This old boiler is in the basement of the building I live in. I’ve been aching to photograph it since I started doing laundry down there for the past two years.
It’s a bit of a creepy basement. Even my dog Billy Bob hesitates to go down there. He usually runs back up the stairs after I try to bring him down to this laundry area with its dirt floor and creepy cool breeze.
I had fun with two off-camera flash units here. One is to the right of the boiler to create some texture in the lettering. The other is to the left of the boiler, adding some light on that left edge so it doesn’t disappear into the black. I heart radio poppers, they let me use the units off-camera and are much more reliable than the infrared the units have built-in with the camera.
You’ll be seeing a lot more photos using off-camera flash. It’s my new favorite thing.
You've made cast iron come alive through the lighting you gave the subject! I can see you placing the lights and looking – over and over – until you got exactly what you did. Definitely an exercise in patience – and more importantly, in making your vision come true. Kudos!