How do you do this?

[topout]

I recently got the Canon T2i/550D. I have the kit 18-55mm and 55-200mm lens. I also have the 55mm 1.8 prime lens. I know the very basics of photography but I do not have much experience. I saw this really cool portrait that I would like to reproduce if possible.

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3771/faceshoot2.jpg

What was done to achieve that? The picture seems very industrial which is what I would like to reproduce. All I can guess is the camera is a good distance away, and it's zoom into the face. It is a dark setting with a dim white light shining onto the face.

I would definitely appreciate some tips. Thanks!

 

[tirediron]

If I had to guess, I would say that it was shot with a short telephoto (50mm on APS-C or 85mm on full-frame) from not too far away. Lighting appears to be a single strobe 30 deg. upper camera right with a reflector set far back camera left.

 

[JerrfyLube]

If I had to guess, I would say that it was shot with a short telephoto (50mm on APS-C or 85mm on full-frame) from not too far away. Lighting appears to be a single strobe 30 deg. upper camera right with a reflector set far back camera left.

Yep, Id agree with that. :thumbup:

Also, judging by the harshness of the light and the very small catch lights in the eyes, it was probably lit with bare flash...

 

[topout]

Ah... another accessory to buy!

 

[GeneralBenson]

If I had to guess, I would say that it was shot with a short telephoto (50mm on APS-C or 85mm on full-frame) from not too far away. Lighting appears to be a single strobe 30 deg. upper camera right with a reflector set far back camera left.

Yep, Id agree with that. :thumbup:

Also, judging by the harshness of the light and the very small catch lights in the eyes, it was probably lit with bare flash...

I would say not quite bare. You can see a slight feathering to the nose shadow edge. My guess would be that there was a fairly smaller modifier like a LumiQuest softbox, working at about 3-4 feet away, or a small umbrella from like 10-12 feet away. Or something like that. It's pretty hard light, but it doesn't have the razor cut edges of bare flash.

 

[JerrfyLube]

If I had to guess, I would say that it was shot with a short telephoto (50mm on APS-C or 85mm on full-frame) from not too far away. Lighting appears to be a single strobe 30 deg. upper camera right with a reflector set far back camera left.

Yep, Id agree with that. :thumbup:

Also, judging by the harshness of the light and the very small catch lights in the eyes, it was probably lit with bare flash...

I would say not quite bare. You can see a slight feathering to the nose shadow edge. My guess would be that there was a fairly smaller modifier like a LumiQuest softbox, working at about 3-4 feet away, or a small umbrella from like 10-12 feet away. Or something like that. It's pretty hard light, but it doesn't have the razor cut edges of bare flash.

I too thought maybe a really small softbox...and very well could be one of those tiny LumiQuest's.

Im doubting an umbrella...the catch lights look rectangular to me...almost speedlight-ish.

A beauty dish gives a pretty much identical look.

Either way, its a look thats easily duplicated with just about any modifier when used in the proper configuration. It was either a very small modifier used up close, a bare flash up close or a larger modifier from a pretty good distance. My money is on the one of the first two.

 

[Derrel]

It's clearly not a bare flash--the highlights on his forehead are white and slightly diffuse, so it's not bare flash. I think it's a small umbrella at an angle, and the way the closer eye has a larger catchlight and the farther eye also has a catchlight,even though the light is coming is from the side at quite a steep angle, makes me think it's a small umbrella, angled downward and maybe suspended on a boom stand.

If it were a bare flash, the shadows would be hard-edged, and the eye catchlights would not have that frosty, solid-white look. The key though is his skin...the highlights on his nose and forehead kind of reveal that the light source is "white". Looking at the way the shadow on the inside of the hood falls, and the way the eyes reflect the light source, I really think this is a curved umbrella shot....a shoot-through to be specific...

 

[topout]

I would appreciate more hand holding for me to try to reproduce this shot. I tried to take some portrait photos in my house and I got no where hah. So all I have is the Canon 580X II, Canon T2i, 55mm/1.8, 18-55mm kit lens and 55-200mm kit lens.

What kind of room is he taking the shot in? I'm assuming he has a backdrop?
Are the incandescent light bulbs in my house preventing me from reproducing this shot?
How does he create the strong shadow within the hood?
How does he create so much contrast? Is it through Photoshop?

 

[JerrfyLube]

What kind of room is he taking the shot in? I'm assuming he has a backdrop?

Honestly, who knows?? Could be a studio, could be a garage, could be a closet. A background of white seamless paper is a good assumption though. A white bedsheet would do in a pinch if you have additional lights to "nuke" or over expose it to the point of going completely white. There probably was additional lighting on this background if I had to guess.

Are the incandescent light bulbs in my house preventing me from reproducing this shot?

Lets see some examples of your shots to better give you a "what am i doing wrong" assessment.

How does he create the strong shadow within the hood?
How does he create so much contrast? Is it through Photoshop?

Post processing(Photoshopping) looks to be minimal with this shot. The resulting shadows and contrast are merely a byproduct of light placement and what, if any, modifiers were used.

Post up a couple of your attempts and we can get a better idea of where your at.

 

[David-Wayne]

I'm guessing your biggest failure is the shadow right? Shoot with very little ambient light as this will diffuse the shadow, even if all you do is make your wife hold a flashlight (since you said you dont have a flash, and a lamp with shade will diffuse and bounce light and kill the shadow.) above and to the right of your subject. with a constant light source, (not a flash) you can play around with your ISO and shutter speed. These will both affect the light coming in and too much light makes your shadowed dark areas disappear. Fast shutter speed, low ISO and bright flash light, or directional lamp stand, and i bet you'll be pretty close to the photo.
Maybe a little darkening brush in lightroom will finish it up for you