© 2008 Melissa Rodwell Photography LLC.

Models who don’t have much experience in front of the camera need special attention when you put them in front of yours. After so many years experience shooting, sometimes I find it difficult now when I get a girl who’s new and inexperienced. So maybe I’m learning here myself, by writing this blog. It can be frustrating at first, when you get a girl who’s unfamiliar with her body and insecure as well. I don’t adhere to the philosophy of talking to them while they’re getting their hair and make up done. For one, this distracts the hair and make up artist. Instead, I watch them carefully. I look for their overall sense of being. How they hold themselves, if they are chatty with the hair stylist or if they’re shy and difficult to break through. I look for their body posture, they’re overall presence. It’s a bit like being a detective. Or even a psychologist.

Read More »

(4.62 stars, 13 ratings)

 Loading ...

19 Comments

© 2008 Melissa Rodwell Photography LLC.

Fashion photography is the business of photographing fashion. That means that the product we are selling are the clothes. It is important for the young, aspiring fashion photographer to understand this. When a client hires us, we are being hired on our technical ability of understanding garments and the way they will photograph. I see so many photographers who are just starting out and building their books and the weakest part of their photographs is the styling.

Read More »

(4.11 stars, 18 ratings)

 Loading ...

19 Comments

Subtracting light

© 2008 Melissa Rodwell Photography LLC.

One of my lighting “secrets” is subtracting light from a set. Of course, you have to know how to light if you’re going to figure out how to not light. There are a number of ways to achieve this. When I was still learning lighting, I would set up my lights in an organized fashion; key light, back light, hair light, etc. if you have a basic lighting set up, you can start there. Then it’s time to play! Start by removing the key light. How does it look? Too dark? Either turn it back on but turn it down to a lower setting. Or if you placed your key in front of your model, put it to her side. Put a soft box on a light head, then take a V flat and cover half of the box. Subtracting light, see? It’s all about taking away the light, but leaving enough there to get a good exposure. You can also leave your key in place but remove the back light or hair light. Or eye light or background light. One of the things I love to do is to over-expose my back lighting and letting that light “fill” my model. I let it wrap around her so it is actually used as a broad key light source. It’s tricky, especially in digital where you can’t blow out your whites. But it can be done.

Read More »

(4.33 stars, 12 ratings)

 Loading ...

18 Comments

For those of you who don’t know, cyc is short for cyclorama. They are in most professional studios and have replaced the seamless paper almost entirely. Why? Because with a cyc, you have complete control over your background. A cyc is where the corners and seams are not visible. Cycs normally cover two sides of the studio. Assuming that your model is far enough away from the cyc, lighting can be controlled so that the background effect can be light or dark. Colored lights, cukaloris and other patterned screens can be used on the cyc to create interesting background effects. When lit evenly, the smooth surface, even as it goes around the corner of a studio, can provide an “infinity effect” — an endless space behind the models.

You can either light the cyc or not light the cyc. I will show you the difference. To achieve an “infinity effect”, I light the background with 4 light heads. 2 on each side. They are angled at a 45 degree angle to hit the background evenly. I use V flaps behind my lights to control flare and spillage onto the set.

This shot is using the 4 lights on the background effect:

As you can see, there is no shadow on the background. It is a smooth, endless appearing background.

Read More »

(4.12 stars, 17 ratings)

 Loading ...

23 Comments

I have to say it. Kate Moss is probably one of my favorite models. I love her looks. Period. I don’t care about her personal life or who’s she is dating. She is a fashion Icon and I never tire of seeing her in print. Recently she was hired to be in the Longchamp’s new Fall 2008 ad campaign along with French actor Gaspard Ulliel. I have been enamored with Gaspard since I saw him in “A Very Long Engagement” opposite Audrey Tatou. Gaspard has a sensual quality in his face. He is one fine man I would love to have the opportunity to shoot!!

Read More »

(3.75 stars, 12 ratings)

 Loading ...

6 Comments