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We are proud to announce the Best Photo from the Shoot The Centerfold Santorini 2017 Seminar, held by Jarmo Pohjaniemi and Ales Bravnicar goes to Ruzdi Ekenheim. A two-time STC attendee with a lot of passion and determination about his photographic career.

Ruzdi, a Belgrade heartthrob who loves tanning, traveling and has good taste in women, impressed Hensel, a German top quality lighting manufacturer.

We mutually agreed that we had found our winning image. However, we’re still unclear how much hotness factor model Kseniya Belousova contributed to the picture in addition to the photographic skills. We’ll let you decide.

Name: Ruzdi Ekenheim
Location: Belgrade
Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R
Favorite lens: Canon 24-70mm and Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
Favorite photography styles: Glamour, landscape, and wildlife.
Computer & editing software: MacBook Pro + 27” Mac monitor, LR/PS plus starting with C1.

Interview

 

STC: Congratulations for creating the best image from STC Santorini 2017 which will be featured in an ad campaign for Hensel Lighting Solutions.

Ruzdi: Thank you! This is just freaking awesome! And getting picked up as a winner by STC and Hensel, the Kings of lighting sources and shapers! Am I lucky or was it carefully calculated photography? Either way, thanks, STC!

 

STC: We would like to believe that luck is on our side, but luck has very little to do with mastering photography and lighting.

Sometimes when you least expect to get the hero image, is when it happens. You are now following the footsteps of attendee Ajitesh Sharma from India who scored a campaign image for Hensel from STC Bali 2017.

Any thoughts about some of the key elements that made this picture come alive?

Ruzdi: To be very honest, I remember exactly how things worked out for me during this shoot. As I was looking thru the viewfinder I saw the clouds open up, and the sun rays came right though; the entire scene changed in front of my eyes, so I quickly repositioned myself, re-composed the frame so that pole was going straight into the light from the sun rays.

I quickly shot 12-15 frames and then the sun rays were gone. I was thinking, “It doesn’t get better than this,” so I stopped shooting all together at this set. What made it come together? Great location, model, sky, and the incredible flash unit we used. It just did its job, over and over again. You know the feeling when everything works out for you? It was pure magic, and I have the proof to show it.

STC: The camera settings used to create this shot surprised many STC Santorini attendees: 1/200 Sec @ f/18 ISO 100. Did it seem like an odd choice at first?

Ruzdi: Yes, I was surprised as well. But after understanding the lighting philosophy and how to overpower the ambient light and perfectly balancing the storm clouds and visible highlight-streaks, which created the powerful combination of magical cloud symphony, it made sense. What’s interesting to me is that we only used one Hensel EF 1200 strobe head with a Porty-pack and created such stellar results.

One of the often overlooked elements that struck me right away was the choice of styling. The Venetian pole and swimsuit patterns were simply genius.I had been discussing each set and settings with Jarmo previously, why this, why that and so on. But there’s logic to it.

It proves that you need to know your equipment and have a mindset about what you want to accomplish. We used one flash head the entire week! It was incredible, you know, Jarmo is famous for using 11 lights, so this was a great lesson in how to use single flash head and get a result like this.

STC: There we were on the cliff with one the most incredible viewpoints in Santorini. Would you return to Santorini one day and shoot some more images?

Ruzdi: Yes, without hesitation. There are lots of beautiful places to shoot around the globe. But Santorini scores high in its variety of shooting locations. I don’t think I have ever been in a place with so many shooting sites in the same city.

STC: This was your second STC rodeo. What have been some of the most valuable lessons that you’ve taken home?

I think that the right mindset, pre-production and then the final execution which becomes easy when you ready yourself in advance and do your homework.Ruzdi: I think that the right mindset, pre-production and then the final execution which becomes easy when you ready yourself in advance and do your homework. Also, lighting and how important is to find the right lighting angle and balance. I cannot express enough about the importance of preparation, knowing your gear (read the freaking manual), walk the extra mile, get a makeup & hair artist and a stylist, and all of this will show its importance in the results. And honestly, this was what came through in both events.

STC: Would you consider another round of STC in the future? It seems that there is another boutique seminar of epic proportions announcing soon! Hint, hint!

