Simple Potrait Shot


Oberfeldwebel

New Member
Jan 19, 2011
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168178_1806629533333_1467775227_31914952_4555179_n.jpg



1. In which area is critique or feedback to be given?
Composition, exposure and angle. Also by default my setting for the camera would be 1/160 for exposure and f 5.6. It seems that when i'm firing under this setting, it seems hard to get the lock for auto focus (the *TEET*) Is it just me, or do studio shooters normally do a manual focusing?

2. Thread-starter's personal thoughts about the image.
I don't have a back light yet, so that would explain some of the background looking grey. Also i don't own a light meter, so the ratio to two strobe flash would be roughly estimation of 2:1 for most of the time. This is my small room home studio powered by two strobe flash, octagon softbox as my key and a rectangular softbox as my fill.
 

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No one? :dunno:

relax.

someones bound to comment la.

your background can be solved by dodging, Zack arias has a tutorial around on his blog. Might wanna read up on that.

and also did you do anything on her face? like smoothen/smudge tool it or something?
 

Thanks for the reply, I was starting to think that I really really suck like no hope at all till no one wants to give feedback. Okay, I've noted about the dodging tool anyway, I did some blur brush to soften the face complexion. Is it too obvious? I saw a lot of fashion photographers who did blur brush on their model face to make it look softer. Maybe I overdo it?
 

TS Oberfeldwebel, your home studio setup is quite complete (at least to me).. as you mentioned.. a backlight and reflectors will complete your setup..

My two-cents comments:
The model is great...
As you mentioned, the sharpness is not yet there..
your main light seems to have hit her neck much more than her face.. (main light a little on the low side)
the fill light is not lighting her enough to remove the shadow below her eye (her left eye)
there is also a shadow on her forehead due to the hair and position of the fill light.. (fill light a little on the high side)..

Doesn't mean I could do a better job.. so still a good piece of Studio Portrait..
 

Oberfeldwebel said:
Thanks for the reply, I was starting to think that I really really suck like no hope at all till no one wants to give feedback. Okay, I've noted about the dodging tool anyway, I did some blur brush to soften the face complexion. Is it too obvious? I saw a lot of fashion photographers who did blur brush on their model face to make it look softer. Maybe I overdo it?

Where did u see blur brush being used? Link pls hehe. It's somewhat noticable around the forehead area.

How are u setting up your lights, usually I do my main first and get the exposure right before I do any other lights.
 

TS Oberfeldwebel, your home studio setup is quite complete (at least to me).. as you mentioned.. a backlight and reflectors will complete your setup..

My two-cents comments:
The model is great...
As you mentioned, the sharpness is not yet there..
your main light seems to have hit her neck much more than her face.. (main light a little on the low side)
the fill light is not lighting her enough to remove the shadow below her eye (her left eye)
there is also a shadow on her forehead due to the hair and position of the fill light.. (fill light a little on the high side)..

Doesn't mean I could do a better job.. so still a good piece of Studio Portrait..

Hi ClemC, the model is actually gf, thanks for the compliment anyway. :)
Anyway, i was facing this problem of not having a lock focus/accurate focus on the subject due to the low light + the setting on my camera before firing the strobe, which i've figured out and also from a kind hearted tips from a fellow clubsnap member, ZeroCoolAstra, which he/she commented that i could turn out the modelling light first (how silly was i? im still learning though :)) so that would explain the lack of sharpness. so yeah, overall, noted. :thumbsup:

about the key light, as i was moving around taking different angle shot, i didnt adjust the light to be higher, so in result it hit the neck when she was looking up.. but when the model is facing front, it should be alright. i believe this could be improved next time by setting the light stand + softbox higher.

as for the fill light, ive taken your points of view.. and maybe i should remember to increase the strobe power more when i need. it's time to shoot tethered straight to lightroom for better analyzation, i guess? :D
 

Where did u see blur brush being used? Link pls hehe. It's somewhat noticable around the forehead area.

How are u setting up your lights, usually I do my main first and get the exposure right before I do any other lights.

Hi eleveninth, it was already a long time ago. I couldn't recall what video link it is. Anyway, I watched alot of behind the scene photoshoot and the photographer's post production on PS. I'm more a photoshop guy before i even started to learn photography, maybe i got this mentality that errors can be edited in Photoshop if i screwed one but actually, one should have more effort to get a picture right before post production right? afterall, less error means less work in PP. :)

Anyway, i just googled some and there are actually alot though.
here's the link below:
http://www.photoshopgurus.com/tutorials/t027.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8TF9HTYp3E

(I hope im not breaking any terms of posting by posting other links on this forum? if yes, then im sorry in advance :))
 

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Hi ClemC, the model is actually gf, thanks for the compliment anyway. :)
Anyway, i was facing this problem of not having a lock focus/accurate focus on the subject due to the low light + the setting on my camera before firing the strobe, which i've figured out and also from a kind hearted tips from a fellow clubsnap member, ZeroCoolAstra, which he/she commented that i could turn out the modelling light first (how silly was i? im still learning though :)) so that would explain the lack of sharpness. so yeah, overall, noted. :thumbsup:

about the key light, as i was moving around taking different angle shot, i didnt adjust the light to be higher, so in result it hit the neck when she was looking up.. but when the model is facing front, it should be alright. i believe this could be improved next time by setting the light stand + softbox higher.

as for the fill light, ive taken your points of view.. and maybe i should remember to increase the strobe power more when i need. it's time to shoot tethered straight to lightroom for better analyzation, i guess? :D
Good.. since model is GF.. can always do a re-shoot :) and more tries.. Quite sure you will get great pictures..

