My First Lingerie Shoot

[mindforge]

I have a girl that wants to add lingerie to her portfolio. I have never done nudes or lingerie. It will be a Christmas theme using xmas lights as the only light source. I was wondering if this was a good idea.

This is my first lingerie shoot and I wanted to ask for any advice. It is about a week away from the photo session. Any advice I can get would be great.

[Marko]

I don't think it's a good idea. It might be fun to try after doing this the regular way....but IMO results are too unpredictable with a high potential for disappointment.

I would shoot her using soft soft light. You want her to look sexy and have almost no control with Christmas lights. Weird shadows and casts are very likely so this would NOT be my main light source if this were my shoot. I'd use a softbox, umbrella, or bounced light as the main source.
Hope that helps
Marko

[mindforge]

Yeah, last night I stuck a teddy bear out by the tree and tried to play with it. I think I need I need to go with the soft light. Probably have to shoot some double exposures though. One with the lights dimmed capturing the lights and then a second shot with her basically so I can merge the lights. I would do slow synch flashes but I don't really like the edges you get sometimes.

[JoeMezz]

I recently saw a really tasteful photo of a nude woman warpped in Christmas tree lights. It was very tasteful and you couldn't really see any "private" body parts.. but you can enough to make it R rated. She was posed perfectly and it was cool with the soft lights.

I tried to find it again but I lost the link !!!

Just an idea for you...

DISCLAIMER: BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU WRAP NUDE WOMAN IN CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS - SOUNDS FREEKING DANGEROUS !!!

Just some food for thought I wanted to toss out at you.

[Rikki]

As other have said, using only the Xmas lights is not the way to go as you wont have proper lighting and although the human eye can "see" the bigger picture, a camera sensor will not and you'll have hot sports where the lights are close to the body and almost darkness elsewhere.

[EJC]

Did you specifically want strings of Christmas lights or could you use Christmas theme coloured gels on your flashes/strobes to light the model or the back ground?

EJC

[mindforge]

I tested this out and scrapped the idea. I ordered a seamless bg green paper and I am going to wrap a plastic cube in wrapping paper to be used as a seat and then wrap a few boxes up for gifts. I'll probably use a string of lights as an accent, I got some lights that don't get hot. I'll be shooting using a 500w halogen lamps.

Here comes the next question... can I use a normal gel with a 500w halogen lamp? I just want to try out the halogen lamps. I have a friend that likes them more than strobes.

[Rikki]

Par can gels are usually exposed to heat for short moments not full on 1/2 killowat continuous. Also if you are using continuous lighting you will bleach out the small powered accents I think too.

[mindforge]

Yeah, I am probably going to have to diffuse the lamps a little. I just want to see how well 3 500w lamps work for this kind of a shoot. I can go back to trusted strobes if need be. I might not need to. Maybe taking a thin red sheet and cutting it and putting colored gels over the holes and putting the lamp light against that... I love trying new stuff constantly... maybe some clear tape, a sheet and some gels will look cool.. then use a single diffused flash... think that might look good?

[Marko]

Yeah, I am probably going to have to diffuse the lamps a little. I just want to see how well 3 500w lamps work for this kind of a shoot. I can go back to trusted strobes if need be. I might not need to. Maybe taking a thin red sheet and cutting it and putting colored gels over the holes and putting the lamp light against that... I love trying new stuff constantly... maybe some clear tape, a sheet and some gels will look cool.. then use a single diffused flash... think that might look good?

Those 3 lamps are likely to work and probably will look good. You may be working at larger apertures though depending on the distance of the lights to subject.

[mindforge]

My new home studio is 14 feet wide and about 30 feet long. I have alcoves for the lights so they will actually stand out to the sides or in front of the model. I think I will pick up the lights today. I also think I will put the lights on one power strip so I can step on the strip power and turn the lights on and off.