I admit it, I was a bit mean to Ariel! This was the first evening we shot for RE in Fuerteventura, and the sea looked so inviting! We weren't yet sure how people would take to her being naked and in bondage on a public beach (albeit a naturist public beach) so we decided we couldn't in good conscience risk having her legs tied, in case she needed to cover up quickly. The light was golden and gorgeous, and nicely supplemented with a Godox ring-flash purchased for the trip as a more flattering and more portable alternative source of fill and catchlights.

In the past I've used diffused on-camera flash- that's always a bit ugly because it throws shadows places you don't want them.

Or I've used light modifiers like softboxes and umbrellas with off-camera battery generator pack flash, but this time with only Ariel and me as crew, and a famously windy location, that wasn't going to be practical. I considered using my Hensel generator-powered ringflash,

but getting that and all its batteries out probably meant a second case, cost and hassle. Hence the decision to try the Godox. Battery powered with a Li-ion pack, but self-contained with no trailing lead, it seemed like a good option. I had to figure out how to dial in

exposure to give just enough fill to be flattering without looking unnatural. And since at the time I didn't have TTL available, I had to do it manually shot to shot.

It was a bit of a juggling act, but it all came together with this set. We waited until the sun was just about to set behind the mountains so the beach was a quiet as it was going to get, tied Ariel away from public gaze back in the dunes, then dashed down to the sea to get the set. And of course, Ariel being the consummated model that she is, she was posing right at the edge of the water because that looks just super. Right until the point where a big wave came splashing in and soaked her! The air was warm but the sea most emphatically was not, just have a look at her expression! Well, at that point the damage was done so she bravely finished off the set wet.

I couldn't resist leaving in the behind-the-scenes shots of what happened as soon as we stopped, though :-) I don't think I've ever seen anyone move so quickly whilst donning a hoodie in my life....