September 2010
19 posts
4 tags
Saverio Truglia's not-exactly-natural sunlight for...
copyright, Saverio Truglia.
This charming image begs the question, “is it natural light or not?” Though it may seem this shot was lit with sunlight through the window and some tv glow on the recliner, Saverio used 10 strobes to create the effect.
Camera: Canon 1Ds Mark II with 35mm lens, set on a tripod 20 feet back from the baby. Shot at 1/125, f8, ISO 100.
Lighting: The key...
4 tags
Hetherington's moo cow lighting confirmed
Well now isn’t this cool? Yesterday, Andrew Hetherington posted the actual lighting for his cow portrait on What’s the Jackanory?. And I wasn’t all that far off. Here’s the scoop with Andrew’s edits (not a bad drawing, either):
As promised after Guess the Lighting had a go at my Moo Cow set up here’s the full reveal. Ted wasn’t too far off
...
4 tags
Andrew Hetherington's moo cow from his "Made in...
copyright, Andrew Hetherington.
This crisply-lit bovine was shot in the village of Cootehall, Ireland when Andrew returned after a 10-year hiatus. It was created with 1 speedlight and a six-pack of room temperature Guinness.
Camera: Hasselblad 503cw with 80mm lens and Kodak Portra NC 160 film, set on a tripod 12 feet back. Shot at 1/125, f8, ISO 160.
Lighting: The key is a speedlight at f8...
4 tags
Julie Blackmon's painterly environmental lighting
copyright, Julie Blackmon.
Although Julie oftentimes uses digital collage and montage techniques in her imagery, I’m guessing this shot, entitled PC, was created entirely in-camera using 4 lights.
Camera: Hasselblad 503cw with 50mm lens and Kodak Portra NC 400 ASA film, set on a tripod 8 feet back from girl. Shot at 1/60, f11, ISO 400.
Lighting: The key light on the little cherub is a...
3 tags
Guess the meat couture: correct answer
*SPOILER ALERT* Don’t read any further if you’d still like to try and guess who the two photographers are. If you have already guessed or have no idea what I’m talking about, read on.
copyrights, Terry Richardson (left), Ted Sabarese (right)
So there you have it. Terry shot the meat Gaga and I shot the meat skirt with potato skin top. But how?
GAGA: This Japan Vogue cover...
5 tags
Antoine Verglas' dreamy backlighting for Angelina...
copyright, Antoine Verglas.
Pre Brad. Pre mother of 37 children. This 2000 portrait of Angelina for British GQ was created with 3 lights. Soft lights.
Camera: Pentax 67 with 90mm lens and Kodak Portra 100 negative film, set on a tripod 8 feet back. Shot at 1/30, f5.6, ISO 100. The image was color, then scanned and converted to b&w.
Lighting: The key light is a large octabank at f5.6...
1 tag
Guess the "meat couture"
This is a slight departure from the norm, but hey, it’s Monday. Try to guess who shot these two outfits made from fresh, USDA prime cuts of beef. First one to post the correct answers wins total consciousness, on their deathbeds. Which is nice.
And which adornment looks the meatiest of the two? Ready. Go.
We can talk about lighting at a later date.
4 tags
Howard Schatz's incandescent lighting for his...
copyright, Howard Schatz.
This stunning, hyper-dramatic image from Howard’s 2009 “boxer study” has won quite a few awards and garnered slabs of recognition. Though much of the effect was created in-camera using 6 lights, there is a good deal of retouching happening here, too.
Camera: Hasselblad H2 with Leaf Aptus 75 digital back and 80mm lens, set on tripod six feet back....
3 tags
Rineke Dijkstra's thoughtfully simple lighting for...
copyright, Rineke Dijkstra.
Sometimes compared to Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus,” this awkward, yet beautiful, seaside portrait from Rineke’s Beach Portraits was created with only 1 light and the sun.
Camera: Linhof Master Technika 4x5 with Rodenstock 150mm lens and Fuji Pro 160S film, set on a tripod 8 feet back. Shot at 1/125, f16, ISO 160.
Lighting: The key light...
5 tags
Steven Klein Lights Amber Valletta red for Italian...
copyright, Steven Klein.
