Rotolight Goes Beyond

Leading fashion and celebrity photographer Mark Mann recently relied on the flexibility and performance of the Rotolight Anova— an LED location and studio light developed by the award-winning British LED lighting manufacturer Rotolight — to shoot the leading actors of the latest Star Trek instalment.

Due for release in the US and UK on 22 July, Star Trek Beyond once again features Chris Pine as the iconic Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto, Commander Spock.

With editorial work featured in publications such as Esquire, Men’s Health, Billboard, and a portfolio including shoots with Al Pacino, Keira Knightley, Eddie Redmayne, Barack Obama, Benedict Cumberbatch and Rihanna, Mann used the Rotolight Anova LED light in a location setting to capture the two Star Trek actors during the Sundance Film Festival.

“I’ve tested a few continuous lighting panels in the past — having used strobe for a long time — but I’ve never liked the feel of them. Until I found the Rotolight Anova,” Mann says. “I shoot exclusively with Leica so the shots are very sharp, and I was looking for a light that would deliver that level of detail.

“I still can’t put my finger on why the Anova is so good; the lights are really innovative and beautifully made, but more than that there is something about the soft ‘wrap’ of light, its versatility, that gives it a different feel,” he adds. “It’s absolutely beautiful and gives you very a filmic feel. They are not too hot, and the 50˚ spread means the light is very controlled so it is comfortable for the subject, too.”

Mann also used the Anova to capture a series of photographs for the Sundance Film Festival. He used Anova’s modular construction to create different lighting set-ups, including a stack of three and a giant ring light using six modules.

The Rotolight Anova Pro, the latest product release in the series, is the ultimate professional LED light for studios and location work. It uses a bi-colour LED system with AccuColour™ technology for exceptional colour rendering, and dual controls for fast, tuneable colour aided by an accurate colour temperature display. Known for its powerful, yet soft light output, its round shape creates Rotolight’s signature ‘catch light’ effect, making it ideal for portrait photography. Anova PRO is also the worlds first professional LED light with high speed sync flash capability, and no recycle time, making it ideal for use in traditional photography workflows.

Talking of the practical requirements of a celebrity shoot like Sundance, Mann says: “You have a lot of different faces, types of people, skin tones and ages coming through very quickly. One light set-up doesn’t always work. Sometimes you quickly need a softer light, sometimes you have a very interesting face and what to show all the detail.

“With Anovas as both key and fill, you can move light to wherever you want to get the desired effect and see what you’re actually shooting,” he explains. “Anova’s lightweight design and portability makes life a lot easier, especially on the boom arm.

“From a practical perspective, I’ve always been more comfortable at looking at the task at hand and working out what type of lights I need to hire that will suit the job. With the Anova, it is the first time I have actually ever wanted to own and keep them, which is quite something considering 90% of the time I use three or four of them on a shoot.”

As well as giving him the spread of light he sought, Mann adds another reason he chooses to work with Anovas: “The fact that the lights are beautiful makes me look good too! The type of people I shoot have seen and done everything but having something different that creates a conversation, like the Anova, is great. And at Sundance I shot a lot of directors and they were very interested in the lights, while all the actors were incredibly comfortable under the lights.”

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Mark Mann is a world renowned celebrity and sports photographer. Mark’s editorial work has appeared in Esquire, Men’s Health, Vibe, Spin, Fortune, Billboard, Parade and Complex, among others. He has shot countless celebrities, including Al Pacino, Keira Knightly, Eddie Redmayne, Barak Obama, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bradley Cooper, Pharrell Williams, Jennifer Aniston, Stevie Wonder to name but a few. His commercial clients include: Reebok, Adidas, Hennessy, Bombay Sapphire, Pepsi, Gillette, Vitamin Water, NHL, Zumba, Ford, Chrysler and Svedka.

Mark most recently completed a yearlong project for Esquire Magazine, “The Life of Man”. He shot 80 American men ages 1 through 80, to celebrate 80 years of Esquire Magazine. This project took Mark to the White House where he was honoured to shoot the sitting president, as well as former President Clinton. He also shot numerous other notable people and celebrities all across the country.