how to take starshots photo?

terry · Jul 12, 2003

What are the camera settings, lighting techniques, equipment, etc used for the photos below. I'm a newbie and using a digital camera, Canon 10D. Thanks.

e_ · Jul 12, 2003

Welcome to the forum, Terry

...image quality is too poor for an exact analysis - however if reproducing these shots i might try the following:

Image 1:

Studio location / cross lighting on background, lights +2 fstops from camera setting / key (main) light @ 4.00 o'clock, 45 degrees, large soft box, fstop same setting as camera / fill light with soft box between 6 & 7 o'clock and 45 degrees, -1 fstop from camera / lens - maybe a 50 or 70mm

Image 2:

Looks like an available light photograph - using fill flash from on or above the camera / lens - maybe a 35 or 28mm

The Soft Affect:

From these shots i cannot ascertain if this was achieved, either, through the lens, lighting, post production in photoshop - or simply my fuzzy screen

...i am not familiar with your camera nor the Canon system and cannot advise on the settings and accessories you require

However, hang about, someone else may be able to give specific advice - or you may learn a few things from reading other posts and asking more questions...

Cheers!

e_

mrsid99 · Jul 12, 2003

Hi e_,
I'm desperately hoping you made all that up....because if not I despair of ever understanding it all!
I'm extremely glad you frequent this forum however so keep it coming!

e_ · Jul 12, 2003

lol!

...thank you for your kind words, mrsid

No, i didn't make it up - but don't despair. As you progress and gain experience it will be relatively easy to look at any image and work out how it was done (the trick is to study shadows)

All i did was simply use studio "short hand" to describe how the images were (most likely) shot

Translation into plain language, this states where the lights would have been placed (positions on the clock with the camera at 6.00 o'clock); their angle onto the subject (in degrees); the power settings of each (f-stops, relative to the camera/exposure setting); the method of diffusing light (light box); and, the focal length of lens used in each image

I note that professional photographer Jude Taylor from Ohio has just joined the forum. Excellent!

You can look forward to more conversations like this...

e_

mrsid99 · Jul 12, 2003

Many thanks for the translation...I may have learned something.
I'm looking forward to more conversations as you promised but please make sure they come with sub-titles.

Dew · Jul 17, 2003

yeh, i'd have to say lighting is very important .... my hubby has a Canon 10D and he gets crisp photos all the time .... he uses two slave lights with umbrella and one large softbox for continuos lighting

Kat · Mar 18, 2004

Hey, I realise that this thread is really old, but as for the querie regarding "Star Shots", I used to work for these guys!

The lighting is basically two key lights with soft boxes, both of an equal wattage, a head light, back light focased on the back drop for colour and a usually, depending on the pose, a mirrored posing table.

The lights are slightly over exposing the subject and a soft focus filter is applied during printing to created a flushed, glamorous effect.

The "apple lighting" is great for glamourising a subject and gives a purifying effect, "washing away" any imperfections and the such like that a subject certainly WONT want shown in their portrait.

Thus no extra make up is required and you are left with these "dreamy" images.

~K