Litebook 2012/04

litebook October-December 2012

the creative lighting magazine

meet the new Creo flash generator...

C o n t e n t s

N

Now is not the winter of our discontent. In fact quite the opposite.

We’ve just showcased brand new products at two major trade shows and the response at both was simply outstanding.

In mid-September we took ourselves off to the IBC broadcast technology exhibition in Amsterdam to showcase our latest videography products from Limelite – a new Bowens subdivision.

Limelite is an exciting new venture for us and IBC proved a real catalyst for the Bowens ‘seek out new markets’ strategy.

(And we plan new Limelite product launches in 2013).

Then it was photokina, Cologne just a few days later. And what a show that was too! I swear I’ve never seen so many people packed into one stand (ours).

In Germany we announced THREE new products: Creo generators; a new larger beauty dish and a new version of our ‘oh so cool’ Jetstream Wind Machine.

Creo is the revelatory new high performance multi-voltage pack – complete with built-in advanced self-cooling system and ultra-fast, action-stopping flash durations.

It’s the culmination of two years’ research and talks with photographers and imagists - focusing on exactly what they need in a generator. The competitively priced Creo offers pinnacle performance previously only found on far more expensive generators.

And also inside we catch up with New York-based fashion and beauty photographer, Raya, who explains why: ‘Lighting is my signature’.

And check out our piece on Jim Markland - this guy dances to a different tune.

This issue is just packed with great stuff. Enjoy.

And we look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

David Hollingsworth.

Editor.

03. NEWS Bowens launches new ‘ultra-fast’ generator and other studio essentials including a new wind machine and a beauty dish.

04. Wayne Johns Creo Test Drive One - Wayne gets to tryout how much power the Creo packs can punch.

08. steve brown Creo Test Drive Two - Steve puts the fast recycling and flash duration of the Creo through a tough test.

14. raya

Catch up with well-travelled, international fashion and beauty shooter Raya Meerzoumen.

22. sanduanjin studio Beijings premier photo studio opens their doors to Litebook.

26. jim markland Retirement is a ‘nonsense’ word to former petroleum economist turned top dance photographer.

32. LITEBITES Litebook favourite Christian Hough talks us through a series of portraits using Bowens new ‘Beauty Dish’.

litebook: Published by Bowens International Ltd. 355-361 Old Road, Clacton-On-Sea, Essex, CO15 3RH. Tel: +44(0)1255 422807. 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. © 2012 Bowens International Ltd. E&OE. // Cover image: © Steve Brown - www.stevebrownphoto.co.uk

News

introducing the next generation

W

e’ve expanded our product range to include a new prolevel ‘multi-voltage’ generator pack. The pioneering high performance Creo packs have advanced, built-in selfcooling systems, and boast ultra-fast, action-stopping flash durations and easy to use intuitive controls.

Robert Cook, marketing director said: “The Creo packs are the culmination of two years’ research. We talked extensively to photographers, commercial studios and rental houses about their ‘wish list’ requirements

for the next generation of packs – and we have come up with ‘pinnacle performance’ 1200Ws and 2400Ws models with specifications that until now could have only been found on the most expensive generators. Previous price points meant ownership was out of reach for many photographers but the new Creo with its legendary Bowens build-quality and outstanding overall performance, offers superb value without compromise.

A new optional Creo infrared remote control unit also enables operation without the user needing to leave his/ her camera position. Additionally, the

packs have adopted the popular Pulsar radio trigger card system found on our best-selling Gemini monolights. The card plugs into a control panel slot and

provides instant wireless freedom.”

and we’ve also just launched...

A

new, larger beauty dish and a new version of our acclaimed Jetstream Wind Machine.

stands for floor use, or they can be mounted onto a standard lighting support stand.”

Robert Cook said: “No fashion studio is complete without a Jetstream. Our new models feature intuitive digital control panels and the ability to be controlled remotely from the Gemini monolight IR remote control.

They come complete with their own

The new 53.5 cm diameter dish is 40% larger than the Softlite version and includes a fabric diffuser cap; an optional honeycomb grid is also available.

litebook

For more info visit: bowens.co.uk

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“I used the Creo 2400Ws units with anything between one and four light set-ups throughout the day. It was flawless.” Wayne Johns.

WayneJohns

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL T

op fashion and advertising shooter Wayne Johns won the commission to shoot a series of promotional images for our brand new Creo generator.

Wayne decided to work with a boxing analogy, ‘to highlight the sheer rugged power and punch of the Creo pack’.

He tells Litebook: “The Olympics were happening and so we agreed on a ringside theme.

The idea was to illustrate in a series of images

just how this pack can really punch above its weight.”

