Todays Shoot: Chelsea - Corpse Paint (selective grid usage)

I wanted to try something different... as I tend to do every now and again... and I had this idea for a while, but wasnt sure when or how I was going to implement it.

Basically I wanted it to be SUPER dark with VERY small selective lighting - and theres a few ways to do this - I wanted the lighting to be soft and to have hard shadows... I tried a few combos to get it right

I started using the 10 grid on a bare parabolic (to the right of the model up about 1-2 feet above her) pointed toward her face and a 1x4 soft box on the left - I didnt like the mix - the grid was too hot - but the soft box was PERFECT - however too large a light source

so I switched to the 5 grid - on the left, and the 10 grid on the right and shot at F5.6 with the ND4 filter on the 70-200 lens. - i had her make VERY small facial movements in order to get it the way I wanted it - and im stoked with the results - I will be doing more of this stuff in the near future.

check it (click for full size view)

Todays Shoot - Elisabeth (NSFW)

This model comes from way out in Arizona

It was her first time modeling, and due to it being a corpse paint shoot - I can only show you one photo (get the book when it comes out for the rest).

For the shot im going to post - I was using split lighting - two 3x4 soft boxes - shooting with the 70-200 IS lens - F14 at a 160th.


















Elisabeth is awesome! I hope we get to work together again in the future, if she can ever make it out this way again.

Todays Shoot - Aleena (NSFW)

Today was my first time working with a model named Aleena

She came up to shoot some of my industrial/goth fashion nude work as well as a bunch of corpse paint stuff.

Now because we didnt shoot too much of the ladder, and the corpse paint work is now minimally posted (wait for the book!) theres not ALOT I can show you all.

BUT! heres what I can show ya

We started with two 3x4 softboxes on profoto compact 300s in studio - shooting with the Canon 1ds mark2 and the 70-200 IS lens - at F14 160th ISO100 - the one thing to keep in mind with split lighting is watching where the shadow will be - throwing a shadow in the middle gets redundant - move around - move the model around - use the light so the highlights do exactly what they should - highlight what you want it to! - for me i try to use it to highlight faces and catch the light in the eye. as youll see with many of these images, while some of the others I wanted some solid half lit/half shadowed shots.


























































































Next up we shot corpse paint in studio then on location - the photo im going to post is toward the end of the day I was shooting F3.5 at a 160th - at iso200 (as the light was fading i had to up from 100 to 200) - and I messed with some different off center and in-crops - this is one I liked a bunch.












I'll be working with Aleena again in the future so im certain we will come up with some more awesomeness in the coming weeks.

Todays Shoot - Ashley and Adrianna (NSFW)

So after much planning, I was finally going to get my buddy ashley in front of my lens. She brought her friend Adrianna with her, who also models, and does make up, so between sets I did a few shots with her as well.

Anyway - we started with two 3x4 soft boxes split lighting on profoto compact 300s - shooting at F13-14 (depending on the clothing) at a 160th ISO100 - using the 70-200 IS lens - which is honestly the best lens for shooting a single subject in studio on seamless paper - telephoto=the jam.








































































SO! We did a bunch of sets in various outfits - and even did a fun shot to do some post production on having her hanging onto her own hand (cheesy but fun for sure).


















What I noticed after looking at the images is that her face is to her right just a bit in about 95% of the phoos but i works for the images because the softbox highlights hit exactly where they should, but I think when we shoot again ill give it a bit more variety in facial expressions.


























































































While Ashley was doing her corpse paint, Adrianna wanted to do some cool shots with pink tape I found at home depot. These were with the same settings - F14 - ISO100 at a 160th. The thing with using thin tape as a cover all is that you have to strategically plan how the pose is going to work to not uncover anything that should be covered and if it is, that it looks intentional, rather than a slip up. also when you have the subject pull on the tape, give it more shape, its much better than being wrapped up like a pink mummy.




















































































When we were done with that, Ashley was ready for corpse paint, and as you know, im not posting a bunch of photos every corpse paint shoot, just one! cause ya know... gotta get hyped on the book!!!

