Tips/Tricks for Shooting Ebony Models?

[jtsmith]

Things have changed since the vps and other film days but I always kept a general rule depending on, how do I say this, dark the subject is.

Very dark - 3/4 over

Dark - 1/2 over

The only problem with above scenerio is light clothing losing detail.

Fair - Perfect exposure

This has all changed with the new films and digital but I have kept the digital the same in my general rule of exposing different subjects.

However the Kodak Portra films......the more you over expose the more flat and muddy it gets so I have found to just shoot the portra film more dead on.....

Everyone has their tastes and my way of doing it does not mean it works for everyone.

J T

[StMarc]

Hmmm. For ebony models, I recommend a nice coat of light wax (don't use Pledge: it tends to cloud up on dark wood.) Ebony's very hard, so if you want to buff it first, use a fairly rough material. No anti-insect treatment is usually necessary. Watch for flaws: it will crack on you if you aren't careful.

M

[MysticMan]

StMarc finally someone understood what I was asking for. THANKS! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

as a photog who DOES own a reflector (where is it now??) and a flash (dam!! gotta look for dat too!) but normally never uses it, they ARE required items for my ebony shoots.

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

of course, i also ask them to use skin cream to get a better skin tone, as it catches the light better.

good luck!!!

1. CONTROL the specularity of ya illumination.

2. Darker skin has a lower reflectance, so if your exposure(s) are under it'll BITE you.
Subject reflectance x illumination ratio = sceen brightness ratio - SBR

... keep 'SBR' within the gamut of ya output medium

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[joey61]

These are ALL excellent suggestions and it reminds of the old adage in using Kodachrome - BRACKET EXPOSURES LIKE CRAZY! At least you'll have several images to choose from depending on the variations of the final ouput(Print, Web, etc.)

[MysticMan]

Yeah, i'e started using the reflector and skin cream as well. It has helped.

[Shooter]

you might try a CC05 or CC10 magenta filter or something close -- Tiffen 812 or similar warming filter. It gives a depth to the skin as well as richness.

[gregkdavis]

JT,

I think you are right on the money.
With color or negative film I tend to expose +1 stop.
With chromes, +1/2 to +1 stop depending on the lighting conditions.

The trick to me is make-up. When I shoot, I tend to make sure
I use Blasco make-up since it's calibrated to 5600K lighting
conditions.

I also try to stay away from high contrast light, unless I need
dramatic effects.

Next, I try to make sure the background colors are complimenting the
skin-tones as well. Sometimes I use reflectors, but normally it's not
necessary.

Greg.