Sunday, 14 February 2016

Photography practical - Gobos and shadows

I was really excited about this lesson, because it would relate perfectly to my word 'Penumbra.' 
We were shown a couple of examples of brand advertisement designs that we will have to insert our image into; as I have been given the brand MAC, my image will go with this template - although I have the option of changing colours and the product picture:


A light was set up directly above the camera, with a spotlight attached to it, which created a circular spread of light on the model. Gobos - thin metal discs with holes and patterns in them to cast shadows - can be inserted into the spotlight, which can be focused to create a softer or sharper shadow. Black boards were used on either side of the model to block any light hitting the sides of the face, and we also tried using lights at the back above the model to highlight the hair or create a fade effect in the corners of the photos. We experimented with an 80mm lens and saw that colours came out much warmer. We also tried using gels and our hands to create colour effects or shadowed parts over the model - for example to bring focus to a certain part of the face. 


Following on from this practical, I am excited to try using gobos and shadow to create effects in my images. It means I can represent 'penumbra' through my lighting and set-up, rather than just my hair and make-up. 

Images from session:




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