LOL.. ZCA and me chat in the same thread.. he know what he is talking about...
maybe for starter.. better to have slightly less movement to get a better lighted shot (if your purpose is to learn more about lightings)...

I dont think I mean to increase fill light power.. since I'm more old-school, I like to bring out highlight of her sharp features.. great nose.. so it should even be less power.. but right angle...
 

hi TS

what do u think of the shadow cast by the hair on her right cheek?

i feel that if it is not there it will be better..

nice picture overall.. :)
 

hi TS

what do u think of the shadow cast by the hair on her right cheek?

i feel that if it is not there it will be better..

nice picture overall.. :)


Hi sfoto100, its funny that you mentioned about that, i just came to realized that there is a shadow cast on her right cheek! i think its about time i apply a micro lens screwed to my eye. :D lol alright noted! :thumbsup:
 

Good.. since model is GF.. can always do a re-shoot :) and more tries.. Quite sure you will get great pictures..

LOL.. ZCA and me chat in the same thread.. he know what he is talking about...
maybe for starter.. better to have slightly less movement to get a better lighted shot (if your purpose is to learn more about lightings)...

I dont think I mean to increase fill light power.. since I'm more old-school, I like to bring out highlight of her sharp features.. great nose.. so it should even be less power.. but right angle...

Yes no doubt that ZCA knows what he's talking about. There is actually a very restricted place of moving around the lights for me cause this is actually in my bedroom and i share with my brother. :embrass: lol alright, less power and i'll improve the angle for my fill. probably i gotta think of a way to move this bulky wardrobe aside. :D
 

also note the angle of the shot or lipstick on the model's lips, the lower lips looks red and nice, the upper lips however looks pale, maybe it's the angle or the lipstick, just an observation :)
 

i like this shot.. quite nice..
as a studio shot, as others said above, shadow of the hair on her cheek can be avoided..
i never done studio shoot.. but i have assisted.. they have so many lights..
you did this shot only with two.. and pretty nice.. :)
 

also note the angle of the shot or lipstick on the model's lips, the lower lips looks red and nice, the upper lips however looks pale, maybe it's the angle or the lipstick, just an observation :)

Hi, nabelrock. It might be the case, at that point of time the lower was abit out rather than the upper? lol but yes i do notice that or also the angle of shot. I think this kind of situation when it's already shot. the only solution is to enhance the color of lips in PS but lips color enhancement are the far most hardest for me unless if you have a model with a really smooth lips, sometimes if u get a dry skin lips, you could try repair it but i think most of the time it will turn out weird (maybe im not that skillful) :bsmilie:
 

i like this shot.. quite nice..
as a studio shot, as others said above, shadow of the hair on her cheek can be avoided..
i never done studio shoot.. but i have assisted.. they have so many lights..
you did this shot only with two.. and pretty nice.. :)

Hi jomonkl, thanks!
probably one of the advantages of shooting in a small confine place, with minimum light, i have a chance of it bouncing at the wall and back to the subject to light up most of the area i want. the only sad thing is that my wall is grey, if only its white :)
 

Hi TS.
Good attempt at a studio portrait!
I'm no expert in studio photography, as you seem to think I am :embrass:
Have tried it out a couple of times, with most shots ending up worse than what you've achieved ;)

Most have already commented on the sharpness and lighting, so I have nothing to add there.
I personally prefer more DOF for the kind of shot that you took. If small studio and lights are near, can always stop down and increase the strobe power.

As for the grey wall, I think if you throw more light (eg. another strobe) at the wall, you can make it brighter and less grey. My 'shifu' told me! hehehe
 

Hi

alot of the shadows can be corrected with the clone brush also with the lips a color layer will do, for example:

5403640143_753d6e2b77_b.jpg


the background isn't that white yet, but with a bit more dodging you can get a really white bg.

PS: Sorry for using your photo without permission, will take the pic off later.
 

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also fb messes your image quality. probably why it doesnt look sharp.
 

Hi eleveninth, expressive touch up work! I'm impressed on how it is now. She looks more like an anime computer generated girl. Haha. As for the clone stamp right, do you pick on a spot and paste back or just click on one spot and drag the places that do you wanna highlight? what's the mode for the brush that you used? normal? I have not learn the dodging tutorial that you referred me. Can i have the direct link? Oh yeah, i know that facebook decrease the picture quality. It's best with flickr and video for flickr. The reason why i uploaded on facebook is because i'm tagging her this picture and i'm too lazy to do another upload. Thanks a bunch anyway! i'm working on my next photo now. :)