Greg Heisler BTS: Photographing Retired NBA Star Alonzo Mourning

“There’s the kind of lighting you do because you want it to look like ambient light. And there’s the kind of lighting you do just because you think it looks cool. This was [the latter].” That’s how Greg Heisler describes this photograph he took of now-retired NBA star Alonzo Mourning for ESPN magazine.

Set up in the hallway that goes around the basketball arena, this creative shoot is yet another example of Heisler’s meticulous approach towards photography. When you’re trying to achieve studio-controlled lighting outside of the studio, those hours of planning aren’t just beneficial, they’re crucial.

In fact, Heisler goes so far as to say that “so much of what [he’s] done as a photographer” has been just that: setting up what would be a difficult shot in a studio, but doing it on location.

Here’s a closer look at that final shot:

To get all of the details on how he set up the shot and got all of these psychedelic colors going, check out the whole video BTS at the top.

(via Strobist)