litebook the creative lighting magazine
Glenn Norwood
Quick Tips:
with Jake Hicks Learn the secrets of shooting through crystals.
Jake Hicks
Building Blocks: Step-by-Step creative portrait lighting tutorial.
Luck of the Irish If you’re lucky enough to be Irish...you’re lucky enough.
Tory Smith
Fashion Statement Success through drive and ingenuity
NEWS TeamBowens Free ‘learn lighting’ resource
2015 Iss. 3 03 9 772041 067151
W E LC O M E
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elp at hand for the lighthearted. Talk to any professional and he/she will tell you that the key to successful photography is light. For us of course it’s a modus vivendi – a way of living that we obsess about sharing with all our customers across the globe. How to best share lighting know-how was the strategic driver behind the launch of our #TeamBowens initiative – a free mentoring programme for all aspirational photographers. The programme is populated by a growing team of some of the best practitioners of light known to man! And now we are delighted to launch the
new-look #TeamBowens website (teambowens. com) Take a peek. It’s simply the best thing under the sun. Irish fashion shooter Glenn Norwood (read about him inside) says he often gets asked about the camera he uses for certain images but he confesses: ‘I tell photographers it’s got very little to do with the camera - it’s all about how you light the shot. To me all the camera is doing is recording whatever is in front of me.’ Also in this issue London-based fashion photographer Tory Smith unveils her plans for a shoot in the Moroccan desert and tells us: ‘I like my photographs to appear natural, as though no artificial lighting has been used at all. In Morocco I’ll use my Gemini heads with
an Octobox as a key light in bright sunlight, and I’ll frame my model with the sun behind her.’ Trend-bucker Ben Morgan who runs Vessel Studios (with its 176 sq. metres of main studio floor space) in the heart of Liverpool’s docklands provides a fascinating insight into his highly successful mission to ‘involve the local community’ with his studio business. He says; ‘It’s become the creative hub I always wanted it to be. And now it’s an integral part of the community here.’ And don’t miss Jake Hicks’ take on how to best use glycerine and crystals – plus innovative tips on how to improve portrait shoots in his ‘Making Faces’ tutorial. David Hollingsworth
litebook: Published by Bowens International Ltd. Gilberd Court, Colchester, Essex, CO4 9WN. Email: litebook@bowens.co.uk - Any prices quoted are correct at time of press but may vary by retailer and are subject to change at any time. All models and technical specifications featured are subject to change and without notice. ‘Bowens’® and ‘the power behind the picture’® are registered trademarks of Bowens International Ltd. © 2015 Bowens International Ltd. E&OE. // Cover page image: ©Jake Hicks - JakeHicksPhotography.com // Contents page image: ©Glenn Norwood - NorwoodPhotography.co.uk
CONTENTS 04
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NEWS: TeamBowens. Check out our relaunched site for our highly acclaimed free tutoring programme dedicated to inspiring photographers.
PROfile: Glenn Norwood. “People ask which camera I use… I say it’s got very little to do with the camera, it’s all about how you light the shot.”
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PROfile: Tory Smith. “You only have to pick up a camera these days to be able to call yourself a professional, clients really need hard evidence that you can do justice to their ideas.”
Working Space: Vessel Studios. “The whole layout has proven to be really successful and it’s become the creative hub I always wanted it to be.”
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QuickTips: with Jake Hicks. Shooting through Crystals...okay, so lets make this crystal clear. Jake shows how to experiment with your imagery by adding creative elements.
LiteBites with Jake Hicks. Our challenge is to make whatever we have in our viewfinder as captivating as possible using the range of capture tools we have at our disposal.
