diaphragm as it does not have a built-in motor.

More stuff: minimum focus at 29cm, 408g weight, a lens with a 7-group nine-element design and a built-in lens hood.

Testing the Anthy 35, a current manual lens. Archerphoto, photographer in Valencia

Although the lens is generally superb, here comes the part I like least about this lens: it will never transmit aperture information to the camera. In the EXIF data there will never be anything about which aperture we have used and not even the model or brand of the lens used.

Actually, it is easy for later models to incorporate a chip in which the information is transmitted to the camera, but for now, it is not.

Anthy 35: Exclusivity

One of the interesting things about this lens is actually its exclusivity. Without being an expensive piece at all, it has a very limited production and distribution (my copy is 444), so we will be able to boast of an interesting lens that almost no one has. This contributes a lot to our valuing the particularities it has as positive. For example, it is a lens that, at its maximum aperture, vignettes a lot: the corners are darker. But if we want to correct that aspect, both for video and for photography it is extremely simple. And it is also true that after 2.8, the problem ceases to exist. The deformation issue, however, is almost non-existent, much like 35 others you may have had on hand.

Anthy 35, testing a manual lens, by Archerphoto, photographer in Valencia

We have already talked about the aperture ring, but we have not said anything about the very solid metal construction, which transmits reliability, or the practical sunshade that it includes to reduce some flares in case we do not want them. But actually, we do. Each of the flares and details that this lens offers are what gives personality to a lens that is obviously not made for everyone. It is a lens for photographers who want to enjoy the manual experience, so many times when you have the lens in your hand you will look for those flares. If JJ Abrams does (damn his Star Wars movies be three times), so do you.

Testing the Anthy 35, a manual lens, review by Sergi Albir, Archerphoto

More details about the Anthy 35

Regarding the tone, I would say that it has a small tendency towards warm tones, but just as we were talking about the vignetting issue, if we need to correct that aspect, or the camera or Lightroom, to name a couple of possibilities, it can help us.

A 35 1.8 allows photos such as Laura’s portrait drawing. ISO 6400 in a full frame like the R6, which has a stabilizer, and 1/30 speed, and you can take night photography without any additional light and with reasonable noise.

Lady_pequis. Testing the Anthy 35, a current manual lens, review by Sergi Albir, Archerphoto

This Anthy 35 is a lens with sufficient definition, a nice bokeh and a correct general performance. But, I insist, the aspect of exclusivity and own personality are enough to arouse the interest of photographers with a personal perception of photography. Here we see a photo in its conventional version and then cutting out the detail a bit. Here we are using the maximum aperture and there is a good definition. It improves, of course, especially in the corners, when we are closing the diaphragm.

As usually buying this lens can be less simple than others, it is best to request it, for example, at https://yasuharausa.com/ , which is how I got it.

Testing the Anthy 35, a current manual lens, review by Sergi Albir, Archerphoto

There are more reviews of manual lenses on my Spanish website. I am Sergi Albir, I am a professional photographer in Spain. My Instagram, in case you want to gossip, is @Archerphoto . Mainly in Valencia, but I also go to other places. If you have a problem and you find me, maybe you can hire me . Ok, yes, this is what they said in the intro of Team A, but hey, for Whatsapp, Signal and Telegram, the +34 644459753 works and if not, email to sergi@archerphoto.eu .

November 12, 2020November 12, 2020

Photoshoot in Valencia with Leticia

I want to show a bit of the photoshoot in Valencia with Leticia. There are days when everything goes well. And days that have not even started, go wrong and everything works out. Get up at four in the morning with one eye crying and think that you are going to get another stye the size of a duck egg (this happens to me from time to time and it does not seem to be serious, but it does show and drama), fix it and That later an interesting session like the one I did with Leticia Serrano comes out is the kind that makes me think that almost everything can be fixed.

As usual, Nadia Alba took care of the makeup and that is always a safety net. Sometimes I work without a professional makeup artist, but in general, that usually means fewer suitable photos. That is why I always try to have that factor, because in the end, what counts are the results.

