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.
If this is a snapshot, ill call you god from now on 🙂
My gess for this riddle…
Two spots at à 45 degré angle behind the model who is sitting ‘grandducart’ with her feet behind her a little higher on à white floor.
Left spot at a hight of 1 meter.
A third spot or reflection screen from onder her right arm.
A diafragma of 22, and the lens between 50 en 80mm.
In postproduction the background has been made black.
Of course you could also used you’re iphone to copy an existing image from a poster…. hmmm nooo.
Done on a propped surface, most likely a stage with strobes. post production is probably Lightroom, can see that you edited some blacks. f/5 to f/8-maybe 200 to 250th of a second
Just a ‘stab in the dark’ here but looks like she is doing the splits on a black floor, lit left (slightly behind) and right (slightly in front) at just above floor level then shot from above and slightly to the left – in front to give the illusion that’s she’s in mid-air?
Very expressive shot !!
Its definitely not a lucky shot … But you have done several pose before you selected this one !
Lighting :
I believe you used two lights, one on the left and one on the right almost same output
Main light :
– comes from left at 10 o’clock from the camera and subject.
– its 45 ° up toward her face
Right Light :
– Come opposite, at 4 o’clock from the camera and subject
– its also 45* bottom up direction, toward her arms / head
Camera : manual small aperture, f11 speed 1/500 s or more to freeze
Lens : I guess tele 200, your are not so close
PostPro : turn to B/W , crop to have her head in 1/3 rule point, darkening around, some level adjustment, to set black point and white, a touch of contrast
and sharpening at end
Both are hard lights. Not to close from subject. without modifiers.
It was nice trying to deconstruct it.
NB: Please excuse me for my english, I am living in France near Paris
Dany
2 softboxes. Main light is camera left slightly above and behind dancer. 2nd is camera low on camera right to light torso and her right hand. No reflectors, the bottom of her right arm is lit by the reflection off her body. She is jumping and chase is positioned in front of her slightly squatted down. I believe she is jumping because if she was sitting and doing a split her thighs would be wide and unflattering.
250th to maximize blacks in background and f10 to keep her sharp. Motion stopped by 1/2 power strobes.