Studio Portrait Photography: Val Carpender and Heidi Klum

This Comp Card series of images continues with Val’s number 2 image, based off an ad campaign that Heidi Klum recently appeared in.  For those new to studio photography, shooting to an existing advertising campaign is a great way to find some inspiration, challenge your technical skills, and learn what’s happening in fashion trends, poses, lighting, etc.  In this case Valerie and I poured through magazines, clipping pages illustrating looks that would be strong in Val’s portfolio.  Today’s image is one of them.

Lighting Technical:  See lighting diagram. Two 47″ octoboxes with 40 degree grids placed within 3-4′ of the subject as fill light.  This allows me to turn the lights down reducing specularity and softening the light.  The two large octoboxes were used to fill with even light top to bottom on Val.  The spot grids limit the spread of the light, keeping light

off the backdrop (allowing the black to remain black instead of turning grey).  An Alien Bees Beauty Dish was used to bring extra light to Val’s face, bringing that subject forward in the image.  This image was shot on a black background, and Val is sitting on a table with a black cloth drapped over it.

Camera Technical: Canon 1Ds Mk II, 70-200mm zoom, f/10, ISO400, 1/200 shutter speed.  Pocket Wizard remotes used to fire strobe lights.

Related posts:

1. Studio Portrait Photography: Matt Albiniak and Sierra Bravo
2. Studio Portrait Photography: Ania Saletis