In this case we combine a part of online fitness photography and the ther part was in a different point of view, more like boudoir . The light scheme was different, and in the fitness ones, obviously, the idea was to highlight the details of Leticia’s musculature, which is spectacular and the result of long and intense work: she does not compete in any category but remains in one category. similar line throughout the year. Best of all, despite not having much experience on camera, he quickly adapted to the issues necessary for the shoot. Returning to the light, it is not only the position, but the type of light used, which usually offers different results. Using tungsten is energy inefficient (these lights use a lot) but for some jobs it is almost essential.

Leticia understood the working method and that allowed us to get a good amount of material, which later had to be chosen. Actually, this is one of the parts where a session sometimes runs aground: if the choice is not appropriate, everything else can be hidden. Literally. But a relatively small part of the session is always processed.

So far the photoshoot in Valencia with Leticia. If you want to follow her, she is on Instagram as @sick0fhappiness and offers personal trainings in Albacete, but she has a limit in terms of the number of people she can take simultaneously, so hurry up to contact her. If what you need are photos, I am Sergi Albir and I am a professional photographer. My email is sergi@archerphoto.eu and my WhatsApp and Telegram are +34 644459753. On Instagram, @archerphoto and @archerphoto2 .

One thing more: you can read this post in Spanish: Sesión de fotos en València con Leticia.

Photo session in Valencia with Leticia by Sergi Albir, professional photographer

September 4, 2019

The Art of Paloma. Interview and photos.

The Art of Paloma by Archerphoto, photographer in Valencia

*You can read this article in Spanish in my other web. Entrevista y fotos a The Art of Paloma.

The growing weight of Instagram is undeniable. Navigating the culture of the image, one finds many people who in one way or another dedicate their efforts to this network. Not everyone has the same talent, ability or resilience to achieve results, so there are especially interesting cases. One of the accounts that came to my attention was Paloma García Cuanda, The Art of Paloma, so it seemed like a good idea to contact her for a while.

My idea was basically to talk and take a picture, but we turned the interview into a photo shoot. I asked her a few things and then I had to supplement that questions by phone, because, well, the photographs ate the interview.

The origins of The Art of Paloma

The Art of Paloma is not an Instagram account that appears suddenly because a 15-year-old girl discovers that she can get attention with the photos of the ice cream she eats. Paloma was experimenting quite a long time ago, in an old application called Fotolog and that was a kind of Instagram precursor. The concept was similar, but since mobile technology was not as advanced as it is today, the web was weakened and forgotten. “I started there,” says Paloma. «It was a platform where you uploaded a photo a day and there also began bloggers who later became known as Lovely Pepa or Gala González. It’s what was fashionable then

Paloma forgot a little Fotolog, and years later, she made a first attempt at Blogger where she began to release more elaborate content. «I read in a magazine that they talked about a blogger who I remembered from Fotolog. And she talked about her blog. I got in, saw it, and thought about riding one. I created a very fond one and after a while, they called me from a communication agency and offered me a professional blog and a five-year contract.

Sincerity above all

“Working in consulting” explains Paloma, who studied Business Administration and Law, “I have little time, because you have more responsibilities, and it is difficult to make posts, so the blog is a bit uncared. It’s also because with Instagram, which is what really generates the most engagement, for many brands it is enough. I like to write on the blog and it is another tool. I do not want to abandon it at all and if one day, I can, under the rhythm of work I would like to retake it, but the last post I published it a few months ago. I feel sorry because I have photos, lots of information about restaurants, hotels, there is a lot of material … ».

One of the amazing things about Paloma is that, despite being a person with a profile dedicated to the image, it does not convey at any time the sense of superficiality that one might expect. If you have to recognize that something does not come, it does. A very transparent, almost crystalline self-criticism ability.

Paloma currently has just over 172,000 followers, a more than remarkable figure. It has an important interaction with its followers, a reasonable publication rate and a very careful quality in all its contents, both in the selection of styles and in the aspect of photography.

«The Art of Paloma has more than 172,000 followers»

“It is very complicated” also explains “that a person manages an entire brand. Above all, it’s complicated to differentiate yourself from the rest and find that particular aspect that distinguishes you from others. It is very easy to copy others, to do what everyone does (although you are also inspired by what others do), but to find that part of you that likes and triumphs ». The work carried out is often difficult to detect, but the impression of authenticity and consistency that it transmits requires, paradoxically, a lot of work.

