An Article by Steve Jacob of his Day Assiting Me...

my stuff · August 11, 2009

A Day with Benjamin Kanarek by Steve Jacob©

“Chucky’s in Love” shoot. Steve Jacob joins Benjamin Kanarek at the “Chucky’s in Love” Fashion editorial for West East Magazine.

Monday, December 3rd. My mobile is ringing! I’m momentarily disorientated, partly because I was having a nice dream and partly because I am in a strange room in pitch darkness. I groggily remember that I am on a sofa bed in my friend’s apartment in Magny les Hongres, near Paris and I’m supposed to be meeting Ben in central Paris for a photo shoot at 9am. I fumble around for my mobile to turn off the wake up call and stumble into the bathroom.

8:30 am: The place turns out to be easy to find, but the street is blocked off and packed with fire-engines attending a blaze in a nearby block of flats. Luckily the address I’m looking for is further down the road and accessible on foot, but it provides an interesting photo-opportunity. I find a café at the end of the street and settle down with my first coffee of the day.

9 am: I get a text from Ben who is running late so I head to the apartment. Number 6 is in fact a long, irregular shaped courtyard. Down the left side is a small private theatre. Some of the buildings look like small warehouses and workshops with apartments above. I’m looking for doorway F which I find eventually. Missing the light switch I climb up the rickety stairs to the second floor in near darkness. We are definitely in Paris! The doorbell is answered by the apartment’s owner and fashion stylist for the shoot, Sebastien Goepfert. Most of the crew is already there having coffee. Christophe Durand is one of Paris’ top makeup artists and Tomoko Ohama is a leading hair stylist (or should that be sculptress?). Juliette Pechoux is assisting Sebastien with the wardrobe. It’s quite a high-powered crew I’m working with so I’m more than a little nervous and everyone is chatting in French. I can understand the gist of the conversation and the coffee is good so I start to relax a little.

9.30 am: The model arrives. Felicity Gilbert turns out to be a London girl from Maida Vale so I have someone to talk to. Slim and willowy as you’d expect, she looks impossibly young and innocent out of makeup. She’s actually 22 and has been in Paris working as a top rank model for two years. Her fresh, almost teenage face is hard to reconcile with her portfolio. In makeup and with the right clothes (or no clothes at all) she looks incredibly chic. It proves the point that the pretty girl you see on the street would not necessarily make it as a model. If she looks even slightly curvy she is probably four dress sizes too big, if she has a cute face she would look distinctly chubby on camera and if she has strong features she, and not the clothes, would dominate the shot. Being a blank canvas is not as glamorous as it sounds and much harder work than you’d think.

10 am: Ben and his girlfriend Frederique (Freddy) arrive. I’m surprised by the light load: A laptop, a camera bag with two bodies and two lenses, a carrier bag with some reflectors and a kit bag with two Multiblitz 600J heads, stands, honeycombs and snoots. Some guys I know would come to a shoot with at least three times that. The lenses Ben is using for the shoot are the DA* 16-50 F2.8 and the DA 12-24 F4. He contemplated bringing the DA 16-45 F4 which he likes, but he wanted to try out the DA* lens as he’d just got it from Pentax. That Ben uses mainly wide-angle lenses may come as a surprise but in a small space with shots that are usually full or near full length it’s unusual to use much over 24mm. Felicity and Christophe have already got started on make-up, so Ben and I start on the lighting set up while Freddy plugs in the inevitable Macbook Freddy is also Ben’s business partner and does all the post production work.

Makeup and hair takes the best part of two hours. By this time Ben and I have been gassing for at least an hour about the new Pentax cameras and other stuff and have demolished a couple more pots of coffee. He’s genuinely bullish about Pentax’s prospects under Hoya It’s also interesting to understand how Pentax are using feedback from Ben (and the rest of us) about the performance of their cameras. Ben is very happy shooting Pentax and is getting great results, but he will get the head of Pentax France on the phone and give him a hard time if something is not right (do you wish you could do that? Its simple, become a pro and get Pentax to sponsor you!) A spate of DA 21 mm lenses that didn’t focus was a case in point. Pentax are not getting an easy ride but they are listening and taking the feedback very seriously indeed. Luckily the new lens seems to work OK.

11.30 am: Finally we start on some test shots. Set one is in the lounge on the chaise long. The sunlight is causing Ben some issues. Although the flashes are much stronger than the daylight (check the difference between my diary photos and the end result) Ben can’t use the modeling lights to see where the light and shadows are falling, so has to resort to multiple flash meter readings and endless test shots. To make it worse the sun keeps coming out from behind the clouds at the worst possible moment. You can see from my pictures that the light coming through the skylights was intense. In the end, Freddy and I end up holding a blanket over the window! Despite some gentle swearing, Ben soldiers on and we get the shot.