For the shot im posting, I used a boomed medium beauty dish at 50% power up as high as possible pointing straight down for dramatic directional lighting. These are at F16 at a 160th ISO 100. shooting still with the 70-200 IS lens.


















I am trying to get both ashley and adrianna back in the studio for more corpse paint and a slew of other stuff, so hopefully you will be seeing more of them in the near future.

Todays Shoot - Krista (NSFW)

Krista came out from the land of oh hi oh! she came up to shoot and holy shit will you guys be stoked when you see the corpse paint images we got! - they will be in the book - but again im not going to be posting many here - just a few to show you a taste of the awesomeness. Also, i will say its easier to shoot black metal photos with someone who is actually really into black metal and understands what im trying to do - as some models see corpse paint and go "oh like a zombie" ...oof. no! haha. Krista is one of the true, grim und kvlt!

Anyway

she rolled up and we started with a ton of awesome clothes she had - corsets, lingerie - then she took a pair of leggings and cut them up with a razor blade - she cut herself once or twice i believe - but gave for an awesome look. These are all shot with the 70-200 - the corset shots are F16 - then the lingerie shot was F14 - the leg shot was F11 - then the leggings shots were F14 - the reason for the change was I wanted to brighten it up for the shots that showed more skin tone and keep the corset shots a bit darker - these are again split light - but i kept the soft boxes at about 5 feet apart - maybe less to get some harsher shadows and give her a darker look.





































































































































Next up - she had this awesome pelt - look out peta! and an awesome old school bon jovi shirt she wanted to shoot in - same settings and lighting

























































Next up was CORPSE PAINT! and like i said - i wont be posting a bunch of them - but needless to say - this shoot was top 3 of the corpse paint shoots thus far - im sure probably 5 or 6 images from this shoot will be in the book

buuuuuuut you get two.

so!

heres one in studio - boomed dish - close to the model rather than far away for more selective lighting and contrast - shot at F13



















After shooting in studio we went outside and went on a journey!

we went down by the water - got some excellent shots there - then went to the bridge about a quarter mile away from the studio and found a bunch of awesome branches that looked creepy but framed her face PERFECTLY! while a homeless sketchy dude kinda looked on - walked away - we shot - then he came back as we were leaving and tried to talk to us about... dunno cause we walked fast haha. anyway - 3.5 - 24-70 ISO500 as the light was dying













This was THE BEST shoot ive done in a while for this - mostly because - SHE GETS IT! - im trying to get her back here before the book closes to get another day or two of shooting in with her - im so pumped on these shots - and when you see them in print - you will be stoked as well!

Todays Shoot - Cam Damage (NSFW)

Todays shoot was with a model you may recognize as I have worked with her before - miss Cam Damage

We were shooting more of the fasion/gothfetish stuff before going into corpse paint

This stuff is kind of like catalog shooting, the lighting generally remains the same, while the model changes poses and clothes, pretty simple.

This is shot with two 3x4 soft boxes in split lighting - I shot these at F8 to get more of a depth of field than my normal F14-16 - but still at ISO100 at a 160th - using the 70-200 IS on the canon mark 2 1ds

when shooting with split lighting its really important not to have the subject be straight centered or the shadow will be dead center across their face and body - you want to really use the split and the shadow to highlight different things such as bring out faces, curves, clothing, whatever you are shooting - one thing i do often is have their body turned to one light with their face toward the other to really give a good fall in and fall out of light

anyway - heres some photos!































































































Next up we did in studio corpse paint - and as i said before - I wont be posting alot of the corpse paint photos on here anymore because why would anyone get a book if they could get the images here? right? - so heres a few - and judging from my past shoots - can you match the lighting with the shoot? - one is a boomed beauty dish shot at F18 - another is Triangular lighting - two rims/front facing dish at F14 - another is split lighting like above - can you tell which is which? :)

























































After finishing up in studio - we went on to shooting corpse paint outside - it was getting dark so i was shooting closer to iso400-800 at f2.8 - as the sun faded and the widn was blowing making it extra cold - but shes a trooper and we got what we could - again - only going to post a couple photos from this for now..


























It was awesome finally getting to work with Cam again - hopefully we will shoot again in the near future!