WINE! How was this shot?

[Tom]

So here is a completely unedited, uncropped SOOC shot from this morning.

Dissect the light - how do you think I shot it?

And feel free to critique it along the way.


EXIF:
24-105L at 105mm
5D2
1/160th
F4
ISO 50

I will go about building a quick and I promise what will be very ugly lighting diagram to explain where and why I put lights in different places.

I took a workshop two years ago, and the workshop leader said to ALWAYS dissect light you see in portraits because it will make you a better photographer. When you walk across a row of girly magazines or Skinnemax-type DVD boxes and you think "Butterfly light with rims at 45s" then you will know your mind is totally immersed in photography.

[groovyone]

I think I see 3 light for sure...

[danchez]

yeah, I am seeing at least 3 also...

1 hard light camera right about the same height as the wine bottles in the foreground. Some kind of a soft light source high camera right and then you have a light behind him pointed at the back of his head for separation.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by danchez

yeah, I am seeing at least 3 also...

1 hard light camera right about the same height as the wine bottles in the foreground. Some kind of a soft light source high camera right and then you have a light behind him pointed at the back of his head for separation.

Close.




First thing I do is light my subject. This is a dark warehouse, so there is no ambient light.
1.
I have a 39" octa with no outer baffle high and right of the subject. This is my key light on the subject.
I used a deep octa, so the light falls off quickly like a beauty dish, yet is softer.

2. I need to separate him from the boxes in the background, so I set up the rim light. This is just a speedlight on a short light stand. He is really bald, so I don't want to have the light high to highlight that even more like you would with a hair light. So the light is low and mainly gives separation to his right, camera left.

3. Now I need to light that large background. Speedlight on a stand behind the white boxes on the right.

4. Finally, I need to light the little L shaped boxes with two bottles of wine in the foreground. Another bare speedlight.

Four lights. Three bare speedlights and one key light (Elinchrom Quadra with 39" deep octa.)

Easy to do, just go with your key, then work your way out from the main subject.

[texxter]

Good job lighting this portrait, Tom. Have you considered a tighter crop to eliminate the unlit or barely lit areas, e.g., front row and top of frame. Just a thought.

Thanks for sharing.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by texxter

Good job lighting this portrait, Tom. Have you considered a tighter crop to eliminate the unlit or barely lit areas, e.g., front row and top of frame. Just a thought.

Thanks for sharing.

It probably will be. It was for a magazine, so my job is to turn over the RAWs and leave plenty of room for them to crop so it fits on their page. I am sure they will crop tighter when it finally runs. They just need the extra room, just in case.

[arich]

Tom, I think the only thing that I would have done is a little more fill on his face (reflector?), the shadow from his nose is just a little too heavy for my taste. Really good stuff, looks loads more fun than the wine bottles I shot in a light box under the stairs in a back room in Specs today!

[texkam]

my job is to turn over the RAWs and leave plenty of room for them to crop so it fits on their page. I am sure they will crop tighter when it finally runs. They just need the extra room, just in case.

This looks like a job for "Graphic Design Professional".

I agree with Andrew about some more fill, but that's your personal preference. They should like this image.

[Nikonfan]

I really like the concept of the shoot and the rim light. I was also thinking a tighter crop eleminating the bottom row of boxes. But you have answered why you left it the way you did. This is a personal choice but I also think a reflector camer left may have helped a bit but that's a minor thing. I think you client will be pleased.

[groovyone]

I missed light #3.

[ggeen]

Hello Tom. Thanks for sharing. The octa-box threw me. I thought maybe you were bouncing a light off the white boxes or something. I like the shot, by the way. Nicely done. -G

[Killjoy]

Thanks for sharing the info on the lighting Tom.

I too thought it was only three lights. Thought that perhaps all of the lighting behind the subject (rim light and lighting the boxes) might have been done with a single light.
But I see the logic in it now.

[daveb]

me ... I am thinking the backlight/ is tad too hot. on his right ear - that's just me though

[TxTowman]

It very nice.

I am curious how many shots you took to get this one? And did you have to make adjustments after your initial setup?

This would probably take me all day and doubtful it would be as great as yours.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by TxTowman

It very nice.

I am curious how many shots you took to get this one? And did you have to make adjustments after your initial setup?

This would probably take me all day and doubtful it would be as great as yours.

I took 11 total shots. The first at 10:46.54am and the last (one you see here) at 10:52.25am. My setup before the first shot was probably about 5-10minutes with another 5-10 minutes discussing the look wanted for the photoshoot with the art director for the magazine I was shooting for.

me ... I am thinking the backlight/ is tad too hot. on his right ear - that's just me though

Instead of being directly behind him, I probably would have rather had it slightly above and to the (camera) left of him. But there wasn't a ton of room on that side that wasn't in the frame and I wanted a nice shadow to sculpt his face.