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I've been playing with hard light sources - or as I prefer to think of them, hard shadow sources - for some time now. I reckon that if portraitists of old could produce stunning work without recourse to jumbo softboxes then that's a skill worth learning, and I've always been drawn to more theatrical contrasty stuff.
So.. another friend agreed to model for me while I experimented. This shoot was really just a test / experimental / learning shoot rather than trying to produce any serious results and Carly was incredibly patient. I was ridiculously slow in setting the lights for these - just a few millimetres or degrees changes the shot completely. Any lifelessness in the results is entirely my fault, not hers.
I've gone for a George Hurrell-ish styling and processing vibe this time. I'm not exactly trying to reproduce his work - for one thing I'm not shooting on 8x10 - but it seemed a good starting point. One interesting aspect of the shoot was the way in which modern portrait mores got in the way. Hurrell regularly allowed highlights to blow completely or had huge angular nose shadows right across the face. I found it very difficult to do the same, even if it would have been more authentic.
All C&C welcome, particularly on the lighting.
Carly I by Simon Carter, on Flickr
Carly II by Simon Carter, on Flickr
Carly III by Simon Carter, on Flickr
So.. another friend agreed to model for me while I experimented. This shoot was really just a test / experimental / learning shoot rather than trying to produce any serious results and Carly was incredibly patient. I was ridiculously slow in setting the lights for these - just a few millimetres or degrees changes the shot completely. Any lifelessness in the results is entirely my fault, not hers.
I've gone for a George Hurrell-ish styling and processing vibe this time. I'm not exactly trying to reproduce his work - for one thing I'm not shooting on 8x10 - but it seemed a good starting point. One interesting aspect of the shoot was the way in which modern portrait mores got in the way. Hurrell regularly allowed highlights to blow completely or had huge angular nose shadows right across the face. I found it very difficult to do the same, even if it would have been more authentic.
All C&C welcome, particularly on the lighting.
Carly I by Simon Carter, on Flickr
Carly II by Simon Carter, on Flickr
Carly III by Simon Carter, on Flickr
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