The magazine "look"

[leejt1986]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and relatively new to photography. I've been self teaching myself for the past year or so.

I have what is probably a really simple question to answer.

How do I achieve the magazine/photoshoot "look". I know the quality of the image has to do with available lighting, lens used, f stop, shutter speed ect. This is more a question on image editing I'm guessing.

This is what i'm talking about
http://www.grayphotograph.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/00071.jpg

Making it look less like an amateur-ish photo and more professional. Is this all Photoshop, or is there more to it that I'm not seeing?

 

[Robin Usagani]

well that one has good lighting. I dont think they used a lot of editing. The background is real. Maybe just fixing the blemishes.

 

[dak1b]

professional studio lighting is key. + a badass lens would help.

 

[reznap]

well that one has good lighting.

Yep. I see a single catchlight in his eyes, judging by the position of it and the shadows under the hat it's camera left and a bit taller than the model. There's also probably another light to his right and left side, giving that outline.

 

[Robin Usagani]

A lot of pros photoshop the eyes though so you only see once nice round white reflection on each eye.

well that one has good lighting.

Yep. I see a single catchlight in his eyes, judging by the position of it and the shadows under the hat it's camera left and a bit taller than the model. There's also probably another light to his right and left side, giving that outline.

 

[KmH]

It's all about the light.

The image you linked to has a 3 light setup.

There is a light (fill) just above and right behind the camera and the photographer. (You can see it reflected in the guy's eye's and that reflection is called a 'catchlight'. The camera is likely to be on a camera stand, rather than on a tripod.

One light is camera right and another is camera left. The tell for those lights is how bright the sides of his head are. How bright they are also shows they are much brighter than the fill light (lighting ratio).

The light camera left is not quite as bright as the light camera right, is a bit farther behind the guy, and is a bit lower than is the light camera right. By looking at all the shadows you can tell how much a light has been modified and approximately where they are.

 

[leejt1986]

professional studio lighting is key. + a badass lens would help.

So studio lighting is what gives it that "glossy" look, and lenses people like my self probably couldnt afford?

 

[ChrisStone]

A lot has to do with available lighting, but the "magazine look" involves a lot of post processing, retouching, etc. See my sig.

 

[pbelarge]

I would not be surprised if there is a light behind the subject, closer to the floor and pointing back and up slightly.

 

[KvnO]

professional studio lighting is key. + a badass lens would help.

I don't think that's necessarily true.

See: strobist.com

Plenty of people are creating great (and similar) images with less than described.

 

[KmH]

professional studio lighting is key. + a badass lens would help.

So studio lighting is what gives it that "glossy" look, and lenses people like my self probably couldnt afford?

It doesn't have to be shot in a studio, but the lighting is key as is using the right camera settings and having a rock solid mount for the camera.

Rock solid camera mounts are usually found in a studio.

A camera stand - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/4986-REG/Manfrotto_816_Super_Salon_280_Camera.html

 

[leejt1986]

professional studio lighting is key. + a badass lens would help.

So studio lighting is what gives it that "glossy" look, and lenses people like my self probably couldnt afford?

It doesn't have to be shot in a studio, but the lighting is key as is using the right camera settings and having a rock solid mount for the camera.

Rock solid camera mounts are usually found in a studio.

A camera stand - Manfrotto | Super Salon 280 Camera Stand - 9' | 816 | B&H Photo

I'm not really sure how a mount will effect the quality of the image other than the composition

 

[tdz16]

So studio lighting is what gives it that "glossy" look, and lenses people like my self probably couldnt afford?

It doesn't have to be shot in a studio, but the lighting is key as is using the right camera settings and having a rock solid mount for the camera.

Rock solid camera mounts are usually found in a studio.

A camera stand - Manfrotto | Super Salon 280 Camera Stand - 9' | 816 | B&H Photo

I'm not really sure how a mount will effect the quality of the image other than the composition

How does a mount affect the composition? And I'd think it'd make it that much sharper of an image....

~Tom

 

[skieur]

The mount does NOT affect the composition at all. As to making it a much sharper image, well that depends on the amount of light in the scene, the shutterspeed, fstop, ISO, lens and camera.

skieur

 

[dak1b]

professional studio lighting is key. + a badass lens would help.

So studio lighting is what gives it that "glossy" look, and lenses people like my self probably couldnt afford?

most professionals use "L" series lens.