Ready for Business

DanOstergren · Jul 8, 2017

I was messing around taking some photos with a photographer friend yesterday in a parking garage. I got this shot using natural light (staircase leading to open sky camera left key light, opening in the side of the parking structure camera right for back light), with negative fill blocking part of the light coming from the top of the staircase to create a narrower key light source.
Shot using a Canon 5D MKI (Classic) with a Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens set to f/4, 1/80th sec, ISO 400.

smoke665 · Jul 8, 2017

Nice overall. Just an opinion but just a little more light/detail in the corner next to the nose on the right eye might help. Somehow the imbalance between the left and right eye seems to make this stand out more? Then again, might just be me.

FYI: thanks to your earlier instructions, I've been incorporating your method of using the 50% gray layer to burn/dodge, and using shadows/highlights to enhance facial structures. Thank you for sharing.

chuasam · Jul 8, 2017

as a portrait, it is good.
as a business portrait, it is too artsy

vintagesnaps · Jul 8, 2017

Could be fine if it's for a business in a creative field like the arts.

Your portraits are always well done. With this one at first I wasn't sure if I like him looking upward, but then got to thinking it might be more that it makes me feel like I need to take a step back, that it's in a little close.

Damn good for a parking garage!

FITBMX · Jul 8, 2017

He has a real "Looking to the future" look that I like, and i love this lighting! It is another great photo. Not much else to really say about it.

DanOstergren · Jul 9, 2017

smoke665 said:
Nice overall. Just an opinion but just a little more light/detail in the corner next to the nose on the right eye might help. Somehow the imbalance between the left and right eye seems to make this stand out more? Then again, might just be me.

FYI: thanks to your earlier instructions, I've been incorporating your method of using the 50% gray layer to burn/dodge, and using shadows/highlights to enhance facial structures. Thank you for sharing.

Agreed. I revised the edit and replaced the original upload with the revised version. I didn't take it much further from where it was though, as I feel with men you can get away with darker eyes and too much editing becomes apparent.

Has the dodge and burn technique been working for you? My advice is to use the light to enhance the features, and the dodging/burning to blend skin tones in a subtle way.

DanOstergren · Jul 9, 2017

chuasam said:
as a portrait, it is good.
as a business portrait, it is too artsy

Well since we were just messing around, I would categorize it as a portrait. He just happened to be dressed nice.

DanOstergren · Jul 9, 2017

vintagesnaps said:
Could be fine if it's for a business in a creative field like the arts.

Your portraits are always well done. With this one at first I wasn't sure if I like him looking upward, but then got to thinking it might be more that it makes me feel like I need to take a step back, that it's in a little close.

Damn good for a parking garage!

Parking garages are my go to plan when I can't figure out a location for a shoot. Theres no way you can't get good results in a parking garage, in my opinion.

DanOstergren · Jul 9, 2017

FITBMX said:
He has a real "Looking to the future" look that I like, and i love this lighting! It is another great photo. Not much else to really say about it.

Thank you!

smoke665 · Jul 9, 2017

DanOstergren said:
Has the dodge and burn technique been working for you? My advice is to use the light to enhance the features, and the dodging/burning to blend skin tones in a subtle way.

Like the revised edit. You're right not much was needed.

Actually learning to use your instructions on enhancing features with light in reverse on my senior subjects to de-emphasize features (sagging skin, wrinkles, skin color variations). Using a surface blur layer to hide them further while adjusting the opacity to allow the texture to show though and a mask to limit the effect. Both the opacity of the brush and the opacity of the layer allows unlimited flexibility. Then open a new layer using the previous layer as a clipping mask, i sample the color from the blurred layer and using a large soft brush even out the skin tones. Then using 50% gray layers to burn shadow and dodge highlights back where needed. There is a fine line between taking out to much and not enough that varies slightly between subjects. This method seems to work well for me, and is quick.

I've also found the surface blur method to be helpful for taking the edge off facial texture on men. For example on your portrait, using this technique if you wanted to match the texture of the right cheek more with the forehead, you could use this technique. It doesn't destroy the underlying texture just allows some control over it.

