Three softboxes of 35 x 60 cm were used to shoot this "portrait". The positions and angles of these light shapers are essential to obtain such a nicely textured surface and the perfect plasticity as shown on the photograph.
Two softboxes are used as backlights. They create the texture of the ears and the shadow in front of them. These lights are also responsible for the nice contour lights on both sides of Buddha's head and leave the front of the face in dark shadow.
The third light - the softbox coming from the front - is angled away from the face in order to produce nice gradations when passing over into the back lights. It is this carefully adjusted angle that creates the plasticity of the picture.
The positions (two backlights) and the angle "make the softboxes harder" - as a result the lava stone is perfectly textured.
© broncolor, by Urs Recher
The picture is shot with a medium format camera and the focal length was 120mm.
The exposure time was 1/125 s and the aperture f/22.
