
We welcome Sam to SLR Lounge with his first of hopefully many articles below.
Denzel Washington – September 19th 2012
Michael Phelps – September 19th 2012
The Photo Gear and Info
Lens: Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2
Lens ND Filter: B+W 103
Camera: Nikon D800
Technique: 3 shot Brenizer Method
Light Sources: 1 Einstein 640 WS by Paul C. Buff
Light Modifiers: Paul C Buff Parabolic Light Modifier
The Goal of the Photos
Create two different looking portraits of two different subjects in less than a minute in an ugly black room.
The Vision
I found out I’d have the opportunity to photograph Denzel Washington and Michael Phelps the night before I was to meet them. I had no clue how much time I’d have with them or even the room I’d have available to use. Also, I only had one Einstein with me to use. I had no prepared vision.
The Story
The morning of the shoot I quickly tried to determine where I would be making my portraits. The only space available to me was an all black small studio with curtains and a giant window.
It actually turned out to be a convenient space because I was able to turn all of the ambient light in the room completely off so I didn’t have to think about that variable. The reflective window actually gave me the perfect solution for quickly creating a very different look with the exact same light source. I setup the light to point exactly opposite the window so that it made a really cool looking refection that would be visible in the portrait background. I feathered the PLM heavily on my subjects to take advantage of the dramatic falloff and painterly effect it can give. I use the silver coated version without and diffuser to retain contrast.
It also provided just a bit of fill/rim light on the opposite side of the subject.
I decided to keep the curtain drawn for Denzel to keep the feel of his portrait minimalistic and sophisticated… much like he seemed to me. I think his expression also compliments this look very well. I asked him to give me a relaxed and calming sense of himself and he molded a perfect representation of that.
For Michael I wanted to change things up. As the youngest person I’ve made of a portrait of so far I felt he might appreciate a more edgy look to his portrait. I also felt the shimmery bluish look of the light reflecting in the window was somewhat of a nod to the blue pool water that will forever loom over him no matter what he does in retirement. I asked him to relax just look beyond my camera.
The Lesson
Expression is the most important part of any portrait. Lighting and composition are also important but without a meaningful expression you lose the story of the image and the person it portrays. I’m incredibly happy with Denzel’s portrait and how quickly I connected with him. For obvious reasons actors tend to be pretty good at this, but it can be a challenge to somehow look beneath their facade and capture who they really are. I’m moderately happy about Michael’s portrait. I would have liked a little more time to connect with him and capture something a little less contrived in his expression, but I think it’s a well executed photo. I’m proud of how different the two photos feel considering everything is in the exact same spot with the same angle and light source.
Sam Hurd
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Nice.
nice portraits
Any chance of a diagram showing the light setup? Thanks!
You can see some additional behind the scenes photos here http://www.samhurdphotography.com/2012/technique/epic-portrait-denzel-washington
lighting diagram? What lighting? This is a pathetic effort with sub par results that I would never turn in as finished work…. Look at the Phelps portrait and the one ear that looks like it’s 10 times the size of the other…. This is really poor. Both images look significantly underexposed. There is no attempt at separating the subject from the background = a mushy blend. Etc.
Great write up. I’m always impressed by photographers who get the opportunity to shoot celebrities, how little time they have, and the results they achieve given those constraints.
I really like the results as I’m a big fan of window lighting, but my first impression was that theses photos were shot on film, mostly due to the background contrast. I love shooting on film, but they made these photos look more like snapshots. And call me old fashioned, but I think I prefer vertical (portrait) portraits. I do love the lighting though, very well done.
Cool story and beautiful results, Sam.
Beautiful work!