A Session with Biranca (Polly's Cove, Nova Scotia)

Though Bianca returned to Nova Scotia in June, it has taken us ages to find time for a second session; almost three months later we finally headed out to the coast to work on the glacial plains.

Digital infrared original, 4 frame stitch

Out first set of images were made on one of the bedrock outcrops that underlies the scrubby terrain. At the edge there was a crevasse in one of the massive rocks, and the early fall sunlight crossed it at a perfect angle to illuminate Bianca as she posed in the gap between the stones. We experimented with a number of different poses, but the first, with Bianca arching against the sunlight, proved to be the best. I used the longest lens I had (300mm) to place her figure upon an arching line of stone, set against the distant horizon of the Atlantic Ocean.

Digital infrared original

Twenty minutes or so later, we were working further along on the same outcrop when Bianca experimented with a pose she'd used a year earlier. Based on a yoga position (Bridge), and the initial images worked well, but when I asked her to extend the leg on the camera side, it all came together

Digital infrared original

The last portion of the session was spent with Bianca working with the rocks, seaweed and water at the coast. We hadn't come prepared to working with water (no towels, water shoes or neutral density filters), and being later in the year, the air temperature was a little cool for wet skin. Bianca did the best she could with the situation however, and the above image was really pleasing - the luminous seaweed and dark water surrounding Bianca highlights her figure perfectly, and the direct sunlight was at low enough of an angle to be flattering, as opposed to frustrating.