Hi and welcome back.
I received an email a while back about shooting the 40’s era glamour shot. If you like this look, Google the preeminent photographer in this genre: George Hurrell
I take great inspiration from Hurrell for posing and lighting.
The 40’s glamour style shot used hot lights and was a tedious concern as you had to set your lights, pose your subject, and use a large format camera to get the shot. Today, we can use strobe or speedlights.
I love this look and it is a signature shot for me using small flashes and Expoimaging’s Rogue Flashbenders.
Here’s my setup with all bare head flashes, no omnibounce installed:
Key light: SB910, manual mode @ 1/4 power, Small Flashbender rolled into a snoot. This light gives me a direct beam on the face and also illuminates the upper body.
Hair light: SB800, manual mode @ 1/4 power, Large Flashbender rolled into a snoot. This light gives me hair and shoulder separation.
Backlight: SB800, manual mode @ 1/4 power, Rogue Grid. I start my grid at 16 degrees and will change to the 25 or 40 degree depending on the spread of light I want on the background.
I set all my flashes at 1/4 power and then adjust from there.
I start my exposure at 1/125 @ f/8, ISO 200 and adjust from there.
I finish all my images in Totally Rad Actions Portrait Retouch V2, then into PS for a glamour glow, then into Totally Rad again and the Bitchen B/W action for a high contrast look.
If you like Totally Rad Actions, you can purchase any product from them for 15% off with my coupon code: 1434rhstudios.
Here’s a behind the scenes, showing key, hair, and the grid is kind of hidden but it is at head height to the left of the model:
![_RVH6284](https://robertharringtonstudios.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/rvh6284.jpg?w=529&h=352)
Here’s a BTS with the lights dimmed and all the flashes firing:
You can see how all the lights work her and how the key light actually lights the face and upper body but that’s it.
Once you get set up, you can adjust exposure, light, and subject position to get the look you want.
Here’s a finished color image:
And here’s a finished B/W converted in Totally Rad Actions Bitchen B/W:
This is a great and fun lighting look using small flashes. You have to remember that the light is hard and contrasty and the shadows will be deep, but that is how it’s done and that’s the way I do it.
If you like the look, check out my previous post on upcoming workshops as I may be in your neighborhood soon!
Till then, happy shooting.