What’s Your Preference?

jgbkab · #1 (**permalink**) 02-27-2011, 06:39 PM

Camera Olympus E-410
Exposure 0.006 sec (1/180)
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash On, Fire

What am I missing? I understand that it's a little hot on the right side and a little oof, but I've been at this for almost a year and I can't seem to find the proper settings to at least accidentally get a professional looking photo. This was shot with 50mm legacy lens at f5.6. Any suggestions?

metoo · #2 (**permalink**) 02-27-2011, 06:52 PM

It looks good except that glare/over exposer. What was your lighting? I don't really do artificial lighting so I might not be the best person for this LOL. One thing to try though, is to take a stationary object then walk around it snapping picts from every angle until you find the right lighting. Helps helps to really get to know how the natural light is going to effect your picture. To my untrained eye it looks like a lighting problem not so much a setting problems. If there are huge variances you are going to end up with blown out portion of your pictures.

jgbkab · #3 (**permalink**) 02-27-2011, 06:59 PM

Sorry, the lighting was from off camera flash shot through an umbrella at 1/8th power about 3 feet away from the subject.

LeeR · #4 (**permalink**) 02-27-2011, 07:48 PM

Clearly, you have got to get the exposure right. I know there are challenges shooting dark skin, but you have got to get it right. A Flash meter would do you a world of good. Next, your umbrella should be higher, a bit more to the right and a bit farther back. Usually, this pose works best if the light area under her eye on the shaded side of her face forms an inverted triangle (Rembrandt lighting.) Also, you have the umbrella too close; it takes a bit of distance for the umbrella to work its magic. Your shadows are way too harsh. With good umbrella work the shadows become velvety soft; that why we love them. You could also use a reflector on the side opposite the umbrella so we get a little light in the shadows and her hair doesn't go completely black. Finally, your background is a bit distracting.
While these problems can only be truly corrected in-camera, some creative PP work will mitigate the worst of it.

jgbkab · #5 (**permalink**) 02-28-2011, 03:02 AM

I kinda knew most of that LeeR but you forget some things and get lazy along the way so instead of combining what I've learned, I moved on with the next best thing. Do you think that the on-camera meter is good enough at least after the shot?

LeeR · #6 (**permalink**) 02-28-2011, 03:41 AM

Most photographers work hard to perfect one lighting setup that gives them stellar results every single time. (think Francesco Scavullo) Others (Yousuf Karsh) eventually perfect three or four, but either way, the important thing is to make this such a habit that you don't need to think about it; you just set it up... and spend your best efforts relating to your client. (Check out how Karsh got his famous shot of Winston Churchill.)

PointNShoot · #7 (**permalink**) 02-28-2011, 03:53 PM

Perhaps I'm from the middle ages, but "Always include the curve of the bust or the subject will look heavy."

SusanH1970 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-01-2011, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeR

Clearly, you have got to get the exposure right. I know there are challenges shooting dark skin, but you have got to get it right. A Flash meter would do you a world of good. Next, your umbrella should be higher, a bit more to the right and a bit farther back. Usually, this pose works best if the light area under her eye on the shaded side of her face forms an inverted triangle (Rembrandt lighting.) Also, you have the umbrella too close; it takes a bit of distance for the umbrella to work its magic. Your shadows are way too harsh. With good umbrella work the shadows become velvety soft; that why we love them. You could also use a reflector on the side opposite the umbrella so we get a little light in the shadows and her hair doesn't go completely black. Finally, your background is a bit distracting.
While these problems can only be truly corrected in-camera, some creative PP work will mitigate the worst of it.

No offense, Lee, but did you add a lot of green & yellow to your edit? Nice job on toning down the blowouts but she looks reaaaallllly yellowish-green.

shauncunninghamphoto · #9 (**permalink**) 03-07-2011, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgbkab

What am I missing? I understand that it's a little hot on the right side and a little oof, but I've been at this for almost a year and I can't seem to find the proper settings to at least accidentally get a professional looking photo. This was shot with 50mm legacy lens at f5.6. Any suggestions?

Lee gave some good advice on lighting so I won't comment too much there, other than to agree on the harsh shadows (a simple bounce diffuser would've helped a lot here).

I would also agree with Lee that that the background is a "bit distracting." However, I do like the background, especially with the shallow depth of field. So, the "fix" for me is composition. I'm not a big fan of centered portraits so I have re-composed the shot to give it a more contemporary look as well as to bring attention to the subject and thus away from the background. In doing so, the shadows do not appear as signficant and I believe the background now compliments the subject rather than contrasting with her. I made minor lighting adjustments in Lightroom 3.

Shaun