Gregory Crewdson, Red Star Express, 2018–19 (right)

Gregory Crewdson, born in 1962 in Brooklyn, New York, NY, is a photographer who produces ultra-high quality images from layering multiple photos on top of each other, using images taken on a Phase One XT medium format camera and Sinar P2 rail-mounted large format camera. These cameras are much larger than the DSLRs most beginner photographers are familiar with, allowing them to capture much more detail in a single shot. Crewdson goes above and beyond by combining the best several dozen shots from one shoot into a picture that is perfect in every detail and every lighting scene. His shoots can often cost as much as $1M per final image, because he uses full movie production crews, with lighting rigs, set builders, fog machines, and a crane to allow him to shoot from a higher angle. Some of this cost also comes from the fact that he sometimes closes off entire streets for his shoots.

In trying to emulate Crewdson, I ran into a glaring roadblock; I don’t have $1M, a movie crew, and a crane. What I needed to do first was figure out how I could create an ultra-high quality image with just my DSLR, a tripod, and a model. Next, I planned a location for the shoot that had a wide, dark pavement street, as I knew this contrast and open space would lend itself to Crewdson’s aesthetic well. Upon reviewing my first final product, however, I realized how much deeper I would need to look into Crewdson’s style. My image was too bright, had harsh shadows, and I had not done my HDR calibration correctly the first time, so not all the shadows and highlights were in high detail. For my next attempt, I returned to the same street, with the same model, but later in the day. I took about twice as many shots this time, allowing myself to be sure of the HDR merging viability, as well as focus merging, as this would allow me to emulate the level of detail Crewdson displays in his images. Lastly, I worked on editing and color grading. Crewdson’s images have a dreamlike feel to them and a surreal level of storytelling from just one image. I added a faint glow to the windows of two houses, enhanced the glow of the sunset, lightened the value of the grass, and added a layer of fog over the street-a staple of Crewdson’s.