Adds Wayne: “I tracked down a boxing club in Southampton and asked the owners if they would like to get involved in an all day shoot with us. They loved the idea and gave us the name of a boxer they thought would suit our needs – Scott Parry.

I still draw storyboards; design shot sequences and light set-ups pre-shoot – close-in crops and pull back full body shots etc – both for the ring and location too.

“It’s simple and straightforward. Just what you need.

The Creo is a cool and rugged piece of equipment”

I got my team together: two assistants; a make-up artist and my film guy – plus my trusty Leica S2... and we got to work.”

“I was after nice clean shots at the start to show detail and lighting; then I wanted more gritty and dirtier shots, plus more aggression as we went on.

I list all my shots too. So Shot One is my close-up portrait. My description of each shot is for my assistants as well as the model and the make-up artist involved.”

Wayne is a total perfectionist (this Sunday shoot started at 9am and finished at 7pm) and writes down everything. He storyboards the lot before he picks up the camera.

“I list out exactly what I want from my lighting set-ups and I still draw lighting diagrams too. This ensures my assistants know where I want the light to be to match my storyboards that have been specifically drawn for light and shadow purposes. And in there will be a little one line description of what the shot is: E.g. ‘Shot One is a close-up portrait of the boxer in a hooded top with the hood up, against a white brickwork wall and the boxer’s face must show beads of sweat.’

And the bigger the shot, the more detail I give.”

Next Wayne ‘psyches’ out the model boxer (who is not experienced with pro-shoots like this one)

Explains Wayne: “I needed to get him in the right frame of mind. I tell him to imagine something that will give me the look I need. The first shots are non-aggressive but later I need him pumped up; muscles ripped, black greasepaint and oil applied.”

So how did the shoot pan out?

Says Wayne: “The location was the only real challenge. There were some stunning windows behind the ring that I really wanted in shot but I hadn’t anticipated the amount of sunlight coming in that day. This posed a problem equipment-wise and affected settings – which in turn meant I would have to do far more post production work than I really wanted. The sunlight was bouncing off the building behind like a giant reflector. It was so bright I just couldn’t overpower it with the flash I had.”

“The flash had the power but I didn’t have the settings in camera to be able to compensate. I was stuck at 1/125 sec and even at f22 I couldn’t dim the window light down enough. Ideally, I would have liked to have used neutral density filters to block that down and then throw the power of the Creo packs up and overpower the daylight coming through.

But with no filters and because we

couldn’t block the windows out I was stuck with too much light coming in the window. So I had to revert to post production solutions.”

But he confesses he loves the new ‘power pack’ Creo he was commissioned to photograph.

“This is just a blinding piece of kit” he enthuses. “I wasn’t shooting at fast shutter speeds because I had no movement to deal with per se but the consistency and power, burst after burst, and the colour temperature stability was superb. It was just bang, bang, bang reliable. Every shot.”

“I used the Creo 2400Ws units with anything between one and four light set-ups throughout the day. It was flawless.”

He adds: “I really liked the new intuitive control panel too. It’s simple and straightforward. Just what you need.

The Creo is a cool and rugged piece of equipment and I appreciate the twin handles on top. It’s nice to be able to pick the pack up easily. This is kit that will definitely be part of my own inventory from now on.” www.waynejohns.com

Special thanks to...Sarah Elizabeth Abbot - Make-Up Artist // Nick Humphries - Retouching // Scott Parry - Model // Dean Spencer & Lel Burnett - Assistant // Millbank Gym, Southampton - www.millbankgym.com

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The wheels on Lorna’s skates were frozen so completely that you could see the dust on them while every strand of her hair and even the scratches on her helmet had been registered pin sharp. Steve Brown.

SteveBrown

frozen in time It’s difficult to imagine a more high-octane sport than Roller Derby, and when photographer Steve Brown was looking to achieve some pin-sharp action shots he turned to the latest Bowens Creo generator for help.

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bowens.co.uk

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There was no doubt at all when I sat down and looked closely at my image files that the Creo had done the job I was looking for.

“I was first introduced to the sport of Roller Derby when my wife Lorna took it up, and she’s now one of the star players in the London Rollergirls, the UK’s top roller derby league. I was fascinated by the drama and intensity of it all and I’ve taken a number of pictures of Lorna’s team that they’ve used on posters and for publicity purposes. However, until recently great action shots had always eluded me, and I wanted to find a way of setting up some trackside images that would really capture something of the intensity of an actual bout.

completely and I was left with a certain amount of subject blur.

“I decided to approach Bowens to see if they could help me and they offered to lend me some of the new Creo generators that they were just introducing. These looked like they might be perfect for the shoot I had in mind, because the 1200Ws and 2400Ws models that had just been launched came with specifications that included ultra fast recycling, flash durations as fast as 1/5000sec, up to eight flashes a second and a 10-stop power range.

