Three light selfie

[90foxbox]

Been practicing a bit more with off camera flash since my last time posting. Decided to make a new facebook/IG/tinder profile photo, lol.

Here is the result:


RIPPIN SELFIES by Mikel Novack, on Flickr

C&C welcomed!

 

[qleak]

Nice crisp details, focus is good. It's flattering.

Here's a little C&C nitpicking:

Your background is a bit distracting. I'm not saying it should all be one tone, but the frame going through your head i dislike. Whatever the red and black blotches to the side are, I'd probably try to PP those. Again just nitpicking here.

Your umbrella doesn't appear to be fully illuminating, I don't think it really matters much in this shot since your key / fill ratio is about 1-1. Did you do that on purpose for a smaller catch-light?

On a positive note, I like that your hair light is highlighting the beard. Unconventional lumberjack lighting +3 points.

 

[90foxbox]

Yeah I was lazy on the background, was more focusing on the lighting of myself. The colored blotches are Christmas lights.

Didn't really intend for the smaller catchlight. Was just playing with the setup until something I liked stuck.

The fill light was a bare flash. Main light was through an umbrella.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Derrel]

That behind the head (and beard!) flash looks very 1980's, and not flattering...the overall light pattern on your face is very flat, a 1:1 lighting ratio, which makes your face look very smooth and featureless. Your neck is as bright as your face, which is not flattering...you desperately need some shadowing on your face, and the area under your neck never ought to be as bright as the face or forehead, and it is. As a Tinder shot, this one's not gonna get you much action.

 

[qleak]

Derrel has a really good point about the key / fill ratio. 1-1 ratio should only be used sparingly because it looks a bit unnatural.

Maybe some of the problem is how harsh your shadows are becoming because your umbrella is not being used at full illumination.

See how only the upper 1/3 of the umbrella is lit. This means your light source is smaller (so will give you harder light). You probably have to adjust the zoom on the flash to be wide angle and potentially give it a little more distance from the flash. If all else fails take a picture of the umbrella and make sure it's evenly illuminated.

Try dialing back your fill between 1 and 2 EV and see what happens.

 

[TheStunch]

nice selfie. best i've seen in a while, what with instagram and facebook flooding my universe with selfies -_- it could be nit picked, though I'm inclined to leave it alone, it's a nice shot to me.

 

[90foxbox]

Derrel has a really good point about the key / fill ratio. 1-1 ratio should only be used sparingly because it looks a bit unnatural.

Maybe some of the problem is how harsh your shadows are becoming because your umbrella is not being used at full illumination.

View attachment 90402
See how only the upper 1/3 of the umbrella is lit. This means your light source is smaller (so will give you harder light). You probably have to adjust the zoom on the flash to be wide angle and potentially give it a little more distance from the flash. If all else fails take a picture of the umbrella and make sure it's evenly illuminated.

Try dialing back your fill between 1 and 2 EV and see what happens.

Thanks for breaking it down for me. Definitely trying to learn here from the critique.

Honestly, I didn't check what zoom the flash was set at I assumed widest setting but clearly I could've been wrong. I'll give it another shot in the upcoming days and try to get away from the 1-1 ratio.

Thanks!