Louis Vuitton ad/Vermeer inspired SP

Nikolai · December 15, 2009

Recently LV produced a series of ads mimicking the "old masters" paintings, Vermeer in particular. I couldn't help but notice how effective those ads were - not necessarily from the POV of the target audience, but from the point of lighting. Come think of it, the old masters didn't have 20+ light sources. North window was quite often their only and the most reliable source. Also, since the craftsman (and LV ads were all about the craft) would naturally position themselves as close to the window as possible to get as much light as they could, the light falloff should be fairly steep.

After some deliberating I decided that I have to try this technique, just to make sure I understand how it's done, if nothing else. With no other soul around, I had no other choice but to use myself as a model :dunno

To make my own life a bit easier I used a Remote Live View Shooting - a wonderful new feature available on the latest Canon cameras. And since I wanted to include the laptop into the frame as a sign of my own craft (I'm a software developer, after all:-) it let me know to position and focus very accurately, with camera being on the shooting stand (Titan Sidekick) and tethered to the same laptop:-)

Here's the result:

The gory details:
Camera: Canon EOS 7D + EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM at 37mm, on a stand, tethered, f/5.6, 1/250s.
Light: B800 + 2x4 gridded softbox located very close to the lower edge of the laptop and just a few inches away, at ~45 degree relative to camera.
Triggering: Remote Live View shooting (i.e. from the laptop), PW MINI TT1 on the camera, PW Receiver on the strobe.

Enjoy! C&C welcome!
This post was made with the assistance of Star*Explorer

Agnieszka · December 15, 2009

Very pretty photo!

I think it's a bit too bad you lost some of the details on your right cheek / side, but other than that

Qarik · December 15, 2009

Nikolai, I am dissapointed. I was expecting you upside donw with your legs up on a wall, dressed only in a green and purple boa with a "come hither..GRRRRLLL" expression

VayCayMom · December 15, 2009

Qarik wrote:

Nikolai, I am dissapointed. I was expecting you upside donw with your legs up on a wall, dressed only in a green and purple boa with a "come hither..GRRRRLLL" expression

me too, sorta...

Wil Davis · December 15, 2009

Nice job! I love the smooth tones, but like Agnieszka said, there's not quite enough definition on the right (your right) side of your face. A very small amount of rim or kicker (even a small bare flashlight bulb?)

I might have even cropped right and bottom to get less of the computer (it would have still been recognizable, but less "square")

- Wil

Nikolai · December 15, 2009

Agnieszka wrote:

Very pretty photo! I think it's a bit too bad you lost some of the details on your right cheek / side, but other than that

Angie, thanks a lot for commenting!

The light fall off on the face was intentional, I wanted this effect. I could easily "cure" it by adding a reflector or changing the light position (or even turning my head slightly), but, for the purpose of this experiment it went exactly as I wanted it:-)

Nikolai · December 15, 2009

Qarik wrote:

Nikolai, I am dissapointed. I was expecting you upside donw with your legs up on a wall, dressed only in a green and purple boa with a "come hither..GRRRRLLL" expression

I hear ya. You read my mind, but it's a work in progress for GF...

Nikolai · December 15, 2009

VayCayMom wrote:

me too, sorta...

Dang, it looks like I made myself a pure GF-man rep:-)

Nikolai · December 15, 2009

Wil Davis wrote:

Nice job! I love the smooth tones, but like Agnieszka said, there's not quite enough definition on the right (your right) side of your face. A very small amount of rim or kicker (even a small bare flashlight bulb?)

I might have even cropped right and bottom to get less of the computer (it would have still been recognizable, but less "square")

- Wil

Wil, thank you for commenting!
The reason I left the crop the way it is lies primarily in the fact that I wanted to double play it as an ad (as LV image was) for the laptop bracket support, so I needed it to be visible:-)

LiquidAir · December 15, 2009

I like the light; The Vermeer style is to have the shadow side fall off into blackness so that doesn't bother me. However to complete the effect I think you need to move a few feet in front of your backdrop so it falls to pure black. The other comment I have is that the black vest fades into the background a bit giving the impression of a disembodied arm. I'd consider replacing the vest with an unbottoned black or charcoal sport coat.

Nikolai · December 15, 2009

LiquidAir wrote:

I like the light; The Vermeer style is to have the shadow side fall off into blackness so that doesn't bother me. However to complete the effect I think you need to move a few feet in front of your backdrop so it falls to pure black. The other comment I have is that the black vest fades into the background a bit giving the impression of a disembodied arm. I'd consider replacing the vest with an unbottoned black or charcoal sport coat.

Ken,
thank you!

Agree on all points!

In fact, that's how LV ad is made... I was simply too lazy to dress up, I was primarily interested in light behaviour.. Same about the distance to BG..

sweet caroline · December 15, 2009

What a lovely portrait. I actually really like this lighting style, and your modeling is pretty good, too.

Caroline

Nikolai · December 16, 2009

sweet caroline wrote:

What a lovely portrait. I actually really like this lighting style, and your modeling is pretty good, too.

Caroline

Thanks Caroline!

As I said: simple and effective!

divamum · December 16, 2009

Love it! The lighting is so soft - it has exactly the oil-painting feel you were going for.

I have to agree about the right side of your face, but since it was what you wanted, we can agree to disagree

That said, I think the reason so many may have commented on it is because, while the face is shaded, the arm isn't - perhaps if all of your right side had the same light falloff it wouldn't have raised comment?

In any case, it's so nice to see a shot of you - tres distingue

(Plus I get so used to "remembering" people by their avatars that it's always a nice surprise to see a "real" picture

)

Elaine · December 16, 2009

I like this a lot! Love the light and colors...the grays with the red and even the blues are quite nice for me. And I figured you must have wanted the deeper shadows. Very nice SP!

Nikolai · December 16, 2009

divamum wrote:

Love it! The lighting is so soft - it has exactly the oil-painting feel you were going for.

I have to agree about the right side of your face, but since it was what you wanted, we can agree to disagree That said, I think the reason so many may have commented on it is because, while the face is shaded, the arm isn't - perhaps if all of your right side had the same light falloff it wouldn't have raised comment?

In any case, it's so nice to see a shot of you - tres distingue (Plus I get so used to "remembering" people by their avatars that it's always a nice surprise to see a "real" picture )

Thank you! :-)
I do look like that IRL:-)

Nikolai · December 16, 2009

Elaine wrote:

I like this a lot! Love the light and colors...the grays with the red and even the blues are quite nice for me. And I figured you must have wanted the deeper shadows. Very nice SP!

Thanks for the comments, Elaine, appreciate it!

bloomphotog · December 17, 2009

Love it! Very nice job...only thing I would do different is swap out that PC for a Macbook Pro!

ivar · December 17, 2009

Agnieszka wrote:

Very pretty photo! I think it's a bit too bad you lost some of the details on your right cheek / side, but other than that

Very nice, Nik. I really dig the red color of your laptop in the shot, too.

Nikolai · December 17, 2009

bloomphotog wrote:

Love it! Very nice job...only thing I would do different is swap out that PC for a Macbook Pro!

Over my cold dead body:-)

Thanks!

Nikolai · December 17, 2009

ivar wrote:

Very nice, Nik. I really dig the red color of your laptop in the shot, too.

Thanks Ivar! I like the brassy hue myself...

Louis Vuitton ad/Vermeer inspired SP

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