“The problem is that not only is Roller Derby a really fast sport, but also that the venues the girls tend to bout and train in are often sports halls that are quite poorly lit. You can up the ISO to levels such as ISO 3200 to get the shutter speed that you need, and there are some dedicated sports photographers out there who are producing some fantastic images, but that’s not my speciality and I prefer to set things up in a studio situation and to be in control of things. This in turn means the use of studio flash, but when I did a session using my usual set of Bowens Gemini 500s it wasn’t possible to freeze the action

“I set up a shoot using the units at the Bridge Park Leisure Centre in Stonebridge Park, which is where the league trains, and used three generators and five heads. My camera was a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and I partnered this with 24-70mm and a 70-200mm lenses, setting an ISO speed of 100 and working at the flash synch speed of 1/200sec.

“I was relying on the speed of the flash to freeze everything, and I had to compromise a little because I’d set an f-stop of f/10 to give me a reasonable depth of field to play with. There was no way I could follow focus given the

speeds the girls were travelling at, and so I picked a point on the floor to focus on and waited for them to come to me.

I could have moved the flash heads closer to the track to throw more light on the girls, but the skaters needed the room to get around and it might have got dangerous. In the end I set the power level on the lights to 6 out of 10: had I gone lower than this I could have achieved a faster flash speed, but the aperture would have been wider and it was all about finding a compromise that worked for me on all levels.

“There was no doubt at all when I sat down and looked closely at my image files that the Creo had done the job I was looking for. The wheels on Lorna’s skates were frozen so completely that you could see the dust on them while every strand of her hair and even the scratches on her helmet had been registered pin sharp.

“I’m delighted with the results, which are exactly what I was after. It’s a great set of shots that the team will be able to use for publicity and, for me, it’s satisfying to have been able to face up to this particular challenge and to come away with something that has worked so well.” www.stevebrownphoto.co.uk

Special thanks to...Ben Grubb (filming) - www.bengrubb.co.uk // Mens London Roller-Derby League - wwwsoutherndiscomfort.co.uk // Womens London RollerDerby League - www.londonrollergirls.com // Lorna (Model) - www.kamikazekitten.co.uk

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Profile

Raya

Raya:

‘My lighting is my signature’ Litebook recently caught up with well-travelled New York-based advertising, fashion, beauty and jewellery photographer/videographer Raya.

Here’s what we asked and how she responded:

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bowens.co.uk

My first Bowens monolight lasted over a decade – I love the fact that their equipment is logical, robustly constructed and very intuitive to use.

Litebook: Tell us a bit about your early life and ambition.

And what is your full name?

Raya: My name is Raya Meerzoumen but I just work with ‘Raya’ for all my magazine and advertising credits. People find me by searching for ‘Raya Photographer’. I have spent much of my life in France (before working in New York and also Hong Kong) I was initially inspired by collecting portraits of famous actors shot in elegant style by Studio Harcourt - a famous photography studio founded in Paris in 1934 by the brothers Lacroix.

Later I thought long and hard about what kind of creative career I might pursue. I was employed in various jobs like waitressing and telemarketing – even a part-time dental assistant. I did anything that paid me enough money to pay the bills while I concentrated part-time on my photography. I used any money I could save to buy photo-equipment. My first camera was a 35mm autofocus Canon EOS 100. Then it was a case of working hard to build a portfolio.

LB: Why did you decide on fashion?

Raya: I just wanted to make women look really beautiful; the hair; the make-up, the clothes – and of course, the perfect lighting. This is an element of creativity that really excites me.

LB: Are you self-taught?

Raya: Yes. So it took me a while to experiment and learn for myself about equipment and lighting. I confess I am inspired more by magazines than photographers.

Magazines like Italian Vogue or Numero – where the images are often more about art than about fashion.

LB: How did you manage to win your first meaningful commissions?

Raya: My first big client was a well-known French lingerie brand. I thought their advertising sucked so I

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contacted them and told them. Out of nowhere I found myself negotiating a billboard and catalogue campaign.

At that point I was very inexperienced about fees so I just plumped for a pretty high amount. Fortunately they accepted the whole deal.

LB: What about times when things haven’t gone right on a shoot?

Raya: I started working for a Paris-based fashion magazine and during the very first shoot I had a brand new medium format camera. But it wouldn’t start. All the team were waiting – including the fashion editor. Finally I realised the camera required one of those small round batteries in addition to the regular variety.

I tore off to the nearest store and jumped the queue to grab the battery and get back to the shoot.

On another occasion we were shooting in a major department store in Paris and the store security staff completely forgot we were there. They turned off all the lights, closed down the elevator and turned the alarm on.

We had no choice but to trek down six floors in the dark with all our equipment and the models.

