I use a Beauty Dish exclusively as my light modifier of choice, now indoors and out. The Beauty Dish magically enhances skin and makeup pigments, making it the perfect choice as a main or primary fill. The design versatility of e-Photo’s new 16″ Beauty Dish can be utilized to achieve stunning results every time. Now accompanied with my new secret weapon, I’m unstoppable in the field…

The principles of shooting outdoors are identical to that of a studio. The environmental challenges can be infinite and extreme., but the pain of it all is so rewarding once you have pulled off that perfect shot. Nothing from the studio can compare to that killer outdoor shot.

Why Use a Beauty Dish?

About two years ago a photographer from New York wrote me on ModelMayhem to ask me how I get such wonderful skin effects in Photoshop. I wrote her back and explained, since I specialize in Beauty Photography I am very selective of the models and makeup artists I use when working on my own portfolio. Plus I use a Beauty Dish for everything I shoot, Beauty, Fashion, Glamour, Everything! She promptly wrote me back, calling me a lair. Two years later, I am still laughing hysterically over that. You just can’t help some people….

I can’t really explain the technical reasons why, but the Beauty Dish has several unique lighting characteristics. There is just something in the way it illuminates makeup pigments and adds a radiant glow to skin, even average to poor skin. I’ve heard it said “it’s the quality of my beauty models and professional makeup artist”. Yes, this really helps, but I have also seen these magical effects on regular people too.

Miracles do not come easily; the Beauty Dish does have a learning curve. I studied with a master and it required a year to find the Sweet Spot. Then one day it hit me and now the light is more of an addiction. With practices and a little experimentation you should be able to master it in no time. I hope to relate enough hints to start you well on your way to success. I have two Beauty Dishes, a 22″ white dish from Alien Bees and a 16″ Strobist silver reflective dish from ePhoto. You can read more about studio usage in my original article Shooting With the Beauty Dish. In this article we are going to be talking about the new ePhoto Strobist Beauty Dish and it’s usage as a fill light in outdoor situations.

The Beauty Dish itself

The e-Photo 16″ Strobist Beauty Dish I am using in this tutorial has a matte silver finish and comes with a diffuser sock/cover. The beautifully designed flash hot shoe bracket and standard 3/8? light-stand mount attaches easily to your equipment. A set of optional grids are available with a package deal or sold separately. The manufactures website markets this specifically for a Canon 550-XL or a Nikon SB-800. Besides my SB-600/800?s I have used this dish with SunPacks and Vivatar portable flashes, with and without the added height of TTL cables, optical and radio slave triggers, etc. e-Photo also offer’s the 16″ model (and a 22″ white Beauty Dish) with or without the Strobist bracket, priced accordingly of course.

The 16″ Beauty Dish has quickly become a valued piece of equipment in my favored arsenal. I have removed the Strobist bracket and attached the Beauty Dish to my Alien Bees 1600. It fits perfectly. The light from the silver dish is amplified greatly in comparison to that of my 22″ white Beauty Dish. Packing any Beauty Dish for transport into the field is difficult. It’s so sweet to only pack a few small Speedlites and not a couple of Bees and the Vagabond. It really makes a day trip into the field much easier.

I have noticed a slight color shift towards magenta (+ 0.7), which is easily corrected in Camera RAW. This may be common to all silver Beauty Dishes. This is the first silver dish I have used. It took me two or three shoots to accustom myself to the amplified lighting characteristics (jumping from the 22″ white dish). I really love using this with my lesser powered equipment, both in the field and studio.

For the purpose of this article I powered the Beauty Dish with a Nikon SB-800. I connected the SB-800 directly to my camera via a 33′ iTTL cable available from this e-Bay e-Store. (pictured above, bottom). The cable took forever to come from China, but it is a necessity in my growing location bag. Adorama has their own version available for Canon and Nikon, usually delivered to your doorstep within days…

Let’s Get to Work:

Whenever shooting outdoors, I like to think of the sun as my Main, and the Beauty Dish (softbox, reflector, whatever) as my fill. Quite often I like to use the sun as my rim or hair light (key light). Since we are using the sun as our main source, positioning becomes critical. Obviously you can not move the sun, so you will need to position yourself and your model with respect to the sun, when composing the photograph. Just as you would set up your studio lighting for the first time. Position the main, evaluate, then position your fill and finally key lights.

Shooting mid day (high sun) used to be something I avoided like the plague. Now I simply head for a shaded setting and setup my fill lighting.

Photo A. Katie (Model and Fashion Designer) called me needing a few quick shots of her latest class project, so we packed up the car and headed over to the coast. The sun was high and I needed to flatter her and her outfits. Our first location was under the pier with a dark foreground and a very bright background. This scenario really would have been an impossible task without the use of fill flash. It was the perfect opportunity for me to play with my new Strobist Beauty Dish.

Photo A. Lighting Detail

Photo B. Lighting Detail

Photo B. I just love it when summer comes around and Tanya is out of school. On our way to the beach we hit one of my favorite spots near the Santa Cruz county line, at about noon. The clouds would completely cover the sun at times. It was a very bright day for the most part. I still require the assistance of fill light to soften the shadows. I wanted my Beauty Dish aimed upwards on her, but one light was just not enough in this difficult situation. Finally I used my softbox 1/2 stop under to provide the adequate balance of light needed for this location.

Shooting at the beach:

Shooting at the beach is always fun, but can also have its own special difficulties and challenges. I use a little trick I learned through the years at the beach. I deliberately underexpose by one stop, and then compensate by overexposing one stop with my fill flash. By doing this, I am able to over-saturate the water and sky, which are usually washed out. The flash will bring my main subject into the light of center stage.

I had the Modeling Agency director hold my Softbox about eighteen feet from my model. I needed to make sure the wind didn’t blow over the light-stand or sink in the wet sand. We both move forward and back to avoid the waves. Connecting the camera to the SB-800 with an iTTL cable really paid off in this challenging situation. According to my META DATA I was about 12″ to 18″ from my model, shooting in Auto mode. ISO 100, f-8 at 250th of a second with a Nikon D200 and a Nikkor 50mm lens.

Conditions change fast in Northern California. The fog, the tide and the wind can change your situation within seconds, you really need to pay attention. Shooting close to the shoreline is always a major concern because I did not wish to lose any equipment to the Pacific Ocean.

The Good, The Bad and The Beautiful (and Why).

The three examples above all exhibit challenges of there own. Let’s take a closer look at the complexities of each image and how I manipulated them to my own advantage.

Photo A. In our cover shot I wanted to minimize the reflection on the sunglasses and the shadows on the far side. I needed to prove to myself that I could get that studio quality lighting out of this thing. And I did…. I had to relearn or tweak my lighting style when shooting outdoors with Speedlights. In the studio I’m after the feathered “edge” light from the Beauty Dish and I never use grids. I have started using grids outdoors and quite often the center of the lights beam. Photo A. Lighting Detail Explained:

Photo B. I included this shot taken with an on camera popup flash to illustrate a point about shadows.

