Prom Night

[jujitsu1]

My brother borrowed my camera last week to take some photo's of his step daughter before she went to the Prom. Here's one of the photo's he took.



I had my camera back last night off him so that I can use it. When I uploaded his photo's I thought I'd alter this one and a few others to see what I could do for him. Here is my finished photo.


What I done was to crop it down alittle and I removed all the background and added the green. Then I Added the light dierection .
What I'd like to know is Is the background colour ok or should I have gone for another colour as I'm not very good with colour matches. Either than that I'm pretty please at the way it turned out.

Exif:Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S5600
Exposure: 0.011 sec (1/90)
Aperture: f/3.2
Focal Length: 11.9 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 0/100 EV
Flash: Flash fired, auto mode, red-eye reduction

Orientation: Horizontal (normal)
X-Resolution: 72 dpi
Y-Resolution: 72 dpi
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS Windows
Date and Time: 2008:07:01 09:48:13
YCbCr Positioning: Co-Sited
Exposure Program: Normal

[jiminyClickit]

jujitsu1,

The idea is sound, but that color and its intensity draw nearly all the attention away from your brother's stepdaughter. The color turned the blue dress drab, and the skintones seem to have turned olive-ish, also.

Save the basic light arrangement, but tone way down to a more neutral background color. Portrait artists will use their subject's colors to create a compatible b/g, emptying their brushes on the canvas before changing colors.

Try greys, very pale blues, a hint of orange somewhere. Then blur it all and let the stepdaughter shine through.

[Major_Small]

I would probably further play with the exposure on her, and I'd tone that background way down. I think that green could work, but I'd play with darker colors. Instead of a green background with a white light, perhaps a black background with green light.

[kimspics]

nice thought but tone down or change the background...it really takes away and sort of clashes with her dress color..she's beautiful

[Loose_Canon]

Originally Posted by Major_Small

I would probably further play with the exposure on her, and I'd tone that background way down. I think that green could work, but I'd play with darker colors. Instead of a green background with a white light, perhaps a black background with green light.

Agreed. Work on the girl - make her look good first. And get the dress colors right - it will be important to her (see original). I like the lighting treatment but bright green is wrong. Use a neutral color.

Overall, I commend your efforts and ideas. You cut her out of the background well and your lighting effects idea is good. Keep tweaking it and post up your revised photo. We promise to be kind...