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11/17/2004: "Blinded By The Light (and wind)"

When I was shooting this portrait of model Lindy Gamble, I didn't know that she couldn't see me during this frame until she mentioned it while we looked at the Polaroid. With the 1000 Watt hot light and the fan combined, she was just trying to keep her eyes open. The resulting blankness in her eye has always made me a little uneasy when looking at it. I think that's why I like it so much. Here's what we were shooting that day, before we did the black and white personal work.
makeup: Yolanda Halston
styling: Lisa Oliver
Click on the "more" link for technical info.

Camera: Horseman 4x5
Lens: Schneider 360mm 6.8 Symmar-S
Film: Polaroid Type 55 Pos/Neg
Lighting: Mole 1K Junior Solar-Spot behind a 4x4 ft. diffusion scrim. (old school yo!)
The T-55 negative was left on the lightbox so that the chemicals would dry and crystalize over night, then scanned directly into the computer as a color transparency and inverted in Photoshop. The negatives when left to dry instead of cleared with Sodium Sulfite solution have a slight blue cast that turns a nice brown tone when inverted. I do sometimes tweak this color a bit though as well as adding a bunch of contrast with "Levels." They do deteriorate with time of you don't clear them though so SCAN BIG!

Replies: 4 have commented

Thanks for the details!

The "how-to" post gives an incredible new perspective.

Mark said @ 11/18/2004 05:39 AM PST

Brooks...honestly...you have the best job ever. Even better than a tupperware distributor! I love your work, thats why I link to you!

Alli said @ 11/18/2004 08:16 AM PST

Brooks,

I too recently saw that blankness in the eyes look. I was traveling to Dallas, the day after the election. The guy in line asks me, who won the election? Did they figure it out? I told him George Bush - and then he had that very look in his eyes too! Strange.... wink

Wes said @ 11/18/2004 05:36 PM PST

I'm tryin Mark.
I don't know Alli, Tuperware is one of my great loves too.
I would have to say that this is not the only time I've seen that blank stare either.

Brooks said @ 11/20/2004 10:30 PM PST

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