Classmate Project

Nana Nashkidashvili

Nana Nashkidashvili laughs from the embarrassment of getting her pictures taken. She is used to being behind the camera as a investigative documentary journalist. As a journalist, she has traveled to many countries and says she advises others to travel as well. "Traveling the world is the best thing you can do with your life," Nashkidashvili said.

Lighting Diagram

Nana Naskidashvili is a graduate student at the University of Missouri studying Investigative Journalism. Originally from Georgia, Naskidashvili has worked on investigative documentaries and has traveled to many countries including Latvia, Ukraine and Turkey. In the United States she has had the opportunity to intern at News Week in New York and is now attending graduate school. Naskidashvili loves big cities and was worried about coming to Missouri because it is smaller than she is used to. However, she says she has enjoyed the time she has spent here.

Lighting Diagram

Processes:
I chose a 45 degree soft-box for the one light setup. I chose this because I wanted to give some definition to her face instead of using front model lighting. It was challenging with one light to make sure some light fell on the other side of her face. I didn't want her to look like she had half of a face because the lighting was less for effect. I wanted to capture her and she is not creepy or mysterious. One light can make some shadows that appear creepy so I tried to avoid this with the 45 degree light. I think this photo was successful because it captures her in a natural state. There is less posing and more of just her presence and how she would normally stand. 

For the multi-light setup, I chose a 45 degree light, a reflector at 45 degrees, a rim light on the ground and a hair light on the boom.  It was challenging to make the lights set at the right stops on the Speedotron because I don't fully understand it yet. I also got some halation from the hair light at first because it was facing the camera too much. I put the hair light more directly above the subject to fix this. I think this photo is successful because it captures Nana's fun side. She is adventurous and has traveled the world and I think this photo displays her personality well. 

I learned that lights can be stubborn and equipment doesn't always work as planned. Sometimes it takes hours in the studio before you get equipment running smoothly.

Copy Table

Studio Copy Table Project

My first photo is taken from the book "Testimony" by Gillian Laub

"We're here with my platoon at a memorial ceremony for our friends. Adi Avitan, Benny Avraham, and Omar Suad were kidnapped exactly one year ago. The ceremony is so we can call out to them in Lebanon, letting them know they have parents, friends, and many other people waiting for them at home. Hopefully one day they'll come back into the arms of those who love them. We must keep this hope for their safe return. Sometimes soldiers are kidnapped, and everyday soldiers die for the cause of peace and security in Israel. Like they say in the song: 'I have no other country even if my land is burning. I will not stop crying out because my country has changed its face. Only a prayer in Hebrew penetrates my veins and my soul. With a pained body, with a hungry heart, here is my home.'" -Testimony (Photographer Gillian Laub)

Tiberias October 2002

 My second photo is taken from "Diagram of the Heart" by Glenna Gordon

"Henna Hands, open and closed. Ready for marriage." -Diagram of the Heart

Lighting Setup

These photographs were photographed on a copy table with four lights and two diffusers. The camera was placed overhead. Glass was placed over the image to keep it flat.

Lighting: I started with the lights at a 45 degree angle but there was a glare reflecting off the glass so I pushed the lights down to about a 65 degree angle. The diffusers were used to disperse the light to cover the whole image.

Challenges: Using glass is difficult because of its reflections. Not only were lights reflecting but my reflection was also seen. The camera settings were also difficult because I didn't realize my camera went by 1/3 stops instead of 1/2 stops. After figuring this out I was able to adjust settings. 

Successes: I was able to easily change the white balance. I figured out the easiest way to adjust the stops was by shutter speed since I needed to perform less than a full stop. After adjusting the lighting and camera settings it was easy to snap pictures to test white balance and bracketing. 

What I learned: Lighting with glass is very hard. There are reflections and dust that collects on the glass which will show up in images. After spending a long time in the studio I also learned that studio hot lights are indeed hot.