Steven Klein’s work usually tends toward the dark - from his lighting to his provocative narratives. This image of a caged Amber Valletta wearing, i believe, a horse bridle (and isn’t that a mountain lion I see directly behind her?) was created with 3 lights.
To get a better look at the pic, click here.
Camera: Canon Powershot G10, handheld 8 feet back....
3 tags
Martin Schoeller's lighting setup for Henry...
copyright, Martin Schoeller.
Not one of the more popular images from Martin’s Close Up book, Kissinger’s 2007 portrait is my secret favorite. To me, Martin has captured every gut-wrenching decision Henry ever made in this single expression we’re uncomfortably close to. He created this with 4 light sources.
Camera: Mamiya RZ67 with 140mm macro lens and Kodak portra VC 400 ASA...
4 tags
Eric Ogden's lighting for Penelope Cruz portrait
copyright, Eric Ogden
This highly cinematic and dramatic fine-art portrait of Penelope Cruz tells a million stories, each one as haunting as you care to make it. It was created with 3 lights.
Camera: Mamiya RZ67 with 90mm lens and Kodak Portra VC 400 ASA film, set on a tripod 8 feet back. Shot at 1/125, f8, ISO 400.
Lighting: Eric considers shadow and darkness additional...
4 tags
How Irving Penn lights Kate Moss for Vogue
copyright, Irving Penn
Though this timeless image of Ms. Moss from 1996 could have been created with a 2 light setup, Irving shot it using only natural light from a large skylight in his studio.
*Thanks to Nico Silberfaden for suggesting this image.
Camera: Rolleiflex 2.8f twin lens reflex camera with Kodak Tri-X 400 film, set on a tripod 8 feet back from the model. Shot at 1/60, f2.8, ISO...
3 tags
Jeff Minton's crispy-ish lighting of Juggling...
copyright, Jeff Minton
Jeff’s lighting usually has a seemingly simple, pleasing quality to it (though there’s more going on than we’d think). In this image for the New York Times Magazine, Jeff has managed to evenly light the room and bring out the character of the subjects with 4 lights. To get a better look at the image, click here.
Camera: Canon 1Ds Mark II with 35mm lens,...
4 tags
Dan Winters' lighting for Schwarzenegger portrait
copyright, Dan Winters
This personality-filled, personality portrait of the Governator from Dan’s book Periodical Photographs was created with 2 light sources.
Camera: Sinar F1 4x5 camera with Schneider 210mm lens and Kodak Portra 160 NC negative film, set on a tripod 8 feet back. Shot at 1/60, f22, ISO 80 (pulled 1 stop).
Lighting: The beauty of all Dan’s images lies in his...
2 tags
What does an "octabank at f8" really mean?
I’ve received a bunch of questions asking what I mean when I say things like:
“The key light is a silver beauty dish at f11”
“Another medium softbox at f2.8 is four feet to camera right”
“The fill is a medium strip at f5.6”
All of these f-stop numbers are the individual light levels your light meter will read at the listed shutter speed and ISO. For...
3 tags
Sacha Waldman lighting for Kohler campaign
copyright, Sacha Waldman
This mid-century feeling ventriloquist shot from the Kohler faucet campaign (photographer’s alternate cropping) gets funnier the longer you look at it. It was created with 9 strobes and 12 AC slaves with standard household, screw-type, lamp socket connections.
Camera: Contax 645 with 55mm lens and Leaf Aptus 22 back, set on a tripod 8 feet from closest models....
4 tags
Andrew Zuckerman lighting for "Creature" book...
copyright, Andrew Zuckerman
One of the many shots compiled for Zuckerman’s book Creature, this quite gorgeous and graphically-framed image of a Bald Eagle was created with 4 lights.
Camera: Hasselblad H1 with 120mm macro lens and Leaf Aptus 75 digital back, set on a tripod 6 feet back from the bird. Shot at 1/125, f5.6, ISO 200.
Lighting: Andrew’s goal is to make the bird look as...
1 tag
New posting style starts today
Starting today, I’ll post in a new, simplified format. No more of the automatic picture slideshow. If you were a huge fan of that, much apologies. I think the new look allows you to better compare the photo with the lighting diagram. And some older computers didn’t handle the slideshow very well.
The post will be up shortly. Let me know what you think.