Real Ladies Only Fly First Class

[Colin Southern]

One of many from todays shoot ...

[revi]

I've seen one of the ladies before

Tbh, I noticed you used a low-placed (fill?) light on camera right, and I feel it gives a rather unnatural effect,
with the top of the cheeks shaded and the nostrils lighted. The more so as the main light seems to come from
camera left, at about face level. This is especially visible on the hind-most model.

Do those planes still fly?

Remco

[Colin Southern]

Hi Remco,

Unfortunately, one has to light them somehow, and they're basically on the inside of an aluminium "cave" (down to 1/15th hand held @ ISO 800 @ 200mm). The window light you see it real -- the rest is fill light ... I thought I actually did a pretty good job of spreading the fill light around.

The Planes are Bristol Freighters, and no they don't fly anymore. When I was in the Air Force (from '78 to '85) a company called Safe Air used to still operate them (at that stage they were one of the last companies in the world using them) -- real "steam driven" stuff though -- I've heard they were pretty horrible things to fly.

[Shadowman]

That aircraft would be a lawsuit in waiting what with the exposed floor bolts and wall plates.

Nicely lit, was this originally in color, if so was the skin tone of the model in the rear more on the cool side? Was there anyway of balancing the color temperature?

[Colin Southern]

Hi John,

I don't think lawsuits had even been invented in those days! (just kidding -- kinda).

I just liked it better as a sepia shot (a) to get more in character with the era of the aircraft, but also because the front model likes to use too much foundation and the rear model uses none - and the two even side by side don't match If I was a real stickler I could have gelled the flashes, but after breaking a monopod and 2 off camera shoe cords - had two young "assistants" who would rather play and explore - and two models who had had enough for the day, I really just wanted to wrap it up - get some lunch - and lick my wounds!

Here's a side-by-side that shows the different skin tones a bit better (and it's in colour too!) ...

[Alis]

Very nice shot, Colin! One thing I am thinking you should have done, is to have them not to look directly at the camera. I am sure you have some of those shots too. It goes better with the title and the sepia tone

Alis

[Colin Southern]

Thanks Ali,

It was the last set and the girls were getting a bit restless. There were some with one looking out the window - then the other - and other variations - but none that I was completely happy with ... so this one ended up being "the chosen one".

[Shadowman]

Hi John,

I don't think lawsuits had even been invented in those days! (just kidding -- kinda).

I just liked it better as a sepia shot (a) to get more in character with the era of the aircraft, but also because the front model likes to use too much foundation and the rear model uses none - and the two even side by side don't match If I was a real stickler I could have gelled the flashes, but after breaking a monopod and 2 off camera shoe cords - had two young "assistants" who would rather play and explore - and two models who had had enough for the day, I really just wanted to wrap it up - get some lunch - and lick my wounds!

Here's a side-by-side that shows the different skin tones a bit better (and it's in colour too!) ...

Must be the foundation, both of their skin tones seem to be close in color temperature and tone but the model on the right (darker hair) just seems to stand out more. At first I thought it was their position within the plane but it appears that the focus is on her only.

[Colin Southern]

Must be the foundation, both of their skin tones seem to be close in color temperature and tone but the model on the right (darker hair) just seems to stand out more. At first I thought it was their position within the plane but it appears that the focus is on her only.

Hi John,

The temp should be close, although the one to camera right (Ashley) would have received a higher proportion of fill light. Having said that, she likes more foundation - and - has more olive skin, whereas Georgia has a more natural but none-the-less slightly different tones. Focus wise there shouldn't be any difference; I can't remember which one I had the AF point on, but as they're both in the same focal plane and I shot it at F5.6, I doubt there'd be any detectable focus issues between them. Perhaps it's just a touch of motion blur?

[Shadowman]

Hi John,

The temp should be close, although the one to camera right (Ashley) would have received a higher proportion of fill light. Having said that, she likes more foundation - and - has more olive skin, whereas Georgia has a more natural but none-the-less slightly different tones. Focus wise there shouldn't be any difference; I can't remember which one I had the AF point on, but as they're both in the same focal plane and I shot it at F5.6, I doubt there'd be any detectable focus issues between them. Perhaps it's just a touch of motion blur?

Colin,

I tried to use ViewNX to see if the focus point was on Ashley but the indicator didn't display, I also tried a few contrast adjustments and both models features, wardrobe, and background changed accordingly. I think (and this will sound like a cliche) Ashley has more photogenic qualities that stand out more within the frame. It would be nice to see both models posed in the same setting by themselves to see how their features stand out if that is possible. Perhaps you already have some individual shots to share with us.