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Response to Smokin'!

from Robert Anderson (rap@rapfoto.com)
First off, thank you comrades for the kind words.

I’ll try and answer your questions, but in no specific order:

1) KR1.5; Alan, you’re exactly right. I use Heliopan and B+W filters. It is a little stronger than your typical skylight or 1a filter. Just the ticket for the ‘blue’ light of an overcast day. Now, it probably wouldn’t be ENOUGH warming if I didn’t do a little trickery in development. I always run my people shots [when shot on transparency film] with a modest push to warm them up a bit. My typical scheme is to run the film with a +1/3 stop push. The extra time in the first developer gives me just a kiss of added warmth, and then the KR1.5 just brings me back to where I usually start from [it neutralizes the scene to my base color temperature so to speak.]

I’m not a big fan of on the lens filtration, and typically would gel each light source, this avoids contaminating the entire scene with a cast from the lens filter, but in instances like this, a little boost to the general scene works well, and besides, I still haven’t figured out how to keep the Sun from melting my Rosco's when I hang then too close!

Different shoot, and lighting set-up, but this is a Octabank in use

2) The Octabank is a special, seven-foot in diameter reflective soft box. As Edward mentioned, it is a specialty piece of gear, and Elenchrom charges accordingly. However, it is very unique in that it is set up like an umbrella/soft box hybrid. It first shoots the light into a reflector [the back of the Octabank], then it diffuses the light as it exits the front of the device. It throws a very unique light, and has been broadly used by many photographers. The secret is to have it close enough that it is soft, yet far enough away to give a slightly hard edge to the shadows [penumbra].

The shot THEY used… hmmmm, typical, I would have picked another one, but…

3) The shoot was for RAZOR Magazine, which is a competitor with Maxim, and that sort. The styling was to be one that, while she was serving her ‘time’ for unknown crimes, she somehow still maintained some sort of composure and aesthetic beauty. She is supposed to be a little ‘hard, and a little ‘menacing’. We had the ‘ball’ with us, but because this was a cover shot, the A/D [art director] was concerned it would complicate the placement of the text… so we dropped the ball.

All in all, this is really close to my initial vision, concept, and design. When dealing with clients, super expensive models, seamstress’ for custom made wardrobe items, and top of the line production artists, it can get a little busy keeping everyone focused on the ‘prize’. You have to be very strong willed [my girlfriend might say a**hole] and believe in your vision 120% to pull these kinds of shots off successfully. I’m glad that it did. I really like this series, though like everyone else, if I had it to do over again I would…..

Best regards,

RA

(posted 8358 days ago)

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