Let’s talk a minute about why fill flash is so important. Regardless of the Beauty Dish, bare bulb, or even a simple reflector. Cameras are made for the masses. I. E. right handed people. To take a vertical picture it is only natural to rotate the camera counter clockwise, to the left. Fig A. It is more comfortable and provides better stability when taking the picture. Notice how my popup flash’s light travels across Lula May’s body, casting an accentuated shadow on the shower wall. Many of us call this a Polaroid, Snapshot, whatever, it looks very amateurish and IMHO looks horrible!!

In this case it was easy, quick, and it really had no effect on the final outcome,since it was going to be cut out and manipulated heavily in photoshop. We have all seen this effect and thought very little of the photographer showing it.

While we we’re walking back to the studio, we came across this door. I love the texture and intricate pattern on the door’s iron work. We decided to try a quick beauty shot. Fig B. It was not practical to setup a fill, it was the popup, on camera flash or nothing… Notice I rotated my camera to the right, clockwise. Yes it was very uncomfortable and difficult to hold and control the camera, but the light path was flattering.

I have always used at least one fill light when forced outside of the studio. Now with my trusty Speedlite and 16? Beauty Dish I really enjoy using the world as my studio!!

Photo C. Shooting in tall grass is something I love, especially in the spring.

Lighting this shot was pretty simple and straightforward. I put the Beauty Dish on my short stand and down in the grass. I knelt above the Beauty Dish, with Lula May down in the grass. The tall grass did cause a slight color shift which was easily corrected in Camera RAW.

In Conclusion:

When I’m using a Beauty Dish outside, I am not as concerned with the feathered light as I am in the studio, but I generally underexpose by a third of a stop. In the twilight hours or very thick fog, I do feather the light beam, but not when shooting during the dreaded “no shoot” hours – 10:am till 3:30pm. I am sure you all heard the golden rule about shooting outdoors; Sunrise to 10:am and then again from 4:pm until sunset?

If you have read my Shooting With A Beauty Dish article you have heard me say over and over “It’s the feathered light that makes this awe inspiring light modifer so desirable”.

I would like to thank my Gorgeous model, Lula May for her hard work. Our hot Makeup Artist Rick, and our awesome Fashion Designer, Danielle, for the loan of the dresses worn in this article.

This article has been used in whole or in part with the permission of GlamModelz Magazine. © 2010.

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My Bandwidth increases every month and the costs of hosting the tutorials is becoming prohibitively expensive. Donations are always greatly appreciated and will guarantee continued updates and on-line presents. Thanks so much, Dave

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Color Management – An easy introduction to consistent true colors in capture – edit – print
By Klaus Bjarner of DataColor

Why do we need to spend time on color management?

Color management is the process of ensuring that colors are true and consistent throughout the entire workflow, from capture to edit to final print or display.

Every device displays colors differently. Printer, scanner and monitor each have their own interpretation (and range of colors they can reproduce). Even two monitors of the exact same brand, model and age will have slight differences. This may not be important to the average office user but have a huge impact on the work of a photographer or creative professional who needs to be able to trust what is displayed on the monitor.

In color management, the color displaying characteristics of each device are mapped to an ICC profile, which is the color fingerprint of the device. When the operating system of the computer reads this ICC profile it knows exactly how the device produces colors and can compensate for color casts and other variances so the displayed colors are exactly as they should be. 100% correct and true to the information stored in the image file.

Having an ICC profile for every device, the operating system knows the faults (or characteristics) of each device and can compensate for those and ensure consistent true colors throughout the work flow. If you hand off your work in the middle of the process (for off-site printing or editing), color management is even more important since others have no way of knowing how it looked on your screen unless its color calibrated. Color management is the only way to avoid costly mistakes and time consuming reprints.

How is calibration done?

When broken into parts, color management is actually a simple task to perform. The benefit from having color calibrated your equipment is, that you have consist colors though out your entire workflow, meaning you will have the same correct colors on every device you work on from monitor to printer or projector. The image will look the same, even when send to off site print or to an editor at a news paper or some other external source.

The steps for you to perform can be broken down into the following:

1. Calibrate your computer monitor.
2. Calibrate your printer by making a profile for the paper you use.
3. Set your printing software to use this profile when printing.
4. Calibrate other output devices like Plasma screen monitors, TVs or projectors.

Let’s look more closely at the steps:

1. Calibrate your computer monitor using a monitor calibration unit like the Spyder3Elite from Datacolor. The process is almost automatic and adjusts your monitor, so the colors you see on the monitor are 100% accurate compared to the colors in the file you are viewing. All color casts caused by inaccuracy in your monitor have been removed. This ensures that you can edit your images, knowing that what you see is correct to the image file.

2. Calibrate your printer, so the colors match your calibrated monitor, no matter what type of media you print on. This is done by making a color profile for each of the different printer/paper/ink combinations you use. So if you like to print your black & white on Hahnemühle paper you make a profile for that particular paper. If you print your color photos on Epson Premium Luster, you make another profile for that paper. You are no longer bound to only use the papers from the printer manufacturer, but have total freedom in terms of ink and media with 100% accurate colors.

3. Set your software (e.g. Photoshop) to use the profiles you have created for your printer, when printing on that particular ink/paper combination. This insures you 100% accurate colors and a true match with your calibrated monitor.

4. Calibrate other devices you use for displaying, like a large plasma screen or a projector, to achieve true accurate colors on those devices.
These are the basic steps. In the following pages you will find each one thoroughly explained, to help you achieve your goal – true accurate colors.

Calibrating your monitor

Working on an uncalibrated monitor makes it impossible to trust, what the monitor displays. There is no way of knowing, if the colors you see are true to the actual image file, or just a result of the divergence of your monitor. To illustrate the problem, the figure below shows a typical example of, how a file with correct colors is changed to a color cast in the editing process, due to an uncalibrated monitor.

Only a few years ago color management was a task only performed by highly specialized professionals. Today, thanks to companies like Datacolor and their Spyder2 and Spyder3 range of monitor calibration systems, profiling your computer monitor, printer, projector or even TV is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3. Investing in a system like this is the best and cheapest way to improve the quality of your work.

A calibration unit costs only a fraction of a good monitor or camera, but it will save you hours of agony and pain, while trying to get the colors right on an uncalibrated system. The calibration also gives you greater joy in your work by ensuring, that you achieve the highest quality possible.
Is color calibration then just for photographers you might ask? No, in fact it is for everybody. Of course photographers and other creative professionals are the ones who come to mind first, but everybody benefits from color calibrating their monitor.

This is because the calibration not only ensures correct colors on your monitor, but also adjusts gamma, and thereby ensures a correct and consistent brightness variance from the darkest to the brightest colors. This gives a much better (and correct) contrast on the screen, which enhances the readability of text. This is the reason why more and more accountants and writers use color calibration on their equipment, even when working only with black and white text.