#TEAMBOWENS
NEWS
Now there’s a new-look #TeamBowens website ake a look at www. teambowens. com. It’s our relaunched and dedicated site for our highly acclaimed (and free) tutoring programme for aspirational photographers, wherever they are in the world. In our world ‘light is everything’ and this ongoing education programme has enlisted some of the planet’s leading luminaries to spread the Bowens gospel. Our growing international family of Bowens-associated lighting technicians are on
hand with key advice on ‘how to do it better.’ Right now on the new site you can learn Jake Hicks’ secrets about soft coloured gel lighting on his blog post; read how master photographer Tony Corbell deals with his ‘final edit’ via Lightroom and note his ‘Ten ways to use the same softbox’. Craig Stidham discusses how to match your light with the available ambient light on location. Don’t miss Tim Meyer’s blog posts on ‘The beauty of the beauty dish’ and his special ‘four light portrait set-up’.
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Lou Freeman is talking about crafting ‘hard light’ and Wes Kroninger shares his skills on dance photography techniques. Other members of the #TeamBowens family to date include Trevor & Faye Yerbury; Nick Webster; Wayne Johns; Christina Lauder; and Christian Hough. Multi-awardwinning fine art specialist Trevor Yerbury tells Litebook: “#TeamBowens is all about making a difference, and whatever the question, this exclusive team of experts is going to have an answer.” TeamBowens.com
PROfile
Tory Smith
when
success
is a fashion statement It might be a crowded sector, but Tory Smith is proving that it’s still possible to make your name in the world of fashion photography if you demonstrate the right levels of drive and ingenuity.
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Tory Smith
In all the years I’ve been working with Bowens lights they’ve never once let me down.” To some the thought of trying to gatecrash a crowded and popular sector of photography like fashion and beauty might be daunting. But to Tory Smith it’s just another challenge. Five years after graduating from The Arts University College Bournemouth Tory is now firmly established in the business and is building an enviable reputation based on the individuality of her approach and the ability to collaborate with other creatives to tackle projects that perfectly showcase her talents. “I’ve been mad about photography since I was given a single use camera when I was eight years old,” Tory tells Litebook. “That led to me studying photography at A Level and from there I completed a foundation course and a degree. Then a move to London was inevitable as the capital city is where so many potential clients are based. Plus it’s the perfect place to forge new contacts and start to build my network.” “I started off assisting in a photographic agency and learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes of a shoot while I was there. At the same time I was making contacts and experiencing working with models, make-up artists and
stylists and I loved having the chance to be able to bounce ideas off other creatives. I found it thrilling and, for me, it adds to the excitement of the shoot concept. Eventually I reached the stage where I felt I was ready to set up on my own, and I’m now shooting for clients in the UK and worldwide. My work covers fashion, beauty, swimwear, jewellery, advertising and editorial.” Crucial to Tory’s progress has been her ability to develop a trademark style, and this is very much based around her ability to tell a story and to understand and use light intuitively, whether this is natural or provided in a subtle way through an artificial source. Ultimately clients are attracted by the fact that they know they will only get the image they envisage by hiring the photographer who can deliver that particular look, and this is the key to ongoing income generation. “I like my photographs to appear natural, as though no artificial lighting has been used at all,” says Tory. “I started using Bowens lights while I was studying and have gone on to use them as I’ve built my career. I’ve pretty much grown up with this kit. As my requirements 09
have increased I’ve added extra heads and softboxes, and it’s all been very intuitive. Alongside delivering the performance I need, the equipment has proved itself to be both robust and reliable. In all the years I’ve been working with Bowens lights they’ve never once let me down.” Tory favours Bowens Gemini 500 heads and stands, and when she’s on location she packs a Bowens pulsar TX radio trigger, a Lumiair Octobank 120 softbox and a large Travelpak for power on the go. “When I’m shooting outside I use my Gemini heads with the Octobank as a key light in bright sunshine,” she says, “and I’ll frame my model with the sunlight behind her. The Octobank delivers a soft output that lights the model’s skin in an attractive way, and this helps me to reduce contrast and to soften the edges of the shadows.” The next stage: Now she’s firmly established herself Tory is seeking commercial evolution by securing new and challenging assignments that will not only help her to grow as a photographer but will also enable her to shape the future direction of her career.
