Film noir style

[texxter]

Got together with this Italian guy today to do some b&w in the old fim noir style, more or less. I love low key images with hard light, and it's a nice change for me.

Lighting included a fresnel as key light, hair lights, background light, and sometimes a fill light.


I'd be interested in your thoughts, any image that stands out for you and why. Also suggestions for improvement are always welcome.

1.


2.


3.


4.

[Snarfy]

His face is very well lit! Great use of rim lighting, especially on #2. One thing to be cautious of are the highlights (chair arm, buttons, little sliver under his armpit in #2), they are a little distracting. I really enjoy the styling, keep it up!

[groovyone]

Nicely done. I like the more dramatic #1 and #2, but Chris is right with the few small stay highlights. The knee on #2 caught my attention right away.

#4 has a very black and white TV show look to me. I can't put my finger on how best to describe it. I like it, and it gives it kind of a 50s look maybe.

[texxter]

Thanks for the comments, guys, and I agree that with simple monochrome low key images I need to watch for and correct distracting highlights. On #4, I believe what contributes to the 50s effect is the quality and positioning of the lights. I am using hard lights and modifiers similar to what was used for TV, albeit the technology is different. The key light on #4 is a fresnel lens adaptor for my Einstein strobes, for example.

[DigMe]

For me #1 really nails it. The rest don't come quite as close because of the lack of that sharp contrasts between light and shadow. #2 would be the second most noirish to me. When I think of noirish I want to think the light is coming from a streetlight through the window, an ugly little lamp on the desk, a bare bulb hanging by a wire etc.. and those really sharp shadows and splashes of hard light across backgrounds. #3 I think the background light is too soft as is the shadow side of his face. To me this one is the least noirish. Same thing for the face shadows in #4 though that one fits better with 1 and 2. All great pics though!

brad

[texxter]

Brad, agree fully with you!

[texkam]

Agreed, #1 nails the look. The catchlights in the eyes in the last two are nice.

[PHOTO-DA]

#2 Is the shot in my book but I would drop that back/hair light by 1/4 to 1/2 a stop or gel it to bring it down just a bit (may be able to do it in post). It's not just the lighting but the pose- #1's lighting is excellent but the pose is just off a bit.

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