how to learn tecnique of david Hamilton

I have red that PHotographer DAvid Hamilton just use a camerawith a

50mm lens and must to the times a window light it is true I admire

his photos could any one explainme his tecniques making photos

 

thanks

I love using natural light; it has a quality that strobe are hard to match. I don't know about

Hamilton's technique, but I always look for directional natural light, light thru a window, a

open door, just inside a tunnel. The background is up to your, but it seem like Hamilton

uses a darker background. Make sure you have enough light if you want details in the the

fall off of the light.

 

I would suggest that you take your camera and a model, look for a directional light source

and start shooting. Move around the model and shoot, move the modedl and shoot. Pretty

soon you will find the light that most pleases you.

 

Cheers, Alex

Have your model stand at the edge of a window.

 

Have your model stand halfway between the window and the wall, with the window behind you.

 

Bounce a strobe off a wall to make a window-like light.

try a big scrim or one of those 60"x40" hoop diffusers. Put it fairy close to the subject about 90 deg from camera. Light it from behind. You get very similar results. I've used this setup with hot lights, vivitar 285's and pack style heads. If you're shooting digital, you can warm or cool it in the camera or in post.

I believe he used to shoot on Ektachrome 100. I saw a television documentary about him many years ago and his technique is very simple.

This is very simple lighting (not that there's anything wrong with simple)

 

You can look at the shot and see for yourself where the light was coming from. It will help if you use absorbers (black reflectors) to add some control to the light, this will prevent light appearing where it isn't wanted.

 

BTW, in future if you want to post more than once on a subject please don't start a separate thread. Simply post in your original thread.

The only photographer I ever saw who was able to shoot pictures like David Hamilton is Max Stolzenberg.

www.maxstolzenberg.com

He must have been a pupil of him or a friend.

His photos copy the style perfectly.

Soft, simple, lighting and soft focus. Hamilton was known for Vaseline covered filters which can provide much more versatility than standard SF filters but can be reproduced in Photoshop.

 

If you are shooting digital, study and learn to use window light. This, when done properly, will provide a large light source. Don't put your model directly in front of the window but put the window (or other light source) between you and the model. Then do the softness in post. If you are shooting film you will have to work to get the image that you want in the viewfinder.

 

In any case, be aware that Hamilton's work is strongly influenced by his models and their posing. This isn't just camera technic.