R Scott Photography's photostream  

I watched a Clint Eastwood movie that included some old style bare knuckle boxing set in the dirty thirties.

I was inspired.

Three light setup. One beauty dish/B1600/gridded camera left. One B400/gridded high camera right from behind. One B400/gridded low camera right turned way down for fill.

I really don't know what to say about this one.

Years ago I got this cow skull from an aboriginal lady who I befriended. She offered to dress it up for me if I could come back in a weeks time… so I did.

I don't remember much of what she said about it except that little leather bag dead centre in the cows skull is full of tobacco. The feathers are special too.

I've had it hanging over my entrance way for years as a conversation starter (and it works well in that capacity).

Today I decided to light it and shoot it in an Old Hollywood style. It takes on a erie effect and holds the eye a little longer this way.

Two gridded Alien Bee's keep the background dark and fill in most of the shadow areas. Both are lighting from a lower angle.

Topaz B&W was used to finish the photo to best effect.

Single Alien Bee 400 shot up from below with grid.

Another MM model flakes so I shot myself instead.

Mayhem #2125874

I took about 12 frames to get the pose and expression the way I wanted it and ran everything through Topaz to finish it off.

A self portrait done in Topaz B&W Effects as a character study.

I stopped this gentleman last summer when I was doing my 100 strangers project. It's an outdoor portrait done with a gridded beauty dish and reflector.

I've always admired what I have just learned is called Character Study portraiture. That's the problem with being self taught - you miss a lot of valuable stuff.

There are some real masters out there that do phenomenal B&W or sepia work. This is my attempt at reverse engineering what I have seen and admire the most. Hopefully I will improve as I learn more.

I wish I could remember his name so I could give him credit. All I remember is he was a really nice guy.