PROJECT SERIES: THE PERFECT HARMONY

The project related to highlighting the importance of preserving the Lebanese nature continues with this series of photographs: The perfect harmony between the Mind and the Body, Man and Nature.

After the series of photographs related to the climber (check “On a still standing rock…”), we decided to continue the project with a yogi (def.: A person who practices yoga). The main reason behind choosing a yogi, Rabih, posing outdoors, is this specific relation between yoga and nature. Originally, yoga is a discipline based on science focusing on bringing harmony between the mind and the body. It is known for being an art and a science related to healthy living. The word “Yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root “Yuj”, meaning “to join” or “to unite”. As per Yogic scriptures, the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with that of the Universal Consciousness, indicating a perfect harmony between the Mind and the Body, Man and Nature.

The location was picked because the light pollution is considerably low, and because of the majestic mountains, that’s why: Jaj, Lebanon.

The ephemeris conditions during the shooting were as following: a waxing crescent moon (almost 40% illumination) setting at around 1:40 am, while the rising of the Milky Way started at 10:30 pm; so, we had to wait for the moon to almost set and the appearance of the Milky Way right above the mountains.

The feasibility of taking this series of photographs required some lighting equipment: Speedlights, snoot, triggers and transmitters to control the light directly from the cameras.

While the ephemeris conditions were considerate and helped us to take the photographs, the weather conditions were pretty bad: During the afternoon, the temperature was 23°C and it dropped down to 4°C by night time; hence the yoga experts and instructors who might comment on the poses as it might not be 100% precise, should take into consideration the cold weather (while Rabih was in yoga pants and t-shirt); besides the cold weather, it is worth mentioning the wind, and the non-flat rocky soil!

Now let’s tell you about the shooting process: I’ve set 2 cameras in order to take a close shot and another wide one showing the beauty of the mountains; one camera had a 50mm lens and the wide one a 30mm lens. The duration we had to complete the series of photographs was short; an estimation of 30 minutes for execution, while not losing the moon light on the top of the mountains.

The 2 speedlights were held by videographers Sary Asmar and Rita Mikhael; its locations were adjusted following some test shots, based on the light power and intensity. The speedlights were necessary in order to highlight the yogi and to eliminate any possible shake during the long poses (between 10 to 20 seconds for each shot).

To finish this article, I would like to mention that Rabih is not only a yogi, but also an outdoors guy, and a night photographer with some knowledge concerning the light at night and what was required for the photographs. The patience he showed was tremendous and his perseverance to stand still during the poses was outstanding, especially in that cold weather!

This project couldn’t be done without the efforts of all the team:

Yogi, Rabih Masri (Wolf).

Videographers, Rita Mikhael, Sary Asmar.

Project coordinator, Jessica Rahhal.