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Composition with Lines
Summary:
In another film in this series on composition elements Eberhard Schuy is here to explain the use of lines and their application and function in the visuals arts, and in photography in particular.
In the highland moor of the Belgian Ardennes, Mr. Schuy has chosen a long and winding footbridge as the ideal means of demonstrating and explaining the use of lines in photo composition.
The three line types are addressed, individually beginning with the horizontal and then moving to the diagonal and final the tricky application of vertical lines. Through the inventive use of on screen diagrams he shows the effect of the different line types explaining their advantages and disadvantages. This gives us a chance to see what the different line types bring to the photo and their inherent implication. By demonstration, the natural cause and effects are weighed to show us how to enhance the natural lines through using conscious in-camera editing of the frame.
The natural horizontal is weighed against the flexible and useful diagonal line and balanced through careful use of vertical lines and their placement. Don't pass up this great film.
Three Locations for Nude Photography
Summary:
Photographer Corwin von Kuhwede takes FotoTV viewers on an exciting erotic shooting with his model, Claudia at an abandoned industrial building in Leipzig, Germany.
Today von Kuhwede gives important insight how viewers can find their own interesting motifs in such locations where they initially might think not possible. Going though all disciplines, technical, creative as well as the aspects relating to working with nude models, von Kuhwede accomplishes three different set-ups during difficult weather conditions. The first location that he searches out is on the top floor with open windows letting in the natural light in abundance. He uses a broken window frame as a makeshift swing for model Claudia to swing back and forth on. Von Kuhwede works well with his models always paying attention to body posture and control thereof. It is important for the model to feel comfortable when shooting nude portraits and von Kuhwede does a great job at putting Claudia at ease and taking care of her comfortableness throughout the entire shoot.
Von Kuhwede is also very ingenious when it comes to props and juxtaposing his locations to bring out the best eye-catching contrast. Using ordinary white household curtains hanging down in the run-down industrial building is just one example how von Kuhwede’s mind is always at work creatively. Mixing the old with the new, the modern with the traditional, everything comes together in perfect unison making the sleek erotic photo shooting an instant success. Knowing light and how to modify it also works in von Kuhwede’s favor, whether he uses a reflector or not he is always paying attention to the light and at which angle it is falling onto the model, positioning her accordingly. Von Kuhwede gives an in-depth technical photographic analysis on his choice of camera settings, lenses and post-production photo editing to ensure that viewers can effectively and immediately start out on their own nude portraits. These attentive steps show in the end result, his photos are more than satisfying.
Disco Light
Summary:
In this film, freelance, fashion and beauty photographer Michael Gelfert covers the topic of creating a disco atmosphere for a fashion production at club in Frankfurt, Germany.
Gelfert approaches this topic from two angles; one, shooting in an actual disco using the disco lights as part of his shot, and two, recreating a disco look using studio lights covered with colored gels to simulate the colorful lights of a disco.
For the first part of the film, Gelfert works with a lighting technician, especially there to control the disco strobes and spotlights. He comprehensively goes through all settings and equipment that he needs to use to create the look he wants. Needless to say, it is all done with great effort, but the results are brilliant. Working with a beauty dish as his main frontal light, he cannot change the output of his background disco lights, so he must rely on his shutter speed to regulate the brightness of the surrounding backlighting. Something that requires him to use a tripod and stay pretty much in the same position, all very inflexible.
Since Gelfert wants to move about freely and try new perspectives and angles to shoot from, he sets up a simulated disco scene using the beauty dish again as a main frontal light and three flash heads, each with a different colored gel for his background and disco effect. The results are dynamic and authentic looking and it allows him to be more mobile and also shoot at a faster shutter speed since he can now regulate the power output of the backlights.
In conclusion, whichever method photographers choose to use to create a disco look for their photo shoots, both are technically superb. Although one might be more work than the other to control, both still yield professional results and Gelfert does a wonderful job explaining the details and differences between both techniques.