Tory's Key Equipment Lumiair Octo140 I love this modifier as I can achieve a softer light on the models skin, reducing contrast and softening the edges of the shadows. - bw1540
Gemini 500Pro Allows me to be creative & achieve exact light for my signature style. Robust & compact, great for travelling. - bw3925
Large TravelpakAlways saves the day when I’m in the middle of nowhere, on the side of a valley with horses or on a secluded areas in Morocco etc.- bw7694
To this end it’s crucial that she’s continually pushing herself and gaining fresh experience - all of which translates into images for her portfolio that will inspire clients to trust her with ever more demanding briefs. “There are thousands of photographers out there that clients can choose from,” Tory points out. “You only have to pick up a camera these days to be able to call yourself a professional, and so clients need hard evidence that you really can do justice to their ideas and their briefs. What I need to do is consistently demonstrate my creative and logistical skills - and I can only really do this by setting myself new personal projects and effectively taking on the kinds of jobs that I would like someone to commission me to do.”
together, while on the practical front she also needed to be able to handle a highly demanding working environment.
soared to well over 40 degrees Celsius at midday, and the need to assemble a team that could work well under pressure and still produce results, even when everyone was exhausted. Tory adapted accordingly and arranged both early morning and late in the day shoots, when the temperatures were more manageable. She also came up with a fresh and inspiring alternative location when one of the shade-free desert settings proved just too hot to handle. At the end of it all she returned to the UK with a stunning set of pictures that’s already landed her a plum overseas assignment in Portugal and the work looks set to open more doors in the future.
Most recently that mindset has led Tory to take on an ambitious three-day shoot in Morocco involving the assembly of a sixstrong creative team; handling the logistics of arranging flights; accommodation and travel within the country and then producing a set of dynamic images that made full use of the glorious and evocative locations she encountered in the desert. It was her first serious foray into overseas shooting and it required all of her organisational and technical skills to pull
“I first visited Morocco a year ago and immediately fell in love with the culture and the landscape,” she says. “The light was simply mesmeric. I knew it would be the most captivating backdrop for a creative shoot and I knew I just had to go back. “When I got home I started researching current fashion trends and creating mood boards. I persuaded brands to come on board, including swimwear companies and jewellery designers. I offered them pictures of their products in return for the off-set of expenses like flights and accommodation. Once things started to fall into place I had to pull my team together and find a suitable location. I was lucky to stumble across the Villa Dinari, just outside Marrakesh. It’s a fabulous Moroccan-style villa with incredible grounds, a pool and palm trees. It had everything I needed, and I could see the potential for pictures everywhere I looked.” As with any assignment that’s outside the usual comfort zone there were issues to manage, such as the punishing heat that 11
“It’s only by taking on projects such as this one that I’ll be able to encourage further similar assignments,” says Tory. “I’m showcasing what I can do, and bigger brands want proof that I can handle all the aspects of an overseas shoot, from the necessary permits through to the logistics of travelling around a foreign country and getting everyone safely there and back. “Seeing the images that I’m able to produce once I tackle environments like Morocco also enthuses clients. Ultimately it’s a win-win for all parties.” TorySmith.com
So let's make this crystal clear: ere’s another cool ‘shoot through’ technique (with some unique advantages) to add to your image creation arsenal. Crystals, specifically the ones that are clear, refract light as they are denser than air. These crystals are then cut refractions that create highlights and spectrals and it’s this quality that we are going to exploit photographically. When light is shone through them those highlights and refracted reflections can create some
terrific effects when they are very out of focus. The easiest way to do this is to hold the crystals in front of the lens with a shallow depth of field whilst focusing on your subject in the distance. Another key attribute that will aid the effect is to not only light your subject but the crystals in front of the lens too. This can result in some great bokeh and colour artefacts. I mention colour artefacts because this can be another of the unique properties associated with crystals; rainbow effects. Usually, along with the density of the crystal rainbow, colours can be seen as a result of shining light through them but antique crystals were also coated with lead and this is the main reason they shine so beautifully.
