Rim-lit Portrait

[roostabunny]

50mm
1/3200
f/3.5
ISO 400

Using the sun as a rim light. How's it working in this shot? Open to other critique, too, as always. Thanks!

[Niresangwa]

It works just fine, if a little messy, but as a project in sing the sun for that purpose, its fine.

As a larger critique, the model is a little underexposed, and it has a cool feeling to it, which doesn't marry up that well with the use of the sun.

[DanaLane]

The sun portion looks great, though I think she's a little underexposed. Its really hard to balance a proper exposure on the subject without blowing out the sun area entirely.

A couple quick comments on the pose real quick too. I'd have liked to see her turned towards the camera just enough so you didn't cut her back eye in half. I'd either like to see all of her back eye, or none of it, just my opinion.

[Ridgetop]

The sun lighting is great, but I think you need a little light reflected back onto her face to warm it up a little and to bring the exposure up some. A well place gold? reflector probably would have helped here. She's a pretty girl so I'd like to see all of both eyes. I think it would have really enhanced her pose even more. But I do like the light in the hair. Well done in that respect.

[roostabunny]

Thanks, all!

Side note on reflector use - Just had a senior portrait session today with my niece and finally got to make real use of my reflector. Her hair's real fine and fair, and looks amazing backlit. As my partner-in-crime/artistic director/wife got the hang of getting it pointed where I was indicating, the results impressed us both. So we've proven the value of that tip to ourselves.

Anyway, great feedback. Definitely underexposed for the face, and I would also have liked to see both eyes.

Any tips on using reflectors without an assistant? I keep wishing for longer arms, but nothing's come of that wishing yet.

[TheMoons678]

Originally Posted by roostabunny

Any tips on using reflectors without an assistant? I keep wishing for longer arms, but nothing's come of that wishing yet.

The first reflector i bought off amazon was the largest 5-in-1 i could find which was a little difficult to use by myself. Possibly a smaller one could do the job allowing me to keep my camera stable.

Tripod can help as well, but not fun to use if you're moving locations a lot.

Unless you have an assistant to hold a reflector, you want to look into alternative lighting (speedlight and small softbox?)

[roostabunny]

Originally Posted by TheMoons678

The first reflector i bought off amazon was the largest 5-in-1 i could find which was a little difficult to use by myself.

That's the one.

I have a design in my head for a bracket that'll hold this monster steady on one of my spare tripods. Could help a lot.

I do have speedlights on the "wish list" too, but there's a lens or two even higher on the list of spendy things. That said, I have a Quantaray QDC 900WA I picked up cheap when I got my camera, but I can't figure out if the problem with TTL metering is the flash or me (as in incorrect settings). I just can't get it to fire reliably or meter correctly.

[zona5101]

here's a lightdisc holder by photoflex...I am sure there are other manufacturers as well
LiteDisc Holder

[ccting]

At Theoritical level : Expressionism, reductionsim, Imitation and Formalism

At Conceptual Design level : Most interesting part uses expressionism, least interesting part uses reductionsim, window of souls uses Imitation, overall uses formalism.

Practical level : Most interesting part = Breasts (mountains), 50% clarity gives more emotional ==> (low key).
Least intersting part = hair uses reductionisms using strong source of light on right top; eyes uses great details (pls edit with lightroom), and overall using Shapes, lines, light contrast and color, ordering. Wow,, for me it is just extreme great piece of photo taking. (I wander when i could take this quality of pic.. 20 years later??)

First glance: WOW..!

Lines & Shapes: Top left to bottom right... Diagonal! Eye lines towards camera making me stay with the pic for quite a while.. wow... Shoulders flow from middle right to bottom left another diagonal.. Hatching lines from hair from both sides.. form symmetric shapes.. and two mountains (repeating triangles) at left bottom further stop me for quite a while before i able to shift my attention from the picture. (sorry to be rude)

Light:
a) Nice reflection on lips clear show the texture and its detail.. wow...
b) Back lit hair,, making the lines seem like blind contour line.. wow..
c) Round blade Bokeh at background,, wow..
d) catchlight on two mountains giving 50% clarity with same tone / color background, another 50% making your mind to think hard what is another 50%.. It matches one of the theory of Expressionism (abstraction that force everyone to think and what they think may different and it all depends on everyone's imagination). That makes this photo has higher art value - my newbie's perception. Will that 50% clarity enforce you to stay longer with the picture? If yes, then congrates.... Use eye tracking system, and give this pic to your friends, and see where they are looking. I am sure they will be freezed once when they reached her eyes, then 2nd stop will be the 50% clarify on bottom left.

Light contrast for the hair gives me another WOW.
Tone and Color similarity but with some catchlight on bottom left --> Another WOW.

Lines of the decoration on the neck match the line of the shoulders,, nice..

For me, she is not underexposed. The lighting is just right, particularly bottom left. Just need some image processing for her face elements.

Color
Wow,, I think the color is great,, green background vs orange skin vs violet shirt with green.. - complementary harmony.. i think

Sharpness
I think both eyes, lips are clear enough. Add a not catchlight for the lips.., sharpnen and improve the eyes using software, smooth the unsmooth skin. All using software..

Color
Improve color using software..for lips...and lighten the area below the eyes.. look tired..

Well, again, I am extreme newbie to photography and art. Just get to know cameras need lens and sensor in order to work - End of June 2011 when i buy my very first camera ...

Fill Flash
Cover your built-in camera's flash with tissue,,, ;D fire it. It is difficult to bring tripod and reflector, the worst, i don't even have one... Use delayed exposure shutter + 2 seconds delayed timer, use 3 tree branches to support your hands.. . Hmm, With flash, i think sharpness and shutter speed should not be a major problem... ---> a newbie's perception.

[B]Clothes[B]: Color harmony and great for greating abstraction (theory of expressionism)

Contrast Composition: Bridht vs dark, sharp vs blur, hard vs soft... found.

For me, this picture is EXCELLENT.

Again, I am 100% niewbie for photography and i comment using my own perception and opinion. I never ever take this fine quality of picture.