jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

This is one I did for a polka band I am friends of, at their request.
They know I am not a portrait photographer, but wanted some fun shots for a CD cover and website.

I put them under shade with 2 580exII's on HSS, leveled to minimize hat brim shadows on their faces, some viveza work and a subtle vignette (I think).

Looking forward to critique to help improve my skill set.

(Download)

Bobby Deal Loc: Loveland Colorado

Looks like a fun bunch of guys, how can you not love guys that include a yard gnome in their photo?

The first thing I notice when viewing this photo is that the image is underexposed as can be further verified by the presence of noise in the shadows. Even at a somewhat high ISO the shadows will be noise free in a properly exposed frame.light source too small and positioned too low to effectively separate their dark hats from the background. While you positioned the lights low to eliminate losing their eyes in shadows from the hat brims you have lost the tops of their heads in the shadows in the process.

Also the light is blasting them from a direct barely off axis position creating a very harsh shadows camera left to right. What ever that fuzzy thing is behind the accordion players head is it needs to be moved because in the web sized image it looks like a big fat shadow and in the download like a fuzzy spider about to eat his head.. Ultimately light size and placement make this look like a pop up flash type shot.

The relatively small size of the light source simply has too much rapid fall off to cover the group effectively.

To produce better light I would consider placing each speedlight in a reflective or shoot through umbrella and feathering them in from the sides at about a 30 degree angle so that the light from each flash collides in front of the group with only the edges of the beam striking them directly. This would provide flat light but it should be reasonably soft and balanced and would produce acceptable results for the stated usage. Also I suggest you loose the vignette and leave that to the designer who lays out the album cover as at this point in the game it only worsens the falloff issues.

Or alternatively and ideally I would light this with 3 lights.

Key camera left in a softbox preferably if not then in a reflective umbrella. Position it so the center of the modifier is about a foot above eye level and angle it down 30 degrees.
A fill positioned high and behind you on camera axis and metering 1-2 stops under the key light and the third light would be set as a kicker / hair / Background light to separate them from the background by placing it parallel and slightly behind the group positioned high enough to light the tops of the hats and feathered across the background until there is no spill from this light crossing the centerline of the tops of the shoulders as y9u do not want this light contributing to the key exposure.

To prevent shadows from the hat brims simply have the guys push their hats up a little so the light can get under the brims. I would also shoot this from a slightly camera superior position (slightly above eye level of the seated member and reduce the amount of negative space above their heads.

There is a lot more to be considered such as the posing and head, hand and instrument positions but the first key is to address the lighting and get a quality result their first then you can fine tune the posing.

I know you said you were not a portrait guy so props to you for stepping outside your comfort zone and giving this a try, keep at it because nothing improves ourt photography like simple practice and repetition.

Thanks for posting

Bobby

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

Bobby
Thank you for your valuable input. I will need to print this out and really diagram it out.

That fuzzy thing on their hats are part of the hat. I don't know what its called, but it's an expensive german hokey pokey thingamajig. If there were video and sound, the gnome would probably be singing along with them!

Here's another pose from that same day in front of a band members backyard beer bar. Diffused speedlight on bar top behind them, Gnome children to camera right.

Bobby Deal Loc: Loveland Colorado

The second shot is much better but why so much noise? WHat ISO are you shooting?

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

Not sure why.

Canon 5DIII, iso 100. 1/160 @ f5.0. Alien Bees B800 with socked beauty dish feathered camera right.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

Really good group shots. Well planned and you can tell!
Especially the second shot!

Bobby Deal Loc: Loveland Colorado

It must be sharpening artifacts then but it is looking pretty heavily speckled or as they would say in the Polka World - Polka Dotted

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

I read in a recent post from Russ to do PP in small doses and walk away often for a fresh perspective, I am paraphrasing him. But this is another thing I need to lighten my hand on in these situations.
I will go back to the raw files and try some lighter more delicate PP.