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As an adjunct to the Tangents blog, the intention with this forum is to answer any questions, and allow a diverse discussion of topics related photography. With that, see it as an open invitation to just climb in and start threads and to respond to any threads.
Why shadow photos in media?
More and more I am seeing photos of people, in A-list magazines and other publications, that have glaring harsh shadows, usually behind the subject, as though the photos were quick snapshots with overdone on-camera flash pointed at subject. They are horrible. What is with this? It's so obvious that it was definitely deliberate. Is this the new trendy thing to do? Do people like this? It's a mystery to me. I see it in both news stories and ads. Sometimes I think edgy is in even if it's bad. That 'different' is good merely for being different. Here is one from The New Yorker, online, probably in print edition as well. This one isn't nearly as bad as a lot I've seen. Any thoughts?
***NOT MY PHOTO. THIS IS FROM THE NEW YORKER.
Comments
Barry
The interesting thing with that shot though, is the direction of the light source.
If shot in portrait and flash in hotshoe, the shadow would have come in from camera left, throwing shadow to camera right, if normal 'right hand over top' to get portrait orientation.
But the shadow here is on camera left indicating the light source came from camera right, so, either of 3 things, flash in hotshoe but awkward left over right so flash on camera right; flash on bracket which was orientated from camera right; or and unlikely, off camera flash again from camera right.
Either way, it's a shit photo.