Malo shows his family with humor and derision during this confinement period. Some images still reveal parts of truth. He explains his technique and tips to create this micro series.
RC. Can you present your project ?
We're going through a very difficult period and as usual reactions on social networks have been more than excessive. If I prefer speeches advocating a certain search for well-being to those spiting hatred for others by far ; however, I had some fun imagining if all that early weeks goodwill could survive several weeks of confinement. That's how I had the urge to stage my family during week 01 of confinement facing week 05.
RC. How did you organise this project ?
Very simply. I was lucky that I didn't leave all my equipment at my studio. I had my camera, of course, but also two flashes and two modelers. I could manage. I had with me my Fujifilm GFX100 with a 32x64 zoom and two B1X Profoto, one 2x3 box and one 1x3.
So I asked to my wife and our children to imagine attitudes they could have on each picture, and once everyone agreed we could start.
RC. How did creation and shooting go ?
We had fun and that's the most important.:-)
We started by the second photo because it is the funniest and that way could easely motivated my children.
And yes, everything went easely, everybody was "at full tilt". Just the idea of making the whole living room into a mess, the children were particulary excited and we even had to restraint our youngest daughter not to really pull the curtains out. :-)
I still want to note a special dedication to my wife who knew how to take upon herself and keep detachment from her image to play a drunk woman so well in some photos.
RC. What is you post production method ?
First I did stacking on each image in order to get a whole clear image. Then we had to put all the pictures together, each scene and character, even mine in the foreground. After that, I finished with cleaning and calibration.
Photo du premier plan net
Stacking d'une dizaine d'images
RC. Which tips did you use ?
I could have worked every scene at once with a wide angle, but edges would have been distorted and proportions between the foreground and background characters would have been very different..
Moreover, as I decided to set my character in subjective view, it was very important to get the same effect like the human eye. That's why I had to shoot each scene in several parts at 64 mm (equal to 50 mm on a 24x36). I shot 4 French-style photos. Then, I put them together in postprod.
Also as I wanted all the shots to be clear, but I had a short depth with a 64mm, I had to do a stacking focus of about ten images .
Light was my limit. Alone with only two flashes, I couldn't work with light as I usually do. In another situation, I would have installed one or two flashes outside, with someone to hold them, in order to bring in a very sunny light and draw light lines on the walls.
So I only installed a light on the ceiling next to the window flooding into the room, used contrasts and completed with natural light coming through exposure time.
