In the video "WISDOM: How it was made", Andrew explained how he established a standard lighting setup used for every person he interviewed and photographed. The video provides glimpses of this setup from different angles and shows 4 lights as best I can tell: 2 with standard reflectors aimed at the background to blow it out, a beauty dish above the camera, and a ring flash below. He does include a large gobo on each side to block reflections and (I assume) spill from the background lights from hitting the subjects.
I decided to try to recreate his lighting (using my favorite models of course)! Now, if you've been following my blog and if you're familiar with dog expressions you've noted that my Puddies don't seem real interested in posing. I'm sad to say that's not entirely inaccurate.
Now, Skittles LOVES to jump up on the posing table, and is excited as long as I'm there next to her. But as soon as I move behind the camera to shoot, she gets that bored look we're all so familiar with by now. Journey, well... he just doesn't like any part of it, and it shows.
This time, however, he did hit a pose that tore at my heart. Here is a young boy that has spent most of his life in fear - of just about everything. As I studied the picture and reflected on his past I experienced some strong feelings of compassion for what he's been through. A year of good living hasn't erased all of his fear, but he's getting better all the time!
Here's what I captured. You're looking at the quality of the light, not their expression. As silly and animated as I acted, this is the best I got outa my guys...
First, a little setup testing: I set up a white seamless paper background, set a reflective white panel on the platform top for them to sit on. This shot was made with just the beauty dish, placed in front of and above Teddy (ok, he's a dog but he's called Teddy!). Minimal processing in Lightroom and Photoshop, and this shot looks pretty good!
Turn on the background lights and you get this. Note the dark shadow under his chin. In this next composite shot, The ring flash has been added, which provides a touch of fill.
Yes, there's is a color cast difference between the 2 shots. In the first one without the background lights it was easy to select the paper background to set the white balance. However, turn on the background lights, and now there's nothing to select. Since I'm only testing here, I wasn't worried about it.
(Skittles) So, he sucked you into this photography thing huh? Huh? HEY! You awake?!
(Journey) See what you've done John? You've burned Teddy out!!!
(I should point out that Journey isn't displaying anger or aggression, he's just hanging there waiting for me to release him from his "stay")I
(ahem) "La La LA LA!!!!"
This was caught as part of a series where I was hovering over the camera (on a tripod), acting really really silly in a vain attempt to get some excitement out of Skittles. As you can see, it didn't work... (sigh)...
And this is the shot that means so much to me. Journey isn't thrilled about being up on the posing table, and he's looking longingly at Skittles down on the floor. He only had to be up there for 2-3 minutes, long enough to rip off a few shots.
His expression here is one I've seen many times in the year he's lived with us. I just wish I could catch him when he's showing a little more happiness. One thing I know though, it won't likely be in front of a seamless paper background in any staged lighting setup!!!
Hope you enjoy...
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