Anything can happen on a shoot but you just learn to deal with it. Once we almost set fire to a grand old wooden floor in a French castle. We had lights that were too powerful for the archaic electric system. On another occasion we put a pearl necklace round a goat’s neck and he ate it.

LB: How hard has the journey been so far? The toughest and the best moments?

Raya: When I first started I found it hard to get people to take me seriously. I went to client pitches and appointments and often they didn’t even turn up. Sometimes, when I was trying to show my portfolio, the agent or client would be on a mobile phone and hardly paying any attention to me or my work at all. But you just learn to get tougher.

bowens.co.uk

[complete this sentence]

....I love this profession because...... ....it became part of me. It allows me to express all the creativity that churns in my head. [ LB: ]

[ Raya: ]

You also get people giving you totally opposite opinions on the same image – so you have to trust your own instincts.

This is the toughest part. And working with clients who don’t really know what they want, and keep changing their minds, can drive you nuts – but you must stay calm and professional and guide them the best way you can.

The best feeling is to be booked for jobs at beautiful locations – perhaps a sunny white sand beach in the middle of winter. And shooting with a team of people you really get on well with. The ultimate reward is to see all that hard work published.

too. Then, if the model gives me something additional, I shoot it – but only if it feels right.

LB: Describe your shooting style. What makes you different?

Raya: I try to tell stories – whether it’s a fashion shoot or beauty or jewellery. I try to evolve with fashion trends; colours and the new type of models. I love sophisticated lighting but everything - the clothes, the model’s face, the hair and makeup – it all has to come together like a jigsaw.

The model will always look glamorous with a hint of humour or provocation. All these elements must combine at the right time to create the perfect picture.

But I also get lucky with models that really know how to pose and give the photographer exactly what she/ he wants and needs. I shot with Natashi Poli when she was still a fresh new face in Paris – I knew within minutes she would be a star. Providing a genuine expression for a photographer is not something a model can learn over time. They either have it or they don’t.

LB: How do you brief a model? Do you discuss the shoot in depth before you pick up a camera?

Raya: I start by making sure I fully understand the client brief. Then we set about finding the girl that will best fit the storyline. (My favourite type of model has very pale skin, blue eyes, a thick mouth and very blond hair.)

Before the shoot begins I try to make sure the model feels comfortable with the team (and my pet dog always brings a good friendly vibe to the studio). Often I will draw sketches with my intended model poses before the shoot

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LB: Some models can be hard to work with, right?

Raya: In France the models just won’t stop smoking so you have to manage the breaks and still try and stay on schedule. When models turn up and immediately ask when the shoot will end you know it’s going to be a nightmare. Some girls just don’t know how to give you a real expression – I really think agencies sometimes need to make a better job of model selection.

LB: What about your team?

Raya: It is vital we all get the same creative feel. I won’t work with ‘style divas’ that constantly push to get their personal vision all the time. It’s a team thing.

LB: You have some great clients: Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Cartier and many more. How do you keep them happy over a long period of time?

Raya: Clients come and go. They don’t usually just stick with one photographer. It’s about new ideas – but sometimes you can have a great idea and the client then gives it to a different photographer to shoot. That’s just the way it is.

bowens.co.uk

I love sophisticated lighting but everything - the clothes, the model’s face, the hair and makeup – it all has to come together like a jigsaw.

LB: Your equipment inventory right now?

Raya: I shoot with a Hasselblad H3D with 80mm and 150mm lenses. I also have sets of Gemini Pro heads (500Ws and 1000Ws) with a variety of reflectors, snoots, grids etc. My favourite piece of Bowens kit is the Softlite reflector with the Grid Diffuser that I use for beauty shots. I also adore the Keylite reflector raw for very strong contrast.

Plus I have a location set-up for outdoor shoots and a set of Pulsar radio triggers. If I am shooting a catalogue that requires classic light I will use an umbrella turned three quarters of the way – so the light is not flat.

My first Bowens monolight lasted over a decade – I love the fact that their equipment is logical, robustly constructed and very intuitive to use.

LB: Why is lighting so important to you?

Raya: I think it is 95% of the shoot. I always create the lighting myself – never an assistant.

It’s my vision. Sometimes that needs to be explained firmly to new assistants who try to show off in front of a client and start to move the lights.

Lighting is crucial. You can get a tacky picture with poor lighting whereas the same shot can be chic and dramatic if the lighting is well-thought out. My lighting is my signature.

LB: How important is post production to you?

Raya: It’s really important – not to change the lighting or the overall feel of the image, but to clean the imperfections.

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Clients expect it.

But my post production work on fashion shoots is minimal.

It doesn’t take long to clean the background, smooth the skin and perhaps add a bit of contrast. For beauty pictures I will have a professional retoucher clean the skin.

