Another "How was this done" thread

TylerF · Jan 28, 2010

I was looking at a local photographers website and came across a few photos i really like. he is an amazing photographer and has been taking pictures for as long as i can remember. we are both member of the same music scene so he probably sees me as just another person to get in the way haha. but i was wondering what he did to get this photo

thanks

themedicine · Jan 28, 2010

used a flash and exposed for the ambient light.

IE: the sun is behind the subject, and he either has an on camera of off camera (more likely the latter). He set his camera to expose properly for the background so the sky would be nice and exposed and such and then set the artificial light to a proper power to expose the subject!
upon further review he may have even had two off camera lights because the subject has two catchlights in his eyeballs.

inTempus · Jan 28, 2010

Yup, he has the sun to his back (the subject) which gives him his rim light and he has two artificial lights sources. One on either side of the subject, you can see this in the catch lights in his eyes.

The sources of light could be two strobes like external flashes on stands or they could be studio type strobes. Given the size and shape of the catch lights, I would say he had umbrellas as light modifiers on the lights, but this is only a guess.

Derrel · Jan 28, 2010

I see three flashes. Two aimed at the man's face from camera left a bit, causing the two eye catchlights. The two flashes camera left appear to be in umbrellas, judging by the shadows on the subject. One flash to to camera right, rear, which causes the hot, specular reflections on the subject's neck and provides a gentle rim lighting effect on the shoulder of his orange vest.

PhotoXopher · Jan 28, 2010

Looks like he was Photoshopped in to me :lol:

TylerF · Jan 28, 2010

thanks for the input guys i really liked the separation between subject and background

Iron Flatline · Jan 28, 2010

I see a guy being reflected on... he might be simply standing over the hood of a white truck. Can we get a link to the photographer? I want to see if he does his other shots with multiple strobes, or whether he only shoots available light.

Iron Flatline · Jan 28, 2010

The eye catches are a good point though, Derrel and InTempus... that's two right there, and that rim light on the neck seems to be coming from a bright and small source...