articles/Lighting/rbd-damian-page3
by Damian McGillicuddy Published 01/04/2014
Now we light the subject herself. The 'Key' in effect is two lights combined The 36" multi modifier has its front diffuser removed to increase contrast and specularity and 'table topped' in essence a severe butterfly. I'm doing it for raking texture, you can see this most in the tunic. I then fitted a snooted speed light in with the dish and aimed it into the mask of the subject's face. It was important to get light under the brim of the helmet and into the subject's eyes. It may not seem obvious at first glance but it took six lights to turn this trick.
Right, we are now into the home straight...
Sssssssssssh, don't tell anybody it's a secret... As good as reading this stuff is to learn, it's not quite as good as seeing it! Olympus and Team McGillicuddy will be launching some brand new events very shortly for little or no money... places will be limited and go quickly and they will be all over the country... keep a weather eye on www.damianmcgillicuddy.com to be amongst the first to know ;0)
'Cafe racer':
We constructed a small set to pull this one off! Obviously we hired a really cool bike as a prop but the lie was told mainly with the help of One Vision imaging. The guys at this great pro lab printed two 8'x4' images for us, one of the skyline and one of the wall. We then suspended them from background stands, one behind and to the side of the other to create width and more importantly depth.
The 'key' light was a Damian McGillicuddy 'BIG panel light' construct to camera-left; as well as illuminating the subject so beautifully it is also responsible for the long highlight in the 'racer's' cat suite.
I then used a CTO gelled strobe on a pole to act almost as a street light and cast warm light down on the head and shoulders of my subject, give form to the bike's tank and add a little warmth to the wall.
A speed light complete with a portaflex barn door, to control spill, was positioned toward the back of the set to camera left and aimed back to the subject to give separation, this is known as a 'kicker'.
There are 53 days to get ready for The Society of Photographers Convention and Trade Show at The Novotel London West, Hammersmith ...
which starts on Wednesday 15th January 2025