Hemmingway Portrait - how to recreate with digital?

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Andrew
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How would I recreate this portrait of Hemmingway with a digital camera? There appears to lights from the sides and front. But his ears are in darkness - maybe dodging in the darkroom?

I have X2 Smartflash, Nikon D3100, 60mm, zoom 55mm and an old manual telephoto lens.

LINK
 
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Good morning. If you're new to the forum, can I offer a word of advice? The photo you embedded is copyright, and you should link to it instead of embedding. This matters quite a lot, and you'll get a much better response if you do so.

Cheers.
 
To answer the question, this sort of lighting can be achieved with two spots behind the sitter. Start with them at 45 degrees to the centre line and 45 degrees above the head, exposing for the highlit area of the face. A reflector or a weak fill in light can be set in front of the sitter to even the exposure a little.

This used to be a favoured lighting scheme for those of a thespian persuasion, who wanted to show that they were character actors. :naughty:
 
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To answer the question, this sort of lighting can be achieved with two spots behind the sitter. Start with them at 45 degrees to the centre line and 45 degrees above the head, exposing for the highlit area of the face. A reflector or a weak fill in light can be set in front of the sitter to even the exposure a little.

This used to be a favoured lighting scheme for those of a thespian persuasion, who wanted to show that they were character actors. :naughty:
Except the key light is obviously high and camera right. Fairly hard (small) as is obvious from the nose shadow and catchlight. Less obvious but visible in the rest of the shadows on the face.

The lights behind the subject are only kickers, or accent lights.
 
Except the key light is obviously high and camera right.
I described where to start experimenting based on how I used to do that sort of shot. There are many other options available.
 
I described where to start experimenting based on how I used to do that sort of shot. There are many other options available.
But ‘that type of shot’ ie specifically that shot isn’t lit that way.

And logically, as a lighting query is defined, your ‘solution’ might result in something ’similar’ (to a non expert) but couldn’t possibly be the same.

If the OP followed your suggestion it wouldn’t recreate the portrait posted :)
 
But ‘that type of shot’ ie specifically that shot isn’t lit that way.
I shan't bother arguing with you. Much better all round if I put you on ignore.
 
Pretty much what Phil said IMO. I think the type of modifiers that were being used are just as important as the light position.

Also, Karsh was a highly accomplished photographer with high profile subjects so I suspect darkroom manipulation was almost certainly used.
 
To answer the question, this sort of lighting can be achieved with two spots behind the sitter. Start with them at 45 degrees to the centre line and 45 degrees above the head, exposing for the highlit area of the face. A reflector or a weak fill in light can be set in front of the sitter to even the exposure a little.

This used to be a favoured lighting scheme for those of a thespian persuasion, who wanted to show that they were character actors. :naughty:

how do I put this ? WRONG

the light/s at the rear are not at 45 degree above and where is the strong light from the front? Phil nailed how to identify the light by the nose shadow and add in the catch lights and you can see it is a small light and directional possibility looking down at about 30 degrees

Mike
 
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I fixed that for you. :naughty:

mine did not need fixing, I actually understand what I am talking about, that’s fact, not opinion because as we all know opinions are like a***holes, we all have one but some just stink

so please recreate that photo using your technique and post it if you are still in the belief you are right

Mike
 
how do I put this ? WRONG This is different from my ill informed and inaccurate opinion

I fixed that for you. :naughty:

We can all play at that... But now you've been responded to in kind Andrew, everyone will play nicely, or find they have some extra free time to spend with whoever they're bubbled up with today...
 
Hear hear......:hug:

exactly... the Moderation staff have already closed a number of contentious threads in hot topics, partly because, well - it's supposed to be the season of goodwill, and frankly we're sick of the complete and utter lack of that commodity being shown, but also partly because if we log on here over our short but valuable holidays, we want to be spending our time enjoying the forum, not separating playground squabbles... As hot topics has replaced the classifieds as the main place where our workload is centred, the decision was to just nix the threads for the duration - and if anyone doesn't like it, well - i'm sure other fora are available to air ones pinko lefty tendancies or go off on ones neo-nazi rants... I for one would be happy if the main protagonists in lots of those threads would find a permanent home somewhere other than this forum, and let us get on with discussing photography - or in this case lighting and the laws of physics...

View: https://youtu.be/0xD9qEdHFIE?t=24
 
It is an interesting thread for me, as I have a work colleague that is the spitting image of Hemmingway in that portrait.
Once the lockdown etc is over, I may see if he'll let me try to recreate the portrait....
 
It is an interesting thread for me, as I have a work colleague that is the spitting image of Hemmingway in that portrait.
Once the lockdown etc is over, I may see if he'll let me try to recreate the portrait....

truth be told, with the current "winter coat" (i.e. lockdown grey beard) i'm getting that way myself - only a rollneck sweater away,,.

,129722201_3562585423796006_1753836370721186701_o.jpg
 
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