feedback on lighting
Jan 24, 2012 21:04:38 #
I would like y'alls opinion on the lighting of these 2 pictures. I am trying to teach myself lighting, and open to any help. I have one off camera flash SB-800, and I put it on a light stand. I put a diffuser in front of the light, and I shot these in total darkness. I use a Nikon D80 and I shot this on a tripod. I am very new to photography, maybe 6 months.
Jan 24, 2012 21:45:57 #
Looks like harsh shadows.
Maybe, pull flash away from subject. This should tone down the flash. (I think the flash is so close, it is blowing thru the diffuser instead of diffusing and becoming a large light source.
In the first one, use of a well placed reflector will throw light back at subjects dark sided face.
In the first one, I think a lower camera would help. Maybe have her tilt head up a little. Her eyes look like she is looking up.
Hopefully, others will jump in as I have no hands on experience in this area.
Pat
Snapshot guy.....
Maybe, pull flash away from subject. This should tone down the flash. (I think the flash is so close, it is blowing thru the diffuser instead of diffusing and becoming a large light source.
In the first one, use of a well placed reflector will throw light back at subjects dark sided face.
In the first one, I think a lower camera would help. Maybe have her tilt head up a little. Her eyes look like she is looking up.
Hopefully, others will jump in as I have no hands on experience in this area.
Pat
Snapshot guy.....
Jan 24, 2012 21:57:58 #
Jay Pat wrote:
Looks like harsh shadows. br Maybe, pull flash awa... (show quote)
Thank you so much for your input, my fellow Austinite. At this point everything helps. This is my daughter and I am sure that she is losing patients with me quickly!
Jan 24, 2012 22:13:02 #
I'm just learning studio lighting and only started with photography about 18 months ago (give or take) so I'm no pro or pretending to be one, so take my advice on lighting with that in mind.
#1 has a moody feel to it because of the shadow on the left side of her face. It goes against her smiling, happy, cheerful face. Think more goth, punk, Girl With A Dragon Tattoo kind of feel. The background is distracting as well, at first I thought it was a toilet behind her with the seat up. The brown sofa arm (?) is also distracting. Try powering the flash down a little as well, it's a little strong.
You did nail focus, her eyes are stunning and sharp. I love her pose and how her hair is blowing ever so slightly. It makes me smile just looking at it.
#2 - looks like the flash is directly in front of her and it's washed her out, it's also to strong. As a result her skin tone has too much blue in it. There is a pole growing out of her head, it caught some of the flash, which makes it visible. I think if the flash was turned down, you would have had a black background and a nicer light on her face. She's also a little to centered for my liking. I like the position in #1 a little more.
#1 has a moody feel to it because of the shadow on the left side of her face. It goes against her smiling, happy, cheerful face. Think more goth, punk, Girl With A Dragon Tattoo kind of feel. The background is distracting as well, at first I thought it was a toilet behind her with the seat up. The brown sofa arm (?) is also distracting. Try powering the flash down a little as well, it's a little strong.
You did nail focus, her eyes are stunning and sharp. I love her pose and how her hair is blowing ever so slightly. It makes me smile just looking at it.
#2 - looks like the flash is directly in front of her and it's washed her out, it's also to strong. As a result her skin tone has too much blue in it. There is a pole growing out of her head, it caught some of the flash, which makes it visible. I think if the flash was turned down, you would have had a black background and a nicer light on her face. She's also a little to centered for my liking. I like the position in #1 a little more.
Jan 24, 2012 22:14:57 #
Ah! You are just down the road!!...
I was born and raise there. Austin High School...Long time ago.
Pat
I was born and raise there. Austin High School...Long time ago.
Pat
Jan 25, 2012 16:26:56 #
How close is the flash to the diffuser?
How big is the diffuser? (it's not the one that came with the flash is it?)
I use either a shoot through white umbrella or a softbox.
Moving the light away from the subject will sharpen the shadows, usually something you don't want to do.
Looks like she needs a reflector on the right side, something as simple as white foamcore to act a a fill.
Beautiful girl, expression.. and amazing eyes!
How big is the diffuser? (it's not the one that came with the flash is it?)
I use either a shoot through white umbrella or a softbox.
Moving the light away from the subject will sharpen the shadows, usually something you don't want to do.
Looks like she needs a reflector on the right side, something as simple as white foamcore to act a a fill.
Beautiful girl, expression.. and amazing eyes!
Jan 25, 2012 16:40:22 #
Do NOT pull the flash back - the farther away it is the harder the light.You need to get the flash CLOSER. How big is your diffuser - are you talking about that little dome that comes with the flash? That is useless to soften the light unless you use it to bounce the flash with it. And bounce flash is too flat for REAL portrait work,
You need a small softbox on the flash if you are going to aim it at the subject -naked speedlights have to be diffused to make a soft light. Now- maybe you want a hard light on her and that is a choice. In this case, I don't think it is flattering - but that is just my opinion. As MWAC observed, the hard light does not match her expression.
Softness is determined by the size of the light source IN RELATION TO THE SUBJECT.
Photo #2 is just as MWAC said - light too close to camera axis making it very flat (no dimension). And yes, too blue.
