Noir Photography Tips?

~MadamRouge-x Aug 1, 2012 Student Photographer

Even though I've never seen a film noir -I plan to watch a few this week though- I'm heavily inspired to do a photoshoot with similar dramatic effects. Do you have any tips or tricks to offer in order to achieve the dramatic similarity to a film noir?

I'm not an expert on lighting, and unfortunately I don't have a flash yet (only built in) so if you have any ideas for simple tricks, would be appreciated. My camera is Nikon D70 and I usually use two lights I bought from the hardware store and a reflector I made from aluminum foil.

You can no longer comment on this thread as it was closed due to no activity for a month.

Devious Comments

!OldaGardner Aug 6, 2012

While you're watching the noir marathon, note the use of shadows.

~MadamRouge-x Aug 6, 2012 Student Photographer

I will! thanks for the tip

~ArtStudier Aug 3, 2012 Student Traditional Artist

So you have to think the lighting as movie lighting. They used hard lights (several) to illuminate the scene. You also need to know classic portrait lighting techniques so you can use them as basics and then you can change it a bit more dramatic. And think of all props in clothing and furnitures.

~MadamRouge-x Aug 6, 2012 Student Photographer

Sorry for the late reply, I was busy doing a film noir marathon

Thanks for the tip!

`FallisPhoto Aug 1, 2012

Pretty much the entire hollywood crime movie industry of the 30s and 40s and nearly all of the b&w horror movies that were not made in Japan during the 40s would have been referred to as film noir. It's pretty much anything with low key lighting. Can you be more specific about the effect you are going for? I'm sure you have seen a noir film at some point, but you may not have realized it. Ever seen anything at all by Humphry Bogart? Ever seen any of the old b&w Hammer horror films (with Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolfman, Mummy)? The old b&w Twilight Zone? Those were all film noir.

~MadamRouge-x Aug 6, 2012 Student Photographer

Sorry for the late reply.

Well, I have seen bits of some black and white movies before and did some small research for school. However I just saw The Maltese Falcon, Strangers in a Train and Sunset Boulevard -will watch Dracula tonight-. For my photoshoot, at first I wanted a simple black and white photoshoot but I wanted to add drama and character to it and thought a film noir effects would be perfect! The effect I'm going for is lots of black with whites on the face and body. I also want to add smoke from a cigarette and those blinds shadow effect.

`FallisPhoto Aug 6, 2012

Sounds good.

Details

Statistics

Noir Photography Tips?

Devious Comments

The Journal Portal

Polls

What is your preferred drawing software?

deviantART [dee·vee·un'nt·ART]

Keep in Touch!

Deviousness

Add Media

Style