While driving towards Makati from Quezon City, I was caught in a bad traffic jam along SM Megamall towards the Guadalupe area. I ended up just looking at the billboards and trying to analyze how the photos were taken, what lighting was used and trying to put myself in the photographer shoes/mindset at the time the photo was taken.

The Bench billboards are also amazing, especially the red Kris Aquino along Quezon Avenue. I think it's a Jun de Leon photo if I'm not mistaken. Another one great billboard was that of Penshoppe(?) with Heart Evangelista as an angel.

To keep the story short, if you got some photos of billboards, I suggest that we post it in this thread in an attempt to further analyze and learn from them to make our photography better. If you can pitch in your two cents on how it was taken/made, we'd love to hear from you.

the billboards of 'maldita' always catch my attention... would you know the photog who takes the pics? ty

pwede kahit nde sa slex or edsa?

crush ko to... :) ad from burj dubai mall (coming soon)
http://www.nikkish.net/jeff/blogpics/112105_roadtrip01.jpg


i'll try to get back to this area and take a full shot of this. any inputs on how it was taken?

this is really interesting... will take photos of some billboards tom...

The Bench billboards are also amazing, especially the red Kris Aquino along Quezon Avenue. I think it's a Jun de Leon photo if I'm not mistaken. Another one great billboard was that of Penshoppe(?) with Heart Evangelista as an angel.



Hi Nino,

Since you started this thread, maybe you could provide us your insights on why you think this photos are amazing from an advertising point of view. Afterall, they are placed there in pursuit of a business objective. :)

the penshoppe billboard is great, turning black hair to white (Jericho) isn't an easy thing to do, although doable but not easy. i stare at those billboard of penshoppe a lot, that's a very sexy Heart, nice deep tones.

ponds billboard, i don't know who she is. wow! ( the one in ortigas near metrowalk) very flawless, nice skin pore, nice lighting.

the silverworks billboard (near EDSA Munoz), something like the legend lives on.. No appeal! for me it's a nonsense billboard. some displacement maps maybe?

the red kris bench billboard, pretty nice! but it you think of it, pretty easy to recreate.

This is a bit OT but I've noticed that the famous Bayantel Satisfaction Guarantee billboard in Guadalupe has been replaced.

Hang Ten billboards never cease to entertain me.

For the pictures on the billboard to look so sharp, do you think the photogs are using DSLR or at least a medium format type camera?:Thinking:

For the pictures on the billboard to look so sharp, do you think the photogs are using DSLR or at least a medium format type camera?:Thinking:

Even a 3 megapixels point and shoot can be blown up for billboards. If the client will use the images to some other collateral materials it's safer to use medium formats or high megapixels DSLR....:D


Question:
Do you know why billboard/tarp printing is getting cheaper and cheaper? 3 years ago suppliers charges Php 300 per sq foot, now you can get as low as Php 20 per sq foot!....question again is why?:)

The Bench billboards are also amazing


If you consider guys in super short shorts and rubber shoes lubed in oil amazing then well......

If you consider guys in super short shorts and rubber shoes lubed in oil amazing then well......

the photography and lighting. but not the concept. i find it... off...

Question:
Do you know why billboard/tarp printing is getting cheaper and cheaper? 3 years ago suppliers charges Php 300 per sq foot, now you can get as low as Php 20 per sq foot!....question again is why?:)

competition? graphic expo alone is proof.

If you consider guys in super short shorts and rubber shoes lubed in oil amazing then well......

I agree. :) I usually like the Bench billboards but the concept of their recently concluded show is not to my taste either.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rosscapili
Question:
Do you know why billboard/tarp printing is getting cheaper and cheaper? 3 years ago suppliers charges Php 300 per sq foot, now you can get as low as Php 20 per sq foot!....question again is why?:)


competition? graphic expo alone is proof.



Sirs,

Coming from a large format printing company, all I can say is that competition (although it does play a big part) is just part of the reason why billboards are cheaper nowadays. Here are other factors that contribute to the price:

1) Cost of ink for printing have gone down significantly
2) Machines from China are 1/3 of the cost of the large format branded ones
3) Subtrates used have also reduced in prices with the influx of China materials
4) Some suppliers especially the ones who own the billboard sites give the price of printing at cost and compensate on the rental
5) Some suppliers use substandard (non blackout) materials to lower cost of production
6) Some printers don't use the prescribed print settings for billboards and instead put it in draft quality to lower price.

