Started posting a noir series over at Instagram. This was the leadoff pic, and there were some questions about the lighting, which is really pretty simple. We shot at The Blue Bar at the Algonquin Hotel, a truly historic property in Manhattan. Legend has it that the actor John Barrymore, who lived at the hotel when he was performing on Broadway, felt that people looked better in blue light. Out of deference to one of their most famous regular guests, they made the bar glow blue, and it has remained so to this day.
First move, spike the camera, and establish point of view. Move furniture to simplify scene. Work with subject to establish gesture, and size things up, compositionally. Of course here, definitely breaking the time honored rule of thirds mandate by bullseye-ing my subject. Tripod/ball head combo is our go to, heavy duty Gitzo, fitted with the new Gitzo Series 3 quick release ball head. In a scene like this, the tripod is essential. Gotta keep those lines straight.
Working radio TTL here, with SB-5000 Speedlights, so no line of sight considerations. Main light overhead is the Lastolite EzyBox Soft box, fitted with an egg crate. This is the box with the white interior, which I helped Lastolite design. In a scene like this, with controlled, smallish light sources, I really think the creamier aspects of the white box are an advantage over the standard silver. Also, see the black paper looped over the leading edge of the box, on the subject side of the light shaper? That, oddly enough, is a very key thing for the scene. It blocks the flash from potentially hitting the reflective beading and prevents my light from interrupting the continuous blue flow of the wall.
With just the overhead firing, the scene could look like this, in B&W.
But, you don’t light a beautiful lady the same way you would light a hit man. For the lovely Laeticia, I filled from below with another SB-5000, fitted with a snooted grid, attached by a Justin Clamp. This produces a little beauty pop into her face, and makes her light up, but in very controlled, confined way. This bar is not the place to drag out big Octas, etc. It’s a place for small controlled light.
For the technically minded, the final, color image of our mysterious lady is in a daylight white balance, @ 1/15th of a second @ f5.6, ISO 200. Flashes are radio controlled, with the overhead being between a stop to two stops brighter than the little splash of fill. The C-stands are by Avenger. Two lights, controlled from the camera. Once the lights are set up, I never have to leave camera to achieve a desirable ratio.
Many thanks to Sam Brown styling, Deborah Englesman for makeup, Laeticia Harrison Roberts for her elegant look in front of the camera, and of course Lynn DelMastro, who produced the whole job.
More tk….
This is a great post because we can see “behind the scenes.” That second camera on set is a big help in explaining what you’re doing.
Great shot.. great details…. as always thanks for sharing…
Wow. So very cool. Love the B&W, of course.
great lighting and composition,Joe!
Such great images with such a simple set up, this is one I am definitely going to have to try, haven’t got an egg crate with my ezyBox so will have to adapt ? thanks for posting
Thanks for the images and the BTS explanations of the setup. Much appreciated
Joe, I really don’t know how you manage to get such a great quality of light. I’ve tried with similar setups and not even close, there’s no doubt experience is above all, I would ask if maybe is the camera but I’d bet all of my children (if I had them) that you can do the same even with a bottom of the line camera. For me you are the Michael Jordan of photography.
Loved the blog post today Joe very informative and a simple setup after the hard thinking and planning is done! It’s inspired me. Can I ask what the lower speed
Iight is attached to labelled 5.. Battery pack perhaps?
Hi Irene…yes that lower light has a battery pack, the SD9 made by Nikon….all the best!
Joe you make everything look so easy. Why I have always thought bigger is always better boggles my mind. Back to the drawing board in terms of lighting for me. Thanks for sharing Joe.
Love this lighting and shot…. how do you take great shots inside with harsh lights? Is it strictly the use of external help or is it about the settings on your camera as well?
Hi Meagan…the overhead soft box is not the biggest in the world, to be sure, but the light it produces is pretty easygoing. Filling it with just a dash of light from below, and mixing in shutter speed for incremental levels of ambient light can produce worthwhile results in interior environments. Joe