I learned to light after years of deconstructing the work of other photographers. And I know from your previous feedback that you guys are fond of these posts, so let’s dig into another one.
How did I make this picture?
Is it a lucky snapshot?
Is it lit?
If so, how?
The camera Settings?
The direction?
Post production?
Whatever details you think are needed to make this image.
Looking forward to you trying to pick this apart… I’ll reveal everything in a followup post. The person who gets the closest gets… …a chest bump and a pizza, or signed book or something. Don’t be shy. Let er rip.
The dancer is lit by 2 lights, one on each side. Probably behind her about 45º. Because the shadows are so dark they had to be small light sources and to capture the movement without any blur you had to used a fast light duration.
You had her made several jumps (all about repetition) and you began by photograph her in a wider framing that the final result and than croped it.I don’t know if the position of the arms is intentional but her head is right in the middle of it each makes me look right at her face. ALso she is positioned in the right-third.
You probably and a close aperture, about 8 or 11 so that she could be all in focus and a faster shutter speed, about 1/200 to freeze the action.
Than in post you must have increased the contrast for a even more dramatic look.
Lucky snapshot – you’re in the audience for the performance and sitting in row 3 or 4, just at or below stage level.
Lit by existing stage lights. I’m going to go with 1/100th and 70mm, low ISO and F11 to kill ambient light. – But there’s some softness around the face and fingers that could mean this was shot with your iPhone.
Very little post – crank up the contrast and saturation.
You have one light coming from the lower right,and behind. harder source, if it’s in a softbox it’s a small one, or far away, or both. you also have a light coming from the slightly upper right and behind, but not as far back as the other light. also slightly hard, but not bare.
You shot at a relatively deep DoP, because everything is in focus, I’m going to say f/11. Probably shot relatively wide, because I don’t notice much compression. probably a 35mm lens on a D3S. Not much post work done here, some sharpening and a b& white conversion.
Two SB900 or SB800 speedlights (maybe used diffused umbrellas), Power range at 1/4 to 1/8 (On Manual). Camera Nikon D7000 AFS, WB Shade, Spot Metering, Center Focusing Point, ISO 100-200, Shutterspeed 1/200, Manual setting, Image Quality Fine+Large+Raw, In-Camera B&W (Tweaked, maybe added red filter) 50mm 1.8, Black muslin backdrop, Small Stepladder may have been used…. + the dancer
Direction: Speedlights sandwiched between dancer. Dancer Jumps, Shutter Snaps…. CAKE!
Post Processing: Crop, Sharpen, Burn.
Wallah!
First this an AWESOME idea to help people learn – So Thx, from me at least.
How did I make this picture? I’ll take a stab @ the Camera platform being a D3s with a Prime 85 or 105
Is it a lucky snapshot? I doubt it. With your teams skill, I would be surprised to find out it was. ( but in photography Lucky Snapshots come from skills developed over time that increase your luck IMO. If it was, I bet it was after a series of shoots being made to close to the end of your shooting day.
Is it lit? Think so.
If so, how? Two Strobes with Soft boxes of different sizes
The camera Settings? Shutter Pri./ Manual High shutter speed between 500 & 1000/sec , Mid level iso ( 1600’ish )
The direction? Large Soft box to the rear on dancers right( direct to SUB )
Medium Soft box w/ GRID low and to the left ( feathered )
Post production? Possible BW conversion from color & besides that I would not expect anything more than a levels adjustment for the blacks in the background.
My website is not fully up ( http://www.ruotolophoto.com ) So am sending my Facebook site address : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-Ruotolo-Photography/189127184440652?ref=ts
Thx,
Rob