Cosmetic firms demand perfect skin - and that can only be achieved with Photoshop.

LB: How important is videography to you today?

Raya: I want to get to a point where I can shoot more video. I love the emotion you can create when you mix it with music. The lighting is different but I can still tell a story with the shoot. When I start my heart is pounding but it feels good. I am still on a learning curve with this new discipline.

LB: Is it getting easier or harder to make a living?

Raya: The fact that I tend to move around doesn’t make it easier because I am always having to create new networks. Budgets are decreasing so I’d say it is getting harder. But you can get lucky, meet the right creative director and get a really good lucrative job.

LB: And the next five years?

Raya: Shoot the cover of Italian Vogue. Get rich. Buy a big loft in SoHo, Lower Manhatten and fill it with Bowens lights. Acquire another pit bull terrier and convince my daughter not to be a pop star. www.rayaphotographer.com

bowens.co.uk

WorkingSpace

Sanduanjin Studio

Snapshot Of A Top Chinese Photo-Studio L

itebook: Can you give us a little background information about Sanduanjin?

Sanduanjin Studio: Li Guofan, one of China’s most famous fashion photographers, launched Sanduanjin Photography Studio in Beijing in 2009 – and he still heads the team as lead photographer today. The studio focuses mainly on commercial, fashion and wedding photography and plans to maintain and develop its industry-leading status in our domestic marketplace.

LB: Describe the studio premises and staff set-up.

SS: Currently the studio has a total of 20 staff: eight photographers; four make-up artists; three stylists; three marketing staff and two customer service personnel. Our new building, adjacent to the super highway beside East Fifth Ring Road, covers an area of 850 square metres, including 400 sq. metres for three studios; 200 sq. metres for public space and 250 sq metres for post-production activity.

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LB: Tell us about the different photo-disciplines handled by the studio.

SS: Right now we engage 100% in commercial, portrait and wedding photography – and we are handling 5-8 groups of sitters each week.

LB: Are there big differences in style between Chinese and western consumer image preferences?

SS: In recent years Chinese consumers have started to demand new, fresh approaches to photography. We have long discussions with our clients about their aesthetic requirements. Today people are buying large photographs and canvas prints. Black and white images are popular and we frequently provide DVDs too.

bowens.co.uk

Sanduanjin Studio

Bowens will be there to help us every step of the way ...we already use the slogan ‘'Sanduanjin Bowens Photography' when we deal with fashion media.

LB: Do you copy western styles or does the west copy you?

SS: Western style and technology has definitely played a leading role for us in China but having said that, we still have the skill sets to integrate our unique understanding of Eastern arts and culture into our photography.

LB: What keeps you ahead of the game there?

SS: We constantly strive to attain the very highest standards in everything we do. It is like a mantra. We look for creative and technical excellence every time a camera is picked up at Sanduanjin. Additionally we provide a completely bespoke service to every client.

LB: What is the average cost of a wedding or portrait shoot?

SS: Around 12000 Yuan (£1200)

LB: What other facilities do you have at Sanduanjin?

SS: We have rest rooms; full refreshments; tea, coffee, soft drinks etc; changing facilities; TV and music room – plus we have a park nearby when people need a break.

LB: Why do you choose to use Bowens equipment and what do you have at the studio?

SS: Bowens equipment just embodies and underlines the sound reputation carried by this international brand. We have Quad generators, Gemini Pro flash heads (and older Esprit units) and a comprehensive selection of accessories.

And we are about to buy more.

LB: How do you see the next ten years for Sanduanjin?

SS: As time goes by and technology improves even further our customers will naturally become more demanding.

Our role is to make sure we lead the way. Bowens will be there to help us every step of the way – we already use the slogan ‘Sanduanjin Bowens Photography’ when we deal with fashion media.

www.sanduanjin.com 24

bowens.co.uk

Profile

Jim Markland

Dancing to a different tune Dance photographer Jim Markland is in his sixties. He owns a stunning house in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and confesses to be happy tending to his wife’s hydrangeas.

Occasionally.

‘If I have a head full of ideas we can be shooting all day long.

It’s very tiring.’

[complete this sentence]

.... I love this profession because...... [ Jim.M: ] .... It has so so many dimensions...technical and creative...best of all I get to work with many diverse and incredibly interesting and talented people...and to enjoy music and performances of such quality. [ LB: ]

In another life he was a highly accomplished petroleum economist, working for oil and gas companies on key projects all over the world. Jim could have just stopped and lived off his company pension. But then he wouldn’t have become an acclaimed dance photographer showcasing his outstanding work at international exhibitions and garnering praise from top-drawer portrait photographers like Ireland’s Vincent O’Byrne.

