A portrait

[SwissJon]

It's been a while since I posted anything for critique. I'd like your honest opinions on this please. Mainly I'd like to know what you think about the flash placement and the post production work I've done on this, which is basically a mild gaussian blur on the skin on the face, a bit of brightening of the whites of the eyes, enhanced the colour saturation on her pupils, and I added a gaussian blur on the settee (using a hard light blend mode because it darkened the settee) and removed a few stray hairs and a neclace..

Ok ok.. I know I argue about going ott on PP, but I thought this work was rather sympathetic.. What do you think?



Exif data as follows:

Exif data
Camera: NIKON D7000
Lens: AF Nikkor 50mm F1.4D
Aperture: F2.5
Exposure time: 1/125"
ISO speed rating: 100/21°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot
Focus Mode: AF-C
Image Stabilizer: Off
Noise Reduction: Off
Flash: Internal flash, Flash fired, compulsory flash mode, return light not detected
Used 3 flashes.. One behind model with deep red gel 1/16th power, one camera left 1/8th power behind no gel one camera right 90 degrees to the model 1/16th power, 1/4 cto.

[Niresangwa]

I think given the number of flashes you used I would have expected something more dramatic. As it is, I think it looks very natural and even. I"m not saying that that's either a good thing or bad thing, depending upon what you hoped to get out of it.

The white balance feels a little warm...her skin looks a little sallow from face-on-backwards as the light falls off, though I wouldn't cool it down, rather increase the exposure a little, and probably increase the vibrance to pull something out of that blue sofa..I think it would benefit from being a little richer.

Not sure how high the backlight was, but I think I would have used it to put a little texture into the dress, and give more of a rim light to her hair. As it is, it just looks like a big black sock that blends into the background.

As far as the pose, I like it. I"m sure someone will bring up that they're nonplussed with the distortion from the wide angle, but I think that's the redeeming feature in the shot, at least for me.

Skin work, idk, if you hadnt brought it up, I wouldn't have noticed anything.

I know youre just getting into this strobist portrait stuff, and I think you're doing a good job of it if this shot is anything to go by... nothing explosive or super dramatic, but very solid.

[Hill Country Hack]

As usual, a very nice shot. The lighting looks great to me, but I am far from educated on the use of light. I can tell you it is not obtrusive or distracting, very pleasant to me.

I have a couple of nits to pick, and may just be personal choice. I would have liked to see a slightly deeper DOF as she has beautiful hair and I feel a bit of loss not being able to enjoy it all in focus. Looking at the full size image on your Flickr page there seems to be either missed makeup or issue with the PP at her hair line directly away from her left eye to the "sideburn". Also, for my taste the Gaussian blur on the face softens the area around her nose. The smaller version posted here looks great.

Her eyes are spot on and draw me in.

Overall, I really like this shot. I found what I commented on because I was looking hard with a critical eye. If I was paging through a magazine, I would stop and take a look.

[ccting]

any comment on her clothes in BLACK COLOR?

[Doug Sundseth]

Lighting:

Overall exposure is very good, though I agree that the model falls away into darkness in the background. I don't necessarily dislike the effect, btw.

I like the effect of the red-gelled flash on the model's hair, but it might be warming her skin a bit much. You might consider gridding that flash to localize the effect.

Key seems a bit hard. What modifier were you using on that light? It's also perhaps just a bit high. The nose shadow classically runs a bit higher across the cheek.

Hair light works well for separation.

Post:

No problem with the skin work. I think it achieves the beauty look you're apparently going for.

I might take the under-eye lines down a bit.

Eyes are a bit bright for me. You might want to drop the opacity on that layer just a bit.

Pose:

I really like the pose and it looks like you're working well with your model.

Overall:

Very professional image.

[SwissJon]

Ok, cool, thanks guys.. There were reasons for some of the things you picked up on.. Mainly because we were in her flat and had limited room.. The dropping off to black in the back is simply a practicality, the original has an outline of her printer visible on a desk behind her. Same goes with the shallow depth of field.. There wasn't one smooth surface to shoot against so I went shallow to limit the textures behind her. I used the rear flash in some photos to assist, but not on this one.

This was the first time I had used 3 lights (actually, it's only the third time I shot with a model) so I was trying to minimise the effects of the strobes to err on the side of caution.. Some of my other shots were a little more adventurous, but this was the first one I finished PP work on, so I wanted to get an idea on whether I was going in the right direction.. Seems like I was.. I'll pick up some of the things you pointed out and go over the image again.. I think it's worth it.

The flash placement I obviously can't do anything about PP, but I'm not sure how to look at them critically, so that's something I need to know for next time.

Ahh.. She's a fun person to work with, we chatted for most of the 2 hours we worked together, so it was really rather fun to do, which always makes for better photos I think.

Thanks for the feedback.

[autofocus]

Overall, a nice job on this shot Jon. My only complaint is the position of her left arm and and hand. I find it jumps out at me, and is somewhat distorted looking. My eyes are drawn away from her face to her open fingers which are lighter toned than her arm. I think it would have worked better with her wrist slightly bent inward, and more under her hair with fingers a little more closed so you'd be viewing her hand more from the side edge and not straight on.

[SwissJon]

Hmm. I think you're right there.. I was worried that would create a barrier, and thought this pose would lead into the photo a little better, but on second thoughts I need to work on hand placement.. Maybe I should have got her to tuck that hand under her other arm, allowing me a tighter crop, or a slightly different angle.. As it is, I think I might just burn the lighter parts a little so that it's not so much of a draw to the eye.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

Hmm. I think you're right there.. I was worried that would create a barrier, and thought this pose would lead into the photo a little better, but on second thoughts I need to work on hand placement.. Maybe I should have got her to tuck that hand under her other arm, allowing me a tighter crop, or a slightly different angle.. As it is, I think I might just burn the lighter parts a little so that it's not so much of a draw to the eye.

Jon, posing hands is probably one of the harder things to master, and it literally fills whole sections in books on posing. It's like, "I have the subject in a flattering position, and one that I like, but what do I do with his/her hands?" (that's why they have pockets..haha) From what I have read try to position the hands so they are viewed looking at the edge of the hand, fingers slightly curled and slightly open, and not positioned in such a way that you see the whole hand and fingers. Men's hands can be tight in a fist, but don't have to be, and women's hands should be more open, and not in a fist. Another rule I (we) try to remember if it bends, then bend it (as in joints)

[SwissJon]

That's really useful. Thanks.. i was struggling with her hands.. It was easy when I had her Double Bass as a prop, I just got her to play, but then when I went for the unpropped poses, I struggled a little.. She knows I'm a novice at this and was able to go into some classic poses, which really helped, but I soon realised that she couldn't see herself and couldn't read my mind, so it was up to me to tell her what I wanted her to do.

I'm not particularly used to telling women what to do (Don't, whatever you do, repeat that to my wife!!! ) so got a little shy and embarrased about asking a pretty woman to lay on the couch and look at me in a seductive way.. So I didn't.. I got her to lay on the couch (That was the biggest embarrasment) and asked her to tilt her head and look up at me.. We giggled about it a little, but that broke the ice and I got over my nerves and decided I quite liked this game.

Now I can't wait 'til next pay day to book the next session.