The image I was asked to do should have something mysterious where you have to look twice something not completely clear at a first glance. To achieve such an image I mixed continuous HMI light with flash light.
I used a longer exposure time (3 seconds) during which many things were going on simultaneously:
1. Movement of the model
2. Movement of some of the curtains which were placed behind and to the left of the model.
3. One 400 F HMI lamphead with an open face reflector and barn doors was illuminating the curtains behind the model, as well as her hair and some part of her shoulder from the top, backlight. With only this HMI light we would not see the face of the model as not illuminated and everything moving would be blurred because of the longer exposure time.
4. A P-Soft reflector with a honeycomb grid was placed on the right side illuminating the face of the model and some parts of the curtains. This lightshaper used with a honeycomb produces a certain contrast as not spreading light around all over and bouncing it back. On the same time, as the size of the P-soft is much bigger than a normal reflector and there is a counter reflector inside, it is a very flattering light for the models face as it is not too harsh.
Because of the combination of movement, flash and continuous light you don’t know if the model is standing in front or behind the curtain, the flash duration guarantees a clear and sharp face of the model.
A small piece of curtain was also placed in front of the lens, covering the left part of the lens, and being completely out of focus.
