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Studio Lighting Research


Horst Diekgerdes

I like this photo because I feel like it captures a very nostalgic mood, while still appealing to 2017 style. I think this photo uses two light sources, both fairly soft, and the photographer was probably between one and two metres away.

Yousuf Karsh

I like how Yousuf Karsh uses dramatic lighting to give his portraits more depth. This photo of the queen uses a softer light -- probably only two -- with her about a metre or less away from the camera.

Victor Demarchelier

I like the feeling of power that the subject holds in this photo, combined with the clothes she's wearing and her expression. The light source of this photo is probably very harsh, and only one light source. I like how Victor Demarchelier can give even the most obscure of ensembles a comfortable, yet demanding feeling in a photo.

Chen Man

I like this photo for its harsh shadows and well done colour scheme. Chen Man does some other really good studio photography revolving around Chinese culture and Chinese women, and lots of fashion photography. I especially like her photos for Shanghai Tang's collection The Rite of the Phoenix, which you can see a video for here about the shoot, as well as see some photos of hers. I think this photo was taken with one harsh light source, and maybe one soft from opposite side. The photographer was probably around a metre away from the subject, maybe less.

Miles Aldridge

I like this photo because of how interesting it is to the eye. Most of Miles Aldridge's photos are like this, which I really like. They are able to adhere to this brightly coloured theme without it being boring or repetitive. I didn't notice at first that the props the subject is holding are actually two dimensional, until I was looking for the photo's light sources. This photo was probably taken with two light sources, one in front one behind.

Richard Avedon

I like the attitude in this photo without sacrificing the stylish theme that the clothing conveys. This photo probably had one light source from the far left, and the photographer was probably about three metres from the subject. They also likely used a fast shutter speed.

Julia Kuzmenko McKim

I think Julia Kuzmenko McKim does really good work with interesting colours, whether it's light sources or makeup. I think this photo has three light sources: a blue one, from behind the subject to the left, which is blue; one from the opposite side, still behind the subject, which is reddish orange; and one in front of the subject, which is a soft white light. The photo was probably taken two metres from the subject, with a fast shutter speed.

Irving Penn

I like Irving Penn's photos because he takes such simple concepts and executes them in a way that makes sure they aren't boring. These photo must've been taken with at least three light sources -- although its hard to tell from the reflection in the girl's eyes. Penn was probably less than a metre from the subject.

Tim Tadder

I like the neon colours in this photo that emphasize the subject's hoodie, but still keeps the face as the focus. I also like Tim Tadder's other work -- there's some really interesting photoshop work, as well as a lot of directing, and a lot of sport photograph. You can see his website here. He uses colour and motion effectively, which gives the photos a lot of feeling. I think this photo was taken with one soft, blue light source, less than a metre from the photographer.

Dean Bradshaw

I think this photo has a lot of personality, and keeps a very strong, coherent mood. Dean Bradshaw has a very heavily edited theme to a lot of his photos, that I like because they are still engaging while looking a little fake, and more cinematic. I think this has three light sources: two on the left and one on the right. The photographer was probably around a metre or more from the subject.


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