So how does it work in real life?

A monitor calibration system like the Spyder3 from Datacolor consists of measuring hardware and a software package that guides you through the calibration process. During the actual calibration process the hardware (an electronic eye) is placed in front of the LCD of your monitor. The software then displays a range of colors which are measured by the hardware. These readings are then compared to the actual data sent to the monitor.

The difference between the two is the inaccuracy of the monitor. This information is then stored in an ICC profile, which is a standard for color management used by computer operating systems (like Microsoft Windows or Mac OS). When your computer reads the ICC profile, it knows if your monitor displays too much red in the green shades, and is then able to compensate for this fault before sending the signal to the monitor. This ensures that the monitor displays the correct color, and you see a 100% accurate reproduction of the colors stored in the image file on your hard drive.

The process is technically more nuanced, but the above explanation gives you a good simplified understanding of the process. And in basics there is not much more to it. The Spyder3 calibrator unit does not just measure one color, because a monitors color cast is not necessary consistent throughout the entire color spectrum. It might display to much red in the green colors, and too little when displaying blue, so to ensure a perfect calibration, Spyder3 measures ten shades of each of the primary colors – red, green and blue. In addition it also measures shades of gray including black and white level plus a few more variables that affects your monitor. But all of this is carried out automatically by the software.

Now that you have heard about all the splendors of color management and the benefits from calibrating your monitor, how do you get started? Well the first step is to acquire a color calibration unit.

From my own experience as a pro photographer and long time user of color calibration it doesn’t come better or easier to use than the new Spyder3 line from Datacolor. Datacolor was formerly known as Colorvision and has been a consistent provider of professional equipment for color calibration over many years. The company is also working with vendors like BMW, Porsche and Ferrari to ensure accurate colors in the painting process.

Calibrators from Datacolor come in three flavors. Which one is right for you depends upon the level of sophistication of your setup. All three calibrators deliver correct calibration, but where the entry level Spyder2Express version have fixed settings and some limitations in the calibration process the highest level Spyder3Elite gives you the opportunity to use and adjust the full features of the software, calibrate multiple monitors to one target and calibrate your projectors. The Spyder3Pro and Elite version also allows you to calibrate the latest wide gamut monitors (Gamut is an expression of the range of color, the monitor can display).

If this is your first time reading about monitor calibration, and you would like to ensure correct colors and best possible image quality, the Spyder2 Express is a great place to start. Since all settings in the software are fixed for optimum calibration, all you have to do is install the software, which supports both Mac and Windows, and attach the Spyder2 Express to your computer.

The software will prompt you a few questions about your monitor and the rest of the calibration process is fully automated. After five minutes your monitor is calibrated, and you are ready to enjoy correct colors. The software even shows you a before and after view, so you can see the effect of the calibration. All first timers finds the calibrated monitor to yellow or warm, but that is because they have been used to looking at wrong settings for too long. Almost every uncalibrated monitor I have seen has been set too cool from the factory or by the user.

For the more demanding user with a pro monitor from companies like EIZO, NEC or LaCie, or a user working with multi screen setup the Spyder3Pro or Elite is the right choice. With the Spyder3 series you get a new and improved industry leading 7-cell sensor that handles 100% precise calibration, even of the latest wide gamut LCD monitors. A well established professional monitor brand like EIZO is exclusively using the Spyder3 calibrator in bundles with their professional line of graphical monitors, ColorEdge.

The Spyder3Elite is top of the range from Datacolor. It does all what the Pro version does and in addition handles projector calibration and has the ability to deliver an extensive report on the calibration process. The price difference from the Spyder3Pro to the Spyder3Elite is quite small, so my advice for all amateur and pro photographers is to take the Spyder3Elite.

This way you get the best calibration possible without any limitations, and with the possibility to calibrate a projector as well. A thing that might come in handy at seminars, shows or similar.

Now, how often should I calibrate my monitor to make sure it stays accurate?

Due to the way a monitor is constructed the colors change over time. This is partly because the back light degrades, so the maximum brightness of the monitor slightly decreases. To ensure 100% accurate colors it is necessary to calibrate a monitor regularly every 2-4 weeks. As a pro photographer I calibrate my own monitor every two weeks.

the SpyderPro

With the need to calibrate every 2-4 weeks it is nice to know, that Datacolor has build in a reminder in the software that automatically reminds you to re-calibrate after a period of time specified by you. A calibration with the Spyder3 calibrators takes only 2.5 minute, so it doesn’t obstruct your work or takes unnecessary time. With the Spyder2Express the calibration process is done in less than five minutes.

The Spyder Pro 3

<< Back to Black Point Calibration

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The most critical issue facing every photographer is how our final images look, both in Print and on the Internet. We have invested in quality equipment and we spend the time and effort on post-processing only to see our work elsewhere and worse yet, to be embarrassed by something major we missed in post-processing. With this article we are primarily concerned with the monitor’s Black Point calibration.

Preference:
It was a widely accepted practice to edit only on CRT monitors several years ago and to avoid LCD flatscreens like the plague. I’m not going to get into monitor selection, but I can say the “old-school experts” are starting to jump ship for the newer high-end LCD flatscreens. It’s important to note the low-end flatscreen LCD monitors will show your work changing the image in a very flattering way, especially in the black areas. We don’t want this. This is where all of our problems arise and this is where the embarrassment factor comes into play, very fast.

Black Point calibration is by far the most critical affect to every successful image you will ever produce. If all you do is Black Point calibration and stop there, you’ll still walk away shinning shining like a shooting-star. As an example I have included an image that was edited on a poorly Black Point calibrated CRT monitor. If you do not see the garbage in the background of the image to the left, you’re a prime candidate for Black Point calibration!

Black Point Calibration:
Before proceeding with any critical monitor adjustments your monitor should be warmed up for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour. To obtain the reliability and accuracy for this project you need to use an ambient light source. Base this on your own viewing conditions. The monitors Black Point in a brightly lit room will be higher than a dimly lit room. After adjusting the room lights, close all open applications including your browser. Move any brightly colored icons sitting on your desktop to a folder and minimize the folder. You can retrieve them afterwards. Turn off your Desktop Wallpaper and set your Desktop Background color to Black.
Now reopen your web browser, you should be able to distinguish all of the proceeding gray-scale splotches between 0 and 10. Splotch 0 should be perfectly black, matching your monitor, background precisely and splotch 10 should be barely visible. If not, you need to adjust monitor brightness so the Black Point is perfectly calibrated.

When the Black Point is set properly, the RGB value of your monitor will be true black – 000. Increase the RGB value slightly and you should see an increase in intensity.