This shot was taken between two crystals held either side of the lens. By shining light directly at the crystals too you are able to create additional colours and highlights in the foreground. Crystals come in many different shapes and sizes so it’s worth getting a few different examples to generate different sized refractions and effects. Antique Crystals: Look out for the lead coating when choosing antique crystals. Most antique crystal was coated this way to enhance the ‘rainbow-like’ quality of light refractions and it’s this effect that can create very interesting bokeh in your shots. This shots was captured with an 85mm prime lens at f1.8. JakeHicksPhotography.com
PROfile
Glenn Norwood
When Irish eyes are smiling (It’s often with top Belfast-based photographer Glenn Norwood behind the camera) They say if you’re lucky enough to be Irish….. then you’re lucky enough.
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‘Photography to me has got very little to do with the camera
Glenn Norwood
it’s all about how you light the shot.’ Leading Irish advertising and fashion photographer Glenn Norwood got lucky by accident more than design or fate. He went to art school ‘because at the time that was all I was any good at’ and only ever picked up a camera because he had an obligation to visually record key elements of his course artwork. Glenn tells Litebook: “Eventually I realised that I just wasn’t cut out to be an artist after all… and just getting the feel of that camera in my hands completely changed the direction of my life. I landed a job in a large prolab run by award-winning photographer David Campbell and I started to learn about the art of photography and C41 and RA4 colour processing.” He adds: “Then David won a coveted Kodak Gold Award for his superb portraiture and it made me crave that kind of success. One year later I had a
Kodak Gold Award on my own mantelpiece!” After a couple of years devoted largely to a darkroom it was time to further explore the world of capture rather than continue with a prime focus on process and output. “I went to New York and it changed my life” he confesses. “It was a very emotional period for me. I love music and I began working in photojournalism, shooting the popular hip-hop bands of the time. I returned to Belfast full of confidence and with a new spring in my step.” That spring has been in Glenn’s step for more than twenty years now – and it’s manifested in the thriving Norwood Photography business he shares with his former model-turnedphotographer wife Trazanne. “I first met Trazanne at the prolab where she was doing
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some marketing work for David” explains Glenn. “I knew she was also a part-time model and it goes without saying that I just had to sweet-talk her into posing for my lens. The rest is history, as they say.” But Trazanne’s real ambition was always to be a professional photographer. “She just knew she would be happier on the other side of the lens,” says Glenn, “so she worked hard and became very successful with a camera in her hands. We developed the business together but we have always kind of gone our own ways within it. She has masterminded a niche boudoir business and as I focus on fashion, advertising and editorial photography, alongside our buoyant Norwood Training segment, we seem to have a number of photodisciplines covered off between us.”
‘In one sense you might think Bowense is a prettyw boringp brando because
Glenn Norwood
Five years ago the photo-duo invested in a stunning Victorian property in the Queen’s Quarter. That inventory includes a dozen Gemini 500Pro heads and ‘awesome’ Travelpaks for work away from the studio. Adds Glenn: “We really push the boat out on modifiers because that is what gives us the different lighting effects that we need – we’ve got at least four beauty dishes, for example. We’ve also got High Performance reflectors; Sunlite reflectors and an array of softboxes but the beauty dish is a Norwood staple. We could not live without it. It’s just so versatile – with or without a grid
– and there are almost limitless looks you can get from just one light. I try to be original with every session so we do lots of weird stuff with light; bouncing it off mirrors; using foil to create patterns; gels and wind machines. We use anything that creates movement.”
Glenn, triple Kodak European Gold Award winner; Kodak Portrait Photographer of the Year 2000 and BIPPNI Photographer of the Year 2010, has had his work featured in British Vogue Magazine and other leading titles – but these days he is also highly regarded as an educator.
He says: “These days there is an overabundance of competitors providing lighting equipment and I am often approached by other firms to swap – but I have no interest simply because what I have works. And I believe in the old saying: ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And with Bowens it ain’t ever broke!”
Six years ago he became a faculty member of the Belfast Metropolitan Institute of Higher and Further education, teaching not only photographic disciplines but also interactive multimedia design authoring.
everything works so perfectly all of the time.’ 19
‘I am a firm believerA in:’if it ain’tB broke,e don’t fix it’.