“Retirement? That’s a nonsense to me” he tells Litebook: “I’ve just changed direction that’s all. Now, with James Rowbotham Dance Photography I am free to do what I want to do and not what someone else wants me to do.

I am really fortunate that I don’t need to do this for the money – very few dance photographers can survive just embracing this particular photo-discipline.

Mostly they have to get stuck into studio portrait work or portfolios for dancers (who themselves rarely have any money) or try and get some press work in the theatre world. It’s just a very small number that can make money by being commissioned to produce advertising material for the big dance companies.”

Although he’s flirted with photography throughout his life, it was a chance meeting with another photographer that convinced Jim to ‘quit the day job’ and embark on a new journey.

“I was standing by a waterfall somewhere outside San Francisco” he recalls, “I had just bought my first digital camera and was tinkering with it when I noticed this guy taking pictures nearby. He was using an old fashioned plate camera.

I asked him why he had chosen to work with this ancient wet plate technology and he explained he wanted to produce platinum prints to give him the tonal depth he needed.

I was entranced. That was a tipping point for me. It was

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then I decided that photography would be a good thing for me to get in to.”

It was on one of his frequent trips to Buenos Aires that Jim started shooting tango. “That definitely kick-started my love for dance photography” he says.

The other influence was Lois Greenfield – a dance photographer considered by many to be one of the finest exponents of the photography of human locomotion.

“I was on holiday in Vancouver. I was walking past a bookshop and saw this calendar with these brilliant dance images – it was by Lois Greenfield. I ended up signing on for a weekend course with Lois in New York and she set me on the road to doing things properly”, he admits.

Jim started working in a small Southampton-based studio but found it challenging to shoot dance at that location: “Most studios don’t have the width, length or ceiling height you need for dance” he laments. “I tend to shoot with a telephoto lens because using a wide angle means I’m going to get ceiling in the frame.”

He adds: “The ideal space for a dance shoot is a small theatre. The Point Contemporary Arts Theatre in Eastleigh, Hampshire is marvellous because it’s got a completely flat floor right through to the back of the stage and there is a vast amount of height you can work with.

I find each place has its own challenges. Noise for example, is a problem in theatre situations.

“The camera shutter is incredibly noisy. Even in a large theatre everyone can hear it. If I happen to be shooting at a live performance I have to stop during the quieter sequences or I know I am going to annoy the entire audience.”

Theatre lighting presents a range of challenges. “To deal with them you need the best equipment” notes Jim. “A camera with very high ISO ratings and very wide aperture lenses. It is very important to invest in really good kit. I use a Nikon D700 in theatres and lenses no smaller than f2.8.”

bowens.co.uk

“I decided that photography would be a good thing for me to get in to.�

Jim’s Key Equipment QuadX

Very reliable and cost competitive for studio work.

These packs are exactly what I need when seeking to freeze fast action in dance. bowens.co.uk

Dance shoot technique: Jim explains: “Whenever possible I shoot tethered, with my camera on a tripod. Everything is on manual. Anything that can cause time delays (autofocus, for example, can be really tormentingly slow) is removed – even to the point of not using radio trigger sometimes.

I put a piece of sticky tape on the floor and tell the dancer that is where I want her/him to perform. The whole process doesn’t have much at all to do with posing. I rarely do anything posed. With my images the dancers are moving through a pose – they look much less wooden this way.

It’s all about trying to synchronise hitting that shutter with the dancer being in the position you want.”

Jim uses three Nikon cameras; a D70, D300 and a D700. “I use the D700 in theatres for its superb low-light capability.

In the studio, depending on what I am trying to achieve, I will use the other Nikon options.”

“When it comes to lighting I am a big Bowens fan. My Bowens kit is solid and always completely reliable. It just does the job. I’ve got three QuadX generators; five main lights, and various modifiers and softboxes. I am a QuadX user because it does what it says on the can. I set it to the fastest speed possible – 5000th – which roughly translates to a 2000th equivalent shutter speed. I have never suffered motion blur when using this generator. I believe that if you can be in control of motion you really can be artistic.”

He admits: “I do sometimes have challenges with dancers when they come for a studio shoot because they often don’t understand they are coming to have photographs taken - they haven’t come to dance their routines. They ask to put music on but I tell them: ‘No, you won’t hear

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QuadX Flash Head

Lightweight and very easy to handle. Robustness and reliability are two watchwords I associate with my Bowens Quad kit. bowens.co.uk

Gemini 750Pro

Simply great units. Brilliant both in the studio and on location; I love having the abililty to take my studio lights on location whenever I want to. bowens.co.uk

me then.’ I just want them to think of a move and then we just repeat it until we get it right. If I have a head full of ideas we can spend all day – it’s very tiring for all of us. Productivity is low compared to shooting glamour but if you have a competent dancer you will get many good shots if the lighting is right. I give them the opportunity to show off but I don’t want them doing anything too risky physically.”

