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.
Two lights, one key light (left of pic) and a rim light (right of the pic) f11 and 1/400s
You shoot in burst mode so this image is the best of a series. Postproduction: add contrast
Cheers! 😀
Two Strobes
Left high pointed down through soft shoot through
Right low pointed up through soft shoot through
F 11 – 50mm lens – 1/500th sec shutter
How did I make this picture? -Feels like it is a medium-format camera
Is it a lucky snapshot? – Perhaps, but due to a process. I guess more importantly, you let the subject do her thing and tried to capture the moment naturally vs. having it staged.
Is it lit? – Yes.
If so, how? – Camera left is lit from the top of the subject while the right is lit from the middle-bottom-back
The camera Settings? – Shallow depth of field, multiple exposures. fast shutter speed, low ISO (suggesting a fast lens)
The direction? – Subject is arcing right (towards the photographer). Photographer is to the left of the subject, height focused somewhere around shoulder and neck level
Post production? Yes. Minimum – but yes, maybe to bring some detail out of the face shadows
Whatever details you think are needed to make this image. I would need to gauge the subject’s style, jump and “hang time” and try to ascertain the most dramatic angle. Consistency of the lighting would be key here, giving the dramatic shadows against the black back-drop.
2 lights and shot through glass on which she was standing and you are obviously shooting from the floor.
Just to add something different…
I think the camera was a D3s running 8 fps or more. You turned the strobes down to get shorter flashes thus catching the motion. We know strobes from Elinchrom and others will keep up with the frame rate. Shutter speed doesn’t mean much, the lights are doing the work.
This lets the dancer do more than just jump in one place. You get to pick the frame you like.
Also, if you knew the final picture was going to be B&W, ISO doesn’t mean much either. Black and White lets you bump the ISO without compromising the image quality…. actually a little ‘grain’ looks good.
However, too high an ISO and you would catch to much ambient light. Balance ISO and a short flash duration to stop the image. Also, a little ambient makes it easier for the dancer.
Looks like two lights, left and right and you shot from slightly below.