It's all a Masquerade

[Trankonia]

Please comment on lighting and composition. The background had some busy lights so they were cloned out. Is the crop too tight?

Camera: NIKON D5000
Focal length: 48*mm*(equiv. 72*mm)
Aperture: F5.6
Exposure time: 1/100"
ISO speed rating: 1600/33°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Pattern
White Balance: Auto
Flash: Flash fired, compulsory flash mode, return light detected
Used SB600 with Gary Fong Globe Diffuser

[sinque]

Looks good to me. Is this by chance a mardi gras mask ?
sinque

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by Trankonia

Please comment on lighting and composition. The background had some busy lights so they were cloned out. Is the crop too tight?

Hi Trankonia,

The main issue I have with this image is that the light is straight on flash which, to me, is never very flattering as it flattens the image so you lose depth and contrast in the subject. Even with a diffuser, the light is still coming from straight on which is where it suffers in my opinion. Try to get your light off camera, or at least bounced off something so it's coming from a direction other than straight on as this, in the end, has a "flash blasted into your face" feel to me.

Also, I've never been a fan of the "head floating on a black background" thing... the background lights might have actually made it more interesting to me, especially if it helped separate the subject from the background whereas he just blends in now.

As for crop, I guess there's nothing really wrong with it, but also not terribly exciting to me.. probably for the other reasons I mentioned.

[Trankonia]

Off camera flash would be nice but I do not have that equipment. This was not a posed shot but a photo at a masquerade ball on a cruise. Since the D5000 does not have master flash capability I would either need to get a commander (more costly than the difference I would have payed to get the D90...that was a mistake.) The other option I was thinking about was an L Bracket with a Flash chord because I I like Macro.

Here is the Untouched Photo (but with a slight crop on the top.) I think you will see why I removed the lights. However, I had debated about cropping out the door frame. In a way, I liked it better but thought others would feel it was a distraction.

[ncbcymtechie]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

[The image], in the end, has a "flash blasted into your face" feel to me.

I feel the same way. The light is quite harsh and doesn't have a natural (or even studio) feel to it; the problem is that you're obviously lit and I can tell that. I'm not an expert on light (though I have read "Light: Science and Magic" which is quite the book—highly recommended) but I can tell you that you would be able to make the light softer by making the source of light larger, whether that be through diffusion or bounce. Since bounce was not an option due to lack of off-camera flash capabilities, perhaps try diffusing? Tissue paper or some translucent material would do—whatever you could scrounge up at a moment's notice. (Like a white placemat thing from the dinner table? Again, not an expert in lighting—I love my natural light, thankyouverymuch. ) That would help get rid of the harshness of the lighting.

Kudos on the shot and on the edit—I first thought you did it in a makeshift "studio" with a dark backdrop!

[Trankonia]

Thank you both for the feedback and suggestions.

I cannot remember if my SB600 was tilted up or straight on with the diffuser. I agree, that it seems a but too straight on. I focus more on Landscape and Macro so capturing people and dealing with proper lighting is new.

It sounds like the diffuser would work fine but I either need a bracket or off-camera way to redirect the light. I know I should bounce but that seems quite a challenge when there are high ceilings.