Glenn's Key Equipment 21" Silver Beauty Dish - this is the modifier I couldn’t live without! So versatile, I use it bare, with the diffuser for soft light or my favourite, with the grid for ultimate control. - bw1901
60º Grid Reflector and Grid Set - Another staple – again so versatile, can be used as subtle accent lights, hair lights, background light and rim lights. - bw1865
Universal Spot Attachment - I love experimenting with different or unusual light patterns and using the Spot with different gobos allows me to get ultra creative! - bw1880
He says: “The growth of the training side of the business was also a bit of an accident. When it all went digital I just knew I had to get to grips with it and I learnt Photoshop.
than shooting…so ultimately I took a bit of a step back. But pro-training is still a very important facet of our business.” But Glenn’s fees for training haven’t exactly kept pace with the inexorable march of inflation. “We haven’t increased our rates since 2005” he says. “So delegates can still invest in a full day of individual coaching for just £150.”
sometimes because some photographers only want to talk about the camera. But to me a camera, is a camera, is a camera! People say they’ve seen some work of mine and ask which camera I used…but I say it’s got very little to do with the camera it’s all about how you light the shot.
I’ve been a member of the BIPP for many years and I found some pros were seeking advice at that time. I decided to help them. I was just trying to give something back but it all became a bit of a monster. And then what was supposed to be just Photoshop advice and counsel morphed into lighting seminars and general photographic training and marketing.” “It was a bit weird because marketing had never been a strongpoint but at one point I ended up doing more training
Glenn’s training includes extensive lighting technique mentoring including ‘understanding flash and both studio lighting and off camera flash, plus Lightroom and Photoshop post production workshops. But he reveals: ‘I have to admit I do find it very frustrating
Cameras and the technical side of photography have never really interested me – and they still don’t. I am very low-tech in that way but I am very inquisitive. I love to tinker, experiment and create. And I can do that with light – but I can’t really do it with a camera because to me all the camera is doing is recording whatever is in front of me.” norwoodphotography.co.uk
And with Bowens it ain’t ever broke!” 21
Why Liverpool’s Vessel Studio thrives as a photo-heartbeat of a city community They say empty vessels make the most noise. But Ben Morgan’s eponymous and thriving independent film and photographic facility in the heart of Liverpool Docks is never empty and it’s making plenty of noise in northern photographic circles. any commercial photographers aspire to running their own studio space but the soaring price of property remains a major challenge to that ambition. Now the trend is to hire studio space as required – until the ownership dream can be realised. However, given the right entrepreneurial mind and the vision to involve the community in the space and it can still be done, as Ben Morgan is proving at Vessel, tucked away in the heart of Liverpool Docks. Vessel is a ‘trend-bucker’ in many ways, and it’s a fine example of what can be done given the right combination of drive and initiative. When Ben came across the space in 2012 it was serving as an art gallery and it clearly needed a lot of work to transform it into a place
that could comfortably house full-scale photographic and film shoots. However, the potential was there and, following a sharp intake of breath, Ben plunged in and set off on the eight month process of turning it into the studio of his dreams. “I studied at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design,” he says, “and moved to Liverpool when I graduated in 2008. I was attracted to the city’s creative scene and wanted to see what it had to offer. I joined a touring band as their live video artist, and quickly became involved in working on various creative projects with a variety of up and coming bands. After a few years of touring and freelance creative work I started to dream about setting up a studio of my own that would be suitable for both photography and film-making. Liverpool has so many empty warehouses, so I looked for the perfect space. The one we
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came across in the docklands area was perfect for our needs, and Vessel was born.” The main building work took nearly a year to complete, and facilities such as offices, a green screen area, make-up room and, best of all, a massive 10m wide infinity wall – believed to be the biggest in Liverpool – were all added. The studio comes with complete blackout curtains to allow precise lighting control while (if required) there’s also plenty of natural light flooding in through clear roof panels. There’s an acoustically treated floating ceiling in place - perfect for capturing clean audio. The final touch involved welding a structure in place to accept a Bowens Hi-Glide system, which keeps the floor decluttered and adds considerably to the health & safety credentials of the studio.
