大景堂

copyright, Julia Fullerton-Batten

Here’s one image from Julia’s “in between” series (really provocative series of women not exactly falling). My guess is that she used 3 lights to make this image.

Camera: Hasselblad H4 with 50mm lens and Hassy digital back, on a tripod 8 feet from the falling model. Shot at 1/250, f11, ISO 100.

Lighting: The key light on the model is an Elinchrom octabank at f11, up high and to the left of the model, out of frame, pointed downward. A small softbox is boomed high and overhead of the bed at f11, creating that nice highlight in the middle of the duvet cover. Another small softbox is boomed high over the chair at the right of the image, also at f11. By using only these 3 lights in such a large room, the absence of light in the other areas helps bring emotion and focus to our falling woman.

Comments: This image was shot after lunch where Julia finished half of a tuna fish sandwich and a green tea. The model, a trained stunt woman, actually launched herself into the air and fell for each take. Just before hitting the ground, she spun around and landed on her feet just like a cat would, to much applause.

copyright, Jill Greenberg

Jill’s “end times” series of crying babies is certainly polarizing. You either want to call child services or get down on your knees and bow to her genius. This particular sobbing infant had 8 lights strobing all around her.

Camera: Mamiya RZ with 140mm macro lens and Phase One P25 digital back on tripod 6 feet away. Shot at 1/125, f8, ISO 100.

Lighting: There is not exactly any key lighting, but lots of layering, instead. A white beauty dish at f8 is three feet in front of and above the camera. A ring flash at f5.6 is is three feet in front of and below the camera. Two white umbrellas, both at f5.6 are to the left and right of camera. A small soft box without a baffle at f16.5 is boomed overhead of the baby. Two heads with normal reflectors and grids at f16.5 are behind and above the model from both the left and right sides, creating the hair and shoulder highlights. Another head with normal reflector and grid at f11.5 is positioned behind the baby and aimed at the background to create the glow. The lighting gives the basis for this cool effect, but Jill also uses lots of brushwork in Photoshop to accentuate the highlights and shadows and to give some extra smoothing.

Comments: Everyone on set sucked on lollipops while the girl sat in front of the camera. It was so unfair, she cried and reportedly gave Jill the finger.

copyright, Annie Leibovitz

This image featuring Mikhail Baryshnikov as Peter Pan, Gisele Bundchen as Wendy and Tina Fey as Tinkerbell is part of the “dream portrait” series for Disney theme parks. My guess is that Annie used only 2 (albeit, big-ass) lights for this shot.

Camera: Hasselblad H1 with 50mm lens and Phase One P30 digital back, on a tripod 10 feet back. Shot at 1/125, f11, ISO 100.

Lighting: The drama created with the lighting is achieved by the “less is more” philosophy. One Profoto 6 foot giant parabolic umbrella reflector at f11 is boomed over Mikhail and aimed down towards his head. Another one, also at f11, is boomed over and slightly behind Gisele and pointed down at her head. This setup allows for beautiful, soft lighting on the faces while letting most of the room drop off. The scenic skyline out the window was put in in post. As was tiny, glowy Tina Fey.

Comments: This was a tough shot to pull off. For authenticity’s sake, Annie set a 3:30AM call time and required the entire crew to wear bedroom slippers. Plus, Tina kept making fart noises from behind the window just as Mikhail “landed” in the room.

copyright, David LaChapelle

Lady Gaga covered in bubbles shot for the cover of Rolling Stone. Very pink, very LaChapelle and created with 7 light sources.

Camera: Mamiya AFD3 with 80mm lens and Phase One P65+ digital back, hand-held, ten feet back. Shot at 1/60, f8, ISO 100.

Lighting: The somewhat flat, frontal light is created with a large soft box at f8 five feet directly above camera and angled down. A medium strip bank at f5.6 resting on the the floor in front of the camera and angled up provides the fill. Two, bare Kino bulbs are staggered to the Lady’s immediate left and another two to her right. A magnum reflector with diffusion at f16.5 is positioned low in the doorway pointing toward her back (this creates the glowing hair and bubbles and adds some nice, softening lens flare).

Comments: Unsure whether Lady Gaga would enjoy or loathe listening to her own music while shooting, La Chapelle made the smart decision to hire a bagpiper from bagpiper.com. He played all the traditional favorites. The floating bubbles were hand-blown by two non-smoking assistants. After the shoot, Lady Gaga left the studio wearing the bubble outfit (she wanted to show her book club) where she was, ironically, photographed by a pack of paparazzo.

CAMERA:120 CAMERA.50MM LENS AND KODAK PORTA 400 NC FILM,SET ON A TRIPOD 10 FEET BACK AT 1/250,F8,ISO400.

MAIN LIGHT: a giant parobolic reflector at f8 sitting high and directly behind camera.

a white beauty dish at f11 with a full CTO gel is boomed in from camera left directly over the group head.This gives the cool(looking)warm highlights on their hairdos.

their also had some industrial fog machine on set to accentuate the color light's dramatic effect.