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Rolling with the BIG Dog Inspiration - Everybody needs it - part 3 of 1 2 3 4

by Damian McGillicuddy Published 01/12/2013

The shot was captured on the EM-1 with the new 12-40mm pro zoom set at f 2.8. My subject was about 12 to 15 feet off the background. This allowed for me to get the 'Oly' graphic in the composition and have the same imagery defocus to the eye ... job done!

Having finished my part, as my nerves settled I sat and listened to his interview ... now that was most certainly where the inspiration began, inspiration that grew over the dinner we shared together that night.

I was so blown away with the images that this iconic artist created I decided that I wanted to pay homage to his talent ... so I decided I'd shoot my own version of Mr Lategan's iconic image that launched Twiggy's career.

Please don't misunderstand, I didn't want to slavishly copy the image but I wanted to use it as inspiration to create my own updated 'McGillicuddyesque' version, I wanted to take its essence and rework it. I had a quick word with my make-up artist and stylist, Zoe, told her what I was looking for, and together we reworked the theme, the main 'update' being replacing Twiggy's drawn-on eyelashes with actual stuck-on ones!

Again this image is lit with modified speedlights. The 'key' or main light, the light that gives the prevailing shape and direction to the image is my award winning 'Classic' 19" collapsible beauty dish. My assistant has turned himself into a human boom and lifted the light stand into the correct position to give us the necessary 'butterfly' pattern ... go Matt!

Actually, this is one of the major benefits of using speedlights, logistically they are easy to transport, place and manipulate ... if need be you can gang them up for extra power or that's when I turn to my favourite light source, a trusted friend for many years, Quantum's Qflash. My second speedlight is hidden behind the subject at around her shoulder level. It's snooted, with the variable snoot from my Portaflex kit and pointed back towards the otherwise unlit white cove, this is just a whisper of light and adds the separation and graduation into the background.

Light three is off to camera-right and behind the subject. Its output is controlled with a barn door, again fro my Portaflex kit, you can check it out here: http://www.art4artssake.co.uk/light-modifiers/portaflex-kit.html Again this is just a whisper of light to add that sculptural separation. Never lose sight of the fact that we, as photographers, are trying to tell a threedimensional lie in a two dimensional medium.

Finally, contrast control was achieved in two ways. The density of the shadow beneath the sitter's chin and nose was controlled by placing a reflector directly under the dish and at such an angle to pick up the spill and send it back at the subject. The inverse square law ensures that the lighting direction I desired by placement of the beauty dish initially isn't damaged or overpowered.

I wanted to lighten the aforementioned but keep the contrast in the cheek bones. This was achieved by pressing two dark coloured 'pop up' stands into service as negative bounce. They were positioned either side of Ms Vex just out of shot.

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1st Published 01/12/2013
last update 09/12/2022 14:58:37

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