Herb Ritts Lighting??? Strobe or Hotlights

[ErrolEPhotography]

Does anyone know what herb ritts "Herbritts.com" to see his work. What lights did he use to light his subjects? Was is hot lights or strobes?


I am trying to figure how he lit his models so well and so clean.

[Gentleman Villain]

just going from memory... But I think that most of Ritts work was lit with direct sun and natural light. He did a lot of open shade/open sky type of lighting....probably had a few assistants holding reflectors for certain shoots. A lot of the key to his look is film...digital isn't going to produce the same effect. Film sees the subtle qualities of light better than digital.

[ErrolEPhotography]

dang!!! i knew it about film and digital! thank you for the response. But it is true film has one big advantage over digital when it comes to that.

[ErrolEPhotography]

So mr. ritts just used natural light? Even in the studio?

[Gentleman Villain]

H Ritts used lots of direct light with hard shadows. This can be accomplished 2 ways...either by direct sunlight or by use of fresnel lenses. Fresnels emulate the look of direct sunlight because they create a hard edged shadow similar to the sun. Did Ritts use fresnels or direct sunlight in all his photos? I don't know...but either one will achieve a similar effect.

Ritts also had a generous amount of fill in his photographs. If working with direct sunlight then the fill could have come from reflectors. IF working with fresnels then the fill could have come from some kind of indirect fill source....like bouncing hot lights off of reflector cards or walls or indirect-banks. Is that what Ritts did? I dunno....but it'll definitely achieve a similar look.

Also, his lighting was extremely simple. He usually had a single strong direction source and that's it...He wasn't complicated. A lot of the look that he created in his photographs had to do with geometry and excellent styling...he chose immaculate subjects and excellent locations...he had a great sense of style...His photographic lighting was actually really simple. It was just good enough to get his idea across and no more....The real key to Ritts work is his eye for style and geometric composition IMHO..That's my take on it anyway others are certainly free to disagree

[Karl Johnston]

Amazing guy, thanks for sharing

[ErrolEPhotography]

So he didn't have any flashes persay? just direct sunlight and reflectors or frensel lenses lighting?

[ErrolEPhotography]

so no flash photography work?