“Now it’s finished I’m really happy with how the space is structured,” enthuses Ben. “It’s designed both for use by myself and by visiting hire clients. In addition there are three tenanted in-house studio offices. The whole layout has proven to be really successful and it’s become the creative hub I always wanted it to be. In layout it’s pretty minimalistic, but it’s still comfortable and welcoming.” “The background I have in design gave me a real eye for detail, and I’ve used that to come up with the finishing touches: for example, there’s a salvaged spiral staircase, bespoke Vessel signage and a cafe bar installed, which can be used by crew on the day, either as a self-serve, or I can arrange for it to be staffed by
my team. During my re-design I retained enough of the building’s historic warehouse aesthetic to ensure its strong character was retained, and this has added to the photographic opportunities you can find around the space.” Attracting business: Vessel finally opened its doors in November 2012, and since that time it’s become fully established both as a leading professional space in the heart of Liverpool and, importantly, it’s also now an integral part of its local community. Famous faces photographed there to date include members of the Great British Olympic Cycling Team; Dominic Monaghan; Tina Malone; BBC Worldwide personnel; Russian super model Anastasia Krivosheeva; Ricky Tomlinson; Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and 24
many other signed bands. ‘Game Of Thrones’ producers; BBC Worldwide, Sky TV and Penguin Books are amongst the clients who have hired the space and there’s a growing affiliation with Liverpool FC, which began when Luis Suarez arrived at the studio pre-World Cup to be photographed for a Pepsi commercial. “To date we’ve had over half the team here at the studio on various occasions,” says Ben. “Most recently Steven Gerrard was here, being photographed for the cover of his autobiography just days before his last match with Liverpool.” Despite its central city location the studio is huge (176 sq. metres of main studio floor), and the space gives Ben room to accommodate ‘to die for’ features that are difficult to find
elsewhere. There’s a massive green screen facility, for example, which is often utilised by those shooting sports stills or commercials. It’s so large that athletes and footballers can move around naturally and not be in danger of moving beyond the edges. There’s also that wonderful cove, whose smooth and rounded edges ensure a shadowless white backdrop for even the largest of subjects. “On the film-making front a lot of DOPs (Directors of Photography) have expressed how much they have appreciated the extra space,” notes Ben, “because it allowed them to carefully craft their lighting set-up. We’ve comfortably housed crews of up to 30 on many occasions: the most recent visit was by Ron
“(the HiGlide) installation was a key part of my plan to offer a well-equipped professional studio, and
it’s just such spoton engineering. Howard’s film team, who were visiting Liverpool to interview affiliates of The Beatles. They required a lot of space for their various filming set-ups, and it was great to see that at least some of their footage was being produced using a vintage Bolex camera. The final film is being released in cinemas next year.” Lighting is another area where Vessel has plenty to offer, and the extensive HiGlide system that’s been in use from day one 25
is a crucial part of this. “It’s a brilliant bit of kit,” Ben confirms. “Its installation was a key part of my plan to offer a well-equipped professional studio, and it’s just such spoton engineering. The practical aspects mean there are no trailing cables, while the pantographs are so user-friendly they allow someone to position the rails easily even if they happen to be holding a camera in their other hand at the time!”
