Red Poop Cranberry Juice?

De Beers: Vermeer

Calling in advance apology to all teachers and students of art that have been and will, today launched the second installment of my casual conversations with the Old Masters.

These guys are the real experts in lighting, and this is the context in which the interview - as a photographer. It turns out that photographers will have their works copied so much that finally they are comfortable with us.

Which reminds me that these Old Masters, deserve your respect. At least enough to stay awake for your humanities class first thing in the morning.

Of course they are difficult to interview - not for nothing are hundreds of years of fame and admiration. But persistence usually pays off.

Background

Johannes Vermeer I met in a bar in the district of Adam Morgan in Washington DC, where he had coming from Holland to give a talk and sign some books Kramerbooks

is Dutch, and conocdio Mundian for his portrayal and the use of lighting in the style known as chiaroscuro, which has become the model are many of the photographers present at the light. In this context, which produces our conversation.

David Hobby: First of all, let me start by saying I am a huge fan of his enlightenment. I love the internal separation between subject and background that produces the light on shadows - this technique has saved me many times while working in the newspaper, with its poor print quality.

Johannes Vermeer: \u200b\u200b Happy to help. I guess he learned that technique in school.

DH: Well, now that you mention it, not really.

JV: Ya, I thought so. It's something that irritates me. I was a pioneer in the lighting style that has finally prevailed today, and yet you-know-who is the one who gets the honors in the kinds of lighting.

DH: You mean Rembrandt?

JV: Thanks. Just what I said. I have not had to say his name right?

DH: No, of course, but ...

JV: Seriously Who really uses the style of Rembrandt lighting? Need five sources of light? Come on, man ..

DH: Monte Zucker if you use it ...

JV: Okay, tell me another name

DH: Ummm .... OK, you caught me.

JV: not worry. Rembrandt had a very good representative. Understand the strength of the mark as anyone else. Even used the crowdsourcing in "Night Watch." It was a custom set . I hear that is working even in an application for the iPhone. It is a machine. You can not compete against him.

DH: That is quite important today

JV: always has been

DH: Rembrandt So grab the headlines. But your lighting is used everywhere!. Can we talk a bit about it?

JV: Of course



DH: Okay, so let's talk about "The Girl with the Pearl Earring"

JV: A single light - a softbox up and left . Black background, no fill light. Very simple

DH: And yet it is one of your most famous images

JV: That helps me to show you that thing is not about the complexity of light. It's about establishing the connection between subject and viewer.

DH: have even made a movie about this image.

JV: Yes, yes, I named "technical consultant", which was cool a lot. But let's say I like the movie box and leave it there.

DH: not be modest. If we even have a piece!

JV: Wow, what a good ...



DH: So, at least get to meet Scarlett Johansson is not it?

JV: Sure.

DH: What?

JV: Awesome. Simply spectacular. Wow. If you do not have 377 years ...

DH: Yes, yes. Well, tell me more about your style of lighting. I enjoy using the light from the windows right?

JV: No such com you think. In general I put a medium or large softbox just out of the window and simulated daylight. So I have more control over the intensity, gradient, color, etc.

DH: makes sense. What flashes use?

JV: Profoto 7B. Thus not dependent on power. Nor is it that makes millions of photos. I'm more than capture the moment. The 7B work very well. One outside and one inside.

DH: What do you mean?

JV: One out of a window and another inside the room. A softbox with the main light on the subject - usually the top left - and another softbox from camera right, behind, on the merits.

DH: Is it that simple?

JV: It's that simple. And that's where comes the separation. Light against darkness. That is what really chiaroscuro means literally.

DH: Yeah, I know. Is it an Italian word, right?

JV: Right.



DH: Well, it's time to talk about something more complex. Tell me something about "The Attorneys", you can see above.

JV: What do you know?

DH: This is a bit, um, spicy right?

JV: I like mixing things up.

DH: where does the original idea?

JV: was her idea. It was a model Model Mayhem. All of them are. She wanted something more risque. He wore tattoos all body. I put it hard with clothes to cover it completely and did not see it.

DH: So what Model Mayhem is a site where you will only see if you catch chub and some people would be there?

JV: Well, there are plenty of people who are only trying to be with women. Except Caravaggio.

DH: Really? Is it the only strictly professional?

JV: Hardly. Simply not interested in women. I like boys. In particular, young

DH: Oh .

JV: Just check your work. And you will notice.

DH: Okay, well as we come. What can you tell me about the light of "The Attorneys"

JV: to see if you can find out for yourself

DH: Ok ... a large light source on the left. Maybe a little high

JV: is a bare flash shooting through a sheet of marriage. The classic style McNally. Continued ...

DH: There is not much light coming from the right of the camera - I can see by the shadows in the corner.

JV: Okay what?

DH: "Fill in the shaft? "About two-step below the main light?

JV: Exactly . Reveals the details, but leaves traces. Our eyes can see a very large dynamic range in real life, but when we are lighting a scene, we have to create it. However it used a ring. It's just a big umbrella behind the camera.

DH: Perfect . They say you've never posed for a portrait. But that kind left, it sounds a lot.

JV: Yes right?

DH: Are you?

JV: I have not said ...

DH: Ok, I have enough. But the image detail is enormous. How do you got?

JV: Phaseone P45 + on a chassis of an old Hasselblad 500.

DH: is very much like photos of Drew Gardner. Did you know?

JV: We have never met, but I'm a big fan of his work.

DH: I figured you should be fan of his. Well, thanks for your time. I know you have to start that firm soon, so let's go ending. One last thing - Who should I interview next? Have you suggestions?

JV: Man, I'm also a fan of Hopper.

DH: "Dennis?

JV: Edward

DH: Yes, of course. Could I get in touch with him?

JV: I'll call

DH: Thanks! ________________________________



Finally

Apart from artistic license, the idea of \u200b\u200binterviewing Vermeer as a photographer, it is not so exaggerated. There are many scholars who believe that their pictures are too accurate. There are articles in which Johannes Vermeer is suggested that it helped a camera obscura in his paintings.

geometric accuracy, the simplicity of the decor - even the fact that many of his paintings are been painted (or could have been painted) in the same room - everything points to the use of a primitive ancestor of our cameras current.

If you enjoyed this chat, you're probably interested in reading the first delivery, which was to Rembrandt.