[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Alison 2
. This photograph was shot using both natural light and some strobe fill in the background with a
Bronica ETRsi medium format camera.
Fashion Photography:
The Addiction of Black and White
By David Mecey
C
ontrary to what appears to be the death of film
When I shoot in black and white, I tend to think
more in terms of sheer composition than when I’m
shooting with color, since color lends so much descrip-
tion to an image simply by being color. With black
and white you’re stripped of that luxury and are faced
with using only the placement of the elements in a
photograph, along with the attitude of the subject to
tell the story.
In the images that you see here, all were shot either
for a job or for personal projects. In them I am trying
to think in terms of creating a mood in black and
white rather than thinking in terms of technical mum-
bo-jumbo. I tend to rate my films according to what
I’m trying to achieve in effect rather than from a man-
ufacturer’s suggestion. I am absolutely adamant about
the quality of light that always strikes my subjects.
All of these images were shot with either Ilford FP4+
or the new Fuji Acros negative films, the Fuji film now
being my absolute favorite. It’s a film of almost grain-
APRIL/MAY 2004
by digital, there is still a core market out there
of individuals who see film as the one true ele-
ment of what photography is all about. In my mind
black and white in particular is the type of a film that
will never go away. It weathered the advent of color all
those years ago and it will weather the storm of digital
now.
There also seems to be another misconception that
shooting with black-and-white film is
easier
than shoot-
ing with color. Although the film may have a bit more
latitude when it comes to exposure, in order to shoot
high quality black-and-white images you still need to
adhere to the principles of good photography. You
need to think about composition, exposure and, if
working on a portrait or with models, you must also
think about rapport, pose, and lighting. All of which,
when you think about it, are the basics of photogra-
phy.
Jennifer.
Jennifer was a student at UCLA when I first ran into her. I knew instantly that she had model potential. This
photo was from a test she and I did on a dry lakebed about an hour and a half outside Los Angeles, CA. It was shot
with natural light on a blustery day with the temperature hovering around 110 degrees! I used a Minolta Maxxum 9.
C
AMERA
A
RTS
shooting with strobe is better for color and my reason-
ing is simple: when shooting a beautiful model in col-
or you’re trying to produce a smooth, gorgeous skin
color, which when shot in daylight without care, tends
to look a bit harsh, almost garish. But if you photo-
graph that same face within a studio setting using a
soft-box and strobe setup, her features will have that
smooth and beautiful look. While in black and white,
by exposing correctly as well as using reflectors for fill
or accents, that same face will look just as beautiful in
bright sunlight, which is probably part of the magic of
that film’s longevity and popularity.
Using sunlight as your key light source with only re-
flectors, or natural elements serving as reflectors, al-
lows you the freedom to think more about the shot. I
try to use the location as much as possible to help me
achieve this. I look for areas that might have white
walls or open shade that can serve as reflectors or scrims.
I look for objects that might serve as props or create a
shadow to heighten the mood of the photograph as
well. Along with that, I try to form a good rapport
with my models so that we’re both in tune to the pho-
tograph and totally relaxed during a shoot. Keeping a
photo shoot relaxed is so important in forming an at-
mosphere of creative fun, and that’s how I like to
shoot: having fun while creating beautiful images.
You should also plan ahead and make sure you have
all the necessary items to make your shoot a success.
Think about wardrobe, location, and the personnel
needed to help you make your shot a success long be-
Angela.
I shot this image in the late afternoon sunlight of
Venice, CA with a Bronica ETRsi medium format camera.
less tonality, with gorgeous skin-tones of luminous
gray. To me, it is the first film to come along in more
than a decade that can give me the same quality of
black-and-white tonality that the old Kodak Panatom-
ic-X once did, yet even smoother. For all you old-tim-
ers out there like me, you must remember that superb
film. To be able to simply think in terms of composi-
tion and mood, knowing that the film you’re using is
going to capture the scene in all its nuances of black
and white is such a confidence-builder. It allows you
the luxury of just thinking about the picture that is
before you rather than considering what filters or light-
ing devices to use.
