About Vintage Glamour Photography

Vintage glamour photography is a way of taking pictures that makes the subjects of the photographs appear as if they were movie stars or pin-up models from the past. The pictures are dramatic and contain plenty of contrast. Vintage glamour photographs are created with special lighting, model posing, vintage wardrobe and special makeup.

Lighting

Most vintage glamour photography is done in a studio since it requires special lighting. A common characteristic of vintage glamour photographs is a shadow beneath the nose shaped like a butterfly. This requires a strong, undiffused key light shining at a high angle. The key light must line up with the model's nose and shine down on her. This makes the model appear as if she is in the spotlight. Two fill lights should also shine on the model. They are not as bright as the key light so they diminish harsh shadows without removing the contrast. Since some parts of the model are lit more than other parts, an illusion of depth and rounding is created on her features. One fill light goes on the opposite side and below the camera at a low angle. The other is above the camera shining down on the model. A backlight shines on the back of the model's head to separate her from the background.

Black and White

Many photographers choose to shoot in black and white to produce a stark, elegant or timeless quality. This requires some lighting adjustments. The focus should be on dramatic contrast. Fill lights should shine at one third the key light intensity to show the contours of the face. Additional lights shining across the background can cast hard shadows that add depth to black and white glamour photographs.

Vaseline Lighting

Vaseline lighting is another popular form of vintage glamour photography. It is called Vaseline lighting because it appears as if Vaseline is smeared on the camera lens. Everything is fuzzy and soft in the pictures. This is favored by models who want to hide wrinkles and imperfections in their skin. It also creates an air of mystery and a dreamlike quality. To produce this effect, every light must be diffused. They can either be bounced off reflectors or white walls, or shined through a diffusing substance. Glamour photographers often use sheets, spun glass gels or semi transparent filters. Lace, nylon and mesh placed over the lights can produce a boudoir effect. The camera must also be set for soft focus with little depth of field.

Posing

A vintage glamour model must look like a movie star of the Golden Age. Models rarely looked straight into the camera. Most of the time they looked to the side and up with a longing or mysterious expression. Looking up also makes the face and jawline more attractive. Poses are dramatic with hands placed by the face or bodies curved in a reclining position. Vintage glamour photography is not about natural appearances. Everything should be oddly posed to attract the attention of the eye. Avoid straight lines and flat surfaces.

Wardrobe & Make Up

Vintage glamour photography is about the model, not the wardrobe. Clothing should be glamorous but minimal. Black and white clothing always works well, especially if you are shooting in black and white. Make up must be dramatic and contain a lot of contrast. Avoid using a lot of different colors. The glamour lighting will wash it out anyway. Very red lips and cheeks will make them prominent in glamour pictures. Skin make-up should be matte to absorb the hard light. Eye make-up should make the eyes appear as big as possible. Hair should be simple, preferably in the style of the time period you are attempting to reproduce.