Caring for the audience

One of the curiosities that Paloma tells us about her Instagram is that, despite being fashionable, the percentage of male followers is significantly higher than the female. «It probably has to do with photos.That’s why I try to keep my balance by putting more fashion or travel photos, than bikini photos for example ».

“The main thing when you start a blog,” he explains, “is to think of a target, a target audience and see what qualities you have to reach those people. In my case, I offer lifestyle, travel, fashion, I try to ensure that the photographs are taken care of – with professional photographers – and of quality … ». When we comment on this, he confesses that he is working to improve engagement and answering all comments and messages. This extreme, that of caring for followers, is particularly laborious, but essential for maintaining a good fan base.They are people and it is important that they feel valued. “You have to take care of the audience, answer them and see them as someone close,”she says.

«I care very much about my photographs and I work with professional photographers»

We had a lot of this conversation more informally while we were taking the photos. It is true that, in personal treatment, she is much closer than one would expect, and it is that gap between the photo and its real character that wants to close.

The future outlook for Paloma, in the short term, continues on Instagram. It is clear that the increasingly clear trend is video. «More and more real things, more spontaneous, than what is now on Instagram, where things are more artificial».

My name is Sergi Albir. I am a professional photographer in Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona and more places. If you need me, whistle. Well, and if you see that that does not work, you better send me an email to sergi@archerphoto.eu or a Whatsapp, or Telegram, at +34 644459753. If you want more information about photos on Instagram, I also have posts on this website.

February 12, 2019February 12, 2019

Jaime Piquer runway on February 3, 2011

Tempus fugit. Time flees. Fortunately we can capture moments, or parts of them. That is the essence of photography, and, more specifically, of a professional photographer. Capturing the moment of this Jaime Piquer parade on February 3, 2011 was magnificent.However, given that there was a lot to process at that time, I just chose a photo and practically nothing else. Recently Piquer said that one of those few photos that came out was one of his favorites and I thought about getting more out of sight.

Puedes leer este post en español: Desfile Jaime Piquer del 3 de febrero de 2011

Parade by Jaime Piquer on February 3, 2011, from Archerphoto, professional photographer in Valencia.

But there were more images, because the collection was great. Models were also fantastic and everything, in general, was spectacular.The Valencia Fashion Week was, without doubt, very expensive. But it also constituted a framework of luxury that on occasions like this, complemented a work worthy of that environment: the Agora of the City of Arts and Sciences. I say this because it did not always happen that content and continent were at the same height. But Piquer established a brilliant collection, full of elegance and at the same time, flattering. Hairdo was so good that it ended up getting the award that the organization gave to that chapter (“best hairdressing design”), with those splendid cylinders.

Politicians, celebrities and models

That day people like Carmen Lomana (Spanisth TV celebrity, somehow) appeared there. It was also classic to find in some runway (usually, and this was the case in Álex Vidal’s) members of the Valencian government, this time Francisco Camps, then president of the Generalitat Valenciana and also the then mayor of Valencia, Rita Barberá.

Marta Ortiz at the Jaime Piquer parade on February 3, 2011, by Archerphoto fotografo Valencia — Marta Ortiz in the Jaime Piquer fashion show.

That same year Marta Ortiz -who also is in these pics- would get the award to the best new model that Bobbi Brown promoted. Ortiz is today a very top-level model that has done image campaigns for El Corte Inglés, among other brands. She has walked down the catwalk for Chanel and won in 2016 the award to the best model in the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Madrid. +

If you liked the photos of this Jaime Piquer runway on February 3, 2011, you may be interested in having professional photographs with me. I’m Sergi Albir. You can contact today by sending a message to +34 644459753 or an email to mailto: sergi@archerphoto.eu .