1.30 pm: Sent out for Pizza

2 pm: Felicity has had a change of clothes and is having her hair and makeup retouched while Ben and I set up the next shot in the dentist’s chair. The amount of space seems ridiculously small, but Ben lights everything indirectly so it’s possible to place the lights out of the way and get some very tight angles. However I end up holding a reflector because there is no room for another stand.

2.30 pm: Ben does joke around a lot but he’s dead serious now. Attention to detail is incredible. The background, face, Chucky doll, clothes and hair – all have to be perfect before he’ll start shooting for real. We do some tests. The shoes are not right. I get another reflector to hold. Now we’re away. Ben reels off about 50 shots and checks. They look fine, but he’s not happy yet. He changes the angle and the lighting again. Happier now he shoots another 50 or 60 shots then we try another angle. Ben lies on the floor shooting upwards. After about 130 frames it’s a wrap and Ben heads for the laptop with the SD card while the rest of us take a breather. It’s been a long haul.

4.30 pm: The team is in top gear and Ben’s on a roll. We’re ready for the next shoot in the hallway. Ben explains how to use talcum powder (!!!) and how a journalist for a photography magazine famously misunderstood how he used it as a diffuser. The lighting proves really tricky once again and poor Felicity is holding positions for ten minutes at a time but it comes off (see photo with the locket). I’ve never worked with models of Felicity’s quality and I am beginning to understand what it means to be a top level professional. Ben hardly needs to give more than a hint of direction and she looks consistently good in every shot. Not a trace of strain or boredom after repetitive shooting (if you think it’s easy, you should give it go yourself sometime).

6.30 pm: We move into the kitchen. The space is now so minute I have no idea how Ben is going to light it, but somehow he manages it. It was not until Ben took the first shot that I really understood what he was trying to do and how it would work. Again the attention to detail is amazing. This time Ben uses a reading lamp and the fridge light to add some ambient light. This requires a slow shutter speed of 1/8 but using a 12-24 and shake reduction there is no need for a tripod. He’s shooting almost directly down at the model from above as she holds the door open. After we wrap, Ben is over the moon and I have to agree it’s the shot of the day.

8.30 pm: Another quick break, makeup and clothes and now we are shooting on the stairs. Ben is literally shooting round corners to get the shot. Chucky is now in silhouette with a knife but after we wrap and check the shots on the Mac, Freddy thinks it looks a bit “suggestive” because of the position of the knife.

10 pm: I have to run to catch the last train home. I say my goodbyes and run for it, leaving everyone else working away. I gather they carried on till 1 am to re-shoot the stairwell set, and the bedroom with the open window. This photography business is hard work!

So did I learn anything? Yes, I did learn a lot but not quite what I was expecting. Firstly, I am always interested in how other people light a set. I know a couple of filmmakers as well as other photographers. There is quite a bit of commonality but some differences too. Generally speaking though, in a photography studio most people stick to well tried formula using up to four lights and standard backdrops and modifiers.

But here we were in a small, crowded apartment with mixed light sources. For that reason I was interested to see Ben using more typical film-making techniques for small spaces with indirect lighting. He uses a very simple set of gear (two lights, simple reflectors, black paper and talcum powder) but in the course of the day he used this bare-bones rig in completely different ways for each shot.

So rather than relying on a trusted formula, Ben relies more on his creativity and experience and simple but versatile equipment. Each shot basically starts from scratch in a totally new space but because he knows in his head how the light will work, he can set the whole thing up on the fly and create a unique feel every single time, hiding in darkness what he doesn’t want seen, highlighting what he does and using a mixture of ambient and flash to great effect.

Have a very good look at the shot of the fridge. Yes there is some expert retouching but not as much as you’d think. Look how the fridge door, lamp, background and hair are all part of the shot, brought out by the slow shutter. Look at how the dolls face and the knife are emphasized, and how at the end of the day the clothes are still on show. I was not surprised to hear that Ben has done quite a bit of creative directing in films as well, so I guess he’s adapted some of the techniques. It may have been a fashion shoot but it was more like being on a set with Hitchcock.

So, at the end of the day I managed to add a few things to my list of valuable facts about photography:

1. Don’t get discouraged by adversity. Just stay cool and work around it. If the light’s bad or the space is tight, don’t panic – just think it through. There is always a way but you are more likely to come up with one if you keep a cool head and trust your instincts.

