Tender Tough Guy

CASE STUDY #29 Tender Tough Guy

CAMERA: Hasselblad 503c LENS: 120mm macro

FILM: Fuji RDP

EXPOSURE: f/8 at 1 / 125 second

LIGHTING: Profoto 800ws pack with medium softbox as main light; silver reflector for fill; diffused 40-degree grid on background

Assignment My celebrity stock agency assigned me to photograph the actor Armand Assante at his home. The images were for use in promoting the actor. Visual Objective Mr. Assante is known for his tough-guy roles, and I wanted to reflect that in his wardrobe and the texture of the image. The black leather jacket against the mottled canvas background seemed to set the stage. and so on. This simple one is still one of my favorites, though. It seems to capture Mr. Assante’s personality.

Posing Mr. Assante was a natural in front of the camera. This image was created during the last setup of the day and we were all tired. This was a good thing, though, because Armand was letting down his guard in terms of posing. Having him tuck his chin in, wrap his arms around himself, and look straight into the lens produced a strong look.

The Story This was a fun day. My assistant and I packed up the car and drove north out of New York City to Mr. Assante’s upstate New York farm. He had given me the whole day to photograph him and was open to all my ideas—which doesn’t happen too often. I set up a studio to shoot the publicity shots, then scouted around the farm and set up additional shots at the horse stable, inside the house in the library, in the living room,

At the end of a long day of shooting, Mr. Assante invited my assistant and me to stay for dinner. He had prepared a great Italian meal, and we ended up eating and drinking until midnight. Tips Always try to create lighting that matches your subject and the mood.

silver reflector for fill spun glass over 40-degree grid on background

medium softbox as main light

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES 81