New Series

Digital Matt · Dec 25, 2006

Marge needed a new head shot for work, so we decided on a nice blue background and took this:

Then a quick change of outfit and makeup and we started to have fun. Here are three that we liked immediately from the session.

and this one was fun too:

markc · Dec 25, 2006

Those look like they were fun to do!

I'm curious about the focal length on the first one. It looks a little wide to me.

Digital Matt · Dec 25, 2006

Thanks Mark.

markc said:
I'm curious about the focal length on the first one. It looks a little wide to me.

Shot with the Canon 85mm f/1.8, so I don't think it's too wide

Digital Matt · Dec 25, 2006

Btw, these were shot with my new Alien Bees ring flash

The head shot was done with the straight on ring flash, and for the other three, I used the ring flash with a softbox to the side of the camera. It has a nice large round softbox attachment that works great.

MikeDePinto · Dec 25, 2006

The 1st one looks to fake

but the rest i like

mavrik · Dec 25, 2006

2 is by far the best of these images! It has it all - great color, sharpness, pizzazz!

I agree 1 (and to some extent 4) look plasticy. I always hate saying that but I think it's so easy to over-blur skin and totally wipe it out.

Great color & I love the light.

Digital Matt · Dec 26, 2006

Thanks for your comments, both of you. I'll just say what I think.

MikeDePinto said:
The 1st one looks to fake

but the rest i like

What looks fake about it?

Good retouching is essential for fashion photography. While some may think the retouching is too much, you may also think the same when you look in Vogue. It starts with heavy makeup, and is only embelleshed in post production, and was no different here. She wants her skin to look flawless in print.

MikeDePinto · Dec 26, 2006

What looks fake about it?

Good retouching is essential for fashion photography. While some may think the retouching is too much, you may also think the same when you look in Vogue. It starts with heavy makeup, and is only embelleshed in post production, and was no different here. She wants her skin to look flawless in print.

it might just be me .... but.. i think the hair and the face look to plasticy

But yes i c your point on flawless skin

Digital Matt · Dec 26, 2006

Thanks for replying Mike. I'll certainly look at the original file again.

Here is one more I had time for tonight. I rotated it, since it has the feel of swimming underwater.

jemmy · Dec 26, 2006

Excellent. Love the vibrancy of the blue background... gorgeous colour and perfect lighting of course. Always love your work... now Marge has 'GOT TO' be a model??? What a beauty!

markc · Dec 26, 2006

Digital Matt said:
Shot with the Canon 85mm f/1.8, so I don't think it's too wide

I guess not! It must be the combo of the straight-on light and vignetting that's not sitting right with me. I think the sheen of the straight light might also be adding to that plastic look that people are commenting on.

LaFoto · Dec 26, 2006

Could it be her all shadow-free features in Photo 1 that give an impression of "falseness" and "plastic" and "flatness"? I am asking ... not critisising. I know next to nothing about portrait photography and lighting for glamour or fashion shots, but the first is strikingly flat as compared to all the other photos of yourself or of your wife that you have posted so far, Matt.

Digital Matt · Dec 26, 2006

Well, after doing some research on headshots, I feel that a much softer light is in order for a headshot. The straight on ring flash does add a lot of sheen, and works for fashion stuff, but not for the headshot. I'm going to reshoot that. It's definitely a very stylized look. I'm enjoying the ring flash though, and with the added softbox, it's just like having another soft light in my arsenal, which I'm very happy to have. That and the combo of a 24" reflector have given me many new options.