I still deconstruct the work of other photographers all the time – it’s a great way to expand skill sets and understanding. And I know from your previous feedback that you guys are fond of these posts, so let’s dig into another one.
I was asked to photograph the amazing and controversial Prince Manvendra of India last month in NYC. It was an honor. But tell me…
How did I make this picture?
Is it a snapshot?
Lighting?
If so, how?
The camera Settings?
The direction?
Post production?
Whatever details you think were needed to make this image.
We’ve done this lots before, but I thought this particular image would be a good one to dig into for a couple reasons. I’ll reveal how it was made in a followup post and give a signed book or something to one person who nails it in the comments below.
Beautiful pictures!
It’s definitely not a snapshot but a studio shoot.
The camera was I guess a full frame Nikon DS3 or D3.
It seems to be a 35mm open at f11. Shutter speed at 125.
One light is creating the beautiful Rembrandt. It’s placed on the left 45 degree side rom the middle of the face and 45 degree up. The strobe has a honeycomb on it. There is a strobe on the right also with a honey comb and barn to prevent the light to spit on the model. This light is toward the background only.
The post processing has sharpeness and saturation but nothing else.
Thanks for doing this, I learn so much!!!
Severine
Assuming this was one of Chases’ photos, it would be shot with either Hasselblad or D3S. I’m going with the D3S, because of the aspect ratio. Could have been cropped though.
I will then make my assumptions based that this was shot with a full-frame DSLR.
I am going for a single light source. To left of camera, slightly higher than subject’s eyelevel (see shadow underneath his chin, and catchlight positioning). Even illumination of the light (i’m looking at the base near the man’s feet, and behind on the speakers towards the top right) and circular shape suggests a fresnel light, or video light with fresnel lens. Focused.
Black flags/boards setup around to minimise spill and to control reflections.
Post-production? I can’t see it close enough, but I believe RAW adjustments is all that’s needed in lightroom or capture one. Added vignetting. Perhaps cleaned up the ground.
haha, the more I look at it the more I’m thinking. But I’d start with that…
Focal length probably 24-35mm, wider than normal anyway. The space between the chair and speakers look too “empty” for a normal or telephoto, and the chair itself looks “wide”.
Camera settings would probably be about 1/100-1/160 to sync with lights, and still be fast enough to negate effect of ambient. Shot in very low light maybe just modelling lights.
ISO? I would say under 1600 as there’s not much noise in the shadows. I would say a high-ish ISO maybe 640-1200? I say this because the flash/light is reaching and not dropping too much in luminance despite the subject being separated from the speakers. At lower ISO’s of 50 or 100 (I use canon) I find that light drop off is harsher… and affects the ‘reach’ of light.
Nikon D3s, 24-70mm @24mm, f/8, 1/100sec, ISO 200
1 light
a deep octa about 5-6 ft up camera left, 1-2 ft in front of the subject, feathered to the rear with the spill lighting the speakers.
f/8, 1/100, iso 800, shot at 24mm
You used a kinda hard light from upper front-left at about 1-2 meter distance from he’s feet and at about 45 degree (both vertical and horizontal) possibly a bare flash or barn doors or with a small-medium sized beauty dish (reflection in his eyes).
A second hard light is coming from left and a bit behind him aimed at his head that casts a shadow under his chin.
I think there’s a third small hard light at the right and a bit behind him to light the speakers (the speaker a bit above his right – camera left – hand has 2 light reflections and the speaker behind him is seen through his cloth)
In Photoshop you probably raised the contrast, changed the luminosity and a bit the saturation. I see a bit of vignetting too but can’t decide if you done that in PS or it’s just light falloff.