“I’ve got a selection of Bowens Gemini heads. I was attracted to them by their highly impressive build quality. For someone running a hire studio this is a crucial consideration.” “I’ve got a selection of Bowens Gemini heads that I’m using. I was attracted to them by their highly impressive build quality. For someone running a hire studio this is a crucial consideration, and the equipment I invest in has to be durable: so far they’ve never let us down. We also use Bowens beauty dishes in the studio for portrait work; reflectors to add catchlights; snoots which are perfect for close up product photography and, of course, a selection of trusty softboxes, which deliver a brilliant all-round light that’s easy to use even if you’re not an experienced photographer.” Part of the community: Along with his hire facilities Ben has also set-up an in-house production company, which concentrates on shooting and producing music videos. He’s also made a conscious decision to give something back to the community and to that end he’s been open to ideas from local photographers who have approached him with their own ideas for the space. “I’ve always intended Vessel to operate in this way,” he says. “To this end I’ve built strong relationships with numerous local businesses and have sometimes made sacrifices in order to offer services to local art groups and unsigned bands. I think very carefully about how I run the place, and the sheer diversity of the work being made here underpins the fact
that Vessel has creativity at its heart. People can comfortably approach me with unique and sometimes quite ‘off the wall’ briefs, which maybe they couldn’t pitch to other commercial studios.” “Ideally my growth plans for Vessel will allow me to create new jobs and opportunities for my creative friends and colleagues, and as well as helping them to build their own portfolios it will also enable me to develop my in-house crew of professional creatives.” Another progressive idea involves what Ben terms as ‘obscura’ events, which are photography life session workshops, where the studio sources a selection of models and creates appropriate sets, scenarios and lighting set-ups for them, inviting photographers to sign up for a shooting session. “We set visual themes and obstacles for the photographer,” says Ben, “and during the workshop we’ll be teaching lighting and camera technique and helping photographers to get the best possible pictures with the model.” “It’s all designed to give less experienced photographers the chance to build a striking and professional portfolio whilst learning different lighting setups. They’ll also get to work with a professional model that they might like to use again, and it’s a chance to do some serious networking. Attendees will also have the chance to exhibit their 26
work at the studio at the end of the year, so it’s an opportunity to put work out there and to get noticed.” It’s been quite a heady first three years for Vessel Studios and now Ben is looking to consolidate his position and to build on current success. “I’m seeing much more work coming in through the doors,” he says, “there are more commissions coming in for the production team and our hire base is building all the time. I’m now looking to expand into another large unit downstairs, which would allow street access to vehicles and open up another opportunity.” “Automobiles are a passion of mine, and I’ve already done two shoots for Vauxhall Motors. However, these needed to be shot at other locations, and I’d love to start offering a proper facility for car photography here.” “I’d also like to build a dedicated soundproofed green screen zone downstairs as well, but these are all plans for the future. Right now it’s good to see the studio always busy and to appreciate the fact that we’ve become an established part of the Liverpool creative scene. That’s quite something after just three years and now we’re looking to build from there.” More information: liverpoolstudios.co.uk
LiteBites
Jake Hicks
N
o matter what our prime photo-discipline might be most of us camera junkies have at some point had the opportunity to take pictures of people. It may well have been a fashion shoot, a corporate headshot or even a hair campaign but the reality is that most of the time we are taking shots of people who need a portrait, whether it’s for a client, a friend or a family member.
Sometimes our shoots aren’t in the most glamorous of locations or assisted by a plethora of haute couture fashion labels waiting in the wings, so we have to work a little harder to make our images truly compelling. Our challenge is to make whatever we have in our viewfinder as captivating as possible using the
range of capture tools we have at our disposal. Sometimes a classic clean and simple one light portrait is enough, and if lit correctly, a strong single light shot can look terrific. But if we want to build on that there a lot of things we can do to make a simple portrait substantially more engaging.
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C
C
A: Gemini w/ Beauty Dish B: Gemini w/ Lumiair 60x80cm C: Gemini w/ Maxilite & Grid
B
A
LiteBites
Jake Hicks
For this shoot I wanted to create a set-up that highlighted how I construct an image and explain the rationale behind some of the decisions I make. It's also important to note that each and every step of this set-up creates a perfectly useable image in its own right. You could stop at any stage and feel content with the image as it presents at that point. This series of techniques simply seeks to illustrate how you can keep building on an image to add more depth and interest to your portraits.
Step One: To begin I position my first light directly in front and above my model. I then attach a 21" Silver Beauty Dish with a Diffusion Sock and angle it down towards the model at 45 degrees. This dish is by far and away my most used key-light modifier as I love the soft and even lighting it gives on the model’s skin.
