THE AIM OF THE TASK
"Photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution."
Ansel Adams
Gaining skills, knowledge and understanding of the characteristics in studio-based photography is the aim of the unit. Using technology, techniques and media in the studio, students will create images, develop their understanding of the characteristics and review their work from technical and aesthetic perspectives. In this unit, learners also need to understand the importance of health and safety in the studio.
UNIT BRIEF
ACME inc has asked you to capture six images for their new summer catalogue; these images should be varied and unique. The Catalogue specialises in selling household products and fashion & beauty. You are required to take two photographs for each of the subjects listed below:
(2) Still Life (On A White Background)
(2) Metallic Object
(2) Portrait
LIGHTING EQUIPMENT:
There are two kinds of stroboscopic lamps:
Monolights ~ These types of strobe lights flash, and the controls for these lights are consolidated inside one device. They are easy to carry around, powered by AC or internal batteries, and compact.
Generators ~ These types of strobe lights have two components. They have a lamp block and a generator, placed on the floor and mounted on a tripod.
Depending on the accessories, you can create soft light, hard light, diffused, directional and other kinds of light. The most commonly used mounting accessories that allow you to create diffused and soft directional lighting are:
Softbox ~ The softbox is the most commonly used lighting modifier. It usually comes in a square or rectangular form. The frames are made from tubes covered in a particular material, and the front is covered with cloth that diffuses the light and makes it softer. The inside of the box is reflective and is usually coated with metallised silvering material, while the outside is black.
Oktobox ~ Very similar to a softbox, this is an octagonal modifier. It produces a soft light and is often used for fashion photography for its uniform lighting across the entire scene and slight shadows.
Stripbox ~ A stripbox is a soft direct source of light. It is mainly used for full-body proportions.
Umbrellas ~ These are used for soft light distribution and give soft shadows. The umbrellas come in two different types; the refected and optical white shoot-through umbrella. Due to the semi-transparency of the fabric, shoot-through umbrellas have a small reflectivity. It is used to reduce the intensiveness of a strobe light, creating a fill light. Reflected umbrellas are highly reflective since the surface is dense. They are the most accessible type of lighting modifier to use.
There are also light accessories with light beams of directed and scattered character. Using them by themselves or combining them with other modifiers is their main advantage. Some examples are;
Beauty Dish
The light is shown when a beauty dish is both focused and soft due to its design. This is one of the most popular accessories used during fashion style shootings.
Background Reflectors
They have a particular design. This design puts defused light on the background and eliminates the unwanted glare from leaking to the camera's lens.
Snoot
A snoot is a tunnel for light to go through. It restricts the light in all directions except for the direction the strobe is pointed. You mainly use this to show and embrace the details of the subject or background. They are also sometimes used together with honeycombs, which create parallel light beams.
Barn Doors
These modifiers are for adjusting the light beam and consist of 4 moving leaves. There are two lagers and widening on the outside and two smaller and getting narrower towards the outside. Barn Doors are used for backlighting control and in background lighting setups.
Some additional accessories used are:
Colour Filters
They change the colour of the light beam. Unlike lens filters, colour filters don't change the entire scene's look; they mount on individual light sources and allow you to control the setting more accurately.
Triggering Devices
There are many types of triggers, like radio infrared and sync cords. When the camera shoots, these devices allow you to trigger the flash. You can sync the camera with an external flash when you don't have a triggering device. You can do this by turning on the "M" mode on it.
~ Radio triggers are the most favourable to operate and are the most popular. They use radio waves to transfer controlling signals.
~ Infrared triggers carry out synchronised using infrared channels. It results in a low effective range.
~ Sync cords control synchronisation using cables. Not many cameras have the correct port to plug it in, which is the one problem.
PHOTOGRAPHY LIGHTING:
Flat Lighting
Flat lighting is usually associated with portraits. The subject is well lit; it is directed in front of the person or landscape. Flat lighting is intense enough to mask the subject's face and body imperfections. This is wrinkles or skin problems.
Butterfly lighting
This is another type of lighting used in Portrait photography. The butterfly technique is named after a distinctive shadow shown under the subject's nose, similar to a butterfly. The light is helpful for creating accents on a person's cheekbones. On the other hand, the light can distort the face if the person has deeply set eyes.
Split Lighting
This is a type of shade light. Split light is easy to recognise in images; half of the picture is light, and half stays in shadows. This type of light allows us to add more shades and colours.
(an example of short light)
(an example of broad light)
Broad & Short Light
These are two more types of side lightings. By using broad light, the shadow must fall on the backside of the face. The same part is lit well in short light, while the shadow falls on the closest position to the camera.
These lights will make your photos look more lively and mysterious. Shadows can emphasise a subject's unique features or hide imperfections.
Loop Light
The light comes from the front and from above. Subjects can look more lively and cheerful with this slight.
Backlight
Backlighting is when the light comes from behind the subject. It adds softness and tenderness to the images.
