hey guys i'm a student and doing retro pin up shoots as a semester long project. i have access to tons of equipment and a studio. does anyone have any good suggestions on lighting, format, costuming, and props?

I woudl find someones style you like - and try to replicate it - that is how best I learned .....

Their was alot of ring light use I believe...

You might try the theatre department and see if you could use any props they might have.

Steady ons for your lighting with barndoors and gels.

4x5 e6

Have fun with the cistumes, corsets and fishnets.

Think bomber nose cone art - Varga-esque.

here's a site i adore for pinup images.. http://silverscreensirens.com/ and its a free site too..

"Their was alot of ring light use I believe..."

   While I do use a ringlight fairly often, it's not really a traditional "retro pin-up" modifier, persay.

   Try experimenting with strips, grids, dishes, and distance.

Take care,
Daniel Bergeron

I just did this type of shoot two days ago...it was my first so I didn't have high expectations...

It was rather difficult, but one thing for sure, just have a ton of lights handy. I used mostly bare bulb with no light modifiers other than some 7" reflectors...Where there is shadow...fill in with another light.

Good luck and have fun!

Leona

remember to pay attention to your shadows, many of the greatest retro photographs, I think of 30's and 40's hollywood starlets had very harsh shadows, but in a great way. The closest I came to the look of the film was with using infrared film,

Star

Look up Viva Van Story on my Tags or browsing, she's the bombdiggity at pinup.

Format could be anything. The old school way was large format as the contact sheets tended to be the print. Costumes could be modern cloths retor fitted to the style. Otherwise search online as there are many retro clothing shops with web malls.

The lighting can very from George Hurrell to Bernard of Hollywood. I suggest hit the library and get the names of the photographers off the time and study their work. Early images were done with fresnel hot lights. You can imitate that with strobes but it isn't the same light. Fresnels have specific qualities that strobes do not. Ask the theatre lighting design students to explain it.

Once you find an style that fits your asthetic then play around and experiment. There are books out there that diagram the lighht set ups of the old photographers. I find disecting the old photos, looking at the shadows and the catch lights give me more information than any of the books. Plus I think some of the books got it wrong.

My 2 cents on the subject.

There's a book out (1999) called "Bernard of Hollywood Pinups:Guide to Pin-up Photography". It has his images, plus little diagrams of how the lighting was done for each one and a discussion. It's a really good book, and might be helpful. It's published by Evergreen, a subsidiary of Taschen. Good luck!

this is what i want to duplicate: http://www.nightmarephotography.com
http://www.shannonbrookeimagery.com/

Ama House of Indulgence is giving you good tips. House of indulgence might just hop on a plane to come to Vancouver to steal my Ascor fresnel spotlight adapted to fit my Dynalite. And here is one of my pseudo Hurrells.

It's alot harder then anyone thinks.. It takes more then a pink backdrop to be a pin-up photographer.   I've collected for years to get my props and clothing for my work.   I've searched high and low for locations that fit the era of pin-up...   It's in the make-up/hairstyle, it's in the clothing - right down to the shoes, it's in the facial expressions, it's the vintage backgrounds and then you have all the technical stuff with lighting and film and use of color.   Start with Black and white film and then work your way into color. Look at old stag magazines, old school pin-up art from the 40's & 50's, & vintage movie posters. It helps to work with a model already into the scene to help you... I've seen lots of photographers achieve a pin-up photo just by working with the right girl.  It takes a real talent to change an average girl into a pin-up!!  wink wink

I was sure that a thread like this would come along.......so here`s my three cents on the subject

As one of the longest established retro style photographer`s in the US right now (I`ve been shooting retro since 1994) I can say that it`s a long due process to shoot, REAL retro photography, not just some girl thrown into some old clothes and shot with a big smile, too many people misunderstand what true retro photography even is.....

