#theconstructedphotograph westphoto studiolighting

[westphotolukedas]

Production Journal - I Want to Believe

011119

It was fortuitous that my test shoot worked out well and I am excited to assemble the components of the final piece. I have been debating the crop of my photograph, which will change the proportions of each constituent element. I was considering 16:9, which is the standard aspect ratio of HDTV, Full HD and analogue widescreen television. The X-Files season one and many of the early episodes aired on the Fox Network in standard definition with a 4:3 aspect ratio. At the time, vacuum-tube televisions were the most widespread and this was considered fullscreen. These episodes have since been restored to 16:9 and remastered in HD for digital distribution. True fans still prefer the original muted colours and low contrast of the 1993 original broadcast. Therefore, this will be the crop factor that I shall choose for the final piece. (Clarendon, 2018)

Production Notes

An aspect ratio of 4:3 resembles 6 x 6 film; however, some of the frame will be lost. This was one consideration during production of the final piece. The exact same light and camera settings were carried over from the test shoot and I was meticulous to recreate each detail. There were some subtle changes. I felt that more purple was needed on the key light, so I doubled up the amount of gel over the barn door on this flash head. A second sitter, Hayley Reece wore a black hoodie in the background to imply a paranormal presence. This was simple in theory; however, we attempted several angles and distances to Tashi to get this right. Finally, I was aware of the flashlight, FBI badge and smoke machine issues from the first shoot. The processed roll was scanned on an Imacon scanner in RGB 16 bit at 3200 PPI. The resultant TIF files are summarised in the following contact sheet.

In shots 01, 02, 03, 04, 09, 10 and 11 the flashlight features and I directed Tashi to not point it into the camera. This was a solution to the problem; however, it is still evident that it is not emitting light. For this reason, I have decided to not select one of these variations even though it is a prop associated with the character. Her right hand appears wider than her left hand when it is dominant in the frame and we all collectively preferred shots 07 and 08 for this reason. Her arm acts as a leading line, drawing the viewer into the photograph. It also covers the problematic detail of the FBI badge. When deciding between these final two images, it was Tashi’s expression in 08 that appealed to me the most. She has a classic deadpan stare that Crewdson has made famous in his works. Furthermore, it acted as a means to captivate the viewer and invite them to question the source of the mysterious light. One element that I noticed after the film was processed was the lens flare in the background. During my digital test shots a lens hood was attached. This was not available on the Hasselblad body in the final piece. In retrospect, I rather like the effect and it adds to the ambience of the photograph.

Bibliography

Clarendon, D. (2018). 7 Most 90s Things About The X-Files. TV Insider. Available from www.tvinsider.com/717746/x-files-season-1-premiere-pilot [Accessed 12/12/2019]

Lighting Diagram

Contact Sheet

Final Piece, f/11, 1/125, ISO 100

[westphotolukedas]

Introduction to Lighting

111019

Three Point Lighting

Key Light - The main light, which is often high and angled at the subject. This will create highlights and shadows.

Fill Light - The light or reflector used to reduce the contrast in an image by ‘filling’ out the shadows.

Back / Hair / Kick / Rim Light - An additional light that separates the subject from the background.

Lighting Design

High Key - A lighting style, which is bright, upbeat and lively. This is often seen in sitcom and comedy films. The highlights dominate over the shadows.

Low Key - A lighting style, which is dark, moody and atmospheric. This is often seen in horror and thriller films. The shadows dominate over the highlights.

Hard Light - Light emitted directly from the source has a hard quality. It is bold and defined. The highlights stand out from the shadows. It exaggerates facial features, which is seen in masculine lighting design. The most common hard light modifiers are the spill kill, snoot, honeycomb grid and gobo. These direct light onto specific areas of a subject.

Soft Light - Light that has been weakened by passing through a physical barrier or bounced off a surface has a soft quality. It is diffuse and scattered. The highlights merge into the shadows. It softens facial features, which is seen in feminine lighting design. The most common soft light modifiers are the umbrella, softbox, bounce card, polyboard and reflector. These spread light across the surface of a subject.

Equipment

Studio Flash Head - In the studio, these are the most common source of lighting. They deliver a flash of high-powered light at a fast speed, which will freeze motion. The power is defined by the wattage output of the head - 400W is acceptable to illuminate one subject, 1000W or more is needed for large groups. Every head has a modelling light, which is working light to give a photographer some indication of the final outcome of the picture. The flash tube delivers the actual flash. This can be turned up and down as needed. It is important to shoot slowly for cheaper and older models. Also the charge must be dumped before switching it off. The full range of modifiers is available for them.

Speedlight - On location, these are the most common source of lighting. They deliver a flash of moderately powered light at a fast speed, which freeze motion. The guide number defines the power - the larger number the more powerful the flash. The most common mode is Through-The-Lens (TTL) Metering, which uses a camera’s internal light meter to calculate the amount of light needed. It is useful most of the time and changes are only needed for creative concepts. In manual mode the flash can be turned up and down as needed. It is important to shoot slowly for cheaper and older models. There is a limited range of modifiers for them.

Summary

During my time experimenting with the equipment at the university, low-key lighting appealed to me the most. An isolated back light on my subject Gyorgy Englert created the mood that I was after. It was interesting to give Gyorgy direction and ask him to think about different things to achieve subtle changes in his expression.

Test Shot, f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 1600

Test Shot, f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 1600

Test Shot, f/11, 1/125, ISO 100

Test Shot, f/11, 1/125, ISO 100