First Portrait Attempt... Critic Please...

[blindtheskies]

Hello,

Glad to see that the forum has been updated to a new style... Definitely like the new look of it.

Anyway, here is my first real attempt at studio portrait photography, so feel free to comment and critic it as you see fit; especially considering that a majority of the techniques I used I learned from this very forum. Which image do you prefer?

Here is all the info:
Nikon D2H
Nikon 80-200 AF-S 2.8 Lens
Two Speedotron 202 Lights: One Main @ f4, One Fill @ f2.8, both shot into White Umbrellas
Two Nikon Speedlights: One SB28 for the Background Light, One SB800 for the Hairlight

Thanks in advance for all the comments,
Tom

[blindtheskies]

If you don't want to D/L the images, here is a link to view them online...

http://students.ulv.edu/~galaizagat/portrait.jpg

[Peter_AUS]

Hi blindtheskies. I'm not sure if you are looking for studio lighting help or for your photo to be critiqued, if it is critiquing then you have posted in the wrong forum, but not to worry. I am assuming this might be your wife, and she may be a little nervous as well, if not I apologies, but I sort of get that feeling from the photo. Look at the colour of her fingers especially in the left hand photo.

I myself like the image on the left over the one on the right. I would bring the hairlight either behind the head shooting towards the head or above the head shooting down on it, don't think the side light works (my opinion). If you look at the image, the thing that distracts me, are the hand postion, crossed fingers, clothes she is wearing, too dark, loss of shape and the wrinkles in the sleves. The chin on the right photo is too square, much better on the left photo. The bulge of the jumper near her left arm on the left photo is too obvious probably due to any lack of detail of the what I think is a black jumper half sleeve jumper. Nice coloured background by the way, I like that photo.

I think if you got half the smile of the right and combined that with the sort of smile on the left, you would get a better photo, not enough on the left and too much on the right. If you move the head from the left photo and put it on the photo postion of the right one, it would be better balanced (that is from my daughter a 8 year old). I tend to agree.

If you crop the left photo to below the left shoulder and above where the white shirt sleeve starts I think that also that looks a nicer photo as well. The lighting on the background we all think is excellent (me and two daughters saying that).

I hope that helps, not a bad First Portrait Attempt.

And welcome to the new forums.

[blindtheskies]

Peter,

Thanks for the critique on the lighting. When positioning the hairlight, what is a general rule for placement? I tried almost directly to the right of the model, but was getting too much of a hotspot on her cheek from it. Should I be setting the hairlight equal to the subjects head, or higher or even lower?

I agree with your daughter about the left head and right body... In fact I was a little bored and tried swapping them out before I had posted the images... Great minds think alike

I definitely need to learn how to pose people. I need to pick up some literature on that alone, so if anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to send them my way.

Thanks again,
Tom

[Peter_AUS]

Hi Tom,

I will leave the positioning to the other experts here, they will certain guide you right with that. I am still learning exactly what your asking, so I don't stear you in the wrong direction will leave that. Just thought I would make general observations. More likely others will pick me apart as well. ;)

I purchased two books from Amazon one of them "Posing and Lighting Techniques for Studio Portrait Photography" by J.J. Allen Published by Amhert Media ISBN 158428031X RRP is $29.95 but I got it for less than that. It covers all different lighting effects, using one light, reflecting, key lights, fill lights, posing postions etc. I found it a good read for a general start and guide.

Hope that helps.

[Asylum Steve]

If you don't want to D/L the images, here is a link to view them online...

http://students.ulv.edu/~galaizagat/portrait.jpg

Hey Tom,

I'm not sure what Peter meant with his comment about critiquing your shot in another forum. This is ABSOLUTELY the right place to be to get constructive criticism about anything to do with studio lighting. Trust me, if you had posted this in Photo Critique, someone would have referred you here...

I find it best, when first learning about portrait lighting, to seperate the lighting setup and technique from posing your subject. Of course, they're very connected, but in reality they require seperate skills. Hopefully, you'll learn the lighting well enough to NOT have to think about it too much, then concentrate your shooting energy on posing and getting expressions from your subject...

So, in a technical sense, both of the shots you posted are identical. What you have is a classic "portrait studio" look, basically a 2:1 key/fill ratio with a bg light and a hairlight.

Your exposures look fine, the 2:1 ratio giving you just a hint of modeling on your subject's face, and you light the bg enough to give some seperation from the subject, even with the very dark top she's wearing.

Peter is right about the hairlight. You generally want it to be higher, aiming down more across the entire top and back of the head. It's not unusual to have a hairlight ten feet high, snooted or spotted so it doesn't spead too much. Of course, if you don't have the luxury of this much ceiling space, placing it lower usually works fine. Just don't aim it at a single spot on your subject's hair...

The only other thing I see, lighting-wise, is that, IMO the bg light is just a tad too hot. This is more Hodgy's area of expertise, but to me, it looks like almost a glow surrounding your subject's head. So, unless you want to make a religious implication ;) I would tone the intensity down just a bit so it doesn't distract from her face as much.

As for the non-lighting elements, I'd be curious to know how your subject would look in this shot without the dark top. You have the correct exposure, so an all white top wouldn't be blown out. I think it would be a cleaner, better looking shot.

Oh, and yes, interlaced fingers rarely make a subject look comfortable...

Let's see some more!

[Peter_AUS]

Steve,

If one doesn't have the ceiling height to get the light shooting down on the portrait shot, would shooting the flash straight up and off of the ceiling be a better way to highlight the hair. Would this also help with lighting the background more/better and what influence would it have on the shadows.

[blindtheskies]

Thanks for all the information, and of course for looking at the images in the first place...

I'm going to try repositioning the hairlight and trying it again. As far as that goes, I just kept playing with the power on the flash until I thought it looked alright, same with the background... Another question, is there some sort of rule of thumb to go for when using a hairlight or background light, ie a stop or two less than main, etc., or is just to taste?

Thanks again,
Tom

[Peter_AUS]

My girls actually like the lighting of the background, but I do see Steve's point. I think and I might be wrong, that the lighting is bright for background depending on whether you want bright or tone it down for subdued. a bit like main is 1, fill is lower and background is higher than main around 1-1 1/2 stops higher. I can't remember if you are using a digital camera or not, if it is , just experiment. Basically what is suggested is, put the lights away bar one and experiment with that. Get the lighting right for that and then add the next one. Many photographers use one light and a reflector to do their lighting for portraiture and othes use an abundance.

I know Steve will guide you on the right track, I like thinking out loud in the forums, helps my foggy brain to clear up. Remember what is tastefull to one person, might stink to another, it is all subjective.

As I said, my girls like the lighting behind the head on the background. And liked the colours as well. They are 8 and 11 by the way, so usually that means honest answers. They commented about the dark top and the awkwardness of it, I didn't think twrice about it, until they pointed it out to me. I was concentrating on the hair, head placement and the hands mainly myself. Which is what stood out first. Revisiting photos often show different persepectives, especially with lighing conditions.

Hope my ramblings help.