Here is a great small softbox that will improve your work 200%
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/739171-REG/LumiQuest_LQ_124_Softbox_LTp_10_x.html
Use this about 18" from a face and off to one side for great soft light.
You need a small softbox on the flash if you are going to aim it at the subject -naked speedlights have to be diffused to make a soft light. Now- maybe you want a hard light on her and that is a choice. In this case, I don't think it is flattering - but that is just my opinion. As MWAC observed, the hard light does not match her expression.
Softness is determined by the size of the light source IN RELATION TO THE SUBJECT.
Photo #2 is just as MWAC said - light too close to camera axis making it very flat (no dimension). And yes, too blue.
Here is a great small softbox that will improve your work 200%
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/739171-REG/LumiQuest_LQ_124_Softbox_LTp_10_x.html
Use this about 18" from a face and off to one side for great soft light.
Jan 25, 2012 17:10:06 #
CaptainC,
I so glad you jumped in to correct me. I confused my thinking on two different things or thoughts or just wrong thinking.
I'm getting a little off topic, if the flash and diffuser are too close together will the flash "blow" thru the diffuser and be considered strong? That was where I was going with that thought.
To Fotoholic, I humbly, apologize for my misinformation....
Pat
I so glad you jumped in to correct me. I confused my thinking on two different things or thoughts or just wrong thinking.
I'm getting a little off topic, if the flash and diffuser are too close together will the flash "blow" thru the diffuser and be considered strong? That was where I was going with that thought.
To Fotoholic, I humbly, apologize for my misinformation....
Pat
Jan 25, 2012 17:31:26 #
It's the size of the light and the proximity to the subject that causes the softness.
In this case that would be the diffuser.
What the great Captain suggested is an excellent solution, used close. If it's farther away, the light becomes a smaller source and gives the hard shadows again.
Bouncing it off or shooting the flash through an umbrella is even bigger so it wouldn't have to be as close to get the same effect. The light wraps around the subject more and sometimes looks good w/o a reflector, depending on the look you want.
A softbox doesn't "spill" as much light as an umbrella, so you can control it better. I have one that's 2 x 3 feet. I will have to try the 18" one- a lot easier to pack!
In this case that would be the diffuser.
What the great Captain suggested is an excellent solution, used close. If it's farther away, the light becomes a smaller source and gives the hard shadows again.
Bouncing it off or shooting the flash through an umbrella is even bigger so it wouldn't have to be as close to get the same effect. The light wraps around the subject more and sometimes looks good w/o a reflector, depending on the look you want.
A softbox doesn't "spill" as much light as an umbrella, so you can control it better. I have one that's 2 x 3 feet. I will have to try the 18" one- a lot easier to pack!
Jan 25, 2012 17:33:10 #
You cannot teach YOURSELF lighting - not by flailing away without guidance. Buy a few books and practice the techniques in those books.
Go here: http://www.amherstmedia.com/
...and click on the "Lighting" link. Pick a few. Duplicate what they show you. If you are using speedlights, get the books that concentrate on that.
Like this one:
http://www.amherstmedia.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AM&Product_Code=1936&Category_Code=L
Go here: http://www.amherstmedia.com/
...and click on the "Lighting" link. Pick a few. Duplicate what they show you. If you are using speedlights, get the books that concentrate on that.
Like this one:
http://www.amherstmedia.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AM&Product_Code=1936&Category_Code=L
Jan 25, 2012 17:36:07 #
Oh yeah- I forgot. Go here:
http://strobist.blogspot.com/
Start with Lighting 101 Archive. This is one of the best online sources for learning small strobe off-camera lighting anywhere. DO NOT just jump in to current postings - start at the beginning.
http://strobist.blogspot.com/
Start with Lighting 101 Archive. This is one of the best online sources for learning small strobe off-camera lighting anywhere. DO NOT just jump in to current postings - start at the beginning.
Jan 25, 2012 17:37:20 #
Jan 25, 2012 17:50:35 #
GoofyNewfie wrote:
CaptainC- excellent book website link!
Thanks
Thanks
Yeah, thanks - I sure did not invent lighting concepts -I read about them and went to workshops. Some were a week long - some were just one day. I know folks on the forum don't really want to hear this, but there is NO substitute for hands-on training with a real instructor. It is not cheap, but good training never is.
Jan 25, 2012 18:12:23 #
CaptainC wrote:
Yeah, thanks - I sure did not invent lighting concepts -I read about them and went to workshops. Some were a week long - some were just one day. I know folks on the forum don't really want to hear this, but there is NO substitute for hands-on training with a real instructor. It is not cheap, but good training never is.
GoofyNewfie wrote:
CaptainC- excellent book website link!
Thanks
Thanks
Yeah, thanks - I sure did not invent lighting concepts -I read about them and went to workshops. Some were a week long - some were just one day. I know folks on the forum don't really want to hear this, but there is NO substitute for hands-on training with a real instructor. It is not cheap, but good training never is.
Going to my first 2-day portrait and lighting class this weekend in Chicago and really looking forward to it.
Jan 25, 2012 18:22:12 #
twindad wrote:
quote=CaptainC quote=GoofyNewfie CaptainC- excel... (show quote)
I want to take the scott kelby live training, Light It. Shoot It. Retouch It. LIVE! I'm just waiting on work to approve the time off. Fingers crossed everyone!
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