First 'real' photo shoot...!

[DScience]

Well I helped out a band tonight, which all the members are good friends. Here are a few that I was happy with, please let me know what you think. I used an SB-600 with shoot through umbrella on all, as well as a second SB-600 w/ Gary Fong diffuser directly behind subject, pointed up.

C&C for lighting greatly appreciated.

1.

2.

3.

4.

 

[rufus5150]

I'd use a reflector to soften the shadows created by your key light and give a little fill.

Curious -- what aspect ratio is the un-matted versions of your images?

Also it appears if your post process clarity (or USM) is creating a halo around your subjects. It probably won't be as obvious in a full size print, but at this resolution, it's pretty glaring.

 

[DScience]

I'd use a reflector to soften the shadows created by your key light and give a little fill.

Curious -- what aspect ratio is the un-matted versions of your images?

Thank you. I'll be getting more equipment eventually, for now this is all I have.

Aspect ratio? I always do custom crops for most photos, thus there wasn't a single aspect ratio for all.

 

[rufus5150]

Ahh, true. Looking back I see they're all different.

 

[DScience]

Ahh, true. Looking back I see they're all different.

Thanks for the reply though. When you say reflector, would you just point the flash at a silver reflector? Is that what you meant? Their cheap right?

 

[rufus5150]

Thank you. I'll be getting more equipment eventually, for now this is all I have.

Foamcore! I have tons of it. Flags and reflectors on the cheap.

 

[Jankster]

they look awesome man! 2nd shot is my favorite. im diggin the lighting for all of these

 

[Derrel]

I like the drama created by the high lighting ratio; the first two shots have an "edgy" quality about them, the second are a bit less edgy. I think one thing that is not as good as it could be is that the position of the background light is showing a lot of texture in the wall. If the wall were more out of focus by being more outside of the depth of field band, I think it would look better. I like shots 1 and 2 the most, since they have the least amount of bounce-back lighting or "wrap" from the backlight hitting the wall or being distributed by the diffuser toward the subject.

When you position your backlight, if it strafes across a wall or seamless or a muslin at a shallow angle, the shadows created by the backlight will draw a lot of attention to the background--often subliminally pulling the eye away from the main, foreground subject. Exactly how the backlight spreads its light or how it is aimed will determine if it hits the backdrop head-on, or it it strafes across the surface, and a diffused backlight is harder to control than one that does not have a diffuser, since the diffuser can, depending on its style, spread the light around a 180 degree radius.

Still, I do like the cool, edgy,dark look of the first two shots; in shot 2, of the guy with the sunglasses and headphones, I like the way the glasses are clean, while in the last shot, the umbrella and its ribs show,and I do not like that look much.

 

[transformed]

Totally off-topic - Darrel, your post just toally cracked me up! My husband and I have this running joke about him making up words. He is ex-military and recently used the word "strafe", I totally called him on it, saying it was made up. I had to look it up and of course it was a real word, but how funny that I have now run into that word twice in a week!

 

[IgsEMT]

I like the lighting, very dramatic. It's nice to see background lit up as well a bit just to emphasize that it isn't empty space.
Now, just image if you'll add a fill light and/or hair light
Great Job, keep it up!!!