CRT Monitors
Set the desktop background color to black. Set brightness and contrast to 100%. Adjust the vertical dimensions of the screen so that you can see a margin between the scanned areas and non-scanned areas of your monitor (Your picture/desktop). I like to have this somewhere between 1 and 2 inches. Next decrease brightness until the scanned area blends into the non-scanned areas. If a Monitor Control Panel dialog box distracts you block it with a piece of black paper or material. Adjust the brightness up and down until you have properly identified the areas scanned and ensured perfection.


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LCD Monitors
There are no non-scanned areas on an LCD/Laptop monitor. This is why it’s so important to set your desktop background to Black before beginning.

Gamma:

Gamma is always a software adjustment, you should always follow your software vendors instructions precisely. For the below example we are assuming you are using Adobe Gamma, while I am not! CRTs monitors usually have a gamma of around 2.4, while MACs have a gamma much closer to 1.8. The newer monitors of today attempt to adhere to the sRGB standard and have a gamma of 2.2. Gama is sometime also referred to your monitor’s Color Temperature. Several techniques attempt to adjust the Black Point with gray-scale splotches, but the quality of monitor varies greatly and some monitors try to do this for you. Attempting to read something out of low value splotch can be extremely difficult. To overcome this I always use True Black as my reference point.

The idea here is to open Adobe Gamma (Control Panel, Adobe Gamma) and stand back approximately 10 feet and makes the adjustments needed to make the gray blend into the background as close as possible.

After finishing this step I always recommend running through the first Black Point calibration one more time quickly. It’s usually very close and doesn’t require much adjustment if any at all. You’ll also find a huge difference in the quality of your work from this process. I follow the directions above on a monthly basis to ensure consistency and accuracy. After all it’s my name and image out there.

Color Calibration
My eyes are far too old for the tedious process of exact color calibration. Several years ago I invested in Color Vision’s Spyder Pro 2. I attribute the Spyder Pro2 to be the biggest single quality improvement other then stepping up from 6Mp to a 10.8 megapixel camera.

Color Management with the SpyderPro >

                            

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The Lighting Detail Explained:

Tiera and I lived so close to one another we would shot on a weekly basis for over a year. Quite often we would only have time to shoot one or two looks, so we liked to keep our projects very simple. We always planned our shots in every detail via a quick phone call. I trusted Tiera’s creativity and that extra little touch of elegance she would bring to our projects. I probably would not have thought of the necklace on my own, it really made all the difference in this example above.

The lighting on this page is fairly simple. I used one or two portable flashes and bounced them off walls and/or ceilings to light the scene. In many of the following examples I used Nikon CLS (Creative Lighting System) and shot in Aperture mode. I could have just as easily shoot in manual mode with awesome results. The power of your flash, your film speed, the height and color of the ceilings and walls will all affect you’r exposure. As a general rule, I start out at a 60th of a second at f-8 and bracket two stops over and two stops under when shooting in Manual mode.

Glamour:

Having been in this business a long time, I tend to be asked the same questions on a fairly consistent basis. The two I hear most often are, “how do I find such beautiful girls to photograph”, quickly followed with, “how do I convince them to allow me to photograph them?” One of the most important elements when engaged in a photographer – model relationship is trust. Most models realize the significance of this word trust and they also aware of how it can be used as a two sided sword. The successful glamour photographer always holds this close to heart.

Finding the right model for a particular project is critical to every photographer. Projects are not usually my problem. I feel blessed with an abundance of creativity, but I do not try to fit just any model into any project. I need a specific look for the particular project and usually I have several projects floating around in my head waiting to meet the right model. When looking for models your best resource is your portfolio. If you do not have a portfolio, you might try modeling agencies. In the beginning I found 90% of my models at a local modeling agency, now models just come to me.

I have said this before, I’ll say it again. I’m a Beauty specialist, I met most of my models on beauty shoots. They all have their areas of specific interests and specialties, but they all do beauty. It was easy for me to build that trust relationship on our first Beauty shoot.

Glamour on locations: Shooting Glamour on location is a lot of fun and can really add pop to your work. Plus, it’s an excellent way to make your work tell a story. The possibilities are endless especially if you or your friends have a couple quaint little corners in their homes, yacht, or a little cabin not to far out of town. I have even shot in motorcycle repair shops and local bars. Finding locations should really not be the issue.

The bathroom can offer several possibilities, but can be the cause of many challenges as well. Sometimes lighting in a cramped room can be very difficult. Bouncing your light off the ceiling can be the perfect solution for a small room situation. Bounced light has a very pretty, flattering and even affect. Bouncing off the mirror on to the ceiling can simplify an a impossible scenario.

When you decide to bounce, you want to follow the light path. Look for obstructions that can block the light in areas where it’s needed. You will need to anticipate your light’s path, the number of turns and compensate with more power for each new direction.

I especially like to bounce into corners, between walls and ceilings because it will spread the light in several directions at once. With today’s modern TTL flash metering systems it is easy to shoot on your favorite Auto mode and let the camera’s computer do all the work for you.

The Bedroom offers some of the more seductive Glamour settings.

I walked into this room and fell in love with the skylight centered over the bed. By the time we had arranged all of the wigs and Anna touched up her makeup, the clouds moved in and made lighting difficult. You really need to be a quick thinker and very flexible when shooting on locations. You need to be prepared for any lighting scenario that may come your way. I quickly pulled out two SB-800′s and bounced them both off the ceiling from opposing sides of the room.

My own style is usually very fashion and beauty orientated. For the sake of cooperation I am usually willing to compromise with experienced models. I shot this look at the request of my model, Anna. I guess this illustrates my lesson learned; always listen to the model’s ideas and allow your models some freedom to try new ideas of their own. Most models by nature are very creative. Experienced models will usually have poses they want to experiment with and they all know poses that will flatter themselves. Just as you may have a signature lighting scenario an experienced model will usually have a signature pose that is unique and original. Sometimes you just need to be spontaneous and go with it..

NOTE: I’m often asked, “Why do you destroy your art, by putting those ugly brands through the center of the image.” I personally HATE having to do that! My models and I are tired of finding our hard work in phony portfolios. It’s an tough decision everyone will face sooner or later. I also embed a digital watermark using IceMark. This stand-alone product works in much the same way as the DigiMark photoshop plugin, but at a fraction of the cost. With less options too…

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My Bandwidth increases every month and the costs of hosting the tutorials is becoming prohibitively expensive. Donations are always greatly appreciated and will guarantee continued updates and on-line presents. Thanks so much, Dave

© Copyright 2008 David Davis, All Rights Reserved. David Davis, AKA Dave Davis Photography, Dr Dave’s Graphics, is providing information and services on the World Wide Web for educational purposes only. Permission to use, copy and/or distribute documents, text and/or graphics from this World Wide Web server is Prohibited under Federal Law.

The Lighting Detail Explained: Mandy’s Daisey Duke look. (above).

