Who's in the Crew? - Spotlight on Robert de Wit

NAME: Robert de Wit - https://www.200f2.ca/
https://headshotcrew.com/200f2
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-de-wit/

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Ottawa, Canada. It’s the fourth largest city in Canada and our nation’s capital. Founded in 1826, we have a wonderful selection of national museums, cultural institutions, the world’s embassies (and their families), hidden gems, and (of course) our federal government. It is a wonderfully vibrant and diverse community. Absolutely beautiful in the summer but stupid cold in the winter. The Rideau Canal (a UNESCO world heritage site) turns into the world’s largest skating rink in the winter.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SHOOTING HEADSHOTS? I took my first ever headshot in December 2016 using a simple two-light setup and posted the results here: https://headshotcrew.com/post/161329. I had just joined the crew two months earlier and I recall spending the first few weeks as a freaked-out wide-eyed lurker, trying to absorb as much as I could.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU LIKE TO SHOOT? Horses. My youngest is a high-performance eventer (equestrian) and competes often during the summer. For those unfamiliar with the sport, it is often called “the Olympic’s Most Dangerous Sport” and competitors are seen as borderline insane. I spent a lot of time around barns and horse shows as he moved up through the ranks and just starting photographing whatever was around me keep busy. I also find I can’t watch him compete unless I’m looking through a lens. The camera acts as a distraction to the inherent danger and, as a parent, I’d be a mess without it.

WHAT IS YOUR LIGHTING SETUP FOR HEADSHOTS? It varies depending on what the client wants. I usually start with the PH flex kit (version 1) in the standard triangle setup but switch it up from there. I usually end up bringing in some strobes before the session is over. I love experimenting with different modifiers and just love what you can do with light. The on-location game is different as consistency is the goal, so it’s purely flex kit for the win.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE SPACE YOU SHOOT IN. DO YOU OWN IT, RENT IT OR LIVE IN IT? I started in the basement of our house, then moved to a studio shared with 4 other photogs for a year before moving back home and taking over the living room. Yes, it’s small (12x15) and the 8’ ceilings can be a challenge, but I absolutely love the commute. Somedays I find the space constraining, but it can also be a tremendous source of ingenuity. Here’s a recent example of what I was able to shoot in a single session: https://headshotcrew.com/post/255800

WHEN DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER PETER HURLEY AND THE HSC? I blame @RyanParker. He posted a shot in IG in Sept 2016 that somehow landed in my feed and that was enough (here’s the shot, in case you’re wondering:https://www.instagram.com/p/BK4mUXyg9HO/). I did some research, bought the “illuminating the face” series, and joined the crew in Oct 2016. Like Ryan, I wish I had joined 5 years earlier.

The first time I met Peter was at the Intensive in Toronto in Mar 2017 and I remember my first reaction was “hmm, he’s taller than I expected”. Here’s the shot of him I snagged during the Intensified, and my story around my reaction about having him stand in front of my camera for the first time: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-UjjjtFslU/

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO JOIN THE CREW AFTER YOU FOUND IT? Less than a month. It was not a hard decision.

WHAT IS ONE THING ABOUT YOU PEOPLE WOULD NEVER GUESS? I’m a recovering golfaholic. It got really bad in my late 30’s. I took two successive winters off to work my swing 4-5 times a week. I started yoga to increase my rotation. I caddied on the PGA Tour Canada (the minor leagues) for a stretch (best finish was T2 looping for Adam Long). There is no feeling like walking up the 18th knowing you have a shot to win. I played 50+ rounds a year for several years in a row, getting my handicap down to 8 (from the tips, walking and carrying), which is not bad considering I never held a club before the age of 34. I’ve walked every hole at Augusta National and was floored by the elevation changes (yes, that false front on 3 is insane).

All this stopped when we bought our first horse (did you notice the word “first” - let’s just leave it there).

I still do yoga, tho.

WHAT'S ONE THING PEOPLE WITH YOU KNEW ABOUT YOU? I’m intensely loyal. But I expect you to pull your own weight.

PHOTO INFO: Headshot by Peter (from 2017). Waiting for the next Intensive in Tuscany to get a new one. I’m looking forward to the Chianti.

I’ve included two horse shots that are my favorite. For the uninitiated, that’s a solid jump, and the horse’s speed of advance is roughly 30 mph. Miss the takeoff distance and the horse hits the jump with their front legs or chest, normally resulting in a rotational fall where the horse cartwheels over the jump - landing on the rider. This often proves fatal for both. The last Canadian eventer to die this way was earlier this year: https://www.horsejournals.com/equinews/news/inter…

The first shot shows the extension required to clear the jump. The second shot shows you the jump is actually downhill. The rider is Shannon Holmes, one of our local Ottawa riders, on Major Disaster (that's the horse) competing at Bromont a few years back. Captured at 200mm, f2, 1/4000.