Old-school Not Dead, or Producing Vintage Glamour Images
Creating vintage glamour images is fun as well as work of art as it requires a good understanding of photography as an art, posing techniques, lighting, as well as the knowledge of the good old golden days on the part of the photographer. Shooting vintage glamour image is fun because it makes the subject look as if it was a star of the past golden age or a pin-up model while being dramatic with a lot of contrast. For a glamour photographer it should be quite doable to make an old-school picture using some thoughtful lighting, posing and accessories.
Lighting is of utmost importance here as creating an image is all about manipulating light. Glamour Images that reproduce the very glorious vintage style should be taken in a studio, for the objective can only be completed with complex lighting from various angles. In order to achieve that “shadow under the nose” kind of lighting conditions, you’d have to use some strong source with powerful key light cast at a sharp angle – as if your model were in a spotlight. Additionally, you would require two weaker fill lights focused on the model. The other light needed is the backlight to separate the model from the background.
Obviously, colors mean a lot for Glamorous Photography, so monochrome should be perfect for creating the old-school impression and well the eyes of retro-fans with tears of delight. Moreover, the focus should be on contrast, and fill lights need to shine at one third the key light intensity to show the contours of the face.
Posing is critical for producing vintage beauty pictures, for back then the models wouldn’t normally look straight into the lens; to make it look old-school, the main subject should glance somewhat sideways, preferably with an enigmatic facial expression. In vintage glamour images it is the dramatic touch that counts, not the appearances. Reduce the amount of glamour in the entourage; I mean it – in vintage glamour photography the model is central persona and the carrier of all that glamorous atmosphere, not her wardrobe or surroundings. For black and white mode, try to go for monochromatic attire, as it will increase the contrast. Avoid too many colors, because lighting will most certainly wash them away, and go for matte make up, not the glossy type.
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