When I was contacted by Judge Caposela’s daughter about possibly doing a portrait of him, I knew I would have to create a portrait that has some visual weight. It would have to show the dignity and character associated with his standing. Even more pressure when she told me that a B&W version would be framed and all hang in the entrance of the rotunda in the Passaic County courthouse.
The days preceding this photo session, I worked out in my mind what I would do for the lighting. I wanted somewhat dramatic lighting, but also very flattering. I wanted the lighting to show the gravitas, but still keep it so that the final portrait looks appealing. I took some time in the studio beforehand to figure out a lighting setup and settings for the lights that would create a portrait that would show all this. (There is a description and pull-back shot below.) This is the image that was picked. And I really do like the final result.
There is a story about this specific book. It is a rare collector’s item – a book written by Clarence Darrow, the principal defense attorney in the infamous Scopes trial. (Check out the relevance of this in the Wikipedia article.)
What was it like working with him in the studio? He was one of the nicest people I have met, and it was a real honor to have photographed him.
Camera settings, and camera gear used
- 1/160 @ f/8 @ 100 ISO
- Sony A1 (B&H / Amazon) … because, you know pixels and responsiveness.
- Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM ii (B&H / Amazon) … because of general awesomeness.
- The main light was Profoto D2 and a gridded Profoto 3-ft RFI Octa Softbox (B&H / Amazon). The gridded softbox was at an angle where I liked how contrasty the light was. This light being only a 3-ft softbox, and gridded, meant the light fall-off out be controlled. You’ll notice how the light falls off naturally lower down on the robe. That’s because of this specific light.
- Then, the overall contrast was controlled by the fill light via Profoto D2 – diffused with the huge Profoto 5.0′ RFi Octa Softbox (B&H / Amazon) to the right and behind me.
- Two rim lights in the back were both with a Profoto RFi 1’×4′ softbox (B&H / Amazon)
- The background light was a bare Profoto B1 flash (B&H / Amazon) … because I didn’t want to deal with another power cable.
Related articles
- Portrait photography
- Studio photography – Working with a large Octa Softbox
- Creating dramatic studio lighting with Profoto A2 flashes
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