A girl

[LaFoto]

Well. MY girl. My DAUGHTER.

I took this one (and a couple of others) for the Assignment of the Week in the Photo Themes, which in this week is "High Key". I had a rough idea of what that might mean but no idea at first about how to put it into practise. Until I decided to get the huge halogen light out of the cellar (the one that we used when we did up the house, you know the kind?) and the slide projector from where it was hidden, then thought the slide projection screen would be a good high key background and my daughter once more my model.

This is the nicest of the series. What do you think? Does it meet the requirements and is it nice in the way of a portrait (remember: I haven't got a clue as to portrait photography!)? You may check on the other ones, but in most of those, one of her eyes is of a different colour than the other, because the halogen lamp is more yellow then I would have thought, compared to the light given out by the projector.

 

[woodsac]

You did a really good job here Corinna!!! You captured all of her beautiful, important features nicely! This is definately high key. Well done :thumbup:

 

[yummifruitbat]

Lovely shot Corinna, and a good idea to use the halogen lamp! Wish I'd thought of that, think I've got one in my garage somewhere...

If I might make a suggestion for a (minor) improvement? Try cloning out that shadowy area at the top right in PS, to really give the background that 'infinite' look

I love the way the light brings out the colours in her eyes - they seem sort of translucent, very pretty :thumbup:

Perhaps you could sort out the two-coloured eyes in the other shots with Photoshop too.

*Disappears into garage in search of lamp...*

 

[ShutteredEye]

Lovely shot Corinna, and a good idea to use the halogen lamp! Wish I'd thought of that, think I've got one in my garage somewhere...

If I might make a suggestion for a (minor) improvement? Try cloning out that shadowy area at the top right in PS, to really give the background that 'infinite' look

I love the way the light brings out the colours in her eyes - they seem sort of translucent, very pretty :thumbup:

Perhaps you could sort out the two-coloured eyes in the other shots with Photoshop too.

*Disappears into garage in search of lamp...*

It would be easier to just set your white point on the background with the dropper tool in either Curves or Levels adjustment. That would create a uniform background.

Also, I might try the middle slider in the Levels adjustment to darken the mid tones a tad so she doesn't get lost in the background. And, if you're not crazy about her shirt disappearing in the background, maybe a reshoot with a contrasting color?

It's really nice though, I like it!

 

[duncanp]

nice pic but too many burn out white i think good use of your halogen light

 

[LaFoto]

nice pic but too many burn out white i think ...

As I was saying in my initial post, the idea for this very photo was to create a HIGH KEY portrait. So I see why I would need to get rid of the part on the projector screen where the projector light no longer reached (top right), or rather: get rid of the dark of that part. Other than that, though I THOUGHT it was the character of high key to have very many parts blown out, to only concentrate on highlights. I had her make up her eyes heavily for this, much more so than I would EVER allow a 12-year-old to make herself up, so her EYES would be clearly outlined, but isn't the idea of high key to have all the rest bright and white (hence the white t-shirt, too)?

 

[terri]

Very nice attempt, LaFoto - you really brought out those pretty eyes and that gorgeous hair. :thumbup:

High key portraits are cool.

 

[yummifruitbat]

Grr, must have left the lamp in Cardiff

Corinna - I think you're right, it's just the dark area at the top right that could do with sorting, everything else is fine. I think you've interpreted the high key thing spot on :thumbup:

 

[Christie Photo]

...I THOUGHT it was the character of high key to have very many parts blown out, to only concentrate on highlights.

Acutally, high key simply means a white or very light subject in a white or very light setting. Oddly, shadows are very important in a high key portait. Without shaping communitcated by shadows, what would you have?

HIGH KEY - High key subjects concentrate on the lighter tones, using subject matter that is white or pale tones. Most high key pictures contain small areas of dark tones - for example in the iris of the eyes in a portrait; without a small dark or black area high key effects can appear too washed out or insipid.


There are a few other concerns... including the posing. When shooting a profile, a "99% rule of thumb" is to turn the head a bit more than this, hiding the cheek on the far side of the face, but keeping the eye in view.

I think too you'd like the results more if you back off a bit, allowing more of the while background to surround your subject.

The camera angle is a bit low... I can see the bottom of her nose (nostrils).

PRETTY girl... you must be very proud.

I hope this is helpful.

-Pete

 

[Moni]

Well. MY girl. My DAUGHTER.

I took this one (and a couple of others) for the Assignment of the Week in the Photo Themes, which in this week is "High Key". I had a rough idea of what that might mean but no idea at first about how to put it into practise. Until I decided to get the huge halogen light out of the cellar (the one that we used when we did up the house, you know the kind?) and the slide projector from where it was hidden, then thought the slide projection screen would be a good high key background and my daughter once more my model.

This is the nicest of the series. What do you think? Does it meet the requirements and is it nice in the way of a portrait (remember: I haven't got a clue as to portrait photography!)? You may check on the other ones, but in most of those, one of her eyes is of a different colour than the other, because the halogen lamp is more yellow then I would have thought, compared to the light given out by the projector.

WoW...one of the most beautiful portraits I'd ever seen....

Like the light on her hair...gives two colored impression on her hair

Face is very impressive...and...that blue eyed look GREAT!!!!!!!

 

[LaFoto]

There are a few other concerns... including the posing. When shooting a profile, a "99% rule of thumb" is to turn the head a bit more than this, hiding the cheek on the far side of the face, but keeping the eye in view.

Oh believe me, posing her was the major problem. She did not want to pose for me at all :roll:

I think too you'd like the results more if you back off a bit, allowing more of the while background to surround your subject.

I'll keep that in mind for the next time - provided there will be one... who knows...???

The camera angle is a bit low... I can see the bottom of her nose (nostrils).

I now see that, too. But this was our living room. And the only place to put my "huge" (cough-cough) tripod was the low table... I'll put my dictionaries underneath the next time - again: provided there will be one Thank you so much for the tip, anyway.

PRETTY girl... you must be very proud.

I think I am :blushing:
(If only she resembled me just a tiny, tiny, TINY bit, but no: she's her dad's spitting image, as it were.......)

I hope this is helpful.

Oh, yes! It sure is! Very!
Thank you so much, Pete.

 

[LaFoto]

So I have tried to get rid of the dark upper righthand corner and ... tried out a conversion into black and white. What do you say? You think, this one works, too?

Or does it take away too much from her light grey-green eyes?

 

[Taralyn Romero]

I think the BW works well too but I prefer the one in color just b/c her gorgeous hair and eyes really make an impression.

 

[LaFoto]

Actually, I am thinking the same but I just wanted to give this b+w one a try... just to see what your reaction might be (there are some great friends of b+w photography here).

 

[ShutteredEye]

Actually, I am thinking the same but I just wanted to give this b+w one a try... just to see what your reaction might be (there are some great friends of b+w photography here).

I'm just the oppisite. I love the black and white much more than the color. Nice conversion!!! It looks almost like a charcoal or pencil drawing. It's a great effect!