WHAT IS STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY
Studio photography shoots a wide range of subjects. This includes people, animals, and various products, from vehicles to jewellery. The difference between a studio and a location photographer is that a studio photographer can control what happens in the image. A studio would usually start as an empty room. The photographer will then develop backdrops and decide what to include and exclude from the image. These can be costumes and items used in the set. Studio photography also uses a wide range of backdrops. These can be single coloured backgrounds for portraits or complicated ones, like an image of the beach, to make it seem like you were physically there.
With studio photography, the placement of subjects and lighting are critical to achieving the look wanted. Using the best models, costumes, or props will not make up for having bad lighting.
ARTIST RESEARCH #1
Born in Leszno on November 23, 1944, Poland, Peter Lindbergh is a German filmmaker and photographer. Lindbergh worked as a window dresser in Duisburg after receiving primary school education. At 18, he moved to Switzerland, then from Lucerne to Berlin months later, taking evening courses at the Academy of Arts. Following his idol Vincent van Gogh, Lindbergh travelled to Arles and continued to Spain and Morocco, totalling two years on the journey. Returning to Germany, at the College of Art in Krefeld, he studied Free Painting and whilst still a student, in 1969, he exhibited his work at the Galerie Denise René - Hans Mayer for the first time. His interests moved to photography in 1971, and he worked for Hans Lux, a Düsseldorf-based photographer, as an assistant for two years.
Peter Lindbergh started working for Vogue internationally after he moved to Paris in 1978. He first worked for the Italian, then the English, French, German, and American Vogue, after, for The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Allure, and Rolling Stone. Anna Wintour arrived at American Vogue in 1988 and signed Lindbergh for the magazine. The iconic 1990 January Vogue cover, which featured Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz, Cindy Crawford, and Christy Turlington, was photographed by Lindbergh. He shot Catherine Deneuve, Mick Jagger, Charlotte Rampling, Nastassja Kinski, Tina Turner, John Travolta, Madonna, Sharon Stone, John Malkovich, and countless others portraits.
His first book entitled "10 Women", a black-and-white portfolio of the ten top contemporary models, was published in 1996 and sold more than 100,000 copies as of 2008. He's photographed the Pirelli calendar twice in 1996 and 2002. Lindbergh shot the 2002 calendar on the backlot of Universal Studios, which featured actresses for the first time and was described as "Pirelli's most challenging calendar yet" by Germaine Greer.
This is a black and white photograph featuring well-known actress Angelina Jolie.
The image is in portrait format, with Angelina in the centre as the main subject. The juxtaposition of her white skin and dark background makes her stand out and instantly draws attention.
Peter Lindbergh took multiple images of Angelina at a significant point in her career for WSJ Magazine. Inside the November 2015 edition, Angelina is seen wearing cosy sweaters and dancer style bodysuits styled by fashion editor Anastasia Barberi and each image has a slight twist.
I want to take images that highlight the musician and show off the personality with this task. When Lindbergh photographed Angelina, she had just directed and written her new film 'By the Sea' but was also facing health issues, resulting in her ovaries being removed. These images created an effortless and neutral atmosphere showing the actress's powerful and vulnerable side.
I love that the images are solely about Angelina with the intense eyes drawing you in.
MOODBOARD #1
CONTACT SHEET #1:
PHOTOSHOOT EVALUATION #1:
For the first photoshoot, I took portrait images for one of the music students at my college. This photoshoot was very sudden. I didn't get a chance to plan or have complete control over what the model wore.
After speaking with the individual for some time, I decided on two different setups. I used a honeycomb diffuser with a white background for the first one. This diffuser softened the light and directed it into a tight circle beam, focusing on the model. As I took the images, I realised that the photos would be better in back and white and edited them in photoshop.
I used a red background for the second setup because the model exuded a warm and easy feeling. These images worked best with the model, and you can see how natural it was to take the photos.
Overall, I worked well on the spot and captured photographs that showed the musicians' personalities. I also think that making the images black and white and cleaning up the background a bit elevated the original raw file.
FINAL IMAGES:
PORTRAITS:
IMAGE #1:
(Raw File)
(Edited File)
IMAGE #2:
IMAGE #3:
WHAT IS PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY
Product photography is a type of commercial photography in which images of items are taken for commercial purposes.
Product photography aims to present an object in an appealing or fascinating light. Typically, the picture is used to promote a product. Persons can utilise the results in a catalogue, brochure, or website. You will see instances of product photography whenever you open an advertisement or visit a website where products are for sale.
Product photography's primary purpose is to capture a realistic image of the item that allows potential customers to understand the product. This is critical since the buyer can not inspect the item in person since they can't touch or feel it. The product photographer's task is to express the item's appearance and feel through the camera's lens. To summarise, product photography aims for appeal and realism.
