Brad Barton - Retro Glamour and Pinup Photography: Creative Techniques for Studio Photographers

Copyright 2017 by Brad Barton.

All rights reserved.

All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.

Published by:

Amherst Media, Inc.

PO BOX 538

Buffalo, NY 14213

www.AmherstMedia.com

Publisher: Craig Alesse

Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins

Editors: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt, Beth Alesse

Acquisitions Editor: Harvey Goldstein

Associate Publisher: Kate Neaverth

Editorial Assistance from: Carey A. Miller, Sally Jarzab, John S. Loder, Roy Bakos

Business Manager: Adam Richards

ISBN-13: 978-1-68203-138-4

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016945453

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.

Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the authors experience and opinions. The author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.

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Table of Contents

Contents

W omen goddesses, rejoice! Photographer Brad Barton has embraced the stylized creative art form known as pinup photography. He has incorporated the glamorous elements of vintage pinup art and has added his own twist, his own signature style. His images have a modern-day edge, which is playful, sexy, and empoweringand his models are modern-day women with varying body types, shown in a variety of poses. He also utilizes props that help to tell stories and add a touch of whimsy to each and every photograph.

This book contains a lot of information and skills you can add to your tool box. Whether you are a model, a photographer, or a fan of the pinup genre, this book will inspire you. This stylized book is a celebration of women, and in these pages, Barton celebrates their sexiness, femininity, strength, and softness.

Laurie Klein, author of Infrared Photography: Artistic Techniques for Brilliant Images

P inup girls first became popular during World War II and the post-war era. The term came about because the GIs would pin up the posters over their bunks while deployed far from home. The images were rarely nude and never explicit, but always sexy. Artists like George Petty, Gil Elvgren, Earl Moran, Patrick Nagel, and Alberto Vargas even used photographs as a reference as they created their perfect pinup girl illustrations.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the same styling was used for the sex symbols of Hollywood. Deitrich, Crawford, Gardner, Monroe, and others became the new icons of beauty and glamour. They were immaculately made up and lit with the same lighting equipment used on the movie sets of the day. Using the same style of posing and lighting, Playboy created a racier version of the pinupthe centerfold.

In the modern era, retro glamour and pinup has seen a resurgence in popularity as we long for a simpler time. With all the explicit imagery that is all over the Internet, there has been a pushing backa longing for a throwback style that has a certain sexy charm. The sets are usually minimal and the lighting is crafted so the focus of the image is on the beauty of the woman. The style is attractive to women of all ages and sizes. The modern look, as you will see in these pages, is all about being fun, flirty, and fabulous.

Lots of leg and stockings are commonly seen themes in pinups. Here (previous page), we embellished on the hitchhiker theme. The original image was made in-studio, and the roadway background shot was added in postproduction.

Strategically placed rose petals created a perfect theme for a May entry in a pinup calendar (right). The image was inspired by posters for the movie American Beauty. I photographed Erin from directly above while standing on a ladder. Additional petals were added in postproduction.

A lot of inspiration can be drawn from the pinup art of the 1950s and 60s. This image of Stephanie (previous page) had that origin. Sometimes simple props and a great expression are all you need to make an image concept work.