Roger Hagadone’s Big Love lighting

October 14, 2010 — 7 Comments

roger hagadone's photo lighting for polygamist on guess the lighting blog

ted sabarese photo lighting diagram for roger hagadone on guess the lighting

copyright, Roger Hagadone.

Roger’s naughty polygamist, as I like to call her, is a striking image that takes you a bit by surprise as you look from top to bottom. It was created with 5 lights

Camera: Canon 1Ds Mark iii with 50mm lens, set on a tripod 10 feet back. Shot at 1/125, f8, ISO 100.

Lighting: The key light is a white beauty dish at f8 boomed high above camera and angled downward. A large octabank at f4 (-2 stops) positioned behind Roger serves as fill. Two small strip lights, both at f16 (+2 stops), are behind the model to camera left and right. They’re slightly above head height and create the hard highlights on the sides of her face and shoulders. A small softbox at f11 1/2 (+1.5 stops) sits low and behind the model, aimed at the back wall to create the glow.

Comments: It was tough for Roger to find actual polygamists who were willing to pose in such a way for the camera. He ended up settling on this model who, though not one of a posse of wives, did date a classmate and his father, simultaneously, senior year in high school.

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  • http://john-godwin.co.uk Guildford Photographer

    I reckon that’s a pretty spot on guess, Ted, but do you think the key could’ve been slightly camera right? I only say that because of the deeper shadow on her right eye compared to her left, and the larger highlight on her left cheek.

    John Godwin

    • http://GuessTheLighting.com/ Ted Sabarese

      i think you’re right, john. also, note the shadow under her chin that’s clearly camera left.
      ted

      • http://john-godwin.co.uk Guildford Photographer

        I just saw that you’ve even drawn them slightly camera right! I completely missed that the first time!

  • http://www.rogerhagadone.com Roger Hagadone

    Hey Ted, Thanks for guessing my light! You were pretty close…

    Camera: Without checking the exif data I would say you nailed that info.

    Lighting: There are many ways to light this image and end up with a similar result. Although the details of your guess are wrong, you are fundamentally correct. I’ll tell you this, the key light is slightly camera right and I used a gridded small bank. I actually prefer a beauty dish but there were none on hand that day (we were rolling light). Also, the back lights are bare heads with reflectors and there was no octabank. The rest you will have to guess!

    Comments: Again, nailed it. Come to think of it, that classmate’s name was Ted…. Coincidence?

    • http://GuessTheLighting.com/ Ted Sabarese

      thanks for writing in, roger. and for giving us a bit more scoop on how this image was created.

      and yes, total coincidence with your model. my father doesn’t even know her.
      ted

  • Lukeshoots

    Not even to do with the lighting but I think this image would make a crazy statement split up in a magazine. Like the torso up on one page and the the rest on another. Just a thought. Don’t know why I felt the need to share.

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