Reading mode: Light Dark

Portrait photographs with one light and silver reflector for cc

Go to last post
J

jomanup

Member
Messages
44
Reaction score
0
Location
noord brabant, NL
I do not often take portrait photographs with light stands, but if I do I want the best possible.

A colleague from my office asks me if I have the time to take a photograph of his girl next door.
The photographs are taken in my colleague living room.
What do you think about the lighting?
Setup,
One strobe left of the camera and silver reflector left of the camera.
For the third photo I have use more than one reflector







Joseph
 
I'm no expert. I think the poses are good. The reflected light side looks too dark for me. I think moving the reflector closer to the model would have brightened it up a little.

Although, that's the look you may have been going for.

Just my thoughts.
 
Love the 3rd pic.I'm sure the pro's won't like the shadows of the 1st 2 x pics.

Best Wishes
Bruce
Johannesburg
SA
D300
50 1.4D AF
17-55 f2.8
18-200VR
SB800
 
I really like the 'ambiance' of the photos, for me it brings the focus to the lady's face in the first 2 photos while the focus of her right arm flows down to what she's doing at the shoes.. for me I don't need to see what exactly she's doing at her feet but that she's doing something so the flow of the image in the 3rd works for me.

The only thing I could say about the first 2 is her posture. I do love the images, but one of my pet peeves in the studio is posture. She looks like she has nice bone structure in her shoulders and should show those with her shoulders back instead of the foward curve she has in the 2 photos.. It would make her sit more proudly, even is she is slouching a bit.. But that's just me.. I do love the feel of your photos..

Cheers
--
http://www.eastcoastphotos.com/
 
with the lights up above her like that. Doesn't work for me.

If you had brought the lights down to fill her right eye, this would have been a very nice shot for me.

But then again, it's just me. :-)
--
Ron
 
I really like that third shot! For me, the first two are a little hungry for more light and the shadows beneath her eyes cause me to think she looks tired, or not having her best day. Other commenters have mentioned the main light could be lower and I agree as the would help with that a lot.
Poses are very nice.
jj
--
My photo collection:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjlad/sets/
 
Some of the early shots add to much emphasis to the nose, almost giving a "piggy" look.
--
Rationally I have no hope, irrationally I believe in miracles.
Joni Mitchell
 
...I believe the effect in painting is called chiaroscuro, although in this case you've cropped so tightly as to not see the cast shadow as would be the case with an environmental portrait. I like the light. Not too contrast on the first two, but the right arm is a bit hot on the last. You might also have chosen a better angle and wider field of view to portray this moment.

My $0.02.
--
- -
Kabe Luna

http://www.garlandcary.com
 
Great job on color coordination between background, dress, chair, and shoes. They are all subdued to bring out her skin tone and luminous golden hair. Her ear is a bit too red, however.

Somehow the light makes her nose look a bit crooked on the second photo. Or maybe that's the way in real life. If so, you should take the other side of the face, like you did in the first photo. Posing is all about hiding defects, as even the prettiest models have defects.

The first pic is all against the photography rules, but for some reasons I really like it. It uses broad light, which seems to work better on her than short light on the second photo. The pose is slouching, but bears resemblance to many portrait paintings that made it look artistic. The slight head tilt is very feminine and the blank stare has a soul. I'm more drawn to it than a flamboyant smile.
 
Thanks for your constructive comments.

My first intention is to make it looks like the Old Dutch master painters but I have to lower the main light as former posters already mentioned.

About broad lighting or short lighting I really don’t know when I have to use broad lighting or the short lighting (I'm still in the learning curve) and for her nose in the second photo, I think false shadow on her nose.
Here is a other pic of her and do you think that this is a better photo.

 
The nose definitely looks better on this new shot. I found that a slight change head position can make a bid difference.

Short light makes the face thinner, and broad light makes the face wider. You can google the term to know how to make these lights relative to the face angle. Look at her jaw on #1, which is very visible while it's covered in darkness on #2. The curve of her jaw made her look younger on #1 compared to #2. That's why I think broad light works better on her.

Let me split hair compare this new shot to the original picture #2. Don't take it as gospel, because it's only my personal taste. I like #2 better, because it has better contrast, and because there's no leg in the frame. There is a discontinuity between her knees and her face. Rather, they look like a redundant part of the picture. If, however, the hands are extended and rest on the knees, then suddently the inclusion of the knees will work, since it creates a leading line from the knees to the arms to the face, with the face being the main subject of the photo.
jomanup said:
Thanks for your constructive comments.
My first intention is to make it looks like the Old Dutch master
painters but I have to lower the main light as former posters already
mentioned.
About broad lighting or short lighting I really don’t know when I
have to use broad lighting or the short lighting (I'm still in the
learning curve) and for her nose in the second photo, I think false
shadow on her nose.
Here is a other pic of her and do you think that this is a better photo.

Click to expand...
 
the key light is a little high up, in a 'rembrant' you want the nose shadow to cross the cheek and leave a little triangle highlight on the shadow side (btw, rembrandt didn't actually use a rembrandt light, his was more of a modified loop but still that's what we call the triangle style)

when you have someone dressed formally then it generally works better to have them sit formally, especially in a 'presentation' portrait where they look right at the camera, so have them arch their back, sit up straight, then often I'll have them lean a bit forward.

--

moderator of the z-prophoto for professional portrait/wedding photogs and the photohistory list for academic research, mailing lists hosted at yahoogroups.com
 
--Her eyes are too dark. Suggest a large, soft fill light close to the camera. Leave the reflector. Raise your camera angle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top