mclain swift Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 I am curious if anyone has any advice as to how to light this type of shot. I have tried a couple things and can't seem to get this look. The model is either overexposed or way underexposed or the transition to shadow is horrible. http://www.photo.net/photo/5707055 I would ask the photographer but my success rate with that route is generally very poor. Any insights would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 I strongly suspect that having such a reflective (oiled, in this case) skin surface is one of the things that makes it possible. And plenty o' after-the-fact tweaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucecahn Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Looks like the main light is behind her and to the left side of the picture, with a fill in front, or maybe just a reflector in front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_conway1 Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 (this is a suggestion, not an answer :-)<br /><br /> whenever I want long highlights that run the length of the subject I use V-flats on either side or Chimera strips. I definitely get that feel from this. little if any fill in front (thigh, chest & shoulders seem dark) I'm guessing most of the fill is coming from white seamless on the floor. <br /><br /> I'm attaching a shot I've lit that way - it's against black and the model is not oiled but I believe it's in the family of techniques you're looking for<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mclain swift Posted April 30, 2007 Author Share Posted April 30, 2007 Hi James. I think you are correct but in that image you posted you don't have the level of deep shadow that this guy is getting. I wonder if that is just a matter of adjusting the size/ location of the strips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_hart Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 This looks like it is simply a blown out background with lots of wrap(it's hard to say what is lighting it for certainty) but I suspect it is flagged given the overall contrast. It's also hard to be certain if a large reflector (like an L shaped one made from 2 pieces of foamcore) is the front 'light' or a light from the front. I think it is lit from the front given the reflection in the skin (can't see eyes) and from the contrast. The trick here is how far back to move the model into the blown out background and the amount of wrap etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twmeyer Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 My <i>guess</i> is that the camera is in a blackened studio that has walls (parallel to the film plane) between the camera position and a white sweep. the opening in that blocking wall acts as an aperture through which the lens views the subject (and controls flare). <p>The walls are white on their interior surface. This means the set is essentially a white room with a door outside of which stands the camera. <p>The degree of "fill" depends on how far inside the "door" the subject stands. If she is <i>at</i> the door, her face (et al) are darker, and as she moves back into the room more light reflecting from the blocking doors has it's "fill" effect on her. <p>There is most likely a large silk behind her and behind that, the lights directed on the white sweep... t (just a guess) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 The shadow under the foot is a fake. I suspect that what ever the background was originally it was been stripped out and replaced with white in Photoshop . I see nothing inherently wrong with this approach for this kind of illustration photography as we used to use all sorts of wet darkroom tricks and masking to achieve the same ends. Lighting: My inclination is to think that it was created with multiple "hard" flash sources, not softboxes or umbrellas. So maybe just flash heads with 7" or 10" reflectors A fair amount of flagging was used too to control where the light did and did not go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don_davis2 Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 I like Tom's answer it should give similar result with the addition of the two lights indicated by the highlights at 10 o'clock and 4 o'clock. D.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mclain swift Posted May 1, 2007 Author Share Posted May 1, 2007 Thanks everyone. I indeed share many of these theories and I guess I will just have to keep experimenting unitl I get it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik skaar photography Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 I realize I am a little late in providing any feedback since the orginal question was asked nearly 2 months ago but here goes... Tom's guess is pretty close to my own. I have pulled off similar effects with a white studio about 15' square, 2 undiffused strobes aimed at acute angles towards each other at the back wall. The strobes wash out the background simultaneously providing reflected light at the sides. There will likely be some post proc dodging to get the background completely white. Anyway... my tow cents for what it's worth. Good luck and post your results! :)<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mclain swift Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 Nice shot, Erik. I haven't been in the studio as of late because of a new addition to the family on Monday and the fact that we are moving in a week. Once my new and more spacious studio is set up I am going to do a lot more experimenting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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