NSFW A bit more vintage glamour - mildly NSFW

juggler

juggler

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Simon
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I keep coming back to the style of the Hollywood glamour portraitists of the 40s. I'm not looking to reproduce the style exactly so much as find a way to use their techniques in a modern setting. Here's some of what I made during a recent outing.. these are all lighting setups I've reversed engineered from images from the time.

1.
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2.
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3.
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4.
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I took a couple on film, too, but had some sync issues and had to crop fairly heavily :(

5.
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Very nice they are, I particularly like the first and last images.
 
Nice shots. I particularly think #1 achieves the 40's Hollywood look. My only other thought is that bolder makeup (eg. deep red lipstick, plenty of mascara/eyeliner) have made them look even more authentic. :)
 
All very good as we have come to expect from you Simon, for me #1 is superb and really nails the genre, closely followed by #3. I do agree a little with @spark303 that stinger lipstick would be more typical of the time but as you said you were going for a modern take on the style. Not that I'm in any position to nit-pick but ... and it really is a nit-pick, I might be tempted to reduce the shadow under her nose in the last.
 
Super. As usual.

Comments are very minor tbh. Take what you like etc, etc.
Pose in 4 looks a bit "I don't know what to do with my hands". Normally it wouldn't be noticed, but your posing on the others is just so solid - it stands out a bit more. #2 especially (and #1 too)

juggler said:
I'm not looking to reproduce the style exactly so much as find a way to use their techniques in a modern setting
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I think you've achieved this with #1 & 5. For me the more risque side to the images is not something I'd associate with the era. it makes me stop and think.

I'm not sure about #3. I think it might be the fan and then the fact her hair isn't swooshing about. Which is entirely subjective.

#s 1 & 2 are fab though. Just fab.
 
Thank you all for taking the time to comment. This is the second time I've failed to spot the darker lips thing. I won't make that mistake again.


Harlequin565 said:
For me the more risque side to the images is not something I'd associate with the era. it makes me stop and think.
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Interestingly there are a number of risque images from the era - including nudes - but they're not widely known.
 
I'll try to find the notes I made on an exhibition I saw in Rome. An Italian photographer specialising in the Italian film industry and celebrities in the 20's and 30's. Very similar styling to 1 and 5. I just can't remember his name as it wasn't someone I'd heard of before.
 
Found him - Arturo Ghergo. Worth a google for the style of his images
He used very simple lighting, only ever using two lights and would move them around to get the effects he wanted and would use his arms and hands to cast interesting shadows, adding drama, and could capture such unique and powerful expressions. The eyes of the sitters are what strikes you most, with wide stares or looking away from the camera. His retoucher was amazing, often improving the images by scratching image redundancies off the negatives and re-tracing their outline with a pen then hiding the results with soft blur.

http://www.italianways.com/arturo-ghergo-photographer-to-the-stars/
 
Byker28i said:
Found him - Arturo Ghergo. Worth a google for the style of his images
He used very simple lighting, only ever using two lights and would move them around to get the effects he wanted and would use his arms and hands to cast interesting shadows, adding drama, and could capture such unique and powerful expressions. The eyes of the sitters are what strikes you most, with wide stares or looking away from the camera. His retoucher was amazing, often improving the images by scratching image redundancies off the negatives and re-tracing their outline with a pen then hiding the results with soft blur.

http://www.italianways.com/arturo-ghergo-photographer-to-the-stars/
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Thank you so much.. lovely work.
 
juggler said:
Thank you so much.. lovely work.
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No problem, I was in Rome, a huge exhibition of his work and I'd never heard of him. Over 200 of his portraits presented, just a stunning time looking at them and the way he used light.
 
magicaxeman said:
I'm sorry but 1,2 & 3 are way over-smoothed
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I'm genuinely surprised by that. I admit it's a mistake I've made before and am still prone to - but in this case all the texture is still there.

Perhaps you meant you didn't like the amount of dodging and burning rather for face shape rather than the skin smoothing? I have done a lot - but nothing like as much as the Hollywood glamour photographers of old.

Here's a 100% crop.. I can see flaws but not in the skin smoothing. If I'm making mistakes I haven't spotted then I'd like to know, though!

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