For this project, you are going to attempt to photograph a portrait similar to the famous Hollywood portrait photographer, George Hurrell. He photographed many famous stars from 1925 up to 1992. Names of mega stars like Marlene Dietrich, Betty Grable, Humphrey Bogart, Jean Harlow posed in front of his camera. The list goes on to include more modern stars like Grace Jones, Brooks Shields, John Travolta and Harrison Ford. Hurrell died in 1992.
Hurrell used harsh lights and dark shadows to create low key portraits. At the time, they were considered only commercial portraits of famous movie stars. Today they are considered to be works of art and worth about $30,000 for his original older prints. Many modern Hollywood photographers sometimes refer to shooting actors in the Hurrell style. And that is what you're going to do for your photographic studio summative.
First click on the George Hurrell link above to study his photos.
Next watch and study the video from the Slanted Lens where Jay P Morgan shows how he recreated the Hurrell style portraits with modern LED lights.
We are going to use our studio flash, with only one light. You can use one small flash as a backlight.
Write a proposal. Include:
• Your name
• People in your team
• lighting diagram for each lighting technique – hand drawn or on-line lighting diagram generator.
• time line – allow time to 2 periods to write your proposal and assemble your crew
• 1 day for shooting
• 2 or more days for editing.
You can shoot as a team of three (3) people. If you shoot as a team, remember that your photos must be different form the other members in you group and you must Photoshop your own photos and hand them in you own.
• one assistant to hold the reflector
• a second assistant to hold the hair light reflector – you could use one of your models
• 5 models – a mix of male and female.
• Studio camera kit
• Studio flash
• A white or gold foam core or bristol board reflector
• A second silver reflector
• A chair or stool
• Lighting diagram for each lighting set up
• Use the lighting diagram creator for one. The remaining can be drawn by hand.
You need 4 lighting set ups:
1. butterfly
2. loop
3. Rembrandt
4. side or split
For all your photos, use a backlight to separate the subject from te background or as a rim light or hair light.
For each lighting type, take 4 or 6 or more shots.
Photos can be head and shoulders, to medium shot using a variety of flattering poses.
If the shadows from you light crosses the eyes and falls on the check, that is OK. Use your reflectors to control the darkness of the shadows. They should be a little dark (definitely noticeable ), but not black.
Assemble you models, materials and everything for your day in the studio.
• Set up everything
• Start shooting
• Tidy up the studio
Show me all your photos. Then edit you best ones in Photoshop, following the directions on the studio door.
• your 2 best photos (1 male and 1 female) for each lighting technique, 8 photos in colour.
• convert the same 8 to black and white. Instructions to convert your photos to Black and White will be provided in class.
• 4 more Hurrell style portraits in colour showing amazing expression.
• 20 photos in total.