February 2, 2019September 4, 2019

Night session with Elena López Benaches, Olympic silver in Rio 2016

(Puedes leer este post en español: https://www.archerphoto.eu/sesion-nocturna-con-elena-lopez-benaches-plata-olimpica-en-rio-2016/)

It is possible that taking many photos and writing sometimes seems like much more work than is worth doing. But it is also true that sometimes you build things without realizing it. I had wanted to take pictures of rhythmic gymnastics for some time. But I do not have too many contacts in the sector, so I left it as a wish that had been left pending. And one day there is the opportunity to take pictures of Elena López Benaches. Perhaps the name, does not ring a bell. But she is an Olympic medalist: with the Spanish team she achieved silver medal in Rio de Janeiro (the Equipaso, that’s how they are called). Of course, my doubts were between zero and none. We warned Nadia Alba to help us with makeup, hair and a little assistance in costumes, and she came with her brother, Salva, a classic dancer, who agreed to collaborate as well. He helped us in this night session with Elena López Benaches.

Elena López Benaches, athlete, jumping with elegance in a black and white picture in Valencia by Sergi Albir photographer Valencia

Interrogating Elena López Benaches

Curiosity moves me, so I asked her many things during the session, even though she has a very extensive and well-documented Wikipedia page .Elena has had an ankle injury from which she is recovering during this year of rest from the competition. She was on vacation in Valencia – she lives and trains regularly in Madrid, but she’s from Turís, a Valencian town), so we took photos here, in the capital of Turia. But I asked her about life in Turís, because in her hometown she even has a street named after her and even the municipal gym is dedicated to her. “The truth”, she confesses, without an apex of arrogance “is that in the town they behave very well with me”. It’s funny because almost never get such remarkable recognitions in life. But it seems that “not being a prophet in your land” is not something that affects Elena.

Elena López Benaches, Olympic gymnast, by Archerphoto, sport photos Valencia

“I’m still not 100%”, she explains when we are preparing some plans. But the elasticity, the precision and the capacity is incredible. Normally, when doing jumps and pirouettes, there is a factor of luck for the pose to go well. It is not the case. It does not fail a single time, but when she sees herself in the photo, she becomes extremely self-critical. “In that pic I do not have the foot completely OK”. And it’s not that position it’s wrong, it’s that it’s not perfectly stretched. In addition, she excuses himself for not being able to hold for long in positions that she performs perfectly and that are almost impossible to perform. The flexibility is amazing, but his naturalness in the pose is even better.

Night photos session with Elena López Benaches, Olympic silver in Rio 2016 by Archerphoto, photographer Valencia

Rhythmic gymnastics in a deserted Valencia

Our idea of the night session with Elena López Benaches was to make different looks for an almost deserted city on a mid-August night. The idea was not to mount large sets with flashes, but to capture, especially the movement, and the contrast with some places in the city, to look for the urban texture, instead of the coldness of a studio. With the LEDs combined with the streetlights of the city we were slightly low in light, but we did get the desired atmosphere. For this session, Nadia Alba took care of the hair and makeup. “Normally we have to take care of ourselves,”Elena explains to me, when I ask her about the sponsors and the support they have.However, he confesses to me, the atmosphere with the team is very good. “We leave all the negative issues out,” she says, very sure.

Night session with Elena López Benaches, Olympic silver in Rio 2016 photos

Another aspect that we comment on is how such a visual sport does not have a greater, and better media difussion. They had a TV ad, with Freixenet (an important cava company in Spain), that was seen and well valued. There is even a very interesting little documentary ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnjX5xD8f28 ), but rhythmic gymnastics do not have a big pull. “There was a lot of glitter on the set,” she recalls, “and it was very uncomfortable, because it got everywhere.” Sometimes in pursuit of the image professionals press a little more than necessary.

Night session with Elena López Benaches, Olympic silver in Rio 2016 valencia photographer

I’m Sergi Albir, professional photographer. If you need photos you can send me a message to sergi@archerphoto.eu or a Whatsapp to +34 644459753 today. I make photos, videos and contents both for the Internet and for other media.

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October 30, 2017

Another photo of Vicctoria

professional photographer Spain,commercial photographer Spain,Valencia,Vicctoria

Some photos ask for a lot of work, a lot of light control and a lot of process later. Others simply don’t. Others work perfectly with two or three details that, moreover, come directly to mind as soon as you see them.

That’s why I uploaded this other photo of Vicctoria. It was not one of those we chose at first, but it has a point of intensity that interested me especially, perhaps by expression. We moistened her hair a bit to get the shine and that helps a lot to give life to the image.

