Self-Portrait

[yairh20]

Finally got the batteries I ordered from DX, so I can now use two flashes!
Lighting info:
Camera Right: Main light SB-26 into a semi-folded shoot through umbrella.
Camera Left: Bare SB-25 (in the frame)
Triggered using Cactus V2s trigger and receivers.
The backdrop is a blanket; I used things around the house to hang up on the wall behind me.

I get very bored during summertime...



Please comment and critique!

[gahspidy]

Nice work. This actually looks like your outside at night with a bright light behind you, at least thats the way it feels to me.
Good pose and expression and the lighting is very interesting. I think a nitpik I have would be wanting to see the outline of the top of your head and forward shoulder, which having your main light a bit higher up and a bit more right might have done. Still, its pretty good as it is.
nice work

[draymorton]

The pose, expression, and lighting are great - vintage Joey L. Wondering how a tighter crop might look?

[yairh20]

How much tighter? My editing technique is very similar to his, so it would make sense, and I take that as a very big compliment!

[PhilF]

Nice work. This actually looks like your outside at night with a bright light behind you, at least thats the way it feels to me.
Good pose and expression and the lighting is very interesting. I think a nitpik I have would be wanting to see the outline of the top of your head and forward shoulder, which having your main light a bit higher up and a bit more right might have done. Still, its pretty good as it is.
nice work

agree...your hair and left should mixes with the vast blackness in the back... needs like an overhead light to light up the top of your shoulder and hair.

[draymorton]

That's how it was meant! I see where the other guys are coming from with regard to the lighting, but I think this still works in its own way. It reminds me of this Men In Black-themed shot of Joey's from years ago before he was The Joey L. Same kind of lighting, I believe.

Re: cropping... I'm not sure. I guess I was thinking that it would benefit from cropping in from the bottom and right. On second look, though, I can't see how any cropping would improve things.

[Bretm1]

Not something I have done or experimented with. The photo looks like it could be a promo for a Science Fiction film. It works and I think your explanation of how you do it is very helpful. Is the room pitch black prior to the shot??

Your enthusiasm for photography bleeds through into the work and that is also a motivator. (Plus you photograph well)

[draymorton]

I think your explanation of how you do it is very helpful.

I agree. Always grateful for the setup info.

[yairh20]

Thanks! The room is not pitch black; it's dark enough, so that when I take a picture at 1/160th (my maximum sync speed, while using the Cactus trigger), with my aperture, and with no flashes,p the picture is completely black (I check the histogram to make sure).

[dbutler]

My neg is that I don't like the light in the image and might have placed it a tad higher to catch the top of your hair a bit more, but...I like your pose, and how the light skims across your body and catches the graphic on your T along with the word eagle. The lighting itself is very cool. Although I make most of my money on portraits, I don't like them most of the time. But you're not following the tried and true formulas and this gives it an awesome edge. Different without being unsaleable. Does that make sense?

[yairh20]

It makes perfect sense! Are you talking about the backlight being higher up, or the main light?

[dbutler]

Backlight. Main light is right on!

[DGK*CRONE]

great self portrait. funny how you can see the control in your right hand. wouldn't have noticed but you said you had a trigger it made me look at your hands.

[daq7]

Nice work.