how does Lois Greenfield freeze people in the air

[alain_martinez]

I just ran accross this article about Lois Greenfield...and wow..some

beautiful images she has. While most of her images are of people in

the air, and she claims that she does not use Photoshop, it really

gets me wondering how she achieves those images. When it's a single

person with some cloth flowing in the air I get it. However when it's

5 or 6 people in the air perfectly posed without something holding

them in the air, and later deleting it with photoshop, I really

wouldn't know how to achieve those images.

 

Does anybody have some insight into this puzzle.

 

Here's the article and some of her images.

http://www.photoworkshop.com/double_exposure/publish/CoverStoryLG.shtml

 

Enjoy

[todd_k.]

She is using one of two things, A) a very high shutter speed or B) fairy dust.

[tomweis]

She photographs professional dancers who know how to jump in unison or how to pose in

midair. She may also shoot a lot of frames. She's using very powerful strobes with short

durations like those used for SI sports photography - something with bi- or quad- tube

heads.

[ellis_vener_photography]

She lights her dancers with Broncolor Grafit strobe packs and bi-tube flash heads to get a

lot of light (for depth of field) and very short flash duration. <P><I>"One of the technical

challenges of dance imaging is having the ability to light a large area in a manner that will

illuminate individual subjects that are simultaneously crossing paths with subjects

crossing the frame from the opposite direction. The term "pre-visualization" takes on a

whole new meaning when shooting dancers. The timing and logistics for all involved is

complex to say the least. At the end of the day all of the talent and planning in the world

do not necessarily guaranty magical photographs. Many viewers automatically assume the

complex images Lois produces are pieced together after the fact. They are in fact carefully

planned and cautiously executed by players that both live and love their craft. When you

gaze at Lois' photographs you are viewing unique moments in time, not Photoshop

witchcraft. The logistics of capturing images of this caliber take both human talent as well

as equipment that can keep up with the demands...<P>Broncolor offers Lois the widest

selection of light tools in the industry. She is particularly fond of the broncolor Satellite

Soft reflector for lighting her main subjects. The light it produces is both soft and crisp.

Skin tones are rendered in a creamy, flattering manner. Umbrellas and a variety of

broncolor reflectors light the balance of each shot. In the series of dance images she shot

for broncolor's 2003 calendar she went as far as including Balloon lamps and Picolites as

design elements in several of the shots.<P>

 

Lois' current power packs of choice are broncolor Grafit A2s. When used with broncolor Bi-

tube heads, Lois has a combination of high output and up to 1/2000th of a second flash

duration. Lois' dancers are frozen in time and sharp as a tack..."</I><P>

 

For more of this Broncolor advertising blurb see: http://www.bron.ch/bc_ga_ph_en/

detail.php?nr=2453<P>Broncolor's website is: http://www.bron.ch/bc_home_en/

index.php<P>

 

Lois Greenfield's website is: http://www.loisgreenfield.com<P>I have zero connections

with Broncolor ( I tend to use Balcar and Profoto) or any Broncolor dealers or distributors.

[steve_renwick]

>>She is using one of two things, A) a very high shutter speed or B) fairy dust.<<

 

And a lot of perseverance. Not only are they beautifully captured poses, but the subjects' facial expressions are composed. Imagine how many shots she must have in which a dancer blinked or grimaced at the wrong microsecond.

 

I bet *she* was glad when digital cameras came along.

[phule]

<a href="http://www.digitaloutput.net/content/ContentCT.asp?P=309">http://www.digitaloutput.net/content/ContentCT.asp?P=309</a>

 

<p>

<em>Those dancers, so precisely organized, so contrary to the laws of gravity, must be Photoshoped together. Aren�t they?

<p>

The truth is, the man who looks like he�s about to fall flat on his face is. There is no room in Lois Greenfield�s photography for anything less than pure reality, thus Photoshop is practically a non-issue in her unassuming studio. Instead, there is only the real-life acrobatics of some of dance�s most talented participants, performing moves for the camera that they would otherwise never do on a stage.</em>

<p>

......

<p>

<em>Unfortunately today, the question "how is that possible?" is all to easily answered: Photoshop. Lois concedes that it gets increasingly difficult to convince people that her work is reality and not retouched. In fact, there are no suspensions, no hidden supports and no dancers lying on the floor, which people often assume is how the dancers are actually shot.</em>

[shiver_me_timbrrrre]

</i>

[chris_waller]

Powerful, short-duration flash. Here's my own version using sunlight and 1/500th.<div></div>

[phototogomanny]

Hi,

You need a lot of Flash Power Big heads and True watt second. Fast shutter speed 250 to 500 and for sharpness High F stop ( This is where flash power comes in ), and don't forget athletic individuals that can Jump and Pose at the same time, and forgot the Mc Daddy Background a Tall one !!!!.

Manny D.