Just my two cents.... :)

If you consider guys in super short shorts and rubber shoes lubed in oil amazing then well......

LMAO! Seems there is an untapped market here. :D

Yes, in billboards, even a 3 megapixel point and shoot can do the job. You don't really need high resolution images on billboards as they are meant to be viewed from afar. So even though pixelized yung image mo sa malapit, pag sa malayo, especially if you're viewing it from the ground or in a moving vehicle, sharp yun image.

As for prices of tarp going down. Its maybe because lima singko na ngayon ang suppliers or printers, so pabababaan ng presyo yan. And this I know for a fact as a friend of mine works for a tarp printing company, they lower the price for P20 per sq/mtr depending on the volume of work that they get from a client. For example, yung Globe banners around the city or country. Isipin mo na lang kung makuha mo ang printing nun, kahit siguro sa P10 per sq/mtr kita ka pa din sa dami ng ipapa-print nila. Yun lang po, my 2 cents worth.

Raneil

Trying to figure out how the shots may have been taken is one fun way to take the mind off the traffic.

I have always loved the Plain and Prints ads as well as the Marlboro ads.

If you consider guys in super short shorts and rubber shoes lubed in oil amazing then well...
Gabriel, as professional photographers, our sexual preferences should not come before the job that needs to be done. From your one-liner, are you trying to tell us that male photographers ought not to be shooting male subjects so as not to be tagged gay? That's a fair amount of homophobism seeping through...


Since you started this thread, maybe you could provide us your insights on why you think this photos are amazing from an advertising point of view. Afterall, they are placed there in pursuit of a business objective.
I think this deserves another thread as this answers the WHY (maybe even WHAT) in photography. I believe the orginal post was CLEARY asking the HOW of it, and I quote, "I ended up just looking at the billboards and trying to analyze how the photos were taken, what lighting was used and trying to put myself in the photographer shoes/mindset at the time the photo was taken...If you can pitch in your two cents on how it was taken/made, we'd love to hear from you."

i think randy tamayo is right. this is a how/deconstruction thread. i've been noticing the billboards also since i go to work form tandang sora to the fort. C5 is full of them. there was a billboard on beauty products... ellens ata yun. i believe that the photographer used a standard head on the back of the old lady and 2 lights in the front, positioned one up and the second one sa ground. tell me if im wrong. i can see the catchlights from her.

how do you guys like the sante d'orazio shots of kate hudson for kamiseta...

the shoit is so simple but has a very strong impact.

all available light with reflectors?
some back light to bring out the hair?
DECONSTRUCTING BILLBOARDS THREAD .. hehe:D

@ Randy/Jose Antonio

I thought I was elevating the discussion to a higher level that is deconstructing the imagery, which would present you with a wider field of options/considerations, instead of the more limited deconstruction of technique. Perspective is important as this will determine what options photographers select in constructing the imagery. I thought by going through this exercise, forum members would have an appreciation of the thoughts that go through the photographer and thus make them aware of the considerations, hoping this would make them a better photographer. Note that the one who started this thread never stated/deconstructed in his later posts his amazement of the billboards he posted.

It is also notable that you reminded the list that you found my earlier post on the thread off-topic but not the later ones discussing cost of tarpaulin. Makes me just wonder why it needs reminding.

Be that as it may, I would be very eager to read on your penetrating deconstruction of the Plain and Prints ad, as well as the Marlboro ad, you stated you love and explaining to us how such will make us better photographers.

Awaiting your insights.

There is this billboard posted at SM megamall, left edge side if you are facing it from EDSA (near Ortigas MRT side) of Carmina Villaroel. It says: Carmina for Ensembles (i think)

Carmina is seated in a crouch and is backlighted from her left (maybe 45degrees and above her head) and her face is lighted from the front. The lighting is just to her torso, her legs are in the dark... (will look at it again and describe it more in detail)

I love the shot. Just looking at it makes you imagine a hundred more permutations of the lighting. Well it also helps that the model has got this lovely face ;)