#idmag

This i-D Magazine cover is from March 2015. Photographed is Natalie Westling.

Westlings facial expression is very basic compared to other covers of i-D, past and present. It is a simple wink with a straight face which is pretty simple yet very effective. It shows what the photographer wanted to focus on, which is the main target at the end of the day.

The lighting technique used is called ‘Flat Light’ which is, again, very elemental and basic.  Flat lighting is when a scene, regardless of its type, is largely and broadly "diffusely and directly lit". Flat lighting illuminates the scene, however it does not bring out depth and detail, or add any intriguing character. In some rarer/specific cases, you may require flat lighting, depending on the exact goals you have. In general, however, flat lighting makes a photo look rather dull and lifeless, which is exactly what happened in this cover.

Here are some examples of flat lighting;

This i-D magazine cover is from the winter 2017 issue, the model being rapper Kendrick Lamar.

The pose that is Lamar is striking is very different from any other i-D Magazine cover, as he is not covering his eye, nor is his eye shut. From the position of the lighting in the photograph, his other eye is not visible due to shadows, which is also a creative way to shoot the iconic i-D cover pose.

His facial expression is very monotone, as if he is in thought or just very bored. His eyes seem intimidating as it feels as though he is looking straight into the viewers eyes.

The lighting technique that the photographer has used is called split lighting. Split lighting includes “splitting” the face into two halves, with one side being in the shadow and the other side being in the light. It can be done with a single light source, which makes it easy and inexpensive to execute even for beginners.The light contained in the shadow side of your subject is called the catchlight. This adds to the impact of the image and draws the audience to it. This is definitely what the photographer intended to do to create the iconic i-D face.

Here are some examples of split lighting;

This cover of i-D is a photograph of FKA Twigs pre-fall 2012. Photographed by Matthew Stones. The pose for this portrait is very simple but effective. Twigs has one eye open in this photograph, which is iconic for the i-D magazine, as this resembles the logo, and it is the pose that most models of the front covers do. 

There are no props used in this photograph. However, Twigs’ hair is styled to say ‘Love’ on her forehead. This is a big feature to this photograph as it definitely makes it original and different from a majority of other photographs because it is unique. 

The lighting that used is called ‘rembrandt lighting’. Rembrandt lighting is lighting technique that is used in studio portrait photography. It can be achieved using one light and a reflector, or two lights. It is very popular within the photographing community because rembrandt lighting is capable of producing images which appear both natural and compelling with a minimum of equipment. 

Here are some examples of rembrandt lighting;