Lighting Poor Cinderella

Monday, August 29, 2011 Posted in Misc. Articles, Misc. Photos

Hey Folks,
Well I’m back at the editing and prepping for the next photo shoot and feeling totally psyched having just spent the most amazing 4 days with Calvin Hollywood and his assistant Gabor Richter.

I’ve learned and laughed so much so I’ll be posting a run down of what we got up to over the past 4 days including a look at Calvin’s Workshop and amongst other things, why I’ve had a change of heart about including plug-ins as part of my editing workflow!

For now though I thought I’d post an image from a recent photo shoot and get your thoughts on how it was put together (deconstruct it) i.e. lighting each of the subjects, the paintings on the walls, the dark bannisters and so on…

I’ll be posting a walk through of the photo shoot at the end of the week, so go on feel free to post your thoughts in the comments section below and who knows…I may be able to russle up a prize for whoever gets it!
Enjoy

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by Glyn

17 comments

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August 29, 2011 - 7:59 pm

Cathy Kennedy - I think the lighting enhances and highlights the evilness of The Ugy Sisters compared to the innocence and hopelessness of Cinderella and the pics on the walls and the dark staircase add to the starkness of the setting, so enhancing the situation of Cinders being downtrodden and put upon as a skivvy by her sisters - great work Glyn

August 29, 2011 - 8:06 pm

Keith Hammond - have you got an SB800 either behind or inside the lamp ?

August 30, 2011 - 1:44 pm

Kevin Halliburton - Awesome work Glen! I’ll give it a go. The lamp isn’t contributing to the shadow patterns and my guess is that it was lit in post. Removing the shadow from the lamp on the railing was probably a bit of a trick. The room is lit from above left with a large enough light source to produce broad highlights on the gold moldings but it’s directional enough to give punchy shadows on the wall. The soft shadows under the table to the left indicate that it was just catching the edge of the light source. The shadows around the top of the image define a round light source. I’m going to guess that it is either a 22″ beauty dish or a parabolic umbrella.

August 30, 2011 - 6:06 pm

Kevin Halliburton - I just caught that you shot this, and several other images, in less than an hour so I’m totally revising my guess. The background is HDR and the models were posed in the scene later and lit separately with a single portable strobe and beauty dish, held by an exhausted assistant who probably isn’t returning your calls about future opportunities right now. Awesome composite!

August 30, 2011 - 8:47 pm

Ciaran Cummins - Great Stuff as usual. I’d not heard of Calvin before you posted about your w/end and have to say it was discovering another new photographer with his skills. His work like yours is inspiring. As for this shot I think the sisters where shot in place with a light in front and slightly camera left. I think Cinderella was shot elsewhere and placed in the scene and her light was definitely further camera left. As for the lamp I think probably done in post with some sort trickery using a white spot gradient perhaps? I wouldn’t have a clue as to the type of lights as I’m not that familiar with lighting just yet. Now I’m to join the Kelby gang for a compositing webcast.
Cheers.

August 30, 2011 - 11:18 pm

Kevin Halliburton - How many times can I revise my guess? I found one small thing that tipped me to the fact that the step sisters were shot on an elevated platform elsewhere but man did I have to pay attention. It looks like one large umbrella may have been used on the balcony to the left to light the room. Location shots were taken ahead of the tightly scheduled talent shoots, then the angle of the light, lens, elevations and subject distance were matched in studio for a final composite. Your assistant is still not returning your calls.

August 30, 2011 - 11:34 pm

Glyn - Hey Kevin, there’s so real interesting thoughts and ideas there re the lighting and the compositing angle. Lips are sealed until Friday though lol Right…about that assistant…

August 30, 2011 - 11:35 pm

Glyn - @Ciaran…Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Calvin’s great huh..and such great fun to hang around; only now my jaw has stopped aching from laughing so much Interesting thoughts re the set up for the picture…all will be revealed on Friday

August 30, 2011 - 11:35 pm

Glyn - @Keith…Hhmmmm I wonder

August 30, 2011 - 11:36 pm

Glyn - @Cathy…Thanks for that

August 31, 2011 - 12:12 am

Terry Donnelly - Im sticking with a single strobe inside the lamp. Its throwing light everywhere and works a treat in this shot.

August 31, 2011 - 12:15 am

Glyn - @Terry…Now that is interesting

September 1, 2011 - 9:26 pm

Terry Donnelly - Is it Friday yet suspense is killing me

September 2, 2011 - 12:23 am

Ciaran Cummins - Ok times up now spill the beans.

September 2, 2011 - 2:23 pm

Govind Vekaria - Yea, I know I’m cheating a bit by reading others comments. I think its only one light camera left high. Composite of 3 pics - Cinderella on her own, sisters together, and the stairway. The shadow under the purple haires ugly sister’s tells me that the banister light was post prod.

September 6, 2011 - 10:29 am

Glyn - @Ciaran … But, but…

September 2, 2011 - 6:01 am

Update: Oxford World Wide Photo Walk is FULL » Glyn Dewis Blog - [...] I’ll be posting the BTS of the recent Cinderella Photo Shoot [Link] later [...]