Most bad ass way to light for photography

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nickmicros

Well-known member
Photographer Jesse Vasquez has one of the most unique ways to light models for 35mm film slr photography. Not about to give you a spoiler but I will tell you he shoots with the lights off!

http://www.vimeo.com/8475831

Just because of this I want to start shooting 35mm film slr.
 
It's a great technique...I did a series of photographs with my Nikon D100 a few years back.
 
I did several photographs using this technique in 1996. I shot a guy on a hilltop beneath the comet Hyakutake. We painted his outline with a pen styled flashlight.

The key for determining the exposure (when using film) is to experiment. There may be a more scientific way but, I just spent several roles of film using different exposure times. I used ISO 100 black and white film, a stopwatch, tripod, and a remote shutter release. I put the camera on "bulb". Bulb means you're using a remote release and it won't close until you release the "bulb".

I recently shot some photos on a DSLR at a local haunted house using some gel over a flashlight. The results were pretty cool. So, you don't have to shoot film. You can go digital no problem.
 
I haven't done this for a long time, but it's good fun. Since I mostly shoot outdoors (not having a studio and all) it's a bit difficult to do most of the time. I'll agree, experience and experiments is the only way to determine exposure. Which adds to the process, in my opinion. I don'lt like it being too exact of a science.
 
Olaf99 said:
I did several photographs using this technique in 1996. I shot a guy on a hilltop beneath the comet Hyakutake. We painted his outline with a pen styled flashlight.

The key for determining the exposure (when using film) is to experiment. There may be a more scientific way but, I just spent several roles of film using different exposure times. I used ISO 100 black and white film, a stopwatch, tripod, and a remote shutter release. I put the camera on "bulb". Bulb means you're using a remote release and it won't close until you release the "bulb".
Click to expand...

Back in the darkages we would use portable strobes to do the painting... just run around flashing, while the camera was on 'bulb'...

I've also seen work where the camera is 'open' for hours, and some traffic light is off in the distance...
 
nickmicros said:
How do you determine exposure?
Click to expand...

It was trial and error. I think this technique works best when you're not accurate, I literally set the exposure at different speeds and painted on the body with a torch using "brush strokes" of movement.

The nice thing about doing it digitally is, I was able to look at the photos and say ok do it slower there or quicker there...or do it the same with more/less exposure time.
 
Having leniency helps. Film that can be dodged and burned enough to make it work, raw digital files that can do the same.
 
Nothing new. Look up Chip Simons and Aaron Jones, circa 1980's.

It's a lot easier now that we don't need polaroid to judge exposures.

.
 
Cassius said:
Having leniency helps. Film that can be dodged and burned enough to make it work, raw digital files that can do the same.
Click to expand...

When I used film back in school for this, I did some dodging and burning to work the effect. It's funny. Nowadays people talk about how great photoshop is (which it is of course) but, forget that processing your own prints gave you some creative control in post. I can't tell you how many prints I'd make of one negative before finding the right tweak.
 
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