Natalie, Drink and Click Portrait – Austin, Texas

I stayed longer at this Drink and Click than usual. After heading inside, I met Natalie, a patron at the restaurant and not directly tied to the event. She was, however, willing to be a portrait subject.

I made the last three portraits outside with a dedicated LED. This time we are back inside with ambient, available light, producing a softer look with less contrast. I made the image at a slow 1/20th of a second, warning Natalie to hold steady.

The restaurant was mostly empty, and I had more freedom to position the subject. I liked the dreamy hanging lights in the background, rendered as soft bokeh balls with my f2.2 equivalent aperture. Added post-processing enhanced the mood, darkening the overall composition.

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