Cinematic Lighting Help

[smoke665]

Practicing for an upcoming project, and need some help. As you can see Myrtle, has had a hard life, and has more than her fair share of scars, skin blemishes, and terrible hair, and unlike my wife sets patiently while I fiddle with settings. Best of all she NEVER COMPLAINS, and no quid pro quo.

The first shot is a 7" reflector with barn doors and a 10 deg grid. f/6.3.



The second shot, same 7" reflector, barn doors, and grid, but with a diffusion sock added. f/5.6



The last one is with the 7' reflector, barn doors, grid, diffusion sock, and the addition of a 2nd diffusion screen in close to the head. f/2.8



Assuming I am dealing with a similar type "Myrtle" in real life, I like the softening effect of the shallow depth of field and double diffusion in the last image, and the more gradual transition into shadow. The real life "Myrtle" will be a head/shoulders shot.

Any other suggestions on lighting??? What about pose - side view, 3/4 view, Looking straight ahead, looking up, looking down?

 

[dennybeall]

Posing is always a challenge. The shape of the face and the personality of the person play into it heavily. For instance photos of Jimmy Duranty (famous for a big nose) were done in profile and many actors have a good side and a bad side so want to be shot from the good side. It just depends on the person........

 

[tirediron]

What type of result are you trying to achieve; your thread title says "cinematic" - are you thinking 30s/40s Hollywood glamour or something else entirely?

 

[Derrel]

I actually use 7 inch metal reflectors, honeycomb grid, and one or two or three mylar diffusers over them as my hair/accent lights. One thing I can tell you is that the angle at which the light comes in can tremendously impact how specular the light is.another thing using an 11.5 inch reflector in the same grid and diffusion changes the light quite a bit mainly because it's a bigger light. A 16 or 20 inch pan reflector in the same grid and diffuser is an even softer light.

Basically if the light strikes the subject from 11 or 12 or one or 2 o'clock, the light will be more specular then if the light comes in from say a frontal angle or side angle like nine or three or five or 6 PM this is of course in relation to the camera, these clock positions I speak of. Well got to get back to work

 

[smoke665]

Thanks all for the responses.

were done in profile

Leaning toward just past a 3/4 profile when I shoot, to give a hint of the the other side of the face.

you thinking 30s/40s Hollywood glamour or something else entirely?

Here's something similar to what I'm looking for Johannes Vermeer - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia though maybe more toward the profile view and eyes forward. There's a name for the lighting but I can't find it now, where the shadow is on the side of the face toward the camera. Most of the 30s/40s glamour shots I've studied seem to be more full profile, but I am trying to emphasis that oval shape lighting around the eyes like you used to see in some of those old drama photos.

I actually use 7 inch metal reflectors, honeycomb grid, and one or two or three mylar diffusers over them as my hair/accent lights

I'm leaning toward the 7 inch reflector, 10 degree grid, barn doors, and double diffusion as the main. Then using reflectors to fill as needed. Placing the light just above the top of the head angled down, at about 9 o'clock, with the subject facing toward 7-8 o'clock to get the profile. Use a small rim light low and behind to separate the background, and possibly a small kicker with a snoot to place a small brighter oval "30's look" over the eyes.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Rembrandt. (The lighting...)

Even thought I don't do it... I took art in school. I've done sports and events and now doing art submissions or just taking pictures of whatever the heck I want I use existing light. (Getting around these days with a cane I'm not schlepping a bunch of equipment around! lol)

My in the first post was for Myrtle, that story cracks me up.

 

[smoke665]

Rembrandt. (The lighting...)

Even thought I don't do it... I took art in school. I've done sports and events and now doing art submissions or just taking pictures of whatever the heck I want I use existing light. (Getting around these days with a cane I'm not schlepping a bunch of equipment around! lol)

My in the first post was for Myrtle, that story cracks me up.

LOL. My wife like the spouses of many others, is not the most patient of people when it comes to posing for pictures, if I can even get her to, so Myrtle gets a lot exposures (when practicing). I find it much easier to turn her head and have it stay in the same place!!!

Yes Rembrandt sort of describes the lighting effect. I also finally thought of the term I was trying to remember "Negative Fill". I'm off to rethink the set.

 

[Derrel]

I'm leaning toward the 7 inch reflector, 10 degree grid, barn doors, and double diffusion as the main. Then using reflectors to fill as needed. Placing the light just above the top of the head angled down, at about 9 o'clock, with the subject facing toward 7-8 o'clock to get the profile. Use a small rim light low and behind to separate the background, and possibly a small kicker with a snoot to place a small brighter oval "30's look" over the eyes.

That sounds like a very,very small pool of light, and probably quite low in overall intensity, with only a 7-inch reflector, a 10-degree grid and two diffusers.

I'm not sure...with my system that's very weak light, not easy to use as a main light except on one person. I understand what you're after now. I might try wider grid options if you have a access to a 20 or 25, a barn door set would likely work very well. A 10-degree grid and barn doors could possibly be a very narrow swatch of light.

Buuuut...it could work! it all depends!

 

[smoke665]

That sounds like a very,very small pool of light, and probably quite low in overall intensity, with only a 7-inch reflector, a 10-degree grid and two diffusers

It is but since it will be a head & shoulder shot most of the light will be concentrated on the face. Playing around with the set up last night, and believe I'm getting close. I tried moving the main further away but quickly discovered that the shadow line became to hard. Surprised at how rapidly this changed with only a minor adjustment to the distance. My only explanation is the double diffusion. I also learned how much ambient light affects this type of shot. Adding negative fill using black foam core, and turning off an overhead light added the deep black in the darkest shadows, and taping a small white paper oval to the foam core brought just enough fill back in eyes.

Still have a couple more tweaks to play with but I believe i'm ready. Actually have a couple of projects in mind that I want to try this on. Thanks for all the comments.