rapfoto Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 <IMG SRC="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?photo_id=223196&size=lg" WIDTH="432" HEIGHT="554"> <p> This is model Amber Smith, shot for the cover of a magazine. We were about two and a half hours out of LA, in the Lucerne Dry Lakes area. <p> the day was gloomy, and everyone was uptight because of the weather. With a little bit of underexposure, and an awesome model, it turned out okay! <p> Tech stuff: Hassleblad 500 EL/M, 120CF, Provia 100F [at ei. 80], and a KR1.5 [it was raining!]. Lighting is ambiant [about -1.75 stops --underexposed] and studio strobe --shot through an Octabank. Handheld, 1/60 @ f8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward_kang Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 head and shoulders above the rest - even if it was Don Knotts in that outfit, I'd still think this was a great photograph. <p> Q - how much luminous power is on that strobe and how big an octabank did you use? I've never seen big outdoor fashion flash setups, so I'm curious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapfoto Posted May 8, 2001 Author Share Posted May 8, 2001 Thanks Edward, <p> I use 12oo w/s packs. This was one head, at full tilt. <p> You are too fast, I was resubmitting this post because I screwed up the HTML, and her legs are a little stumpy.... <p> Moderator, please kill this one if you can... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel_smith2 Posted May 9, 2001 Share Posted May 9, 2001 I measured her legs and they are long enough :)<P> What's with her eyes? Intended to look so feral? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward_kang Posted May 9, 2001 Share Posted May 9, 2001 I think he was going for that "Daryl Hannah Look" from Bladerunner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan engelhardt Posted May 9, 2001 Share Posted May 9, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE><I> Moderator, please kill this one if you can... </I></BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Fixed the HTML in this post and nuked the other. Lovely legs now :-)</P> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan engelhardt Posted May 9, 2001 Share Posted May 9, 2001 <P>Yow! Great shot! Dunno what to say, really. Great model, great light, great scene. Wish the uplaod was better (bigger, and with less aggressive JPEG compression) so I could see her face better, but it's great. Thanks for sharing.</P> <P>Would it have been fun if the ball had been lying in the distance?</P> <P>This image reminds me that <em>all weather</em> is good weather for taking phototgraphs. "It's not the weather, stupid, it's the photographer," as they didn't quite say in the election campaign. In this case we obviously have a great photographer.</P> <P>OK, I'll bite: what's an Octabank?</P> <P> </P> <P>Allan "Natual Light" Engelhardt</P> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan engelhardt Posted May 9, 2001 Share Posted May 9, 2001 <P>I'm probably the only one who was confused, but just in case: The KR1.5 is the <A HREF="http://www.schneideroptics.com/filters/menu.htm">B+W</a> <!-- Arrrgh! Stupid web site --> specific name for essentially the same filter as the Kodak Wratten 1A Skylight filter. (See <A HREF="http://www.schneideroptics.com/filters/list/1/uv2.html">this page</a> for more information.)</p> <P> </p> <P>Allan "I only ever use Hoya and Lee filters" Engelhardt</p> <SMALL> <P>(So as to not start a flame war: B+W (a.k.a. Schneider) is supposed to be nice, but my shop doesn't stock them, and they have traditionally been hard to get on back-order in this country.)</p> </small> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Rowlett Posted May 9, 2001 Share Posted May 9, 2001 <b>feral</b> - <i>adj</i> - of, relating to, or suggestive of a wild animal.<p> Thanks for that! Great word. Backups? We don’t need no stinking ba #.’ _ , J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward_kang Posted May 10, 2001 Share Posted May 10, 2001 an octabank is what separates studio strobe men from studio strobe boys. <p> <img src=http://www.fjwestcott.com/new/images/box5.jpg> <p> Basically a gigantic 7' octagonal softbox that spreads a very even amount of light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
struan_gray Posted May 11, 2001 Share Posted May 11, 2001 I can't decide if I don't like this because of it's genre, or because of her catatonic expression. What was the magazine? Perhaps putting this much contrivance into one frame can be justified within it's own terms of reference. <p> Technically the shot is excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapfoto Posted May 11, 2001 Author Share Posted May 11, 2001 First off, thank you comrades for the kind words. <p> I�ll try and answer your questions, but in no specific order: <p> 1) KR1.5; Alan, you�re exactly right. I use Heliopan and B+W filters. It is a little stronger than your typical skylight or 1a filter. Just the ticket for the �blue� light of an overcast day. Now, it probably wouldn�t be ENOUGH warming if I didn�t do a little trickery in development. I always run my people shots [when shot on transparency film] with a modest push to warm them up a bit. My typical scheme is to run the film with a +1/3 stop push. The extra time in the first developer gives me just a kiss of added warmth, and then the KR1.5 just brings me back to where I usually start from [it neutralizes the scene to my base color temperature so to speak.] <p> I�m not a big fan of on the lens filtration, and typically would gel each light source, this avoids contaminating the entire scene with a cast from the lens filter, but in instances like this, a little boost to the general scene works well, and besides, I still haven�t figured out how to keep the Sun from melting my Rosco's when I hang then too close! <p> <c> <IMG SRC="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display? photo_id=216429&size=lg" WIDTH="300" HEIGHT="202"> Different shoot, and lighting set-up, but this is a Octabank in use </c> <p> 2) The Octabank is a special, seven-foot in diameter reflective soft box. As Edward mentioned, it is a specialty piece of gear, and Elenchrom charges accordingly. However, it is very unique in that it is set up like an umbrella/soft box hybrid. It first shoots the light into a reflector [the back of the Octabank], then it diffuses the light as it exits the front of the device. It throws a very unique light, and has been broadly used by many photographers. The secret is to have it close enough that it is soft, yet far enough away to give a slightly hard edge to the shadows [penumbra]. <p> <c> <IMG SRC="http://www.rapfoto.com/images/RAZOR%20cover.jpg" WIDTH="150" HEIGHT="198"> The shot THEY used� hmmmm, typical, I would have picked another one, but� </c> <p> 3) The shoot was for RAZOR Magazine, which is a competitor with Maxim, and that sort. The styling was to be one that, while she was serving her �time� for unknown crimes, she somehow still maintained some sort of composure and aesthetic beauty. She is supposed to be a little �hard, and a little �menacing�. We had the �ball� with us, but because this was a cover shot, the A/D [art director] was concerned it would complicate the placement of the text� so we dropped the ball. <p> All in all, this is really close to my initial vision, concept, and design. When dealing with clients, super expensive models, seamstress� for custom made wardrobe items, and top of the line production artists, it can get a little busy keeping everyone focused on the �prize�. You have to be very strong willed [my girlfriend might say a**hole] and believe in your vision 120% to pull these kinds of shots off successfully. I�m glad that it did. I really like this series, though like everyone else, if I had it to do over again I would�.. <p> Best regards, <p> RA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel_smith2 Posted May 11, 2001 Share Posted May 11, 2001 thanks for the follow up Robert, interesting stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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