NOTE: I am trying something new with this article, by including the lighting diagrams (which open in popups) as well as the thoughts on the subject in general. The information included on this site was never intended as a “How-to” guide, but after several e-mails requesting more in depth information for new photographers, I am attempting to share some thoughts pertinent to those with a sincere interest in improving their skills, work ethics and overall quality. I have started this article using equipment on a budget as proof of concept that you can have fun and create art without breaking the bank.

Glamour Photography:

Glamour is an exciting subject and probably every photographer’s dream… well almost… gimme beauty photography any day and I’m a happy camper. Still every spring when the snow begins to melt and the phone starts to ring off the wall, it’s the sign Hometown Hottie season is about to begin. So dust off your lenses and charge your batteries, it’s Glamour time.

The Philosophy and Mindset:
Glamour photography is not as easy as it looks. The goal, of course, sounds simple enough. You make a totally hot babe look as though she is overflowing with sex appeal. You would think the simplest way to do that is to start with a totally gorgeous girl. But the real secret to success is the conveyance of sex appeal, so you need someone who is very good with facial expressions and body language, an actress if you will. A lot of people, including some models feel that some degree of nudity is required. Nothing could be further from the truth! My old college professor said, “If you can not convey sensuality with her clothes on, you have not earned the right to shoot her with her cloths off.” Thirty five years later I still hold take this golden rule to heart. I will not shoot implied nudes of a model on our first session. I need to know that we have achieved that glamorous look, that extra quality, that twinkle in the eyes that says it all. Otherwise, I am missing something hidden inside and we need that missing quality before we can move on.

The Psychology and Key Elements:
A Maxim, GlamModelz Magazine photoshoot can be a very personal, very intimate experience, more so when scadly clothed. There needs to be complete trust between the model and the photographer in order to develop a flow and pull off that awesome shot. I find one of the key points is working within your models comfort zone. Whatever you need to do to make your model feel as comfortable and secure as possible will really pay off in the final shot. This is true for all aspects of modeling photography.

The lighting was so simple on this heavily overcast day. I used my flash in i-TTL mode. It was placed about 6′ directly in front of my model. You may have noticed the softbox mounted to my SB-800 flash. This is a 7″ Micro Apollo, available from Westcott, for both Nikon and Canon portable flashes. This Softbox folds flat and attaches with two small Velcro tabs. This is a Must Have device for anyone shooting outdoors!

Throughout my site, it should be obvious to you I construct and design my shots before picking up the camera. I make a mental list of key elements that I feel are important to the shot itself. The model is the easy part. Some of the others are not as obvious. Let us take a closer look at all of the individual elements we will need for that perfect shot.

Next, you need poses that will flatter your model and her body type. It’s so easy to study a magazine for a selection of poses the night before an important shoot. You will also need a setting that will not overwhelm or distract from your model. Your model is the center of attention here, NOT the background! Make sure you have all of the clothing and props ready and on hand well in advance of the shoot. At this point you should not try to prioritize these individual elements because they are all equally critical. Combining them all in a natural and pleasing manor is what separates the men from the boys, the success from the failures.

Putting it in Practice:

The Royal Whatchamacallit.
I really love a killer outdoor shot myself and I know so many of you are going to be shooting in natural light outdoors, so we’ll start here. Mary wanted to shoot at Lake Berryessa and I had a birthday card project I wanted to shoot for a friend, so we scheduled a weekday trip to the lake. I knew we were not going to be over run with onlookers. Remember what I said about providing your models with comfort and security.

Lets start by looking at what works and what does not work and why.

I failed miserably in the first shot, (left above) because of the location. The lighting is horrible. It’s harsh and the shadows from the tree are very distracting. I did not flatter her and she knows it. I like my images to “pop”  and in this case she almost blends into the background. There is no contrast to make the model stand away from the background.

In the second attempt (above right) I moved her back into the heavy shade of the overhanging trees. A few feet in any direction can make all the difference in the world. The shadows are even and not as distracting. I had her look over my shoulder into the blue sky behind me. This alone is what adds the rich blue color to her gorgeous eyes. This is a trick I usually use with blue or green eyed models when shooting outdoors. At this point I’m still setting up and moving my umbrellas around, but the lighting is starting to look pretty. The steep angle of the single light is not flattering her. I decided i needed to setup a second fill light to smooth some of the harsher shadows.

A lot of photographers would have been happy with the second shot. My other photographer buds would have ridiculed me over the harsher shadows and that background. I can almost hear someone saying, “OMG she has a tree growing out of her head. Call a tree surgeon to prune it.” It is a distraction but by opening up to F-3.8 on my 50mm 1.8 lens I will take care of that, quick, fast and in a hurry! We end up very happy with this shot below.

NOTE: If you were to write any of my muse models for a shoot and they saw anything in your portfolio like the two bad examples above, they would send you back their rates. I really couldn’t say I blame them! You are not flattering the model and she will never use this so you need to pay her for her time. Someone somewhere, said, “You are only as good as the worst image in your portfolio.” Think before you shoot and think twice before you post your work for the world to see!

It took about 30 minutes to find the perfect setting and position my lighting, props and pose her. You should also notice I moved in quite a bit. I like my images composed tight. The focus is on the model. Not all of the scenery around her. Remember it is always about the Model…

Another key element I neglected to mention earlier is a personal rule of mine. Every picture should tell a story. I feel this adds to the overall image impact. I ignore this unwritten rule with Fashion and Beauty but for me it is an important quality that needs to be a part of every Glamour shot.

I find working from a theme will really help keep you focused. I still do this with glamour shoots. It adds fun and excitement and gets everyone involved and working as a team towards a clear and defined goal.

The premise of cheating at strip poker has always fascinated me. It’s has been the inspiration for several Glamour projects that I am shooting now. Mary and I love this one which she fondly titled, “but it’s a Royal whatchamacallit.”

The Lighting Detail Explained:

In conclusion, I had a phone meeting with the model. We developed a concept and assigned each other the responsibility of various props and outfits. On shoot day we met and scouted a location and composed this shot. In most cases I would have scouted the location by myself. I like to be totally prepared on shoot day and make the most of our time together.

The night before: Study your poses again and unless you are really good at describing exactly what you want bring examples of poses and expressions that you hope to pull off. Don’t expect the model to be able to read your mind. When I’m shooting with a new model and the shoot starts heading south, I like to try roll playing. I’ll think up a simple little scenario and ask her to play it through. Every model I ever shot with really took off with these activities. It makes the shoot more fun for her and really breaks the ice. Anything you can do to make the shoot more fun leads to your success.

Now rush out and buy fresh batteries

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www.Jett-Ray.com The Official Website of Model and Actress - Jett Ray

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Some lighting diagrams are still missing.

Studio Glamour: I am really comfortable working in the controlled environment of a studio. I always say what ever works best for you, “Just Do It..” As I mentioned, my style is far more fashion oriented so I do not tend to shoot a lot of glamour in the studio these days. Subsequently, many of the examples are commercial or art. They will also serve as some of my more difficult lighting scenarios. I will include them here regardless of the genera.

