A model in the dark
Mar 20, 2014 17:37:12 #
Night shots taken during a club outing. Only on-camera flash used.
It was very cold and quite windy.
It was very cold and quite windy.
Mar 21, 2014 00:49:13 #
Well...not sure what to say here. The "cold and quite windy," is irrelevant. Unless that comment was meant as an excuse in which case it is proof the image should never have been shown.
On-camera flash, unless used only as fill, will seldom give good results as it creates a hard, harsh, unflattering light. Her head is just floating as her hair and coat blend/merge with the background. If the umbrella interior were completely behind her, that would have given perfect separation from the background because it would have BEEN the BG.
On-camera flash, unless used only as fill, will seldom give good results as it creates a hard, harsh, unflattering light. Her head is just floating as her hair and coat blend/merge with the background. If the umbrella interior were completely behind her, that would have given perfect separation from the background because it would have BEEN the BG.
Mar 21, 2014 02:32:31 #
That's a good point, CC. My first reaction was that I liked it. I like the way her jaw is so strong and the angle at which it was taken.
I also struggle with my subjects disappearing into the black back ground and your lowing the umbrella suggestion is brilliant. I can't wait until that kind of thing comes naturally to me. I'm filing that one away. Thanks.
I also struggle with my subjects disappearing into the black back ground and your lowing the umbrella suggestion is brilliant. I can't wait until that kind of thing comes naturally to me. I'm filing that one away. Thanks.
Mar 21, 2014 06:49:14 #
CC's comments of using the umbrella interior to be the background in order to separate her from the dark background is an excellent suggestion, one I hope to remember under these kind of circumstances. As CC also said, an on-camera flash will seldom give the kind of results we want, and in this case I find the catch lights in her eyes and the shadows on her neck too strong. It would have been nice to see how this image would have come out if you'd tried holding the flash off camera to the side of her so it did not flash directly into her face. Thanks for the post as I learned from the comments you received on this.
Mar 21, 2014 07:24:15 #
TonyB wrote:
Night shots taken during a club outing. Only on-camera flash used. It was very cold and quite windy.
IMO it's a snapshot that might mean a lot to friends or those with her at the club outing, but not much to anyone else. Not a photo that can be greatly improved upon. CCs comments apply.
Mar 21, 2014 10:12:53 #
Capt C, I appreciate that, but the instructions that night were to obtain the best result with the minimum of equipment. It was so dark that I had to use manual focus and measure distance with a tape. Even shining a torch on the model didn't allow the camera to focus or even to compose. I had to wait for other club members to press their shutters and then click mine. Sorry, excuses, excuses, but I was fairly pleased to get a result at all.
Mar 21, 2014 10:37:45 #
TonyB wrote:
Capt C, I appreciate that, but the instructions that night were to obtain the best result with the minimum of equipment. It was so dark that I had to use manual focus and measure distance with a tape. Even shining a torch on the model didn't allow the camera to focus or even to compose. I had to wait for other club members to press their shutters and then click mine. Sorry, excuses, excuses, but I was fairly pleased to get a result at all.
I understand, but as I have said before, if you have to make excuses or explain it, it probably is not for public display. I was told that 50+ years ago. That photographer explained to me that I will take an image that required a lot of work under trying conditions and will end up not being very good. But since I went to all that trouble I will want to show it anyway. His admonition to me was, "Don't do it." Nobody cares about your difficulties or excuses.
Mar 21, 2014 10:52:19 #
Very true Captain, I was told "Smile and the world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone". Even so, I like it despite its shortcomings, but I know it wouldn't win a prize except maybe from the models husband or mother.
Mar 21, 2014 13:45:48 #
It may be a good time to review rule #1 in the PC&A Section.
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