How did he light this?

[Irene]

Hello, I would like to know if someone could please tell me how were the basic studio lightning elements placed to take this photograph: (supposing that there's at least one flash, maybe a natural light source, and at least one silver/shooting-through umbrella, and other diffusion methods like softboxes.I am also wondering about if the smoke works the same way as a cloudy day's light acts,rising magnificiently the colour temperature.
And if the key of the smoothed skin is Photoshop,or a beauty dish or anything like that seems to have been used, just tell me,please.)

http://www.modelmayhem.com/pic.php?p...77&pid=6515103

(Sorry for just posting the URL, but such good photographers tend to be,erm,protective with their copyright licenses.And that's quite understandable.Copyright:Sean Armenta.)

http://www.modelmayhem.com/pic.php?p...77&pid=6515056

That one was shot by different photographer- but is done in a similar style:

http://www.modelmayhem.com/pic.php?p...28&pid=6554263

[Asylum Steve]

Welcome to the site and this forum, Irene...

First of all, you did the right thing linking to the pics instead of reposting them. It's good to respect other people's online work, and it's still easy for us to view them.

Now, I hope this doesn't curb your enthusiasm for the these striking images, but IMO the key to their impact is the wonderful styling, and not the lighting. Let's just say an average person wearing average clothes would appear quite unremarkable even with this light.

Without knowing their exact formulas, I can tell you it's pretty basic. Probably a couple of flashes into umbrellas (bounced with maybe a reflective backing), or perhaps a beauty dish shot directly at the model. The "blue" shot may use more of a gridded spot to concentrate light on the model's face.

There may also be some smaller spots to direct light to specific areas of the shot, as well as some panels to keep the main lights from spilling everywhere.

It's hard to say what the deal with the smoke is. If it's in-studio (real), the lights from the rest of the shot would probably be enough to illuminate it. It could well be an effect added in post-production (photoshop), which would give the artists a lot more control.

I'm also guessing the models' skin was retouched in photoshop.

You know, if you're a member of Model Mayhem (free), you could send the photographers a message and ask them.

[Irene]

Dear Steve: Thank you for your-very complete and kind- answer.But one of my actual doubts was how the umbrellas were placed.
Firstly,I'm supposing that the model's skin had been previously toned down by using pale body makeup and foundation,so the skin colour blended with the flash reflection .But what intrigues me is the direction of the shades we can see on the body:They follow opposite directions! (First photo) And,as a matter of fact,they are quite hard shades.So perhaps there was one flash facing the back of the model (concretely the upper part of her torso and head), but I can't tell if there actually was another one behind the photographer.If a beauty dish was used...Well, I am unable to spot the butterfly shade behind the model's nose...

[Asylum Steve]

but I can't tell if there actually was another one behind the photographer.If a beauty dish was used...Well, I am unable to spot the butterfly shade behind the model's nose...

Well, there is definitely a light to the model's right (left side of the frame). You can see the rim effect on her head (right side of her face), nose, left forearm, and right wrist.

My guess is it's slightly behind her, and lower in brightness than the main light, and that's why there is no double shadow under her nose...

[Irene]

Aha! Thank you, you just made me happy.I'll keep on posting.But,and pardon me, do you mean that there was a main light source to her right and a beauty dish slightly behing her-or were you just talking about the beauty dish?

[Asylum Steve]

Aha! Thank you, you just made me happy.I'll keep on posting.But,and pardon me, do you mean that there was a main light source to her right and a beauty dish slightly behing her-or were you just talking about the beauty dish?

Well, I'm playing lighting detective here, which is an inexact science...

Just to be clear, we're talking about the first shot you link to, with the bald, very mannequin-like model stuck in a giant ball of cotton candy.

There is only one main light, and that is camera right, illuminating her back. The accent light camera left is strong, but not as strong as the main light. I figure it also must be slightly behind her, or else there would be no shadow area on the right side of her face.

As far as a beauty dish, I can't say whether either light used one or not. Beauty dishes do not give a completely unique light, at least not so much that I could easily tell just from looking at a shot. The light quality in this shot is consistent with a beauty dish, but other light modifiers could have created the same look.

One of the ironies of studio lighting is if you do it properly, it shouldn't be obvious how it was done. I think that's the case here...