Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

I normally take nature photography. I'm venturing into territory that I normally never travel.

Please be brutal and let me know how you would have made it better.

There is a lot going on here. First I'm using a 600mm f/4 lens across the room from her. I have a flash aimed at the left side of her face from about 12 feet away. Just a few feet to her right I have a big Mylar reflector bouncing some of the light the light back on the the right side of her face. We are talking the subjects left and right not the viewers. I have a second flash behind her right shoulder aimed at the back of her head at an angle. I then placed a second flash on the floor in front of her pointing up at 45 degrees at the ceiling. The idea was that I wanted to fill in some hash shadows the other lights were causing.

The subject is my wife. She is no longer a kid, so I used some NIK filters to soften the image and add a bit of glamor glow. There was zero cropping. This is what happens when you use a 600mm lens indoors!

I'd also like to know if you prefer the closed mouth smile or the open mouthed smile.

Thanks for looking.

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Resqu2 Loc: SW Va

Ok, you ask for brutal honest, well here it is. I love them both! I’m not a pro by any means but think you did a great job with the lighting. Keep up the great work.

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

Pretty lady and she looks comfortable in front of the camera. I like the portraits although the lighting could use a little tweaking. The white splotches in the background are distracting as is the shadow that goes across her neck. And the shadows around her eyes could be lightened.
I like the closed smile best. You did good!

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I'm impressed. Both are wonderful. Why a 600 mm?

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Good question. This big lens is a fairly new toy for me. I bought it this Spring. Ever since I bought it It's found a permanent home on a big tripod in my living room. It's there and easy to use.

The other reason is that I have become interested the effects of lens length when taking a portrait. Longer lenses tend to be more flattering to the subject. I wanted to find out if there was a limit to this generality. Apparently not!

This started when, as a lark, when I pointed this big lens at a friend when we were out photographing eagles. I was shocked how nice the photo looked.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Thank you. I had not noticed the white splotches; I guess because I know they are the wall behind her. I can see how they could be distracting. The shadows on the eyes and that big line across her neck bothers me. I must find a way to better place the the flashes.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

I like the perspective from a long lens (actually from the long camera to subject distance it allows). I also really like the closed mouth shot best.

Your lighting is awful. The shadow on rhe neck and the totally blown out areas at camera left are the worst, but there are other problems too.

Read up on portrait lighting. Where to put lights and how to adjust ratios are important, and it can be fairly complex. There are lots of videos on youtube and much information around the web.

whwiden

The portraits are nice at capturing the essence of the person, better than a snap shot with the shallow depth of field created by the long lens. However, the lighting on the face and neck is very poor. You might try brightening the shadows in post, but I would just do it again. I would think some fill flash on the face and neck. Maybe the long lens created too much distance for best use of the flash. Might use an 85mm or 105mm if you have access to one. For me, the composition is a bit off center which I do not like in a head and shoulder shot.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

I totally agree. THE LIGHTING WAS AWFUL! I have studied portraiture lighting in the past but it's been a long time. I need to refresh my technique. I have great glass, great flashes, a pretty willing subject but I blew it with that lighting. LOL

whwiden

Maybe a simple set up where you use an on camera flash and soften it by bouncing off the ceiling?

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

For a very good tutorial go to youtube and search for "episode 14 classic three light portrait photo studio"

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Thank you I was hoping that someone like you would tell me were to go for a good refresher course. I found it, watched it. Now I can try again. I had simply forgotten the basics of "Rembrandt" lighting and that 45 degree / 45 degree thing. Now I remember.

I was aiming the lights in from the sides top and back but had forgot about the key light. Of course it's never that cut and dry, and I'll need to play with the lights.

10MPlayer Loc: California

The thing that jumps out to me is the line cutting across her neck. It's light above the line and dark below. I like the open mouth smile. It's engaging and gives us a glimpse of her personality. Work on the lighting and get rid of the light/dark line cutting her head off from her body. The guys in the Professional and Advanced Portraiture section could definitely help you but I'm not sure if it's right for you to ask them since you're not a pro. Maybe a private message to one of the pros would be the way to go.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

To my eye the worst shadow is the one cutting across her right eye socket, and it's right next to the blown or nearly blown patches on her cheek and hair. My guess is the lighting needs to be softer and more diffuse. If you had more ambient light bouncing around you wouldn't feel the need to ramp up the flashes. Modern flashes may be very good, but I get the impression that the less dependent you are on them the better. And highly directional light will tend to accentuate wrinkles.

The most frequently recommended focal length for portraits is 85mm. Longer focal lengths tend to flatten the image, and shorter lengths tend to give noticeable distortion, where a wide angle will accentuate the nose and exaggerate the difference between the front of the face and the sides of the head.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Thank you everyone for your comments. It's been a long time since I took a portrait. I as the photographer, I made a lot of mistakes. I used the wrong lens, and horrible light placement. However, it's the right face and such a charming face, that it's alright with me.

"It's All Right With Me"

It's the wrong time and the wrong place
Though your face is charming, it's the wrong face
It's not her face, but such a charming face
That it's all right with me

It's the wrong song in the wrong style
Though your smile is lovely, it's the wrong smile
It's not her smile, but such a lovely smile
So it's all right with me

You can't know how happy I am that we've met
I'm strangely attracted to you
There's someone I'm trying so hard to forget
Don't you want to forget someone, too?

It's the wrong game with the wrong chips
Though your lips are tempting, they're the wrong lips
They're not her lips, but they're such tempting lips
That if some night you're free
Dear, it's all right
Yes, it's all right with me