Specific Lighting for Black and White Portrait

Ced

Hello,

I am looking for advice (or articles, books)  to setup my off camera flash specifically for black and white portrait.

Let us be optimist, I would like to achieve the same look and feel Monica Bellucci has in the book from Giuseppe Tornatore.

Let us be even more optimist, Monica, Giuseppe, if you read this message and are willing to help, I can prepare very nice french pan cakes for you .

Zenon

I don't have anything that specific but this might be helpful for unique stuff. IMO if you are getting into flash photography this is just as important as understating how the shutter, aperture and ISO work together in normal shooting.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5BIvSBjvLg

Ced

Thanks Zenon, I have some experience already with off flash photography, still experimenting and I am really curious about how to achieve this look.

sovaphotos

What software do you have available to process your images? 

Ced

I am using mainly canon DPP and Gimp. And slowly moving to photoshop.

Neil vN

Ced, are you talking about the cover image of the book?

Or which photo?

btw, I love that book, and highly recommend it. 

best photography books

Ced

Neil, yes, I find it is so so subtle, with other photos as well

sovaphotos

DPP is limited in what you can achieve in a B&W conversion.  I am not very familiar with Gimp but I would think you would have much more options than using DPP.  As Zenon pointed out, the way you take your "color" image will determine the end result.  Proper lighting and positioning is key.  Photoshop is a great tool and in my opinion your best solution for B&W.

travelintrevor

Take a look at some of Greg Gorman's work. Not everything is BW but he has some amazing work!

http://www.gormanphotography.com/#mi=1&pt=0&pi=1&s=0&p=-1&a=0&at=0

And it is NSFW!

Also, this is a BW action from him for photoshop.

I have not used it...yet

http://www.gormanphotography.com/index.php#mi=1&pt=0&pi=40&s=0&p=0&a=0&at=0

travelintrevor

and one more

http://www.blackandwhitedigital.com/Convert/luminosity/gorman.html

Ced

ow that is great thanks !!
I recently tried my first "real black and white portrait" , I will give it a try on the series of photo I have made.

this one is one portrait I have made and treated with canon DPP, so not much treatment actually
http://www.tatouata.fr/black-white-portrait-melancolia-part1/
 I am really curious what is possible with the method you shared. My method was, instead of shooting in colors and convert to black and white, to visualise in black and white directly on my camera during the shoot, to adjust the lighting. But I am wondering if there is a method for a more consistent result therefore looking for lighting techniques specific to balck and white.

travelintrevor

I like that portrait! I think shooting in BW will help a lot and it is what I try to do. Also, check out Stefan Beutler

His work is breathtaking but also NSFW

http://www.stefan-beutler.de/index2.php#/home/

and on 500px

https://500px.com/Stefan_Beutler

and on flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/98152134@N00/

If he does not make you want to go out and shoot....then sell your camera

He shoots mostly in BW but some color. 

If you plan on getting LR, check out Mastin Labs BW presets. He will be releasing the Ilford pack soon. He actually takes photos with the various films, then the same scene with a digital camera and creates presets to emulate the film shot. 

I love his presets and plan on shooting hybrid (film and digital) next year when I pick up a Canon film camera this xmas. 

https://mastinlabs.com/store/ ;

Ced

I agree it is breathtaking...it may sound weird but in a way I don't like looking at it, it is too close to what I wish I could realize one day :-).

I will look at it closing one eye .

Ow I also want to try film camera, I have a canon AE1 sleeping at home I've never used it so far, maybe soon , there is so much to do in photography I love this...

Coming back to my initial question, all solutions presented till now are post-processing related, isn't there any specific way to light for black and white ? How to achieve the look and feel from Monica Bellucci's photo above without post processing ?


 

penndragonn2001

Check out:

http://www.joebuissink.com/

Love his work. He has a video on Youtube, quit extensive, mostly about Wedding Photography, but he  also does a lot of B/W work.

hoyaterp

Wait. . . Did someone say pancakes??

Ced

Thank you Penndragonn, I have little access to internet now but I will carefully watch the video.

Hoyaterp, yes I said that )