I realized a few days ago that I am officially at the age where I need diffusion on the lens! Indeed, shooting through a veil resolves a myriad of problems, as any student of Old Hollywood lighting and cinematography well knows. If you’re young, like Gloria Swanson was when Edward Steichen shot her through a veil back in 1925, it just adds mystery and texture. If you’re not so young, it allows you to bypass photoshop or fancy lighting kits.

If you find yourself bored in a hut in the Nagev Desert without electricity like I did a few days back, I say give it a whirl!

More Gloria Swanson:

More about photographing aging stars through veils: