johnny-carson

Men's Fashion Ad
by Gary Bernstein - Zuga.net

	Subject: Johnny Carson Client: HartMarx, Inc. Agency: In-house, Joe Diskin and Joe Starzec, Art Directors Location: Johnny Carson House, Malibu, California Camera: 35mm SLR Lens: 85mm Lighting: Three 400-watt/second portable flash units Film: Kodak Kodachrome 25 Exposure Metering: Incident Exposure: 1/60 at f/5.6

When photographing men, I treat them differently on every level. With women, I want the result to be glamourous or etereal -- even "untouchable." With men, I want to bring out their ruggedness or the reality of their foibles or flaws. My fashion statements of men have more in common with classical portraiture than what you commonly think of as fashion photography.

Johnny Carson is portrayed here in a fashion ad for Hart, Schaffner and Marx. I bounced the main light into a gold-and-white Sibern International umbrella. The two back lights (also in Sibern umbrellas) were set for different intensities to create the light-dark interplay on the walls.

In the chapter on composition, you will learn that the "composing" of the subject is very much in keeping the with the classic masculine pose. It is a most appropriate statement for this very classic man.