This is another set-up in the George V Hotel Paris that I mentioned a couple of posts ago. I wanted to tell you about how we lit this pic, as we did it in a record breaking 5 minutes.The fashion story was inspired by Coco Chanel. Our model is standing in the entrance to the Michelin star restaurant Cinq and the guests were about to arrive for lunch as we set up our shot. I wanted to keep the atmosphere of those wonderful chandeliers in the bar area behind our model. I shot on a tripod at a slow speed with my Leica M8 to keep the atmospheric ambient light of the hotel. My assistant held an bare pro-foto flash head high to the right above the model. The first try was too harsh, we just wanted a soft natural light on her as though she was standing underneath a light. My assistant grabbed a white linen napkin off one of the glam tables, wrapped it around the flash head and secured it with some masking tape. We tried again and we had just a soft pop on her face and dress, just how I wanted it.
When your light is too harsh think what you can use around you to soften it, white bed sheets are amazing softeners and have saved many a photographer, white garbage bags make for great diffusers and so are Michelin Star white napkins!
Hope you enjoyed the info. Carla x
Hair and Make-up Paolo Baroncelli, Model Angelina from Ford Models and Stylist Lynette Collins from Simply You. All equipment from the lovely folks at Matphot.