Retro photography takes real time and effort to successfully plan and shoot, a photographer who has at best been studying pinup and cheesecake/glamour for years, and who has  a true understanding of fashion, style, and the look that was so popular "back then" has a good chance of putting together some interesting and serious looking work a study of photography of years gone by, shows so many different styles from photographer`s back then that also can be an inspiration to a new photographer as well, Peter Gowland, Bill Hamilton and Bunny Yeager are the driving force behind my work and looks

A true understanding of film, both black and white and colour is important, shooting retro in digital takes lot`s or training and feeling, I do prefer film over digital at all times
(try using black and white films first)

You can also use vintage camera`s, though I think the only real difference you get here is with formats, you can use a SPEED GRAPHIC as Bunny did, a ROLLEIFLEX like Gowland and screw mount and M LEICA`S  as I have, some lenses WILL show certain "soft" characteristics in portraiture, but for the most part, using vintage camera`s is just for a "feeling" and I would`nt advice it unless you really know what your doing with the old stuff........(most of these cameras now are collectable and too expensive to use anymore as shooter camera`s)

New photographer`s who try to shoot retro, have to have an understanding of lighting, (flood, and available light, with as little flash as possible, using OLD lighting equipment is very kool, and nice effects too) which can also be a major factor in what a real retro style is even going to end up looking  like, but many efforts I`ve seen are poorly lite and lack style, feeling and  look tacky and cheap

Cheap?  Well speaking of cheap,  retro photography, done right costs lot`s of money, clothes, shoes, makeup and styling, props and locations, take money, time and great patience to put together,  any style thrown together, looks cheap, but retro when done cheaply looks, stupid and corny in my eyes, those who understand, that shooting this style of work takes great pride and attention to detail

Another thing is that too many people that try to shoot retro shoot it indoors with a pink/ baby blue paper background......
Want to do something impressive?........go shoot outside and find exciting and timeless locations, way, way too many photographer`s trying to shoot retro, limit themselves to being "studio" only shooters.....I only shoot indoors when it`s a "great" and historical or highly attractive location, it`s a real challenge to shoot retro "on location" and most of the time it brings out the best in the models as well, (I`m lucky to be in Florida) as for weather/location etc.

Another great factor is your model, if a model has no idea or interest in what`s retro or the styling or fashion, it`s a lost cause to even try a shoot with such a model, retro models, DON`T grow on trees, and 60% of most models working today, would be almost impossible to style "retro correct", (breast implants are one of the major setbacks for a model styling in this direction), also as what`s most important is the styling, if the hair does`nt style properly, then it`s also a lost cause to even attempt it

Many photographer`s have what`s called a  retro "luck" shot, that they threw together, but to do this as a full time job is lot`s of work, I really like to see new people interested in this style and to seriously want to do it, but not to bust anyone`s bubble it`s NOT for everyone, it`s a style that`s very hard to work into, and takes, years and years of shooting and trail and error

I welcome people to this fascinating and wonderful style of photography, but give fair warning, it`s lot`s of fun and very enjoyable, but not something that can`t be achieved in just a few weekend`s, if you take your time and have a true understanding of what retro really is, I`m sure that you will be able to produce some wonderful images

Good Luck!

I'm still not sure why so many people are so interested in exactly recreating what's been done so many times already.

Some people love new things and some people search high and low for the old things... it's all in your taste.  The trick is making it your own style and not copying the old exactly!

Thanks Tom.. you make me want to model again! 

My hat is off to both Viva Van Story and KoolGirlieStuff... very nice pinup/retro work.

I'll lend support to both of their comments.  Good pinup requires good planning AND research on both the model's and the photographer's parts.  Some of our best pinup work has been done with models who put great effort into planning the shoot and even providing the right props and music of the period being recreated.

For Viva, we've taken a different track and we are trying to recreate the works of Vargas as perfectly as possible in a photographic medium (see our current avatar from a shoot with Dyanamaria. She provided the birdcage and much more.)  Somethimes, thats a trick in and of itself. :-)

Either way, shooting pinup/retro is a personal favorite of mine.

Best regards,
John

i respect and am very much inspired by photographers such as viva van story and koolgirliestuff.  they both have mastered capturing an era that is gone, but certainly not forgotten....and they do it with their own style, and a whole lot of class!  i believe some of us were born in the wrong era

All of these are good responses. The question is do you want to do a photo with the feel of a retro shot or the authenticity. The feel of retro can be achieved easily with modern equipment. If you want authenticity then I suggest using the camera, film and lights of the period.

The are a 1/2 million ways to skin this cat. Take what you can from the advice given and mold it to your style. People can always talk about how not "truely authentic" the shot is. But then you get into the classic "I am more Punk than you" or the "I am more Goth than you" argument.

Have fun with it. I look forward to seeing some of the images you create on your journey in this project.