Neon Window

While shooting in Boston about a year ago, I found this great window illuminated from a neon sign, under an emergency fire escape, and illuminated with the spill from a nearby street lamp. I knew I wanted to use that at some point once I could find a good reason to do so.

The reason surfaced last evening. While shooting nearby in Boston with a male and female model, I took the time to stop and grab a few shots at the window. I setup the scenario with the models; existing a restaurant or club, and nearing their first kiss. I positioned Anya, the female model with her back to the wall so that the street light would provide some good facial lighting. I had Russell move in such that he was rim lighted by neon sign, but also received fill on the camera side from the street light.

I set the white balance for the street light since it was primary for good skin tones. I went warm with the balance to capture the feel of night street illumination. I had my assistant hold a 580EX in a small softbox for additional fill illumination, but in the end decided that all natural lighting would give me the results I was after.

Shutter speed was marginal and I lost some sharpness to hand holding. But the great natural lighting was a better trade off. The scene was captured with a Canon 1DsII, 50mm f1.4 at f1.4, 1/25th and carefully hand held.

~ by sfaust on June 20, 2008.