Viva Las Vegas. Several years ago on my 50th birthday I made my first trip to Las Vegas. I had two shoots scheduled, but managed to play a few days as well. I Won BIG! I dreamed up this concept during the long ten hour drive back home to Sacramento. (I just really hate flying with studio equipment and all of the extra security these days.) The story behind this shot is pretty easy to see.

This time I believe it’s me who is being cheated but honestly who really cares… My model, Jessica DeAnne, had a lot of fun with this concept and her enthusiasm really shows. We were able to tell our story and came away with this cute, sexy shot at the same time. In addition to the fashion and beauty shots we both came away feeling very successful from our first shoot.

When I have a cute concept I try to keep my lighting simple so not to distract from the model. In my Viva Las Vegas project, I used 2 stripboxes at 45 degrees from each other and at about 10′ from my model…

The light just to my left was configured as my main and the opposing light to my right as fill at one stop under. This allowed for some depth while keeping it simple and focusing the viewers attention on Jessica. Exposure Details: the left stripbox (main) f-11, and the stripbox on the right (fill) f-8. The model was 10′ off the backdrop and I added a slight pink hue to the background later in photoshop.

Since I provided security in comfortable surroundings the models are always happy. Your makeup artist has plenty of room and power so she is happy. Everyone’s work flows very smoothly and very quickly. Studio work is very productive, at least for me anyway. Shooting Glamour on backdrops gives you the opportunity to use your lights more creatively. You can play with angles and build sets.

Another Hair Shot.

Lighting Details Explained:

When Jessica came to me with another hair shot idea I cringed, but heard her out and I’m glad I did. This was quite unique and a little more complex to shoot. I ended up upside down on my back shooting upwards towards her. At one point, the Beauty Dish was cradling on my stomach, until I finally managed to prop it up with sandbags. We wove 3 very long red wigs into her hair and she bent at the waist over a fan blowing on full power. This is similar to a jump shot. You’re going to need to shoot about 40 or 50 images in order to end up with the perfect one. It’s all luck.

I could have shot her laying on her back and then flipped the shot upside down. The pose would not have been as flattering for her. Remember what I said, “ALWAYS pose you model in a flattering way!” This shot was very painful for both of us but works so well in the final image. A modeling agency director once told me,”If there is no pain, it wasn’t worth the effort.” I have always been happier with the shots that took a toll on my body, than I have been with quick Click shots.

Working with professional models offers so many advantages. Let’s take this shot of Danielle, for example. She uses body language to assist in the conveyance of sensuality and she does this quite well, I might add. Dani is someone I rarely need to pose. She is aware of what poses flatter her. Of course, this makes your job as a photographer so much easier.

I really hate to admit this, but I’m 53 and have been shooting since I was 16. In the past four years Dani has done more glamour shoots then I could ever dream of. You simply can not beat that kind of experience when it comes to model selection. This is what I refer to when I say over and over, throughout this site, “You can create a professional portfolio faster and at less expense by hiring experienced models, makeup artists and hair stylist than you with the endless TFP/CD shoots.” This is especially when you take into consideration driving around, gathering props and supplies and scouting locations. Not to mention the endless time you’ll spend finding interested models.

Lighting Details Examined:

Another hint on finding models. You will have far more success finding willing participants on website that charge a membership fee to all, such as OneModelPlace.com. Free sites such as ModelMayhen and iStudio, are far more popular and rightly so, but IMHO these sites are 90% dreamers. They are hoping to be discovered after posting a few lousy webcam shots. Most of the “models” (and I use that term loosely) will never reply to a photoshoot request from a regular Joe, unless he is offering some ridicules dollars, + an MUA, + Outfits, + a stylist and so on and so on. The site charging for memberships seem to attract those more serious about their profession. I have never had a letter to a model go unanswered on OMP. While noting it’s sometimes “No”, I still received a professional response.

My Bandwidth increases every month and the costs of hosting the tutorials is becoming prohibitively expensive. Donations are always greatly appreciated and will guarantee continued updates and on-line presents. Thanks so much, Dave

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I do not own all of these cameras and have not actually seen these setting firsthand. Should you notice errors Please say so!!

SB 800

Configuring REMOTE Mode on the SB-800
1.) Turn the flash on with the ON/OFF button.
2.) Press and hold the SEL button for about two seconds.
3.) Press SEL once, OFF will be highlighted. Scroll down to REMOTE, press SEL.
4.) Hold SEL down for two seconds, and the LCD will switch to the REMOTE settings.
5.) Press SEL once, CH will be highlighted. Scroll up or down to select Channel.
6. Press SEL once, Group will be highlighted. Scroll up or down to select A or B.
Do not use Group C, the D200/300/700 cannot control that group.

Exit the REMOTE Mode on the SB-800.
1.) While in the REMOTE screen with the channels and groups, hold down the SEL button for two seconds and it will switch back to the screen that allows you to select MASTER, REMOTE, or in this case the all-important OFF selection.
2.) Press SEL again, and scroll up to OFF, then press SEL again to select OFF.
3.) Hold down the SEL button for two seconds to return to normal i-TTL mode.

The Nikon SB-800 Speedlight has built-in Commander Mode, which functions just like your D70/80/90/200/300/700. You will not not want to use this since you can trigger your remote flash with your camera in Command Mode. Setting the Nikon SB-800 to be used in a Group controlled by your CLS enabled camera is almost the same as configuring stand-alone Commander Mode on the SB-800 itself.

Be sure to set your SB-800 to REMOTE mode not MASTER mode. When you are in REMOTE mode, the flash is ready to respond to input from an external controller (the CLS enabled camera). In MASTER mode it wants to be the controller itself. You should only use REMOTE mode to be able to control the external flash from the CLS enabled camera.

My Bandwidth increases every month and the costs of hosting the tutorials is becoming prohibitively expensive. Donations are always greatly appreciated and will guarantee continued updates and on-line presents. Thanks so much, Dave

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© Copyright 2008 David Davis, All Rights Reserved. David Davis, AKA Dave Davis Photography, Dr Dave’s Graphics, is providing information and services on the World Wide Web for educational purposes only. Permission to use, copy and/or distribute documents, text and/or graphics from this World Wide Web server is Prohibited under Federal Law.

Getting signed is a lot easier then you might imagine. But getting work is an entirely different story.   Just like any business, modeling agencies tend to specialize.  I see so many girls, so worried about “getting signed” they don’t do their homework and sign with the wrong agency.  I also hear every day, “I only wanna do fashion.”  Ha, give me a busy commercial agency any day! Unless your in the right market, New York, and have the right body type; 5’10″ you can make 10 times the money in commercial advertising than you can in fashion. (well, in San Francisco anyway…) The majority of print work in my area, the S.F. Bay Area, comes from the Hi-Tech firms of the Silicon Valley.  Know your market ladies!!  Commercial modeling agencies do not always have the same height requirements  fashion oriented agencies usually have, so this can be a huge plus for girls under 5’10″.