ARTIST RESEARCH #2
Like a contemporary chiaroscuro, Zachary Goulko, a beauty, still life and product photographer, utilises the power of light and dark, creating the illusion of three-dimensional volume on a flat surface. The striking beauty of a face, the grace of a sculpture curve and the fluid flexibility between light, colour and form is the strength is moody and provocative images reveal.
Born in Moscow, Goulko's mission is to express the essence of each subject and present their charms in unexpected and fresh ways. His experiments are thorough, conjuring moods, twisting lines with tempo, and exploring shape and light structures.
Goulko's product and still life photographs are clean and detailed but unexpectedly intimate. Their measure of visual poetry is unique in the commercial photography world. He has photographed many prominent beauty and cosmetic brands with a fully equipped studio established in New York City.
Goulko continuously looks for new ways to push the technological limits in his art and fully express his creative visions with a design and interactive programming background. L’Oréal, Lancôme, Clinique, Estée Lauder, Strivectin, Shu Uemura, Frederic Fekkai, Patek Phillipe, de GRISOGONO, Roger Dubuis, and Zac Posen are among his clientel.
This image features beauty products against a whites background.
In total, there are four images in the centre of the frame. The light hitting the objects from the right separates them from the background and shapes them.
Zachary Goulko takes multiple product photos of several well-known brands like People Magazine, Teen People and SkinFix.
I chose to research him because he uses a variety of sets to complement the products he photographed.
Though the two products on the right are blending with the background, the reflection of the metallic covers makes it easier to see them. I also like the silver pieces' smooth texture, completing that simplistic unified look.
MOODBOARD #2
PHOTOSHOOT EVALUATION #2:
I decided to take photos of the products I wanted in colour for the first photoshoot. I chose to do this for these specific items because of their distinct colour features.
Before the shoot, I took some test shots and had a vague idea of the layout and how to frame the pictures. The only issue I knew I would have was the light setup. Because there is only one trigger, it limited the number of lights I could use. Of course, I could also use continuous light, but many of the lights in the studio at college have different colour light bulbs (white and yellow light bulbs), and I find it difficult to edit in post-production. This was why I would need to think quick on my feet and make it work.
I just utilised an empty cardboard box and placed sheets of paper inside to create that clean white background. Because there were side panels on the box, it created unflattering shadows on the objects. I decided to turn it around and use its back instead. This allowed the light to spread evenly on the paper.
For the metallic items (the statues and pin), I used a strip box to soften the light source and create a smooth finish to the photos. I used a honeycomb diffuser with the other items (pringle container and paperweight). This diffuser softens the light and directs it into a tight beam, preventing it from spreading.
Overall, I am very proud of the results but preferred a helper. If I had a helper, I would have elevated the images. The editing was straightforward as I only had to clean smoothen the backgrounds.
CONTACT SHEET #2:
PHOTOSHOOT EVALUATION #3:
I wanted to take these images in black and white for the second photoshoot. I realised the items used were very worn out, and I thought these elements would stand out, especially with the white background.
I took some test shots to have a vague idea of the layout and plan ahead of the photoshoot. I had to think of different ways to place the forks and spoons to create interest in the images.
I just utilised the same empty cardboard box and sheets of paper used in the first photoshoot to create that clean white background. I made sure to take these photos at different angles to show versatility.
I used a strobe, continuous light so that the items were properly lit so that the details were clearly seen.
I am incredibly proud of the final results. The images have a lot of detail, and I did minimal editing.
CONTACT SHEET #3:
FINAL IMAGES:
STILL LIFE WITH WHITE BACKGROUND:
IMAGE #1:
IMAGE #2:
IMAGE #3:
METALLIC OBJECTS:
IMAGE #1:
IMAGE #2:
IMAGE #3:
TASK EVALUATION:
ACME inc asked me to capture various unique images for their summer catalogue for this task. I had to photograph still lifes on a white background, metallic objects, and some portraits as subjects for the pictures.
I liked taking the product images. Planning which objects to photograph, working out how to light the subject while getting a clean background and seeing the results were the most fulling parts of the process. It was something new and exciting to try.
I didn't learn any new techniques, but I expanded on my skills. Planning and being flexible were the two skills that shone in this task. I had to think of what I was photographing, how to frame it, the execution, and adapt. The one skill I would like to try in the future is using multiple light sources to enhance my images.
The product photographer I researched was Zachary Goulko. I mainly studied him because of his images with a clean white background. Goulko paired many of them with white products that were still able to stand out due to his lighting. Peter Lindbergh was the photographer I decided to study for the portrait images. His natural, almost candid portrait images highlight the models and give the viewers a window into their personalities. These two photographers helped guide me through my planning and process in the assignment.
The most successful parts of the task were my arrangements of the household items and how I used black and white to enhance the photos.
If I were to do this assignment again, I would have liked more time to plan and control what happened for the portrait images. Though everything went smoothly, I think that these portrait images aren't as strong as the product photos.
Websites Used:
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