Darn good Rembrandt lighting tutorial by Bill Gekas.

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>Stumbled upon this digital photographer's work searching 18th century portrait painters and was blown over by his masterful use of this lighting technique revealed in his gallery photos that surprisingly he doesn't include on his Photo.net profile. He does provide a link to his gallery site though.</p>

<p>Here's the tutorial on one of his Vermeer styled treatments... http://billgekas.blogspot.com/2014/03/laundrette-idea-space-light.html#more</p>

<p>Here's his site: http://www.billgekas.com/</p>

<p>And here's a Daily Mail article on him... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2280946/When-Instagram-meets-Rembrandt-Photographer-uses-tricks-light-create-illusion-Baroque-masterpiece.html</p>

<p>Only wish he'ld applied his lighting technique to other subjects other than the little girl that seems to have the same cute as a button piercing gaze.</p>

<p>Michael Chang was interested in this technique in a thread he started months ago and wished I'ld found this before. Well, here it is, Michael. Hope it helps.</p>

<p>Just FYI.</p>

[MichaelChang]

<p>Thanks a bunch, Tim; very thoughtful of you!</p>

<p>I'll go through the links as time permits. </p>

 

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>You're welcome, Michael.</p>

<p>Wonder how many photographers/artists received as much attention and awards shooting just one subject?</p>

<p>I'm surmising this is a testament to Mr. Gekas' craftsmanship over his choice of subject.</p>

[c_watson1]

<p>Spooky and just a bit kitschy. Reminds me of the ghastly Loretta Lux kid portraits.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Thanks, Tim, very handy and timely. I've been experimenting with similar available light techniques after discovering one corner of my apartment gets this kind of light naturally in the late afternoon.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"...ghastly Loretta Lux..."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I think your spell check malfunctioned and misspelled "awesome".</p>

[c_watson1]

<p>"I think your spell check malfunctioned and misspelled "awesome"."</p>

<p>Let's settle on "disturbing." Seems your taste runs more to cranial deformities and bobbleheads than mine.</p>

[wogears]

<blockquote>

<p>I think your spell check malfunctioned and misspelled "awesome".</p>

</blockquote>

<p>While I tend to think that Krakatoa was 'awesome', I do like Loretta Lux very much. I also want to remind people here that our own Jacqueline Roberts has been very successful in using her own children as her principal subjects. You don't have to strip mine; following a narrow vein can work as well.</p>

[pjmeade]

<p>Thanks,<br>

I've added that to my photography favorites </p>

[Norma Desmond]

<p>LOL, Lex and C Watson, I'd say these are ghastly and Loretta Lux's are more ghostly. I'm drawn to Loretta's more, because the muted colors seem organic to the subjects. Gekas's photos make the eyes look fake, doll-like, and haunting, so there is a more frightful (ghastly) and, I agree, kitschy, feel to them, though the lighting is certainly worth a study in its own right.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

I can imagine parents enjoying this style,

including the costumes, for portraits of their

kidlets. Sure beats the usual dreary portraits.

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>mmh...something tells me from the responses I now know why Gekas didn't include his Rembrandt lighting shots in his Photo.net gallery. From that I guess it's now OK to describe his subject as the "googly eyed" girl which I was reluctant to use but for some reason in this thread found to be right in step.</p>

<p>Of course what's not mentioned in his tutorial is what and how much he did in post. Sure would like to know how he gets that broad swath of silky non-directional glowing light throughout the overall scene and still retain local contrast, clarity and definition especially in his shot of his grandmother.</p>

<p>I know I can't seem to get that look from the number of shots taken lit by white plastic blind filtered sunlit windows in my apartment. When I correct the Raw captures the dynamics are so narrow that I have so many options to redistribute the soft tonal glow I wind up lost and no where close to Gekas' portrait lighting.</p>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<blockquote>

<p>I also want to remind people here that our own Jacqueline Roberts has been very successful in using her own children as her principal subjects. You don't have to strip mine; following a narrow vein can work as well.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Thanks for the heads up on that one, Les. Some really interesting shots on her Facebook page. Didn't see the repeated "googly eyed" type recurring same kid with the fixed position posed stare as in Gekas'. He has other shots taken of the same child with different expressions and lighting but assuming that's his daughter, I think he needs to sire more kids or adopt.</p>

<p>I shouldn't talk since the only portraits I can muster are my own and a disabled neighbor and an 88 year old WWII vet I befriended, both of which don't keep in contact. It's difficult finding subjects in my area to pose for me. Something about the vibe in this town after 7 years here gives me an unsettled feeling just thinking about going up to people and asking them. This town is ultra conservative to the point of oppression and maybe depression.</p>