One Light Only
March 24, 2009 by David Bergman
I had a happy accident during a photo shoot with Thriving Ivory last month (see my first shoot with them in Toronto HERE).
We were in a NYC photo studio and, after doing a traditional shot in front of a red velvet curtain, I pulled out a few scrims to use as background elements.
I wanted the wall to go pure white, so my assistant James Burger pointed a 400 w/s UniJr Dynalite at the wall behind the middle scrim. We used a Pocket Wizard for triggering.
I put two Nikon SB-900 units with umbrellas in the front and took a test shot of James. The SB-900’s had gone into sleep mode and didn’t fire, but the Dynalite was at full power so it blasted the white walls and lit up the whole room.
Thinking this was a mistake, I woke up the front strobes and took another test shot, but it just didn’t have the same shadowy mood on James’ face.
I wound up shooting this setup using only the single light source. I extended the ceiling and toned in Photoshop to complete the picture.
(Nikon D3, 24-70 lens, ISO 800, 1/250 sec, f/5.6)
To learn more about working with one light, I highly recommend the OneLight Workshop DVD by my friend, Atlanta photographer Zack Arias. More info here.
how did you get the cool blur affect on their bodies? Photoshop? Great shot. Very moody.
Yes, I prefer to use a tilt-shift lens but occasionally play with selective focus in Photoshop so I can make the decision after the fact. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
this picture leads my eye so well that i hadn’t even noticed the ceiling was extended. very fluid, love the shot.
Fantastic composition and great decision to extend the ceiling! works perfect from toning to focus. You should be glad you made the mistake!!
Great photo, I like the mood!
Thanks for sharing!
Excellent atmosphere to this image. Great stuff.
Great use of negative space there – really like the toning and feel. I wish the blow-out hadn’t bled into his head so much, but perhaps that’s only on the small version.
Keep the inspiring work.
Love this shot Mr. B.
1. Never admit that a photograph was an accident: it was “conceptual experimentation”.
and likewise -
2. If you take a photo that emulates the style of a famous photographer, it’s not a rip-off – it’s “an homage”.
But what are you gonna do if you have to shoot a photo of the group “Happy Accidents”?
David:
Did you keep the one taken after the 900’s woke up? I would like to see the “planned” vs the “mistake”. Great photo!
Tim, the other version is pretty similar to the final image but there is more front light on their faces. Having them in shadow adds a little drama.
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