On the other hand, the black background and the contrast are key elements for the final result. Looking out of the picture helps to consider that Vicctoria’s thinking is directed more towards other interests than the camera, the light or the photographic session.However, it is not a totally static pose, and that small movement endows an additional interest to the final result. The original frame was vertical, but I finished with a square photo.

Overall, this was a photograph we did for a session that was in the boudoir line. It was the first time that Vicctoria and I worked together and the result was, in my opinion, very positive. If you want to see more photos of this type, you can have a look at this post or this gallery . If you just want to see my portraits…

If you would like to have photos like this other photo of Vicctoria, you can send me an email to sergi@archerphoto.eu or send me a Whatsapp to +34 644459753. I shoot in Valencia, but also in Madrid, Barcelona or any other site.

The boring details

On the technical side: ISO 2000, shot with a 50mm f / 1.4 Canon, but f / 1.6, fired in RAW and later processed with Adobe Lightroom. The camera used was my EOS 5D Mark III, and we were using continuous illumination. The clipping used as a featured photo is a little turned up because it looked better, but it’s the same photo.

September 20, 2017

Be a model

The main problem that a person who wants to devote to being a model is that there is no really valid course. You’ll learn it while you’re working. But while the prettiest part – posing, parading, appearing on magazine covers – is known by everyone, there are thousands of details that are not so obvious. We’ll tell you some.

How to be a model

In general, models should have basic notions of law because they are often signing contracts. And on some occasions, they believe that these contracts bind them absolutely, while in others they fail to ignore the risks. Of course, when things become complicated, you have to contact a lawyer.

Marta Ortiz,be a model,become a model,Archerphoto,Sergi Albir,fashion — Marta Ortiz in Mompó, 2011.

A person dedicated to the world of fashion should be able to distinguish the work of a professional photographer from disasters that makes an amateur or someone who claims to be professional. Not being able to distinguish these details can make you lose many hours of work in sessions that you think will provide you with some valid material and it is not.

Rookie photographers rarely get really professional results. Opportunities for a starting are not to be missed. When you go to an agency, you must show them the best you can give. Not a badly framed photo, worse edited and with a pose and expression that do not favor you. That could prevent you from being a model. But don’t give up: it is solved with good photos. But you know that the first impression happens only once. Do not waste your ammunition.

You may think that you do not know how to educate your taste to learn to distinguish some things from others. You can compare top fashion magazines like Vogue or Elle, for example, with everything else.

Lidia González Regolf, professional model ny Archerphoto,Sergi Albir,be a model — Lidia González Regolf in a shooting for Andrea Anton.

Find your place

There are many types of models. Improve your acting (you can look for acting courses, but avoid model courses, which are usually a total rip-off ). Take care of your physical form, your food and try to work well as a team. And of course, take advantage of your specific skills: if you dance, practice a sport or have some peculiarity that can make a positive difference, it is important that you exploit it and take advantage of it.

I’m Sergi Albir. I’m a professional photographer. If you need photos you can contact me at sergi@archerphoto.eu or with a Whatsapp at +34644459753. You can do it right now.

September 5, 2017September 5, 2017

Clicks of Playmobil

When I was a kid I had a good group of clicks of Playmobil (actually, from Famobil , which was how they were marketed in Spain). As usually happens with the toys, we forget and lose them. They disappear and some people become nostalgic and idealize them. It’s not my case, I still like them, but I know they’re just plastic dolls. There is another group of people who, far from living in the past, turns them into their current hobby and gets to organise huge exhibitions. In Valencia, in Nuevo Centro concretely, is mounted one of these, with several times. I was particularly struck by the setting up of a village in the American West.

Of course, if you come with the camera you may have some fun. As this was a playful matter I decided to process the photos with an especially old look, as if they had been shot with a plate machine, which was the technology of that time. I am not trying to make artwork, especially since I was not the one who worked out the scenarios, but it seemed fun.

I took more pictures, but they did not stick with the treatment, so I might use them for something else. But for now, I leave this here. I hope you like it.

If you need photos, even if they are not for clicks, you can contact me at sergi@archerphoto.eu or on +34 644459753. Photo sessions for individuals, business photography, product photo or premises. And of course, portfolio photography for models .