Re: Leon Kennamer

[Bill Grimwood <bgrim@garply.com>]

At 07:32 PM 9/5/97 +0100, you wrote:
>At 10:05 05/09/97 -0500, you wrote:
>>For those that subscribe to Rangefinder Magazine there was a good article
>>about Leon Kennamer this month.  Leon is a friend of mine and a wonderful
>>photographer.  He is very down to earth and has traveled all over the world
>>teaching his outdoor subtractive lighting technique to anyone who wants to
>>learn.  His portraits look like they are going to speak to you.
>>The only portraits I have ever done that satisfy me are the ones I have
>>done outdoors with his technique.
>>Bill
>
>This sounds fascinating; is there any possibility of your posting a brief
>explanation of that technique?
>
>Joe Berenbaum

Leon teaches a three day course for photographers.  I took the only course
he has ever taught for amateurs sponsored locally by the University of
Alabama.  I can not begin to give all the details here but I will try to
give a brief overview.

Leon has his subject face east with a forest behind them , dark background,
late in the afternoon.  He only uses about the last hour of daylight.  The
sky is his light source.  He uses a black pannel beside them to get the 1:3
lighting ratio.  Then he puts a black pannel above them to block the light
comming straight down on the face.  This pannel is brought forward enough
not to block the light that strikes the hair, ie hair light.  It removes
the dark areas below the eyes.  It is amazing to see how he changes the
light on the face with these pannels.   Sometimes reflectors are used in
front to add light.  Leon's favorite place to shoot has a small lake in
front of the subject that is used for a reflector.  

These reflectors and black pannels can be bought commercially, they are
known as Reflectasols made by Larson. He designed them and talked Larson
into manufacturing them.  He also uses a vignetter in front of his lens to
blur the edges of the print.  This is also available comercially known as
the Leon Vignetter Pro II made by Larson.  He also uses a uv filter made by
Singh-Ray.  He says this is the only UV filter he has ever found that truly
cuts the UV.


Kodak published a book on portrait photography a number of years ago that I
believe is still in print.  It has a chapter on outdoor photographythat was
written by Leon. 

I took the course about 15 years ago.  Leon is such a nice person, when I
walk in to his studio.  I tell him who I am because of course can't
remember me and he acts like he has been waiting for me to come by all
afternoon.  He has a truly pleasing personality.  Leon had a stroke a few
years ago and I think at that time he quit traveling to teach his method.
I believe he still teaches his course in Guntersville, Alabama.  If anyone
wants more information I will contact him and get info for you.

Leon uses a Hasselblad because many of his prints are five and six feet
high. Misel in Atlanta does all his printing the last I knew.  He has flown
all over the world making portraits of wealthy people who appreciate his
work.  The average joe like me can't afford it.