lesson by Zen Buckaroo
Window Light
You will not be able to do much indoors without lighting equipment of some kind. You can, however, get a good start by using window light. You will find it almost impossible to do a complete shooting this way because of the problem you will find in doing spreads where the crotch is lighted. This method is good for the 'amateur' sections (where you are often paid a few bucks for a single photo) or for more artistic photos.
Black and White
For those of you who appreciate the artistic advantages of black and white will love this form of lighting. The disadvantage of color is that you will find a strong color shift in the shadow areas where the colors of the room become the fill light. In future lessons you will learn how to create your own fill with flash or reflectors. In the meantime you can have fun and impress your models with photos that have a very artistic and not quite so threatening poses as you will do later for the men's magazines. Don't be disconcerted! These photos are appreciated by many viewers and you can create your own web site to show your work...or put it up on one of our gallery boards.
Color and filters
To get good color without resorting to flash fill, you may need to experience with different filters. Because of the colors of the room you might want to compensate with a set of color compensating filters. Choosing the right one to do for a room may mean you need to 'test'. Nearly all photographers hate to test. The smart ones like me usually find a model that they give photos to (no pay) in exchange for their time. This works best because it not only gives you a better idea on how a girl's skin will photograph but it is a lot more fun. Always take a notebook and pencil and write down everything you do (except for what you might do with a model...you don't want any husbands or boyfriends to have a record of THAT!).
Tripod
Unlike outdoors where the
light intensity is enough for you to often hand hold your shots, the
light from a window is often soft and muted and it will require you to put
your camera on a tripod. To keep camera movement at a minimum you
will need to also buy a cable release. If you ever find you have
gone off and forgotten your cable release do what I do: put your
camera on a steady tripod; pose your model and tell her to hold the pose
until you say to move; then use the self timer to trigger the shutter. By
not making physical contact with the camera during the exposure you will
minimize blur. Of course working with a tripod inhibits many
photographers' desire to move around. Another reason you will want
to advance to electronic flash equipment as soon as you can afford it.
Traveling
The technique that you
learn by working simply and with minimal equipment will be very useful if
you travel. You don't need to worry about lugging equipment all over
the world or trying to find it on some small island where you have just
found a beautiful native girl to pose for you. All you need to do is
to search out a hotel or beach hut with good light coming through a window
or two. Add some beach shots to your set of photos and you
will have a very exotic and very saleable group of photographs.
Nicole Cody
Shot by Edward for
one of his many Gallery Shows
Your big problem in most rooms is strong contrast between the 'key light'
from the windows and the natural fill from the rest of the room.
This white room was created in a natural light studio I once had in a
warehouse in downtown Los Angeles. The white walls and floor gave a
high key light to what is normally a low key situation of a single light
source from a window.
It isn't always necessary to build a studio to use window light. When I lived in Thailand I was without a source of electronic light. I found a guesthouse with a glassed in shower and large window next to it.
It became the source of many shoots. See my example page for more.
Photo for Swank's Leg Action
My studio in Reseda California. Although everything is white, I still had a problem with shadows (more intense with color because of lower latitude). Large white flats were necessary to fill this photo.
Photo by Zen
Note how the model has been posed to put her face and tits into the window light. Keep in mind that you still need to 'show' the model even when shooting like an amateur shot for the magazines. If it is for a Gallery Nude for 'art' you can turn her face away. Remember that as you are learning you may not want to spend the money on the best models. Your first attempts are for practice and you might as well pick girls that promise to be fun when they get naked.
Shot for Oriental Dolls
This is one of my Thai dancer girlfriends. It was shot in the Grace Hotel with strong morning light coming through a large picture window. Sometimes a soft focus or better yet a fog effect filter can soften the contrast in a shot and make for a nicer image.
Learning to work indoors is very important toward your becoming a photographer that sells regularly. Even when you finally get your dream studio you will find that you will sometimes want to shoot on location. Although you will want to carry a portable strobe unit to your locations, the lessons that you have taught yourself about shooting with window light alone will be very valuable.