Jim, who also commits too producing one book a year on his art, has photographed performers, including circus artists, gymnasts, acrobats and contortionists from all over the world – and his lenses have been seen regularly at rehearsals at a number of major ballet companies.

But Jim is also very keen to help other photographers.

His bespoke workshop programme aims to ‘help photographers appreciate the issues they will need to deal with in dance photography.”

But he adds: “There just isn’t a decent living in this for young photographers. Often I am approached by dancers who think the natural evolution for them is to start shooting the art form when they are too old to perform it themselves – but realistically they still have to pay their domestic bills and it’s a very tough area to make money at.

But Jim has a loyal army of followers on his website - other photographers and dancers who admire his professionalism and his creativity.

Anusha from Paris sums it up: “Your work is just beautiful.

I have nothing else to say”. www.rowbotham-dance.book.fr www.perfectlandscape.com Interview by Trevor Lansdown

bowens.co.uk

“I am a big Bowens fan.

My Bowens kit is solid and always completely reliable.

It just does the job.�

LiteBites

with Christian Hough

Beauty Dish Portraits

T

here’s nothing new about a beauty dish.

They’ve been around for decades and are renowned for producing a flattering light, albeit slightly more specular to that of a softbox. Being a round light source, beauty dishes are perfect for broad and butterfly lighting as they compliment the round shape of the face, however, one of their downsides is that they are an ultra wide-angle reflector and offer very little control over the light. That is until Bowens brought out their new beauty dish that catered for all types of light, with a large honeycomb grid for ultimate control and a shower cap for those wanting more diffusion. The addition of a honeycomb grid changes everything, allowing you to use a good size reflector and still control the light spill at the same time, making it perfect for location based portraits 32

and situations when you want to restrict light from the immediate environment.

You would be forgiven for thinking that the beauty dish is simply for beauty and fashion photographers… well it isn’t. Especially now as the new Beauty Dish is a completely different beast and is an extremely useful addition to any portrait photographer’s kit bag.

You can use this approach towards your lighting and set-up with almost any subject, however, I was after a subject with a little more character on their face; enter Frank, a strong Welshman in his eighties. Frank is actually a very friendly and endearing chap, ex-Welsh Guards and full of character.

The idea of the portrait was to add some drama to the photograph, draw

out some of that character and avoid the usual smiling family type portrait.

Getting Started - Schematic one - I decided to set-up a basic location portrait using the new Bowens Beauty Dish. The only thing was that I didn’t have a collapsible background and didn’t want the location (Frank’s living room) in the background either…enter the new Beauty Dish and honeycomb grid. Honeycomb grids are the perfect addition to any reflector when you need to restrict the spread of the light, ideal in this situation, allowing me to keep the background black.

It’s a good idea to build and meter your lighting set-up one light at a time, so you can see and contemplate what each light is doing. This is exactly what I did with the first portrait set-up (see page opposite) in this tutorial, adding a little twist at the end. bowens.co.uk

schematic.one

schematic.one: without grid

schematic.three

schematic.two

Begin by attaching your beauty dish and honeycomb grid to a single head, then position this approximately 45 degrees of axis and between one and two metres in front of the subject.

Meter the light around f/11. This will be your key light. Use the modelling facility to shape the face, ensuring that you are getting some light on the far side of the face. You will find that the further around to the side of the subject you position the light, the greater the shadows will be on the far side. Take a test shot to see how the light is working. You will find that the honeycomb grid fitted in the Beauty

34

Dish will really help you control the light and provided that there is sufficient distance between the subject and the background scenery the background should appear almost black and the subject perfectly lit. To see the difference the honeycomb grid makes, remove it and take another test shot… you will notice a lot more of the background scenery now.

Schematic two - Once you’re happy with the metering and positioning of your key light, set-up a second head fitted with a Maxilite reflector and a honeycomb grid and place

them roughly 45 degrees behind the subject. Position this on the opposite side of the key light and approximately one to two metres behind. This light will be your sidelight and will highlight the dark side of the face. Meter the sidelight approximately one to two stops lower than your key light. It is necessary to use a honeycomb grid as you will experience a lot of lens flare without one.

Again, take a test shot and see how the light is working. Don’t be afraid of adjusting the positioning of the key light and the sidelights as you progress.

bowens.co.uk

schematic.four

Schematic three - Finally, using a boom arm, fit a second Maxilite reflector with a honeycomb grid and position it directly overhead of your subject so that it is directed downwards to the top/rear of the subject’s head.

You will find that moving the stand approximately half a metre behind the subject and adjusting the angle of the light back towards the subject will help you avoid accidentally lighting the face.