DanOstergren · Jul 10, 2017

smoke665 said:
DanOstergren said:

Has the dodge and burn technique been working for you? My advice is to use the light to enhance the features, and the dodging/burning to blend skin tones in a subtle way.

Click to expand...

Like the revised edit. You're right not much was needed.

Actually learning to use your instructions on enhancing features with light in reverse on my senior subjects to de-emphasize features (sagging skin, wrinkles, skin color variations). Using a surface blur layer to hide them further while adjusting the opacity to allow the texture to show though and a mask to limit the effect. Both the opacity of the brush and the opacity of the layer allows unlimited flexibility. Then open a new layer using the previous layer as a clipping mask, i sample the color from the blurred layer and using a large soft brush even out the skin tones. Then using 50% gray layers to burn shadow and dodge highlights back where needed. There is a fine line between taking out to much and not enough that varies slightly between subjects. This method seems to work well for me, and is quick.

I've also found the surface blur method to be helpful for taking the edge off facial texture on men. For example on your portrait, using this technique if you wanted to match the texture of the right cheek more with the forehead, you could use this technique. It doesn't destroy the underlying texture just allows some control over it.

Lately I'm trying to leave as much texture intact as possible, especially for men's portraits. As well, it seems to me that the texture of the skin on the cheek is different that the skin texture on the forehead. Wouldn't it look strange to have cheek skin on the forehead?

I'm glad you're using your lighting to do some of the retouching work for you (if I read your post correctly).

smoke665 · Jul 10, 2017

DanOstergren said:
Lately I'm trying to leave as much texture intact as possible, especially for men's portraits. As well, it seems to me that the texture of the skin on the cheek is different that the skin texture on the forehead. Wouldn't it look strange to have cheek skin on the forehead?

I'm glad you're using your lighting to do some of the retouching work for you (if I read your post correctly).

Sorry I said it wrong. By using a surface blur layer, with a mask, you can adjust the texture of the cheek to take the edge off some of the specular highlights, while still maintaining the underlying texture of the cheek. Works really well in conjunction with your dodge and burn recommendation. The effect can be as light as you want or as strong as you need, but then it might not be your thing.

As to the second part of your question, the answer is yes. Thanks to your earlier comments and instructions, I'm learning to think more in terms of light as a tool to hide everything from skin blemishes, to wrinkles to discoloration, and emphasis the positive features. I'm also learning to use a silver reflector in the mix as an aid, especially on skin discolorations.

DanOstergren · Jul 11, 2017

smoke665 said:
DanOstergren said:

Lately I'm trying to leave as much texture intact as possible, especially for men's portraits. As well, it seems to me that the texture of the skin on the cheek is different that the skin texture on the forehead. Wouldn't it look strange to have cheek skin on the forehead?

I'm glad you're using your lighting to do some of the retouching work for you (if I read your post correctly).

Click to expand...

Sorry I said it wrong. By using a surface blur layer, with a mask, you can adjust the texture of the cheek to take the edge off some of the specular highlights, while still maintaining the underlying texture of the cheek. Works really well in conjunction with your dodge and burn recommendation. The effect can be as light as you want or as strong as you need, but then it might not be your thing.

As to the second part of your question, the answer is yes. Thanks to your earlier comments and instructions, I'm learning to think more in terms of light as a tool to hide everything from skin blemishes, to wrinkles to discoloration, and emphasis the positive features. I'm also learning to use a silver reflector in the mix as an aid, especially on skin discolorations.

A white reflector does really well for blending skin tones too, you should try that as well.

smoke665 · Jul 11, 2017

DanOstergren said:
A white reflector does really well for blending skin tones too, you should try that as well.

I have a 43", 5 in 1 that moves a lot of light. The white gets used mostly with the studio lights or in bright sun, as the silver can be over powering. In experiments with the silver it seems to have a cooling effect that reduces the red in skin splotches. I'm still feeling my way, so who knows where I land next.