Read the Contract! If you must ask to take it with you to have your attorney look it over (actually have an attorney look it over!)  This is true Especially when dealing with Talent Agencies.  Talent Agencies do not have stringent, state monitored requirements that licensed Modeling Agencies are required to follow.

Know the difference between a Modeling Agency and a Model Management/Talent Agency. The differences are HUGE!  Listen carefully and ask questions.  Do Your Homework!  I have heard some sleazy horror stories about Talent Agencies.  {LINK}   A modeling agency in the USA can refer you to a photographer or MUA to shoot with, but they can not charge you for anything.  A Talent Agency can require you to take a modeling class, and charge you.  They can require you to have Comp Cards printed and charge you.  They can insist you re-shoot and have new Comp Cards printed and charge again…   This is so important; Read the Contract, know and understand the terms!!

Homework:
Before you schedule an appointment it’s so important to be 110% prepared!  You only have one chance to make a favorable first impression.  Every agency has a website these days.  Go there and study it. Look at all of the model profiles very closely.  Make sure your portfolio is Exceptional! and within the area of the agencies specialty.  If you need to wait 4 months while you reshoot portions of your port, you are way ahead of the game! It’s better to be over prepared than 80% prepared.  Often times you will notice a high percentage of blonde’s on the website.  You might double your chances of being asked to sign by going as a brunette – or vice versa….

The Meeting:
Unless you are under 18, go alone.  If your friends are carrying on in the waiting room, they may rush you out just to get rid of them.  I’ve seen this time and time again.  Don’t show fear, Don’t apologize and Don’t argue with the agent conducting the interview.

Follow Through ASAP:
I have seen so many great starts fail because the model procrastinated.  Remember personnel can change.  A hot new look may come into demand or go out of style real fast.  When they ask you to do something, do it as fast as possible while the interest is still high.  Always send a Thank You note.

Your Portfolio:
You need to have an exceptional portfolio showing diversity, unique creativity, beauty and grace.  Your portfolio needs to be professional and of the highest quality.  Snapshots never open doors in fact you’ll ruin your chances forever.  Just like writing a job resume, you need to tailor your portfolio towards the type of work a modeling agency specializes in.  Remember anything less then your best makes you look bad, so when in doubt, leave it out.

Your portfolio should be 9″x12″, usually with the same hair color.  The images should NOT be branded with the photographers/MUAs/stylist name or logo.  Be prepared to re-shoot several shots with an agency referred photographer and/or MUA. Don’t argue about paying so-&-so because you can TFP with your Photog friend and/or you like his look better.  The agency will decide which areas to market you in, you will NOT decide for the agency!  Of course, you may accept or decline any assignment you wish.

I know of 3 girls who told the director, “I am not going to pay Dave to shoot when “so-&-so” will shoot me on a TFP basis for free.”   Well guess what?  one of the three were signed, but she is just sitting there.  Not in the agencies book.  Not on the agency website.  She never had a call and probably never will.  There are several thoughts here, more than one Director has told me (after a drop dead gorgeous, goddess, walked out of his office)  I am not going to invest one minute of my time, if she is not willing to invest in herself.  Then there is the whole TFP thing…   Models are going to have a very hard time finding photographers willing to TF* without a brand on the image.  That is usually the purpose of TF* to get your name out there, so no brand equals dollars.

Sometimes the agency wants to add a look to your book they feel is missing or needs improvement.  When I get called in it’s usually for something a artist and more along the lines of Beauty.  One agency I work with a lot has an awesome Fashion photographer.  His work is so beautiful I spend hours going through the agencies book studying and admiring it.  My point is, there are those that specialize in areas highly desirable to the look a particular agency wants to achieve or represent.  The three girls I referenced above shot with a Glamour photographer.  His work is also gorgeous “within his genera” but not something the agency wishes to project as their image.  You need to let the professionals who are going to market you do their job.

Tats and Piercings:
Well, the trends are changing, but I always hear, “Don’t get any more” to the girls that only have a one or two little hidden tats and I can’t honestly say I have seen any commercial ads with any facial jewelry, have you?

I Have Heard it Argued:
A couple of models have mentioned to me that “Your look has more to do with  you getting signed, then your book”.  To a certain degree I would have to agree with that statement, but your book defiantly helps show dynamic range and diversity.  Everyone has the internet and you can always point to an on-line portfolio as a resource should you not have a printed book with you. I would not advise sending a modeling agency to a MySpace or Facebook site, but that is just me. You are taken a lot more seriously when you come with a book in the S.F. Bay Area anyway…

Be sure and checkout my article of the psychology of Portfolio design.

Additional NOTES:
Be especially leery of anyone using the term “Agency Approved” Agency approved Photographers, Makeup Artist and Stylist will be listed on the agencies web site and/or on a sheet of paper handed to you in person. There are tons of scammers in the world these days only after you’re money.
While I “hear” the major bux Print Ad gigs are down, I do know several Bay Area models who are very busy with promotional gigs. My Goddaughter is working her ass off through a San Jose modeling agency we’ll just call H…..
An excellent website for models is Newmodels.com Read it twice!!
I am not a model.  While I do work with SF Bay Area, Sacramento and LA Modeling agencies, they all specialize in commercial modeling. Your experiences may differ greatly with respect to the market, the area of specialty and even geographical area.

Best of Luck
~Dave

My Bandwidth increases every month and the costs of hosting the tutorials is becoming prohibitively expensive. Donations are always greatly appreciated and will guarantee continued updates and on-line presents. Thanks so much, Dave

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I’m asked all of the time how I get that beautiful “glow” in Photoshop, I wish… I haven’t figured that one out yet, I use a special light modifier called the Beauty Dish.

The Lighting Detail Explained:

Mine is available from Alien Bees. There are several on the market today from various suppliers and studio equipment manufacturers. I have even seen a few DIY home built versions that produce marvelous results. For my use I wanted a proven engineered design. I already had invested heavily in Alien Bee studio equipment, so my decision was simple. For those who want to ignore all of the intricacies of mastering this awe inspiring device as described below; the secret is to use feathered light from the edge of the Beauty Dish and not from the center of the directly focused beam.

The Beauty Dish was developed and intended to be used as a portrait light modifier. It has quickly been recognized within the Makeup industry and adopted as a staple light source. The Beauty Dish has a “sweet spot” and I must admit it is very difficult to learn and master. I have been using a Beauty Dish for over four years now and I am just starting to duplicate the results on a consistent basis. Your models will quickly become spoiled by the flattering “tan” effect the light yields when aimed properly. Most of my muse models will not shoot with me if I leave the Beauty Dish at home. LOL

In my initial setup I started with the Beauty Dish 10′ above her and the center aimed about a foot or so beyond her right hand. The shadows were too harsh on her right side so I added the Stripbox 6′ above and just to the right of the center line.

