Portrait

[Montec]

I just wanted to share a portrait from today.
White Lightning 1600 camera left as main (f/5.6)
Alien Bee 800 for background right behind subject (f/4.0)
Alien Bee 800 as kicker in a beauty dish with 40 degree grid behind subject camera right directly across from main. (f/4.0)
Alien Bee 800 in a large softbox as fill camera right. (f/4.0)
D700 with 70-200 at f/5.6

Processing included creating a duplicate layer in screen mode, layer mask reveal all and paint the eyes in a little to brighten them.



For a larger image click here

[windrider86]

Thank you for posting in the technique section. Since you did, can you share with us the technique you used to aquire this image???
Thanks
Might I suggest you familiarze yourself with the guidelines that are posted at the top of every thread!
here are the ones for this section and are just a tad different than other threads:
As this forum is named this is the place to discuss or ask questions regarding techniques and tips used in photography. Any and all are subjects, including questions, related to photography are welcome. Just be sure to post in the appropriate sub forums.


For people posting here:
1. Please be sure to have some topic in mind when posting. Mods and admin will close threads which consist of an image only and no dialogue. Whether it be a question or a tip on an aspect of photography, you will need to provide some sort of information.

2. To keep it fair for everyone, PLEASE just only post one thread per day. If you post more than one thread within a 24 hour period, moderators and admins reserve the right to delete excess threads.

3. Please post no more than four images in the beginning post for example purposes. Further pictures (again, no more than four at a time) can be added after a further 24 hours or after at least two other people have replied to the thread.

4. Please keep images to 800px on the longest side. Mods reserve the right to resize oversize images or delete them until resized. If you feel it is necessary for us to see a larger size, link to it. Please no attachments.

5. If you request critique on one of your threads, moderators and admins reserve the right to move the thread to a more appropriate location.

Please use this area to learn about the techniques used in various areas of photography and to share your discoveries. As noted in the rules above, please note that this is different to Share Your Shots or asking for critique on a particular image.
__________________

[candleman]

beautiful portrait.
i'd love to hear how this was lit.
softbox high camera left?

any processing would be appreciated too (particularly what, if anything) was done to the eyes.

[Montec]

Originally Posted by candleman

beautiful portrait.
i'd love to hear how this was lit.
softbox high camera left?

any processing would be appreciated too (particularly what, if anything) was done to the eyes.

Thanks, I added the set up info to the original message.

[Montec]

Originally Posted by windrider86

4. Please keep images to 800px on the longest side. Mods reserve the right to resize oversize images or delete them until resized. If you feel it is necessary for us to see a larger size, link to it. Please no attachments

Thanks for the info Windrider. I will try to follow the rules strictly in future posts.
In the post you deleted for being a bit to wide the image was linked and not attached as per rule #4 above. Is this just the sole discretion of the moderator or can we link to larger images.

[candleman]

Originally Posted by Montec

I just wanted to share a portrait from today.
White Lightning 1600 camera left as main (f/5.6)
Alien Bee 800 for background right behind subject (f/4.0)
Alien Bee 800 as kicker in a beauty dish with 40 degree grid behind subject camera right directly across from main. (f/4.0)
Alien Bee 800 in a large softbox as fill camera right. (f/4.0)
D700 with 70-200 at f/5.6
]

THANKS!
very cool.

hey, just a stupid question.
are those aperture values nexto each light for purposes of lighting ratio's ?

i dont fully understand how that works.

if my understanding is correct,
softbox, main fill and kicker were all the same brightness... but the "white lightning"(whatever that is) was brighter by a stop?
(i think f/4.0 - f/5.6 is 1 stop.. right?)

are those aperture values on the back of the light on like a "power slider" of sorts?

i've never used AB''s or actual ratio's... dont have the kit for it yet.

cheers!
J

[Chandel Weiss]

I think it is really cute

[Montec]

The White Lightning is just another strobe, made by the folks at Alien Bees. And yes, it was brighter by one stop over the other three lights. This gives your subject some dimension and not 'flat'.

What you do is take a flash meter and place it under the subjects face and then fire the main strobe, this will give you a reading, for me I wanted f/5.6. I then shut the main off and fired the fill and adjusted the power until the meter read f/4.0.

I shut them booth off and then put the meter on the back of the subjects head and fired the kicker and adjusted until it was also a f/4.0. Then put the meter on the background and fired only the bg light and adjusted until the meter read f/4.0.

I turned them all on and re-checked with the meter just below subjects face, the reading was f/5.6 as expected and I set the camera to f/5.6 and fired away. Shutter speed does not really matter as long as it is below your cameras max sync speed and fast enough to freeze the action, 1/60th to 1/250th will do the trick.

Of course I did all these settings before the subject was there and only did a quick check with the meter to make sure.

Originally Posted by candleman

THANKS!
very cool.

hey, just a stupid question.
are those aperture values nexto each light for purposes of lighting ratio's ?

i dont fully understand how that works.

if my understanding is correct,
softbox, main fill and kicker were all the same brightness... but the "white lightning"(whatever that is) was brighter by a stop?
(i think f/4.0 - f/5.6 is 1 stop.. right?)

are those aperture values on the back of the light on like a "power slider" of sorts?

i've never used AB''s or actual ratio's... dont have the kit for it yet.

cheers!
J

[windrider86]

Originally Posted by Montec

Thanks for the info Windrider. I will try to follow the rules strictly in future posts.
In the post you deleted for being a bit to wide the image was linked and not attached as per rule #4 above. Is this just the sole discretion of the moderator or can we link to larger images.

you are welcome to add a link to a larger image, just keep the images you post here to the size limits

[candleman]

Originally Posted by Montec

The White Lightning is just another strobe, made by the folks at Alien Bees. And yes, it was brighter by one stop over the other three lights. This gives your subject some dimension and not 'flat'.

What you do is take a flash meter and place it under the subjects face and then fire the main strobe, this will give you a reading, for me I wanted f/5.6. I then shut the main off and fired the fill and adjusted the power until the meter read f/4.0.

I shut them booth off and then put the meter on the back of the subjects head and fired the kicker and adjusted until it was also a f/4.0. Then put the meter on the background and fired only the bg light and adjusted until the meter read f/4.0.

I turned them all on and re-checked with the meter just below subjects face, the reading was f/5.6 as expected and I set the camera to f/5.6 and fired away. Shutter speed does not really matter as long as it is below your cameras max sync speed and fast enough to freeze the action, 1/60th to 1/250th will do the trick.

Of course I did all these settings before the subject was there and only did a quick check with the meter to make sure.

i see.. hmmmmm..
very cool.. i need me a couple more strobes and a light meter i reckon.
i normally just position my strobe and move reflectors until it "looks" right.
*rubs hands and schemes*


thank you for the actual "how to" that helps allot.