Jason Christopher, LA Commercial & Fashion Photographer Bio

Shooting black males with dramatic lighting

Sunday, August 3rd, 2008

I shot this male model using very dramatic lighting. There is a myth that shooting black people or people with very dark skin is much different than shooting people with lighter skin. Well that is what it is, A MYTH. Just expose the same way you would with any type of skin color. So I shot this with a small umbrella up high camera left at a 45 degree angle to the face. For the edge light you see on the models left side, camera right, I placed a strobe on a stand with a small snoot and exposed it at a stop and a half over my main. Shadows of this nature are ok when shooting men. When shooting women it is not as acceptable UNLESS that is the look you are going for.

Black male shadowed lighting

Black male shadowed lighting