WHY SHOTS WORK

18 August 2019

Canon 5D MK IV

Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM X1 Bowens XMT 500 Lastolite Ezybox Pro Octa Medium 80cm Softbox Lastolite Skylite Rapid 1.1 x 1.1m Black Velour

Lastolite Collapsible Background 1.5 x 1.8 Black/White

X4 Avenger C-Stand 18

KEEP IT SIMPLE

RORY ADMITS THAT UP TO TWO THIRDS OF HIS IMAGES ARE SHOT USING ONE LIGHT SETUPS. THIS NOT ONLY MAKES IT EASIER FOR HIM TO TRAVEL BETWEEN LOCATIONS BUT ALSO KEEPS THE SHOOT STREAMLINED. “LIGHTING

IS OFTEN PERCEIVED AS A COMPLICATED SKILL,” SAYS RORY. “WITH A SINGLE LIGHT SOURCE, AND REFLECTOR OR FILL, YOU CAN PRODUCE ENOUGH CREATIVE LIGHTING OPTIONS TO PHOTOGRAPH A LIFETIME OF

PORTRAIT SITTINGS.”

BACKSTORY

IN LINE WITH RORY’S NARRATIVE IMAGES, HE SHOT THIS AS PART OF HIS ‘SELAH’ PROJECT SERIES AND DIRECTED HIS SUBJECT, RESPECTED ACTOR JAMES CROMWELL,

WITH A STORY TO SET UP THE TONE OF THE SHOT. “JAMES CROMWELL HAS STARRED IN ICONIC MOVIES SUCH AS Babe, Star Trek: First Contact, L.A. Confidential AND

The Green Mile. I ASKED HIM TO IMAGINE HE HAD TAKEN A LONG PILGRIMAGE. NOW REACHING THE END OF THE JOURNEY, MY IMPETUS WAS TO CAPTURE A MAN OF FAITH WHO IS ALMOST INTROSPECTIVE.”

GIVE CONTEXT

RORY OFTEN SEEKS TO CREATE A DRAMATIC, MEDITATIVE SCENE OF THE SITTERS PAUSING TO BREATHE AND REFLECT. IN ORDER TO CONVEY WHAT HE WANTS

THE FINAL IMAGES TO LOOK LIKE AND TO REMOVE DISTRACTION HE TELLS HIS SUBJECTS TO IMAGINE THE WORLD IS ONE INCH IN SIZE AROUND THEIR FACES, AND TO MOVE SLOWLY, NOT MAKING LARGE DRIFTS OR SWINGS LEFT OR RIGHT. “GOVERNING

THE SITTING, JAMES QUICKLY ADAPTED TO MY DIRECTION MAKING THESE MICRO CHANGES IN EXPRESSION, TO CREATE A SERIES OF VIVID AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING PORTRAITS. LASTING ONLY A SHORT 60 MINUTES IT WAS AN HONOUR TO WORK

WITH AN ACTOR WHO IS CONSIDERED BY HIS PEERS TO BE A GRANDMASTER OF THE ART.”

DISTRIBUTE SHADOWS RORY USED A SOFTBOX – A LASTOLITE EZYBOX PRO OCTA – AND THE LASTOLITE SKYLITE RAPID SYSTEM TO DEEPEN SHADOWS. HE PUT THE LIGHT AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE FROM THE BRIDGE OF CROMWELL’S NOSE TO SET UP THE LIGHTING THEME AND CREATE AN INTIMATE SETTING. HE SAYS: “SIT YOUR SUBJECT IN THE CENTRE OF THE FRAME, POSITION THE LIGHTING AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE; USE A SOFTBOX OR SHOOT THROUGH AN UMBRELLA. USE A BLACK FLAG/REFLECTOR OPPOSITE THE LIGHTING TO BRING OUT THOSE SHADOWS.”