I use the diffusion sock to reduce some of the darker shadows by allowing the light to soften a little. The beauty dish itself is about at arm’s length from the model and only just above eye level. This will ensure the most flattering lighting by getting a lot of light in the model’s eyes and
with those tell-tale large circular catchlights in the eyes to add sparkle. This simple and classic portrait effect is often referred to as 'butterfly lighting'.
Key Light: Gemini with 21" Silver Beauty Dish
Step Two: The next light to join my set is the fill light. This is a small Lumiair 60x80 softbox positioned at the model’s feet on a floor stand angled up towards her. It's important to note that I actually aim my fill light at the model’s chest. This means that the light actually falling on the face is slightly feathered, resulting in an even softer effect.
The power of this light is also crucial as it should never appear to be more powerful than your key light. I like to have just enough power to illuminate the detail under the model’s chin and eyebrows. This extra detail in your shot will be vital when it comes to post production because you now have a lot more information to
Fill Light: Gemini with Lumiair 60x80cm Softbox
work with. If you decide to add more contrast later on you can increase it without clipping the black point, something that may not be possible without a fill light.
One:
Two:
LiteBites
Jake Hicks
ADDING A BIT OF COLOUR TO YOUR PORTRAITS CAN REALLY HELP TO EXPLOIT IT TO ITS Step Three: The third step is to add depth to the image by picking your model out from the background. Sometimes your portrait will be set against a plain studio background so the addition of hair lights can really help. Here I have added two gridded flash heads behind the model, pointing back towards the back
of her head. I have positioned them just out of shot to the left and right of frame and raised them up above the model’s head- height and angled down.
ears. Another advantage of raising them is that you can often light the top of the head in addition to the sides.
Raising these hair lights up like this is key, as failing to do so can often cause unflattering shadows to form on the model’s
Key Light: Gemini with 21" Silver Beauty Dish
Step Four: This next step is a personal choice but sometimes adding a bit of additional colour to your portrait can really help to exploit it to its full potential. Be mindful though of the other colours already in the shot. If the model is already wearing quite muted tones the addition of some coloured gels will certainly add some interest. In this step I have introduced coloured gels
to the back lights behind the model and the coloured effect can clearly be seen on the sides of the model’s hair. Always be mindful, when using multiple coloured gels, that certain colours will always work better together, so employ some basic colour theory during that selection process. As a general guide I would suggest that you start out with
Fill Light: Gemini with Lumiair 60x80cm Softbox
combining complementary colours - colours that are opposites on the colour wheel. For this shot I have chosen orange and blue as these two colours always tend to look good together.
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LiteBites
Jake Hicks
Step Five: As I mentioned earlier, a common problem with studio photography is the less than interesting backgrounds you have to work with and often in your portraits you will find these large blank areas of uninteresting backgrounds to the left and right of your model’s head.
To remedy this in the next step I simply added a diffusion filter to my camera lens. I have not changed anything else in the set-up. I haven't adjusted the power of the lights or moved them. All I have done is to add that lens filter to create the coloured lens flare effect on either side of the model’s
head where before there were only empty spaces. What the diffusion filter does is to diffract the light that enters the lens.
Key Light: Gemini with 21" Silver Beauty Dish
Step Six: For this final stage I have introduced a specialist lens; a Lensbaby Composer Pro. This neat piece of kit distorts part of the image selected by the user. In this shot I have chosen to blur the bottom part of the image, forcing the viewer’s attention to
the model’s eyes and face. This is a useful trick, especially if your image is busy visually. By blurring certain areas you can guide your viewer’s focus for a more engaging picture overall. Finally, I added the Jetstream wind machine to blow the
model’s hair and add a sense of movement to the shot that matches the blurring effect.
Fill Light: Gemini with Lumiair 60x80cm Softbox
To conclude... What's most interesting about this set-up is that the final image looks incredibly complicated. But by breaking it down step by step and light by light you can see how each and every stage is relatively simple.
The other great thing about the techniques used here is that so many of them of them can be used in combination (as we see here) or simply in isolation. The parameters of creativity are yours to set.
check out more great lighting tips and tutorials @ TeamBowens.com
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Fashion lighting one step at a time with Christian Hough