This will be your hair light (depending on your subject). The metering of this depends entirely on your subject’s head/hair. In this case, very little power was needed, however, if you have a

litebook

subject with lots of very dark hair, you will find that you will require more power. Simply adjust the hair light until you achieve a subtle light on the hair/head, but avoid masses of burnt highlights.

Before you progress any further, take a test shot and see how the lights are working together. If necessary, adjust the positioning and fine-tune the lights, as this will probably save you hours of editing afterwards. You may find that you need to adjust the lights slightly throughout the shoot as your subject moves around, so be sure to

keep a close-eye on the images as you’re shooting to ensure everything is still adequately lit.

Schematic four - Getting Creative & Experimenting - One of the things that made Frank a great subject was the character in his face. I wanted to build on this and draw a few props into the frame.

I knew that Frank was a smoker, so I asked him to smoke a couple of cigarettes whilst I was shooting. This really added an extra dynamic to the photograph.

35

It takes a little practice, but try experimenting a little with the smoke and how it is released. You will find that too much smoke will block out the expression of the face, whereas too little won’t add to the drama of the photograph. Remember, if you are shooting in a very draughty area, the smoke will disperse a lot quicker.

If you’re after a healthier effect, then you can always create smoke using a smoke machine.

Finally, you can always try changing from portrait to landscape to frame the image differently.

It is a good idea to try and shoot different angles and aspects of your subject. I quickly replaced the Beauty Dish with a Maxilite reflector and honeycomb grid and positioned it to the far side of the camera. I used a longer focal length and reduced the power of the light to it’s lowest, allowing me to utilise a shallower depth of field to concentrate the viewer on the texture on the back of the hand. The plaster on the hand just added to the character, the overall scene and to some degree the irony of the cigarette.

All Change - Once you have bagged a few shots with your beauty dish, there’s nothing stopping you from changing the lighting set-up to achieve different effects. In this shot, I simply repositioned the hair light in front of the subject and to make a butterfly lighting set-up, throwing all of the shadows downwards. As opposed to re-metering, I decided to stop-up on the aperture to compensate for the low power of the hair light, giving me a nice shallow depth of field. Its quick, simple an very effective. www.christianhough.com

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bowens.co.uk

The Creo from Bowens is the pinnacle of performance, reliability, durability and value.

The precision performance of the Creo, including flash durations as fast as 1/5000 second and colour stability from flash to flash as stable as ±40k coupled with the legendary build-quality of Bowens, means the Creo is the perfect solution for hard-working commercial studios and busy rental houses alike.

All of the pack functions can be easily operated with the intuitive control panel, allowing all of the features to be set at the touch of a button.

The Creo generator from Bowens is equipped with an advanced cooling and internal protection system which is designed to prevent heat build-up during long or extended shoots, to always ensure that the pack is operating at its optimum performance...at all times.

• Ultra-fast recycling - just 0.5secs to full power. • Up to 8 flashes per second. • Up to 1000 full power flashes per hour. • Flash durations as quick as 1/5000sec. • 10-stop power range (9-stops Creo 1200). • Super-high colour stability ±80k from 4.0 to 10.0. • Radio enabled for wire-free sync with Bowens Pulsar. • Self Seeking multivoltage for worldwide compatibility. • Advanced self-cooling and system protection technology

All models and technical specifications featured here may be subject to change and without notice.

Bowens® and ‘the power behind the picture’® are registered trademarks of Bowens International Ltd. © 2012 Bowens International Ltd.

creative freedom without compromise TH E M O ST V E R S AT I L E MONO LIG H T AVAILABLE TO DAY Mains (AC) AND Travelpak Battery (DC) compatible, Built-In Pulsar Radio Receiver, Fast FlashDurations, Quick Recycle Times, Easy-To-Use Controls, Toughened Metal Body, Three Modeling Modes, Audible and Visual Ready Indications, Universal Bowens ‘S’ Type accessory Mount.

Part Code: BW3985 Gemini 400Rx

studiokit

BEST STUDIO EQUIPMENT PULSAR TX

Gemini 400Rx Kit Kit Contents Include: 2 x Gemini 400Rx, 1 x Pulsar Tx, 2 x Wide-Angle Reflectors, 2 x Silver/White Umbrellas, 2 x Support Stands, 1 x Traveller Carry Case plus modelling lamps, mains cables and sync cord. Part Code: BW4765

location kits also available...see website for details

www.bowens.co.uk ‘Bowens’® and ‘the power behind the picture’® are registered trademarks of Bowens International Ltd. All other trademarks are the porperty of their respective owners. All models and technical specifications featured here may be subject to change without notice. © 2012 Bowens International Ltd.