Dr Rae Loc: Sarasota Florida

I don't usually do black and white. Do you like this? Enough contrast?

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

Needs just a little more lighten and a tad more contrast....
Good portrait.........

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

I like it a lot. Maybe it could use a bit more contrast, but I would have to see them side-by-side. It's close.

infocus Loc: Australia

great as it is in my opinion. :thumbup:

CanonFire Loc: Phoenixville, PA

Great portrait. I think maybe a tad more contrast would be good, otherwise I think you're spot on.

Dr Rae Loc: Sarasota Florida

Thanks everyone! I'll bump the contrast and see what comes of it.

hlmichel Loc: New Hope, Minnesota

I won't mention the contrast as you said you were going to work in it.

I'll just say that I really like this one. I'd really like to see another of this model.

Dr Rae Loc: Sarasota Florida

I bet you would Michael. :-) She's beautiful and was great to work with. Here are a couple more.

CanonFire Loc: Phoenixville, PA

Your lighting is really impressive, especially how you've used it to separated the model from the background.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

OK, you broad lit her and this face really would benefit from short light. If you turned down that light to camera left - and I mean WAY down, the first would be a LOT better. This broad lighting makes her face look larger.

I think that the lights may be a bit low - what shadow there is looks almost horizontal.

A tiny point is that the iris in her far eye is buried right up against her nose. Have just a touch of white show in that corner would be better, so not quite so much head turn and have her look just a touch to her left to get that white.

Same with image #2. If the main light came from the camera right, and that camera left light could be MUCH less, it would be a more dramatic image and would also be a more flattering look.

Dr Rae Loc: Sarasota Florida

[quote=CaptainC]

Yes, I'm having a real hard time with lighting still. I cannot turn down the light to camera left any more than it is and cannot move it farther away because of space. (I think I've sent you a picture of my studio before, it's very small). That light is a reflective umbrella, what can I put over the light to lessen it? The horizontal shadow comes from the main light which has a softbox. I think the softbox is too small so it casts a shadow - it's 24"x24".

I did some short lit of her, I'll go through them and compare. Thanks for your comments!

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Well, I don't know what to tell you. There are things you need to do to get the lighting right. Honestly, if you cannot turn the light down more, get better lights. If you want to do stuff that looks good, you have to have the equipment that allows you to do that. I understand the size of your space is limiting, but if you were to use speedlights, you could dial those down to incredibly low power.

You could go to a fabric store and get some white diffuser-type material. Get it thin so you can use multiple layers to make finer adjustments.

You might try using just one light - play with that. Since your space is so small, you might get enough fill just from the light bouncing around.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

One other point to add to the captains point about the preference of short lighting a subject. (Picture 2)It is much more flattering not to have that much white of the eyes showing. Its really hard to pull that off. In this case I would have stuck one of my hands out to camera right and asked the subject to look at my hand.

I do like the soft tones and color.

The eyes don't necessarily have to be centered but the angle with the eyes just detracts from their beauty.

I do like the softness of the black and white first pic. I'm trending to less contrasty pictures.(for now)

I don't get the not turning down the lights enough. You should have no problem turning down either light even if the softbox is right up next to the head.

If your using studio flash
Make sure your in Manual.
ISO 100
Aperture f8-f14.
Shutter 125.

Meter your light from those settings.

Dr Rae Loc: Sarasota Florida

[quote=PalePictures]
Thanks for the help with settings. That's not what I used. I have another shoot with her soon and will try again.

I have to ask, why do you say short lighting? Is it because of her features or because that is what looks better on people in general? If you could expand on that comment please. Thanks always for your input!

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

When you short light someone. Shadow side is facing the camera. It makes the face appear thinner and not so round. When people have rounded faces this really helps. If your an anerexic model you can get by with broad light. (Thats when the bright side faces the camera.)

Here are some examples on the face up close

Picture 1 This girl had a very round face. Notice how the shadow on the camera side thins the face. Due to light dropoff.

Picture 2 This girls face was even more round at the bottom. Again shadow on the side facing closest to the camera.

Picture 3 This is how you don't light a subject. See how round her face really was. The picture was shot on the same day of the same girl in Picture 2. Do not do it like this!!!!!!!!

Most girls for closup shots need to be lit this way. Face shot body shot, next to a tree... Everytime I do a shoot I make sure some if not most of my lighting is done in this way for these types of shots. You can do this with a single soft box. Both of my shots were done this way. (Except that I put double hairlights behind both of them... They did not contribute to the light on the face.)

Captain has examples too. Go to his website and examine some of his photos. Look at the way he lights his subjects face. You can go to my website as well.

I suspected your camera settings were off. You fix that and take the Captains advice and your on your way.

Be sure and repost!

Shortlight 1


shortlight 2


Do not do this!!!!