First 5 Light SP

[kundalini]

Main: WL X1600 in a 47" Octabox camera left at 45°, Fill: WL X800 with a 10° grid just left of lens axis, Kicker: WL X800 10x36" soft box at 135°, Hair Light: SB-800 snooted at 270°, Background Light: SB-800. All lights triggered by PCB Cybersyncs.

Camera: D700
Lens: 85mm f/1.8
Aperture: f/16
Shutter Speed: 1/250s
ISO: 200

Thanks for looking. Comments welcomed. Critique appreciated.

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[oldmacman]

Nice clear image. Sharp and well exposed with good detail in the shadows. Love the shirt, btw. Christmas gift? Only thing I'm not lovin' is the bag lunch, brown background.

[Schwettylens]

looks weird being off center on this pose. Other than that, excellent photo.

[Derrel]

looks weird being off center on this pose. Other than that, excellent photo.

I'd have to agree...

Light quality looks pretty good.

[tirediron]

One stop under on the doofus filter!

[Schwettylens]

The hair is blown.

[kundalini]

Christmas gift? Only thing I'm not lovin' is the bag lunch, brown background.

Yes, Xmas gift. The brown bag lunch background is pretty much the color of the wall

looks weird being off center on this pose.

[I'd have to agree...

RoTs baby. Check the eyeline. If I were to crop a symetrical shot, I don't thin the accent light would be as prominent.

One stop under on the doofus filter!

Doofus filter. b Got me on that one. Would love an addition to my terms and termiology.

The hair is blown.

A few bits were in the 190s, but mostly in the 150-to170s. So it is not blown out. I just happens that I have very nice grey hair...... accordinding to several ladies.

[Derrel]

Still looks badly off-balance...RoTs or no RoTs...the large brown negative space on the right hand side of the frame is killing the shot...

[Christie Photo]

RoTs baby. Check the eyeline. If I were to crop a symetrical shot, I don't thin(k) the accent light would be as prominent.

I wouldn't consider accent lighting when cropping a portrait. I might consider the main. Back when we were masking negatives for package printing, I directed my help to center the lighted portion of the subject's face.

RoTs doesn't come into play (at least not slavishly) on a portrait like this. This portrait is off-center.

What's nearly as troubling for me is the camera level. It feels a bit low to me.

And somehow I'm feeling the overall look of the portrait is too snappy... contrasty. I believe the lighting ratio is fine. It looks like the results I would get back in my film days when I forgot to put the diffuser on the lens. Did you consider a layer with a bit of blur to take the bite off of the hard lines and ease the contrast?

It's good to see that you are striving to create good and proper studio lighting. I say you have it down pretty good. Do you find it difficult working with no modeling lights on the background and hair?

Good goin'!

-Pete

[Schwettylens]

THe hair part was a joke Kundalini LOL. You do RoTs horizontally too on portrait orientation on headshots like this?

[kundalini]

What's nearly as troubling for me is the camera level. It feels a bit low to me.

It's good to see that you are striving to create good and proper studio lighting. I say you have it down pretty good. Do you find it difficult working with no modeling lights on the background and hair?

Spot on Pete with the camera position. I should've been about 3" higher.

Modeling lights or not, self portraits are a tough gig. I did have someone come in to sit for lighting setup, but still.... they weren't the same height or positions. Thanks for commenting.


Taking all the comments under advisement, I recropped the shot.

Any improvement?

[Derrel]

I think it needs a bit more top space...a little too tight at that top edge....but YES! this image is much improved, in my opinion. In the earlier version, my eye spent a lot of time wandering around all that dark shirt expanse. In this recropped version, my eyes just lock in on your eyes and face, and the clothing "sublimates", where before, the clothing seemed to be an integral part of the composition, to the detriment of the "you". Thanks for indulging us man, and for being such a good sport about it. You are a valuable asset to this forum man. You truly are. Your contributions here do not go unnoticed.