Mr. Forman,

I was just wondering about the lighting arrangements in your album covers, particularly the Mad Not Mad one.

I’m studying photography in college now and ever since getting into studio lighting in classes, ratios and softboxes, etc., I’ve really been gaining an interest into how album covers and professional photos in the media have been lit – your Mad Not Mad album an example. I’ve shown it to a few of my teachers who think it’s a layered composition of several photos of each person’s face individually, and all lit by one hard light directly from the side, creating a 1:8 ratio perhaps.

Since you’re in the actual photo do you remember how it was taken? Six photos of each face individually, one hard light? (hard light as in no softbox, just a bare bulb).

Justin

Hello Justin
You have really got me there. I think we were taken separatlely It was taken by Anton Corbijn. He is now a film director and a very nice man as I recall. If you ask him I bet he’d remember. If you do get in touch with him send him my regards and tell him I loved “Control”.
CB