2. Even a top pro can take a while to get things right. The trick is knowing WHEN it’s right and not allowing the time pressure or the people around you to compromise your standards.

3. Having other professionals to work with really does help. Of course, doing everything yourself in the fashion business would be impossible, but most portrait photographers work alone or maybe with one partner. However I am considering hiring a professional model to help me experiment with technique and build a portfolio. They will not be in Felicity’s league but they will know what to do, what to wear and can probably do their own makeup. Hopefully this will allow me to concentrate on the photography.

4. Having lots of expensive lighting equipment is more of a hindrance than anything else. From this experience I am totally convinced that you could take professional looking shots with second hand flashguns and home made reflectors and modifiers. You don’t need a big studio either, or backdrops, if you know how to light something selectively. It’s understanding that counts, not the equipment. The entry cost is low so there’s nothing to stop you getting out there and having fun. Yes, the Strobist was right all along!

5. Seeing how a particular shot is completed and what equipment is used is educational but does not mean you can immediately use that knowledge and apply it to a different shot. Whereas I understood each shot in hindsight, that’s not much use when confronted with a new situation. But then, buying a Leica and walking around Paris snapping people in cafes would not make me Cartier Bresson. Watching may give you a head start and some ideas, but the only way to really understand is experience. Besides, without practice, how would anyone develop their own style?

So to wrap up this short report, I’ll end with a big thanks to Ben for the chance to help out and get a glimpse of leading edge fashion photography. If I was useless he was far too polite to let on, but at least I didn’t drop a camera or knock anything over and I do know a honeycomb from a snoot so I don’t think I was too much of an obstacle.

And yes Ben can be a tyrant when the heat’s on (!!) but he’s never rude, never puts anyone down, and can take a lot of stick as well as dish it out. His enthusiasm is driving everything and he gets really excited when a set comes together. It’s good to see someone get such a buzz from it after so many years in the business. He is also very open to opinions and ideas. He’s surrounded by creative people and he uses that energy, building up a concept from other people’s suggestions and needs, and then turning it into something concrete. He’s always in charge but you feel you are part of the process and he provides a running commentary as he works so everyone understands what he’s thinking and what he’s about to do.

Ben is one of a kind alright: More intuitive than technical, he clowns around, gets frustrated one minute and ecstatic the next, but he is a real pro and knows exactly what he’s doing. He also knows how to pick a great team and looking at the end result, I can see that Freddy really knows what she is doing as well. What you see is a real team effort, but there is no mistaking the photographer. Now, when do we do it again, Ben?

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bill_from_new_york_city · August 11, 2009

Good article, I am sure Benjamin will pass the word on to Steve thanking him for taking the time to write it. What he learned I have learned from other photographers too and just reinforces my beliefs it the basics, not the gear, not the ton of lighting that makes great photographers.

And it takes a great team working with the photographer to take the photos that the photographer gets credit for.

gary_watson · August 11, 2009

How many more of these desperate, recycled vanity posts do we have to endure?

rj · August 11, 2009

Is the shot out of focus or is it me?

zane1664879013 · August 11, 2009

Probability is high that Steve Jacob = Benjamin Kanarek.

On pnet, is there a way to filter posts from certain individuals, like in the old usenet days?

ken_yee · August 11, 2009

Only two 600ws strobes? Wow...I always thought it was more than that and included a few HMI lights.

zane1664879013 · August 11, 2009

Interesting info from the chucky photo. Doesn't look like a GX100 file to me.

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Image Type: jpeg (The JPEG image format) Width: 569 pixels Height: 850 pixels Camera Brand: PENTAX Corporation Camera Model: PENTAX K10D Date Taken: 2007:12:03 20:48:33 Exposure Time: 1/4 sec. Aperture Value: 6.00 EV (f/8.0) ISO Speed Rating: 100 Flash Fired: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode. Metering Mode: Pattern Exposure Program: Manual Focal Length: 21.0 mm Software: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Macintosh Rating: 5

dave_wilson1 · August 11, 2009

Good read, great shot.

dave_wilson1 · August 11, 2009

And it was a "who done it" too.

gary_watson · August 11, 2009

Isn't the image/likeness of the old Chuckster copyrighted? If so, then publication of the image might be problematic.

