Help me identify the lighting style used in this photograph.

July 8, 2015 11:40 PM

Help me identify the lighting style used in this photograph.

I feel like I have seen this sort of style before (NSFW) in terms of lighting and mood. It reminds me of certain films or images or a time period I can't quite put my finger on. It's sort of surreal and dream-like and yet hyper-realistic at the same time. The lighting seems artificial and very white with muted pink and blue tones. What lighting and editing techniques are used to create this?

posted by DeltaForce to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

That really says the mid to late sixties to me (but I know nothing of film and lighting techniques).

(I think that image might need a NSFW tag for many US workplaces.)
posted by humph at 12:13 AM on July 9, 2015 [2 favorites]

i would describe it as over exposed with low contrast and unsaturated colours, also there's some colour cast. there are many filters that can give you this. the best word i've found to describe it is "retro". for example, this image search.

see also.
posted by andrewcooke at 2:42 AM on July 9, 2015

Best answer: Seems also as if there are at least three lamps involved: one strong one that shines directly and casts a sharp shadow, like an imitation of mid-day sunlight, and two diffuse ones from side-angles that lighten up the shadow and create the overall pastel effect (but leave two diffuse shadows of their own). Reminds me of movies of the fifties or sixties and their brightly lit in-studio "mock-outdoor" scenes.
posted by Namlit at 4:11 AM on July 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: One softbox straight above her.
The rest is PS work.
posted by Mac-Expert at 6:39 PM on July 9, 2015