Not every post goes deep into technical stuff, because it's often very repetitive and boring but in this one I'll tell you more about the used light setups.
As you know, i tend to keep things simple and i have to say that as i am evolving (well yes i think i do anyway) i'm getting less into technical issues and more into the models pose, looks, mood, look & feel etc

It becomes less important to me to make an image which is technically correct but totally sterile on the emotional and content side, it's a quest for a style that fits me, but for the moment, my holy grail is not yet know...

Light setup, 1 standard reflector on an Elinchrom Monobloc Rx, model in front of a white wall

Gridded striplight 140x30cm , soft, yet very directional light, fun to play with

Open reflector once again

210cm parabolic light modifier, big source but very directional en pretty flat light, looks a bit like the ring flash effect but still less flat and with directional shadow

Elise Corten, Mua Mir Goetschalckx

Elisa

Get out the windmachine, what a nice mix with Elisa's long hair :-)

Changed the high contrast black&whites i often used for this softer look, it seems to hold a wider range, not like we have on film, digital will always be different which does not mean better or worse, just different...

Wetlook hair in combination with those eyes, just to make you melt :-)

WH²

Whitney and her super kind young Huski, with such eyes i couldn't resist taking her picture :-)

I used the 120cm octa with grid, in the past i used the 120cm octa without grid a lot but i found the light very hard to control and often too flat, now with the grid there is a very nice quality of light and it is very directional which is really useful.

But she was looking for a photographer who could turn her into an amazing golden girl, and this is one of my latest looks that i can supply to models, always a nice addition for a portfolio

I have to say this looks works very well on skintones, i've been asked by a model to do it clothed which i refused because it would not comply to the entire look & feel i have in mind for this gold series

Renée and Peggy

Window light, often imitated, never equaled...

Model is Renée Van Osta @Flagmodels

More than always amazing make-up artist: Peggy Timmermans

Previous where 100% natural available light, next three are more "strobist" because natural light was not satisfactory for this shot.

Camera Left, da über fantastic Westcott Apollo Softbox with the Sb-900 and on the door in the background another flashlight with a 1/2 CTO Gel to add a bit of warmth to the shot

This is the D700 at his best, ISO 2000, 100% windowlight (just a bit of late afternoon light)

Shooting with Peggy is so relaxed and we always have much fun, off course this results in some "we go crazy stuff " you can find more on her - Blog post -

Naomi

Welcome to 2012.. I'm so glad with this new light modifier, the Walimex Pro series 120 cm octa with grid. Until now I only used the "normal" softboxes, strips, octas but as i have to transport them all the time assembly and disassembly was becoming a P.I.T.A (Pain in the ass)

The Walimex has an umbrella like system so this is way easier and the addition of a grid is just what i needed to get more control over my light, I'll be ordering the Striplights very soon  ;-)


A bit of lighting and setup info for these black & whites

Front: on camera left the 120cm Octa with Grid
Back: on camera Left a 120x30 striplight and white seamless
D700 with 85mm ISO 200 ± f:8 / f:11

Aluminium foil + pretty face and the amazing make-up of Yinka Gboyega gave us some pretty pictures

Lighting and setup info:
Front: - Camera Left, Octa 120cm with grid, Camera Right striplight at 1 stop less than the Octa
And a bounce panel very low to fill shadows a bit from beneath
Back: White seamless paper

For this second and third result I tried to push the "whites" and saturation a little further than the previous picture...

Happy New Year

"May you live long and prosperous"

Best wishes to all my blog readers!

 

Gold, part 2

The golden girl, part 2 ..

Model is Karen DW - MUA: Liesbeth De Smedt

The next pictures gives you a little insight on the extensive post processing that goes into these "golden" pictures, count on ± 5 hours work / photo

Let's try out some different things !!

And a bit of a special Make-up look we wanted to try out, Liesbeth did a great job :-)

We even made it on the picture of the day contest that runs on Model Mayhem, woohoo!