Beauty Of Natural Light: Fashion And Lingerie Model Photography In Berlin
August 31, 2005
The beauty of natural light is the theme of this post as it is the theme of most of my photoshoots.
Because I always photograph out of the studio on location without portable lights, assistants and reflectors the quality of natural light can be a hindrance or my best friend.
Hindrance as in natural light’s direction, intensity, color and even existence is ever changing on location. On the other hand the photographic results achieved under natural light can be the most realistic, intimate and powerful.
The following fashion and lingerie modeling photos were taken on location in Berlin, Germany during one of my European photography trips. Inside and outside the old apartment building where I stayed I found everything I needed: the most perfect backgrounds and lighting conditions.
The model was a new face from a Berlin model agency. Besides directly contacting models for photoshoots when on the road, visiting modeling agencies and asking them if they need model portfolio photos is another great way to network.
These first few photos were taken in the courtyard which was in an open shade. The bright colored buildings surrounding the yard acted as giant reflectors (and patient assistants) transforming the harsh sunlight into soft diffused light.
The old weathered wall of the courtyard was like canvas painted just for us to be the perfect background.
I love props and shooting on location means that some props are brought by my or the model but most are found “laying around” like this large umbrella. These random props are often the perfect match for the theme or surroundings just as the color of the umbrella matches the color of the wall here.
Unexpectedly found props and accessories can offer new creative directions to the photographer and improve his or her improvisational skills.
Besides the model everything seen on this photo is an unplanned prop and unexpected find. The colorful Thai dress belonged to my friend who’s apartment I was staying at. The cone shaped “brooms” were found in the courtyard and are used to sweep leaves.
The area was flooded by soft diffused natural light providing realistic saturated colors perfect for fashion photography. The photo gains even more realism by the way of the model’s dirty feet. Clean feet could have been easily achieved but I like to “disturb” and alter the story of my photos as little as possible.
I also really like the position of the crack on the wall where the two colors meet. It’s location is really perfect at shoulder level creating an illusion of the model having wings. Probably just like looking at clouds everyone sees something different (if anything) in that crack.
When all elements of a concept or scene fall into place it is time to capture it as many different ways as possible. The background is a little bit different, I thought it was a good idea to repeat the color brown of the brooms.
I like all the colors, the expression and the pose in this photo, spite all the different visual elements it is still quiet and subtle for me and does not have the feeling of trying too hard. The way I try to achieve this is by not directing or over-directing the model and by avoiding over the top typical modeling poses.
The wicker chair was another fitting prop for this location color and texture wise. The pose of the model was not directed which is the main reason why the photo looks effortless and natural.
The model sticking her legs through the holes of the chair was a random idea which may add a somewhat unusual visual element to the photo.
The wall was ever changing so all these perfect backgrounds of the above photos were found just within a few feet away from each other.
Still in the same courtyard the geometry and lines of the wall and the bench offered a chance to create a symmetric composition. The light is coming from a different direction from the above photos creating a completely different mood.
This portrait demonstrates the versatility of natural light that can be found withing a few feet from each other as seen on this and the above photos. Placing shadows on a face can be a tricky technique because of the difference between how the human eye and the camera sees.
The higher the contrast the less likely that the final result will be acceptable. I believe this is a pretty good effort I especially like the reflected colors of the gold and pink Thai dress in the model’s face.
The following photos were taken in the apartment where I stayed. Many old buildings in Europe have a lot of texture, character and many stories to tell. So in the hallway of the apartment this section of a bare wall became another perfect backdrop, one that looks like was painted to be part of a studio set.
The pose of the model was not directed by me, it is natural, elegant and graceful what you see is who the model really is. She is smoking in the picture because this photo was taken during break time between setups. To preserve realism I decided because the model smokes in real life it would have been an intrusion and unnecessary editing of reality not to have the cigarette in the picture.
In my mind this is not an overly posed photo. I like the fact that it conveys somewhat of an intrusive feel as I am or the viewer of the photo for that matter is not supposed to be in someone’s kitchen while she is in her underwear. I find the pose, the expression even the hairstyle in perfect harmony with the surrounding and with the story of the photo as I intended it.
Back to the subject of photography in natural light, this photo contains light sources of different color. The right side of the image is mainly lit by the warm light from a light bulb, the left side is illuminated by the cold blue light coming through the window from the open shade of the courtyard.
The human eye would compensate for this and would not see a difference. There are ways to correct this color difference before or even after the photo is taken but I like the visual effect created.
This apartment could be turned into several great sets everywhere i looked and the bedroom was no different.
The whimsical bed curtains decorated by roses were perfect for lingerie model photography. We picked out a bra and panties with matching color from the wardrobe of the model to create a balanced color scheme.
I like the natural undirected pose of the model, it has a bit of a broken feel to it therefore somewhat unlike typical lingerie modeling poses.
The flower hairpiece is almost lost in the photo but the idea was for it to subtly blend in.
The natural light coming only from one side of the room through just a few smaller windows provides beautiful soft not too intense sidelighting. The strength, direction and color of this natural light is exactly what this picture needed. Using natural light lets the photographer adopt an easy going, go with the flow attitude and shooting style that will be evident on the images.
An example of classic sidelighting which is a great way to add a 3-dimensional feel to photos. On this image I especially like how the bellybutton area becomes 3-dimensional.
Also another prop was added in the form of the scarf which I forgot how we came about. It might have been a scarf found in the apartment but it could have been fabricated from a curtain.
A dreamy portrait of a beautiful lingerie model framed by the rose on the lacy bed curtain. The features of the model’s face becomes 3-dimensional courtesy of the sidelighting.
