# Light setup and catchlights



## Donnie1010 (May 24, 2017)

Found some portrait work done by a celebrity photog that I really love (www.davidnoles.com) and have been trying to crack the lighting setup/add it to my arsenal of understanding. Have heard every suggestion under the sun, from "just throw up some 2'x3' softboxes on either side of the subject" (even 2 feet in front of the subject the catchlights were way too small) to "the ones with blue eyes are done with either strip lights or a ring light" (the catches are shaped like ( ) not || or O, tried both those options, the strips were straight up and down and I don't know where you'd find a ring light big enough to encircle the entire pupil and still get clearance for the frame to work. Especially interested in the ones that are drenched in light that immediately falls off into shadow. I image there's some flagging going on, but I've tried everything under the sun (using black foamcore) and I'm still missing something. One thing I know for sure is he's using very large light sources, judging from the attached catchlight close up, maybe 4x6 scrims? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.


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## ronlane (May 24, 2017)

Looks to me like it could be two big scrims and it appears that he is standing between them. Another possibility could be something like a 7 foot octa put directly behind the him.


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## Braineack (May 24, 2017)

I think he does two setups:

One with two tall florescent tubes very close to subject, and directly in front of subject with just enough space for a lens to pass.

for these catchlights, the light source must have been practically touching the subject.






the other, with one or two large lights directly behind photographer that he stands in front of.

again, for these catchlights, the shooter was close and light source was LARGE and wrapped around the subject.

im assuming something like this:






i personally think it's boring and unflattering.


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## Designer (May 24, 2017)

Donnie1010 said:


> Any insight would be greatly appreciated.


What does David Noles say about it?


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## Designer (May 24, 2017)

Braineack said:


> i personally think it's boring and unflattering.


But that's his STYLE, doncha see?


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## Designer (May 24, 2017)

Donnie1010 said:


> ..a celebrity photog ..


Who are the celebrities?  I don't recognize any of them.


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## tirediron (May 24, 2017)

Braineack said:


> I think he does two setups...


I think those are both the same set-up using the same modifier which looks like either a very large shoot-through or octabox.  I think the difference is caused by the angle of the key light with respect to the model.


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## Donnie1010 (May 24, 2017)

Braineack said:


> I think he does two setups:
> 
> One with two tall florescent tubes very close to subject, and directly in front of subject with just enough space for a lens to pass.
> 
> ...



Agree to disagree then.


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## Donnie1010 (May 24, 2017)

Designer said:


> Donnie1010 said:
> 
> 
> > Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
> ...



Not a damn thing.


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## Donnie1010 (May 24, 2017)

Designer said:


> Donnie1010 said:
> 
> 
> > ..a celebrity photog ..
> ...



Some TV stars. Lupita Nyongo won the Oscar.


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## Donnie1010 (May 24, 2017)

Designer said:


> Braineack said:
> 
> 
> > i personally think it's boring and unflattering.
> ...



I don't know, he rakes in $3000 a day and has been booked 2 months out for the last 2 years. You can say talent and popularity don't correlate, and in certain instances I'd agree, but here I'd take issue.


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## Designer (May 24, 2017)

Popularity trumps talent.  

Consider; movies, music, art.

It's been that way for a long time.


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## table1349 (May 24, 2017)

Donnie1010 said:


> Designer said:
> 
> 
> > Donnie1010 said:
> ...


Did you contact him???

323-240-2969
hello@davidnoles.com


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## Braineack (May 25, 2017)

tirediron said:


> Braineack said:
> 
> 
> > I think he does two setups...
> ...



did you click on the two links i provided and view them at full size?


also don't forget, once you recreate his lighting profile, download some "matte" finish presets to finish off the look.


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## tirediron (May 25, 2017)

Braineack said:


> did you click on the two links i provided and view them at full size?


Yes, I did.


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## Designer (May 25, 2017)

tirediron said:


> Braineack said:
> 
> 
> > did you click on the two links i provided and view them at full size?
> ...


Me too.  I attempted to figure out what the odd shapes are at the top of the lights.  They almost looked like hands holding up the lights.  But that is not logical.


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## tirediron (May 25, 2017)

Apologies...  upon closer inspection, I think that is two V flats.


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## Donnie1010 (May 25, 2017)

Designer said:


> Popularity trumps talent.
> 
> Consider; movies, music, art.
> 
> It's been that way for a long time.



Client Comments on Headshots NYC with David Noles


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## Donnie1010 (May 25, 2017)

tirediron said:


> Apologies...  upon closer inspection, I think that is two V flats.


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## Donnie1010 (May 25, 2017)

gryphonslair99 said:


> Donnie1010 said:
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> > Designer said:
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Duh... like I said, not a word.


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## Designer (May 25, 2017)

Donnie1010 said:


> Designer said:
> 
> 
> > Popularity trumps talent.
> ...


Scanning down the page of comments, I am struck STRUCK, I tell you!  by the sameness of the comments.  Apparently adding an obscene expletive (or several, in all caps) makes up for the clients' lack of literary ability.  

(satisfied client)  "Gosh!  These are WAY better than the snapshots my mum took of me at the beach when I was 7 years old."


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## Donnie1010 (May 25, 2017)

Designer said:


> Donnie1010 said:
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> > Designer said:
> ...



Hah, hater.


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## Designer (May 25, 2017)

Donnie1010 said:


> Hah, hater.


I once worked for a man who was a far better salesman than he was a designer.  He took their money and gave his clients crap.


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## tirediron (May 26, 2017)

Designer said:


> Donnie1010 said:
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> > Designer said:
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  Methinks Mr. Noles may have downloaded a random comment generator (with the illiterate punk language pack).


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## DanOstergren (May 28, 2017)

In some of the shots it looks like the photographer could be standing in front of a single large light source and you are seeing his silhouette in the reflection of the eyes. In other shots it looks like he's using two light sources to get a slightly different look.

I personally love the lighting in his work and think it's very flattering, but agree that it's a bit boring, maybe just because it's purpose is to create something clean and commercially acceptable. Doesn't mean it's bad work at all.


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## Derrel (May 28, 2017)

^^^Yes, agreed on all counts.


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