Emily & Damien 1974 (CGI & Photography)

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Award Winner - "1974"

Update (5 Awards): I am so excited and honored to announce the 2023 Communication Arts Award for my image “1974.” It also received an 2023 IPA Honorable Mention, a Gold PX3 Prix De La Photographie, Paris, a GOLD in the 2023 reFocus Awards "conceptual category and 3rd Place, Honor of Distinction in the 2023 International Color Awards!

“1974” is a personal project that was created in multiple sessions, featuring actress Emily Shephard and my son Damien May. The studio portrait of Emily was something I shot a while ago, against a very simple set wall. I usually have a narrative in mind when photographing any subject. In this case, Emily’s character is a “well dressed woman with a chance to leave her past behind and give her son a better life.” I was also inspired by 1970’s Americana. I created the entire background and car in CGI which gave me the opportunity to control every element of the location as well as the lighting and composition to an exact detail. Emily was holding a garden trowel in the original image which inspired me to photograph my son Damien, holding onto her arm, using my wife as a stand-in. I loved Emily's gaze off camera but photographing my son gave me the opportunity to bring the viewer into their story, with some eye contact.

CGI Viewport Clay Render

CGI & Photography Breakdown Animation

The entire background of the scene was created in CGI using Blender 3.3.1 and rendered in Cycles. Emily was photographed in my Brooklyn studio and Damien was photographed in my home studio. The final image was composited in Photoshop.