my stuff · August 12, 2009

This is my photo used to illustrate the article. As I was not able to post links thus the misunderstanding. It was shot with the K10D and the Pentax DA 12-24 lens and NO Gary it is NOT problematic. In fact any product being seen in an editorial of a magazine is considered a blessing for the brand, as it is fee advertising. It is always cited as well. Steve Jacob is a real person. He asked to come to one of my shoots. I met him at the Salon de Photo in Paris, when I was still with Pentax. Good writer and good soul. The GX100 is what he used to catalog the shoot while I was working, which of course again I couldn't link to from here.

my stuff · August 12, 2009

Ps..Isn't this a Fashion/Portrait forum?

my stuff · August 12, 2009

Another "Chucky's in Love"<div>

00UC3I-164351584.jpg.472f1cb9f0ad63de47cfaa8c7bea0d94.jpg

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bill_from_new_york_city · August 12, 2009

First - I really think the second photo is the better photo out the two. The shadow of the doll with the knife in the background adds a menacing quality to the photograph. The first one them menace is right in your face with the doll and knife. The model’s eyes and dramatic pose clicks with the second photo. The first photo the model is not posing, just acting with her face and hand. If I recall correctly the first photo was the one that was used.

Second – The question on the lighting? How do you create the outline of the doll shadow and how did you light the back of the model? There is bright lighting from the left hand all the way to the models right arm. I guessing the there was a light behind the model.

Third – Seems to me this is not the Fashion/Portrait forum anymore. It is bash Benjamin Kanarek forum and for me some banishing is over the top and out of bounds. There is not too many people creating new Fashion related content here in the forum except Benjamin. If the critics have a problem they should create new content. Some of the stuff Benjamin has posted has been of help to others from their replies to him and how are Benjamin's critics being helpful in this forum, by bashing him!

Bill

jstarks · August 12, 2009

Great article and it provided fairly vivid insight on what it takes to do a fashion shoot.

Jesse

daniel_abratte · August 12, 2009

I have to second Jesse's comment. Thanks for sharing this, Ben. As someone that is starting to take photography more and more seriously, I am open and receptive to as much instruction, advice, and shared experience as possible, and I've found your posts to be very helpful.

patricklavoie · August 13, 2009

I kind of agree that even if its certainly not the intention, Benjamin post could look like self promo, im sure i have done post like that in the past, and it was not my intention either to self promote myself..not on a forum where 99.8% of my client wont read..i have better place for that ; )

The first article i read from Benjamin was a day during a fashion shoot, that i find really well done as describing what whe as pro live during those day, i must say that when i read this one i would have prefer the author of the text to post, or Benjamin to remove simply is name..because this one really look like promo.

In both case, the text is excellent, and im sure it will help many user, or at least reveal to them what a day could be on a fashion shoot.

SELF PROMO ALERT...

you can read a excellent article i wrote last year for PN (maybe that should have been the place for his also?) about my day as a digital assistant and pro retoucher..a complement to Ben serie, a vision of another part of the team ; )

here's the link;

http://www.photo.net/learn/digital-photography-workflow/overview/fashion-photography/

patricklavoie · August 13, 2009

And another link for you, for a behind the scene fashion shoot..another good ressource i think.

http://www.photo.net/portraits-and-fashion-photography-forum/00SsdF

patricklavoie · August 13, 2009

Oh wait, i forgot a image of a shot on location..

* as a side note about the retouching of the second shot; i find the belt really distracting, make me miss the subject at first..should probably be the shadow (added after the shoot?) as the first point? And her hand on the wall look like it need serious attention..many veins and mark..to my taste anyway ; ) nice shot.

bill_from_new_york_city · August 13, 2009

I am absolutely sure if I wrote what an entire day photo shoot of mine is like, it would not be consider self promotion because I not a pro, a threat to another photographer's wallet or their ego.

If some pros like Benjamin or Patrick write what "they" do on a photo shoot it is self promotion? I cannot agree to that as they are not selling anything nor to visit their websites. They are just sharing their point of view on how they work which can very useful to those photographers who do not have the opportunity to meet pro to ask questions or take a fashion class and are looking for ways to improve themselves. You cannot post a question in the forum asking for help, if you do not know what goes on at a photo shoot to ask questions on.

I personally find what Benjamin/Patrick write about much I already know, but once in awhile there is nugget of good information.

Bill

gary_watson · August 13, 2009

Sorry but Patrick has nothing to apologize for. He's generously provided tons of useful/practical info to the PN community without a whiff of self-dealing ,self-promotion, or disregard for PN terms of use.

ricardo_tomasi · August 14, 2009

I think I've read this at pentaxforums sometime last year.

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