Strobes on Location - First Time :| ! (C&C)

adamwilliamking · May 16, 2009

First, I don't consider myself a professional yet by any means, but I am looking for professional crit. so I figured I would post here for the first time.
As the title suggests this was my first experience using my lighting kit on location. I set up at a local brewery to shoot a friend who works there. The pictures are for an environmental book (thats as far as it was explained) that is being published here in Canada. I shot the day I found out about it and only had about 24 hours to edit so I can't say I gave it my best effort, because that would have required planning and "re-editing". Also, I realized after that I had made the amateur mistake of leaving my focus set to closest point which I will now never use again! The aperature was pretty open so I don't think it made a hugee deal but yeah. I am aware.

C & C please and thank you

farmerj · May 16, 2009

was the beer good?

How many lights did you have? I can detect one from Camera high right. The left side of his face is shadowed in #1. Was this intended? or could it have used a lower powered for fill from the left?

Not sure what you mean by "close focus"

adamwilliamking · May 16, 2009

farmerj said:
was the beer good?

How many lights did you have? I can detect one from Camera high right. The left side of his face is shadowed in #1. Was this intended? or could it have used a lower powered for fill from the left?

Not sure what you mean by "close focus"

The beer was good. I used a combination of 2 lights, 1 light 1 reflector, and than some with 1 light. So yes, the shadows were intended.
I never said "close focus" anywhere. Closest point is when your af system focuses on the closest point? Pretty standard

farmerj · May 16, 2009

adamwilliamking said:
made the amateur mistake of leaving my focus set to closest point which I will now never use again!

This is the comment I paraphrased to "close focus".

adamwilliamking · May 16, 2009

well close focus and closest focus point are two seperate things
I'm not really sure how to explain closest focus point other than how I did in the post above but Im sure a google search could

twocolor · May 17, 2009

adamwilliamking said:
well close focus and closest focus point are two seperate things
I'm not really sure how to explain closest focus point other than how I did in the post above but Im sure a google search could

closest focus point is when your camera automatically finds the "closest" object in the view finder and focuses on it. The other options on some cameras are center weighted focus and the one I always recommend leaving your camera on, center focus.

That being said, I like your first two shots the best - although I would like to see MORE shadow to match the first. 3 and 4 are too square into the camera. With 4 needing some sort of background light. He just appears to be sitting on a floating barrel!

fast1 · May 17, 2009

i think your black and white photo was the best.

adamwilliamking · May 17, 2009

twocolor said:
closest focus point is when your camera automatically finds the "closest" object in the view finder and focuses on it. The other options on some cameras are center weighted focus and the one I always recommend leaving your camera on, center focus.

That being said, I like your first two shots the best - although I would like to see MORE shadow to match the first. 3 and 4 are too square into the camera. With 4 needing some sort of background light. He just appears to be sitting on a floating barrel!

Thanks for the crit. I agree with the centered portraits. As for the barrel, I see what you're saying, I tried to leave as much foreground light as I could but there wasn't much. Im happy to know that I could acheive the black background with a mix of ambient light, so I'm glad I at least learned from it. Thanks for the help! I was waitiing for more skilled users to chip in. Thank you.

holga girl · May 17, 2009

I would actually steer clear of center-weighted focus unless your camera does not have a toggle on the back to select the focus. placing your subject in the center of the frame is rarely the best option.

as far as lighting- i like the first on best- the entire right side of his face is in shadow-it looks intentional. in the subsequent images, part of his cheek is lit which is not as flattering.

all in all- great job for a first-timer1

decaphotography · May 18, 2009

I like the first one. It seems to have everything including a little mystery in the shadows. I agree with the barrel image. You need a separation light in the back but you realize that now.

I don't see any catch lights in the eyes in the last two images. Maybe it is because of their size. It would be nice to see catch lights with a happy expression like that unless that was intentional.

johnbergsing · May 18, 2009

First and foremost, I hope the brew was good!

The only thing I'd take issue of on that first shot is his right eye didn't get filled in enough. Other than that, great work!!!

adamwilliamking · May 19, 2009

holga girl said:
I would actually steer clear of center-weighted focus unless your camera does not have a toggle on the back to select the focus. placing your subject in the center of the frame is rarely the best option.

as far as lighting- i like the first on best- the entire right side of his face is in shadow-it looks intentional. in the subsequent images, part of his cheek is lit which is not as flattering.

all in all- great job for a first-timer1

Thank you. I agree.
The second "landscape" style shot (which is the one that was also converted) was my first use of a new reflector (and drunk assistants won't stand still). Excuses aside I definitely need to work on the use of that guy. (The reflector, heh).

EDIT: Yes, the focus toggle is necessary and available, I plan to steer way clear of centred portraits.

adamwilliamking · May 19, 2009

decaphotography said:
I like the first one. It seems to have everything including a little mystery in the shadows. I agree with the barrel image. You need a separation light in the back but you realize that now.

Thanks! I wasn't liking the full lights the 2 light set up was giving me so I killed one. Can't remember if the reflector was in there from afar but I think it was just the one light. So yes I like to think it was intentional

decaphotography said:
I don't see any catch lights in the eyes in the last two images. Maybe it is because of their size. It would be nice to see catch lights with a happy expression like that unless that was intentional.

Yeah I think I had that light way to the right which is why they didnt catch. I agree, catch lights are pretty key. You live and you learn I guess!

adamwilliamking · May 19, 2009

johnbergsing said:
First and foremost, I hope the brew was good!

The only thing I'd take issue of on that first shot is his right eye didn't get filled in enough. Other than that, great work!!!

They have some pretty good beer actually.
It's called Trafalger Brewery in Oakville Ontario, about 40 minutes from downtown Toronto. My favourite is the Harbour Gold, but they have a pretty good Irish Creme Ale as well. They are pretty well known for this one beer that sports a radioactive label. I think its somewhere near 18 %alcohol . Forget the name.

Cheers!