Ruzdi: Of course. But having said that and the above on preparation and what made the picture work out, I must advise others to prepare themselves as well. Give it serious thought regarding what you, as a photographer, want to bring back home with you. It’s a significant event and not for everybody. To me, this is a serious investment in my photography business. I cannot go halfway around the world without a fruitful outcome, and I didn’t. I might have sounded way curious with a million questions, and I sure got back a million answers.

If I just want to shoot models for the sake of shooting models, well then I can join a Meetup group. The seriousness of STC was a huge draw for me.

STC: How was it to work with Ksenia Belousova, the model in the winning image? After all, she is not just your average model, but a top model from Guess campaigns and numerous other high profile modeling jobs.

Ruzdi: Let’s not fuss about it. Ksenia and all the other models were pros. I cannot expect anything else from STC. The models have to be top notch, and they expect us to be the same in behavior, etc. But the best thing is that they are kind to all the photographers, regardless of photography skill level and knowledge.

STC: How were the Greek salads and local beer? And what’s the deal being topless everywhere?

Ruzdi: I have to get a tan, simple as that, so I need to combine things. And, I hate clothes having to spent my early years either in camouflage or a white shirt and suit. It’s payback time!

STC: You also photograph nature and animals. And, not only your backyard dogs but penguins on the South Pole, pelicans in Greece and antelopes in Africa. You sure get around. Where is your favorite place you have taken your camera and why?

Ruzdi: I’m lucky enough not to have been there yet and still in search of it! It’s seriously a tough question to answer since I have so many places from which to choose. But, I mean, Antartica, the silence, the vastness, the light, was a grand scale experience!

Kenya – what can you say when leopards and lions have hunted you? Yellowstone – when you hear the wolf’s howling in a cold, dark, foggy November morning – you know they are more afraid of you than you are of them – but your heart skips a beat while your spine is about to freeze.

And, you get so close to the pelicans that you get hit in the head by their wing. But let’s not forget the alluring landscapes of New York and Death Valley. There’s always something to shoot. By the way, I’m going to northern Finland in August to shoot brown bears and wolves. It’s actually in the no man’s land between Finland and Russia; a mega-trip for my kind!

STC: What advice would you give photographers who are trying to make it in the industry?

Ruzdi: Be true to yourself. If you are still struggling with f-stops, ISO, shutter speed and the instruction manual for your gear, there might be a chance that photography is not for you. However, if you have passed the manual IQ test and are still on the bandwagon to make it, do not be afraid of revising what you are shooting.

If you have no models, practice on a small statue or a mannequin. There are no excuses for not practicing.Perhaps you will be more lucky with shooting weddings, families, headshots and so on. If you cannot interact with models, assistants, etc., try shooting products. There are a million things you can shoot with your camera, but first and foremost, be true to yourself. Your ambition and reality might not be compatible all the time.

Another bit of advice would be to strive to be the best possible you can on things that you can get on your hands, focus your efforts and practice every freaking day. If you have no models, practice on a small statue or a mannequin. There are no excuses for not practicing. Practice lighting on your sneakers, watch or anything that’s available to you. It’s not always about the subject. It’s about the light and shadows.

Learn more about Hensel Porty L 1200 Power Pack

STC: What advice would you give photographers who are considering going to STC seminars?

Ruzdi: Never discount any situation big or small. The power of learning is wisdom that can take you to the next level. It worked well for me. Go to the local STC event first. See, watch, and network with STC and other participants. Sometimes there are just as many amateurs like you and me. Some are pros, and some are advanced professionals.

Make a plan and ask yourself what do you want to learn? Listen to the instructors. You are going to be learning because they obviously did not get to the point in their career by doing nothing.
Choose your seminar/workshops based on the track records of the instructors instead on sex-appeal and sales speeches! Do your homework!

STC: You now have stellar images from STC Santorini 2017 in your portfolio. And not just images, but a tear-sheet that will smile at you for rest of your life. Congratulations.

Ruzdi: Thank you. See you in Flores, Indonesia in November. I have more campaigns to shoot!

STC: Stay tuned for more winning hero images to be announced.

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