Speaking of filters, as we all know, by placing a red,
yellow, or even green filter over the lens it heightens
the density, or saturation, of various opposite tones in
a photograph. Should you wish to really darken the
sky while making skin-tones pale, red is the answer.
But to simply make skin tones lighter while deepening
the sky, yellow works quite well instead. More impor-
tantly, you have much less exposure compensation to
deal with by using the lighter-colored filter. Yet, now
that I’ve said that let me also say that I rarely use any
filters over my lenses! I prefer to use the time of day,
angle of the sun, and proper exposure (along with a
superb lab for processing) to handle making my nega-
tives look nice. Though there are times when I may
throw a filter over the lens to produce an effect should
the mood strike.
Although I find natural light being the absolute best
when shooting with black-and-white film, and I feel
Chandra.
This image was originally shot for JC Penny in-store
displays and was done with totally natural light using a
Bronica ETRsi medium format camera.
APRIL/MAY 2004
Leg Ave
. This image of model Cara
Michelle is a favorite of mine. Leg Ave.
was a client of mine who is a manufactur-
er of lingerie and hosiery. I did this shot
for their catalog at a house in the
Hollywood Hills using one strobe for the
key light source with the sun serving as
my back-light fill. It was shot with the
Bronica ETRsi medium format camera.
fore the day of the shoot. Sure, you can find a friend
to serve as a model but make sure he or she is totally in
tune with being in front of the camera. It’s difficult to
make beautiful pictures when your subject is feeling
such anxiety he or she can’t relax during the shoot.
Also, if you can find a seasoned makeup artist and have
someone along to help you with your gear and setting
up your lighting, you will find your photographs be-
coming better still.
Many professionals work with assistants and make-
up/hair people. Though they may be an expensive lux-
ury for the non-pro shooter, there are many of those
people out there willing to
test
for free in order to build
onto their portfolios. This is something a photogra-
pher should try to exploit as much as possible. Ex-
changes of professional services between photogra-
phers, models, and other creatives are the backbone of
this industry. Use it as much as you can and your im-
ages will show a marked improvement, I promise.
Next, plan to shoot either early in the morning or
late in the afternoon, when the sun is at an angle rather
than directly overhead, much like you’ve been taught
when shooting color. Also, make sure you have the
necessary reflectors, stands, and equipment along for
those natural disasters that can occur, like wind and
rain.
I normally rate my films at ISO 80 rather than the
ISO 100 or 125 suggested by the manufacturers. That’s
just me and it is based on what I’m trying to achieve.
There are other times when I might rate the film at 200
to allow for some under-exposure as an effect. You
should experiment to see what you, as an individual
photographer, might prefer.
Just remember this, when working with a model, es-
pecially a female, the face is the most important ele-
ment in a photograph. So don’t overlook it in your
zeal to just get the shot. Be critical of your lighting.
And I mean very critical. Think about how the light is
really looking as it strikes the face. Become aware of
any cross-shadows or other minor highlights that
might cause the image to appear muddy or overly con-
trasty. With practice, this can and will become second
nature to you.
Finally, make yourself aware of the feelings of the
model. Be patient and professional in your demeanor
when directing someone whether he, or she, is brand
new to the industry or a seasoned professional. Use
some of their ideas to help mold the shot and always
be open to suggestions, whether you utilize them or
not. And always share your enthusiasm with your crew.
Your people love knowing they’re all doing a great job,
so let them know it.
I do hope some of these suggestions will help you on
your next photo shoot. Learning to think in tones of
gray is nothing that cannot be acquired with practice.
Like anything, the more you do it, the better you be-
come. So practice, practice, practice. Or in the vernacu-
lar of a photographer: shoot, shoot, shoot. And be
prepared to become a black-and-white junkie with
stacks of contact sheets strewn everywhere very soon.
C
AMERA
A
RTS
Mention this ad and receive 10% off your first order!
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
