Moody spiritual portrait

[nas-matko]

Hi, thanks for registering me to this forum. I would like to take the opportunity to get your advices and comments on this rather failed attempt to create moody portrait with spiritual atmosphere.

Somehow subject is not standing out enough, not sure why, maybe lack of contrast, not enough light, here is the moment for your comment.

Here are technical details

I used AD200 pro flash in stripbox 30x120cm with grid attached, positioned slightly from the right of the subject and white reflector from opposite side of subject. I wanted just a little light reaching background.
Image was processed in Photoshop, I darkened the table surface as it was coming out too bright and brought out cross in the background a little bit.

 

[smoke665]

Welcome. The image isn't all that bad, IMO you've identified the biggest problem as the light. Lighting for any image starts and ends with adding light where needed, and subtracting from areas not needed. "Moody" or Low Key and High Key both require a full exposure. You don't get a Low Key image by underexposing or a High Key by overexposure. In your image there's very little data from the darker midtones on up. When you have underexposure in the shadows, your details fill in and become black blobs. The AD200 (200ws) as a single light is under powered for the scene, especially with that modifier. Using a more powerful light or a gridded reflector with diffusion will concentrate the light where you want it and diminish spill. Using reflectors can bounce some light back into the shadows to provide the illumination there.

With all studio lighting you need a meter that can read incident light. Guessing can get you there, but it's far easier to meter and shoot. With one light your first reading would be taken on the forehead, with the meter toward the light while firing the strobe. I'd shoot for a reading of f/8. Your second reading would be on the cheek facing the camera and pointed toward the camera while firing strobe, this will be the aperture reading for the camera. With the meter set to reflective mode, go to the camera fire your strobe and take a reading pointed toward the face, and a reading pointed toward the background. A difference of 4-1/3 stops will make the background pure black. Add a rear facing reflector on the back side of the subject (out of view)angled toward the background and adjust location until you have the ratio you want. You can also add a front facing reflector camera right pointed at the subject to give a little rim lighting around the head. Dragging the shutter (using a slower sync speed) will also let in more ambient light in the shadows.

Since your post doesn't mention editing not allowed, I made a few edits in LR. One thing people always forget is to set the White Point and Black Point in an image (Levels in PS or white/black slider in LR), not to be confused with WB. Setting the white, boosting the exposure slightly and raising shadows produced this. Notice the increase in perceived contrast? Better detail in the shadows?

 

[nas-matko]

Thank you for your time and valuable comments, it seems like flash meter is a must, trial and error doesn’t work that well.

 

[zombiesniper]

Welcome to TPF.

I agree with what @smoke665 has stated above. One other thing you mentioned was that the table had to be darkened. This is due to the distance of the table surface to the light vs the subject.
Light (as well as most photons of energy) can be calculated with the inverse square law where every doubling of distance will provide 4 times less light. Based on this I would imaging the candle would have also needed the same treatement.

 

[smoke665]

Thank you for your time and valuable comments, it seems like flash meter is a must, trial and error doesn’t work that well.

With one light it is possible to arrive at the exposure by trial and error, but virtually impossible to set your ratios on multiple lights or using reflectors. As mentioned above moving the light source closer or further away will not only increase or dilute the intensity on the subject, but afffects the quality of the light (hard vs soft). The softer the light the more gradual the shadow transition, the harder the lught the sharper the shadow transition. Using the guide number of the flash it's possible to arrive at a manual exposure setting. Here's an article that explains the process Understanding Camera Flash Guide Numbers, plus Guide Number Calculator. If supported by camera and flash it's also possible to use TTL to set your exposure.

 

[cgw]

With lighting usefully covered, I'll chip in on composition. The worshipful elements are all there, granted, but it's their arrangement that seems "off." The crucifix is almost buried in shadow. The subject's pose with the rosary is OK but lacks orientation to the crucifix. The candle is a puzzle. Just one? Not an object of worship.
My choice would be a shoot-thru past the crucifixion statue in silhouette with candle light(or simulation of it) illuminating the subject. As presented, impact is minimal--sadly.

 

[nas-matko]

With lighting usefully covered, I'll chip in on composition. The worshipful elements are all there, granted, but it's their arrangement that seems "off." The crucifix is almost buried in shadow. The subject's pose with the rosary is OK but lacks orientation to the crucifix. The candle is a puzzle. Just one? Not an object of worship.
My choice would be a shoot-thru past the crucifixion statue in silhouette with candle light(or simulation of it) illuminating the subject. As presented, impact is minimal--sadly.

Thank you. What do you mean by shoot-thru past the crucifixion statue In silnouette? If you can please elaborate more.

 

[nas-matko]

Here's an article that explains the process Understanding Camera Flash Guide Numbers, plus Guide Number Calculator.

This whole web is a great resource not just for understanding flash, thank you for pointing me there.

 

[nas-matko]

I have one additional question, thinking about cgw suggestions.

How would you capture/simulate subject lighted by candle?

 

[cgw]

Some ideas here:

 

[nas-matko]

Some ideas here:

This guy is great, I’ve watched maybe 50 of his videos and there are still more undiscovered, like this one.
Thank you.

 

[smoke665]

How would you capture/simulate subject lighted by candle?

Over the years I've done several portraits with candles, lighted ornaments, etc. As the video shared by @cgw points out, the main issues are the quality of the light (soft/hard), intensity of the light from the candle, and color temperature differences in light sources.

If you add a flash it's relatively easy to add a CTO gel to the flash and set your camera WB to around 5000. Another option I've used is to set the camera to a long exposure (expose for the candle) and use a small LED pen light to paint in light on the subject. This method takes some trial and error to get right, but can create a very dramatic look, without overpowering the candle light. Using a CTO gel on the light will blend it with the candle. Finally if all else fails multiple bracketed exposures blended as layers in PS.

 

[nas-matko]

Thanks I'll try this pen light trick.
I have also found this Gavin's video, its actually a lot closer to what I want to achieve then the previous one.

 

[nas-matko]

Not sure if I can continue this thread or is it better to start a new one, but I have incorporated your advices and ideas and I came up with this.

Same camera, lens, soft box, I only changed flash for Godox MS300V and I used speedlight at very low power to illumintae crucifix from behind. Changed framing and I have invested in flashmeter so exposure this time is correct (at least according to flashmeter). In postprocessing I only darkened the table nothing else.

I feel its much better, but still doesn't have that desired atmosphere of quiet prayer, how do you feel it now? What else can be changed to make it even better or moodier?

 

[mikbone]

Hi, thanks for registering me to this forum. I would like to take the opportunity to get your advices and comments on this rather failed attempt to create moody portrait with spiritual atmosphere.

Somehow subject is not standing out enough, not sure why, maybe lack of contrast, not enough light, here is the moment for your comment.

Here are technical details
View attachment 271837

I used AD200 pro flash in stripbox 30x120cm with grid attached, positioned slightly from the right of the subject and white reflector from opposite side of subject. I wanted just a little light reaching background.
Image was processed in Photoshop, I darkened the table surface as it was coming out too bright and brought out cross in the background a little bit.

View attachment 271838