A Word of Caution; Gentlemen Please pay attention to the placement of the legs on your light stands, especially with Booms. You want to point one leg directly at your model laying beneath the light. Softboxes, Beauty Dishes and other strobe accessories are heavy when suspended at great lengths. Be sure to sandbag the other two legs. Lights can fall and brake or worse, causing serious injury to your models and ending your day early on a sour note that she’ll never forget or mention to her model friends.

You’ll notice the difference between the two shots/girls.

In each of the (relatively) un-touched examples above posed a separate set of challenges in achieving the deep rich skin effects only obtainable with a Beauty Dish. I posed Tiera laying on top of the 10 blonde wigs, but the blonde hair reflected much more light. Because of this I was able to set my stripbox 2 full stops under that used on the Beauty Dish. This gave me the “true” effect I was looking for within her skin. Danielle’s brunette hair required much more light to obtain the fine detail, so I needed more light. I was only one half stop under on the Stripbox. This is obvious in the chin shadow across Danielle’s neck. In the final version I photoshopped Danielle’s skin one stop darker and still managed to keep the finer hair detail in both photographs.

The Alien Bees 22″ beauty Dish connected to a 1600 Bee in the studio.

Rembrandt Lighting with a Beauty Dish

In the lighting example above, I am using a single light on a white wall in order to illustrate in greater depth and detail. This is how I feather the Beauty Dish to my advantage. Normally with my commercial work I would have used a black backdrop and an edge light for even more separation (see above). In the First Photo above. I feather the light in front of my model. The In the center example, you can get a better prospective of the camera’s view. In the far Left shot. I wanted the depth and shadows to produce more dynamic effects so I broke the golden rule “Never let light from your main spill onto the backdrop.” I had Danielle turn and face the wall then look back over her shoulder for this shot.

This shot of Dani, (pictured left) would be far more typical of my commercial lighting setup.  I love the  heavy edge light in this, my signature lighting setup.  This is something I’m quite fond of  and I use it all of the time.  Quit often I will mix this up with the addition of an accent light on the hair from the right or opposing side and/or and colored back directly behind the model.

I used the two lights at 180 degrees of each other with my model Danielle in the center. I purposely broke the rule regarding over spill on the background to assist in the separation of my model right side, which you can just barely see the faint background on right. Then I used a harsh edge light to separate the shadowed side of my model (see lighting diagram below).

I posed my model Danielle, about 10′ off the backdrop and both mono-lights are at her eye level and about 10′ away from the model.

To simplify this scenario, the Beauty Dish is represented in blue and my focused Edge light is represented in red.

My prime lenses have a sweet spot of f-11 but I also like the added depth and saturation when I shoot one stop under. Using a Sekonic 550 Flash/Spot meter I setup my main at f-11 (the Beauty Dish) I usually start with it at about 10 feet away from my model/object. My shooting style requires the depth, but keep in mind the key goal here is to obtain that inner glow and deep rich skin tone qualities that my models and I love so much, so I’m shooting at f-16…

The Good, The Bad and The Beautiful.

I have had a number of letters regarding this whole feathering light thing. I have also received a number of  questions regarding my method, why and how-to, so I have added these following examples, but before we get into this let me say.  I was formally educated in photography many years ago.  I read articles, photography forums and talk to other photographers every day.  Some of the options I share came from the fore mentioned venues.  I believe it’s very important to know and fully understand the rules, so that when you break them you can make more of an impact.

Let’s Look Closely At My Point:
Each of the first two Raw files examples above were shot with the Beauty Dish’s light aimed directly on the model, metered as I typically shoot; ISO 100, at a 125th of a Sec. at f-16. The only corrections in photoshop were white balance corrects, JPEG conversion and reduced for the web. (for this article) To be able to achieve consistent results, I generally shoot portraits from a distance of 10 to 12 feet from the subject. I measured the distance precisely in the images use for the examples above.
Photo A. (Danielle left) I positioned the Beauty Dish 5′ away, which even correctly metered blasted her skin in the highlight areas beyond a usable photo. I’m amazed to see this technique in various galleries all the time on the internet it looks horrible to me….  But it does make real cool catch lights in the eyes, so I guess even this shot has it’s purpose.
Photo B. (Danielle center) was again shot with a single light, the Beauty Dish, positioned approximately 10′ away. You can clearly see the the smoothing effect by positioning the light 10′ rather then the 5′ setup. You should also note I feathered the Beauty Dish as I typically do in all situations as this.
Photo C. (Danielle right) Rather then focusing the beam directly on Danielle, I feathered the light. I also benefit with the addition of a 9″ x 34″ stripbox configured two stops under my main (F-8) I have added the fill needed to do fine detailed portrait and beauty work.

Using Grids Socks and covers on a Beauty Dish:
Now many manufactures of studio lighting equipment are producing grids of varying degrees. The idea and use of a grid is to eliminate stray light rays and focus the beam directly in front of the strobe or Beauty Dish in this case. This makes it impossible to use the method I describe throughout my article. I use grids on accent (hair lights) all the time, but I will never use one on a Beauty Dish. I’m not saying my method is the only way, but it’s how I was trained and it works for me. I receive e-mail with images that look like Photo A. from readers all the time and to I suggest; Use the feathered light and through away the grids….

Socks (covers) turn the Beauty Dish into a shall round softbox for all intensive purposes. If you find the shape of a softbox designed this way useful then try it. Perhaps a grid under the sock may be useful in this circumstance. I do have a sock I used it once, but I like the light from my small ProFlex softbox better and so I haven’t seen the sock in many, many years.

Lighting Equipment In General: Coming from the old school mentality, I bought as much light as I could afford at the time. When replacing my old Dyna-Light setup I purchased six Alien Bees 1600 and two Alien Bee 800’s. I like to think when I use the mono-lights outdoors I can over power the sun. I’m delighted with the Bees and have no doubt they will out live me. The recycle time on the 1600’s on the little slower, but I’m not a Click, Click, Clicker Boy and an 8 second pause between each shot is no issue with me.

The Stripbox: Throughout this article, you have heard me mention my love and enthusiasm for the Strip Box. I really love these narrow softboxes. Several years ago I bought two 9″ X 35″ and two 13″ x 54″ softboxes from e-Bay for $75.00. The company is long gone and so is the killer price, but many companies offers these innovative softboxes. Pictured left from Alien Bees. I fell in love with the concept at first sight. I mean the idea of lighting only the model and not all of the surrounding area makes perfect sense.

Hope this helps!

~Dave

My beautiful model Danielle may be contacted directly from her ModelMayhem account, or for additional pictures of her,  please visit her gallery on my website. Danielle appeared in GlamModelz Magazine among many, many others.

My Bandwidth increases every month and the costs of hosting the tutorials is becoming prohibitively expensive. Donations are always greatly appreciated and will guarantee continued updates and on-line presents. Thanks so much, Dave

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