photo session – vintage pinup style (on location)
When the hot-rod show which didn’t offer as much in terms of photography as I had hoped, Jill and I moved over to the pier in Brooklyn. Having a model in a retro sailor-suit type outfit … well, it just seemed to good an opportunity to waste. I thought of perhaps using the Ice Cream Factory there as a backdrop to a straight-forward pinup photo, but ultimately decided the Hudson River waterfront would work better as a setting for the photo.
Then we just had to add some simple but dynamic lighting, and give the final image a vintage flavor with the post-processing …
Here are the two starting images:
The first one with the camera settings so that I have correct ambient exposure. But the image looks bland. There’s no punch to it. (1/200 @ f4 @ 400 ISO)
The next image was with the camera set to where I wanted the background exposure to be – darker and with more mood. (1/250 @ f6.3 @ 400 ISO)
Why those final settings? Simply because I liked the way it looked on the back of my camera. Turns out to be 1.7 stops under the regular proper exposure. Sounds about right.
Then I had to add light. My setup was simplicity itself, resorting to my usual on-location lighting setup when working with an individual subject such as a model:
Lastolite EZYBOX Softbox Kit (24″x24″) (B&H), with the speedlight,
which is controlled by two PocketWizard FlexTT5 transceivers (B&H)
I used the flash in TTL mode, triggered via the TT5 units.
Here is the out-of-the-raw converter image on the left, with the final processed image on the right:
I wanted the look of the image to have a warm retro feel to it, so I used a Photoshop action to give it a warmer, more vintage-y look:
image settings:
1/250 @ f6.3 @ 400 ISO … TTL flash (FEC not recorded)
Nikon D3; Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR (B&H) .. used at 70mm
Here is the pull-back shot to show the relative placement of the softbox.
Camera gear used during this photo session
Nikon D3; Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR (B&H)
Lastolite EZYBOX Softbox Kit (24″x24″) (B&H)
Manfrotto 1004BAC light-stand (B&H)
Nikon SB-910 Speedlight controlled by PocketWizard FlexTT5 & AC3 Controller
or alternately, the Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite controlled by Canon ST-E3 Transmitter
Very nice work Neil. Reading your posts for the past few years, has done wonders for my use of both on and off camera flash, particulary in twilight conditions. I actually can think in terms of how to plan and set things up. Before, it was a just a bit of a mystery.
The ability to reduce the ambient light and still expose correctly for your subject really makes many pictures pop.
This looks like it could be used for an ad for “Boardwalk Empire”.
Thanks again.
It appears that more often then not you are using the pocket wizards. Especially out doors
I really love the processing on this shot – it’s beautiful and so in keeping with the styling.
Nice shot. Why the choice of the 24-120mm vs. the 24-70?
You make this sound so easy! :-)
Great shot and many thanks for sharing!
nice OCF, but I particularly like the processing on this … very nice !! :)
Aloha Neil,
I am using the Pocket Wizards with pretty good success now, but not so much in TTL mode. Was wondering if you are relying on TTL vs. manual with consistently good results.
Cheers, Barry
Once again you make it look so easy, Great shot!!! The only thing that i wish wasnt there was the padlock and the rail.
Can anyone tell me how to make a Vintage feel, without using actions etc?
Desaturate the colors a bit via Hue/Saturation adjustment layer [30-50%] use Photo Filter adjustment layer, Warming Filter 51 around 50%.
It will give a pseudo effect, just play with photo filters and saturation on adjustment layers so you can re-adjust to taste.
It does depend on the type of image, if you have a lot of greens/trees, etc. may not work as well, you need the type of image Neil shot, clean uncluttered lines.
Trev
Hi Neil, great article.
Quick question about when you are doing on location portraits particularly in locations like this when you are close to wind and water spray. Do you use any sort of filters on your lenses for protection? If so, do you prefer UV filters or one of the clear protectors such as the Nikon NC filters. Do you have a brand you would recommend? Lots of questions. Sorry. Love your website.
Ross
I didn’t even notice the padlock at first until I read the comment. I was captivated by the image itself. Us photographers are such perfectionist :-) I bet the average person will not even notice the padlock. I often find clients picking photos that didn’t look ‘perfect’ to me.
Neil,
What happened to your AcuteB 600R pack and head, and your profoto beauty dish? Still have and use them?
Do you like the results from your speedlight for this type of shot as much?
Still love this location and that wonderful rail! In this shot I like the lines in the fence drawing the gaze to the bridge. And “Throb”, perfectly positioned. :-)
Neil, using CLS with this shot, did you have to take a test shot first with it enabled and modify EV or did the first shot come out perfectly?
Thanks for the info on the filters, Neil. Keep up the great work.
Ross.
Here is the sequence of images as I shot them, starting with the correct exposure .. then finding the exposure I like, and then the shot with flash. In that sequence, there is one image missing according to the numbers. I deleted it. Not sure why … most likely bad exposure or the model changed expression or something. The shot wasn’t useful even as a reference shot. Deleted.
Aside from that image that is missing in the sequence, there is the entire flow. I got the correct exposure without skipping a beat. (I think.)
Hi Neil! Thank you so much for sharing so much of your knowledge and experience with the world and to those (me) who need real situations such as this to better understand the techniques needed to achieving the desired results.
After you have manually determined your under-exposed ambient background exposure and you decide to use TTL flash for the subject, are you spot metering for the flash or using matrix for the camera to determine the correct flash exposure for the subject?
I would love to see more posts on your techniques for the PW Flex triggers. For me, it has been hit and miss and for that reason, I am almost always using the manual setting on my PW Flex.
Thanks as always for your post Neil. I am currently devouring both of your books in order to develop a more complete repertoire for my fledgling business and very much appreciate the insider tips that you gift us each week. Thank you.
Neil, I have one techy question though to ask your opinion on; I have just bought the TT1 & TT5 combo and have only just noted the bad press they have with regards to being coupled with a 580exII. Do you have any bad experience with regards miss-firing or burnt out 580EXII flash guns using the PWs? I’m a little apprehensive about burning out my only gun on a wedding shoot using these beauties but am a little heartened to see that you use them also. Do you have any (TTL)light to shed on my dilemma?! Thanks in advance..
I’m really
Hi Neil, how far away was your flash and what zoom setting did you set your flash at? Can you control the zoom setting from your camera with the PWs or do you have to manually adjust zoom on your flash head? Did you set any EV Comp with your ETTL setup? Thanks Neil!
Thanks Neil! BTW, when I do buy my gear from B&H, I usually use the links from this site. One of those purchases was on Monday for the B+W 77mm #103 Neutral Density (ND) 0.9 Filter. That should arrive today and I will use it as per your post with flash in bright conditions. I’m anxious to see the results. Thanks again, Neil!!
hi, Neil, sorry for posting on a old , post, i hope u reply me haha.. i just started investing in cheap softboxes along my 580exII… trying to work out the settings , mind telling me how u set up your flash after u got the exposure u want?
what zoom range u set, did u pull the wide angle flipper down? whats the initial power to start experiment with ?or is there a way to calculate the light needed based on the last exposure shot?