Help choosing one for project

[AdrenoJunkie]

I'm working on a photo project and can't decide between these two shots. Which do you think is more powerful/interestng? I'm also looking for anything I could have done different/better in camera or post to give the shot more power/interest. Is all of the black too much? Sometimes I think it its but I don't feel like the shot would work with a lighter background or any other color shirt. Am I wrong here?

[docxnoel]

Hi, what is the concept of your project?, it help us to decide which is fit best.

[AdrenoJunkie]

Originally Posted by docxnoel

Hi, what is the concept of your project?, it help us to decide which is fit best.

Well it's a lil complicated. The basic concept is I'm doing a self portrait photo series to song lyrics. The song is Nobody Home by Pink Floyd. I'm doing it with my own interpretation which is a man whose life is in turmoil and distress over an estranged love. Which is what I always thought the song was about(I've recently read that it is actually about Syd Barrett). The complicated part is that some of the lyrics don't particularly go along with the story, and this is one of em. The lyric is "I got electric light". My intention was to make it seem dark and brooding and the ball of light is all of his pent up emotion physically manifesting. I am very much open to suggestion on better ways to express this. Originally I wanted to have lots of light bursting out from around me, but I'm not sure how to accomplish that so I went this route.

[docxnoel]

from the two pictures, I like the first one, because...

it shows your arms that added to the intense feeling, the nearly exploded veins helps

for me, the darkness was fine because of highlighting effects, which separate yourself from the background.

but if you're going to recreate, I prefer to ...,

put the bursting light on your heart side.

show some angst in your face, imagine the feeling of being deeply hurted that able to burst.

just my two cents, hope it helps.

[AdrenoJunkie]

The first one was my favorite originally for the same reason and because it added some more color to break up all of the black. But then I like the angle of my body in the second one and the highlight that goes across both of my eyebrows showing the intensity better.
It's funny you suggest those things because I considered bringing it up to my heart when I was shooting but was worried about lens flare and light spilling onto my face. And I started thinking after my last post that maybe if I had my head up screaming it would convey the emotion better. Seeing as how you're suggesting things that have crossed my mind looks like there's gonna be a reshoot. You've been a great help, thank you.

[JFSanders]

So the ball of light is there in the original? If it was, why the lack of light under your face.

[IABoomer]

I like the second one since I can imagine your top hand blocking the light from your face. It seems more realistic.

[katia]

Originally Posted by AdrenoJunkie

Well it's a lil complicated. The basic concept is I'm doing a self portrait photo series to song lyrics. The song is Nobody Home by Pink Floyd. I'm doing it with my own interpretation which is a man whose life is in turmoil and distress over an estranged love. Which is what I always thought the song was about(I've recently read that it is actually about Syd Barrett). The complicated part is that some of the lyrics don't particularly go along with the story, and this is one of em. The lyric is "I got electric light". My intention was to make it seem dark and brooding and the ball of light is all of his pent up emotion physically manifesting. I am very much open to suggestion on better ways to express this. Originally I wanted to have lots of light bursting out from around me, but I'm not sure how to accomplish that so I went this route.

PLEASE post this whole project when you are finished!! photography and Pink Floyd are two of my favorite things in life! sounds like an extremely interesting project.

i think i like the first one better, because in the second you almost look mischievous, like you're going to throw the ball of light at us.

however, that line in the song does sound mischievous to me. so i guess it really depends weather you're going to tie it straight in with the "second sight" and "powers of observation"

wow, i am so stoked on your project, hope it goes well for you!

[AdrenoJunkie]

Originally Posted by JFSanders

So the ball of light is there in the original? If it was, why the lack of light under your face.

Yes it was. This is no trick of Photoshop and it's a single exposure.The ball of light is a lil cheap $8 flash I got online. I made a lil velcro strap and attached it to my hand. I'm guessing the lack of light on my face is because it's aimed straight at the camera and these things aren't too powerful so whatever light was making it to my face may not have been picked up at that aperture.

Originally Posted by IABoomer

I like the second one since I can imagine your top hand blocking the light from your face. It seems more realistic.

Thanks for the input. Even though that's how it was actually captured I guess it still needs to look real.

I have another question, how should I position my lights to give me a rimlight on my clothes without the highlight on the sides of my face? I'd tried another setup with rimlight on my clothes and a gridded speedlight lighting half of my face but I couldn't get rid of the highlight from the rimlights.