Any Advice?

okiecowboy · Aug 20, 2010

Newbie wanting advice again....I am more of a lurker than poster but I have been learning alot here, so figured I would post a couple...any advice? am I on the right track?

Thanks in advance

http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss155/okiecowboy67/sammicowgrl-1-2.jpg

http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss155/okiecowboy67/sammicowgrl-1.jpg

Raian-san · Aug 20, 2010

I don't see any pictures?

oldmacman · Aug 20, 2010

okiecowboy said:
Newbie wanting advice again....I am more of a lurker than poster but I have been learning alot here, so figured I would post a couple...any advice? am I on the right track?

Thanks in advance

Looks great. You just need a back light to keep her head and dark tones in the dress from blending with the background.

okiecowboy · Aug 20, 2010

dang, don't know why I can't get pics to show up..sorry about that.

oldmacman · Aug 20, 2010

okiecowboy said:
dang, don't know why I can't get pics to show up..sorry about that.

from your photobucket page copy from the img instead of the html:

DanFinePhotography · Aug 20, 2010

they look good , she doesnt look very happy in the second one . The photos are pretty nice. Have to agree on the backlight as well

Raian-san · Aug 20, 2010

both pictures seem to be missing some lighting on top because the top of both photos are a little underexposed. The one with the cowboy boot, I would suggest maybe she look a little happier? She seem like she doesn't want to be taken a photo of. Otherwise great photos. My 2 cents if it's worth anything.

okiecowboy · Aug 20, 2010

Than you for the tip about the backlight.. I will try that

hazeleyes1992 · Aug 20, 2010

I like how they look. keep up the great work. I think you will go far in life.

okiecowboy · Aug 20, 2010

Thanks all...I may try and post another one in a bit to see if I can do it right...Thank you all for taking the time.

Derrel · Aug 20, 2010

Not too bad. On the black backdrop shot, a hair/separation/kicker light from the back, left side would be nice; my preference would be an 11 inch reflector, with barn doors, a 20 degree honeycomb grid AND a mylar snap-on diffuser over the grid, as the "perfect" separation light. Because it would be coming from the back, and left, and at a somewhat steep angle, only 1/8 to 1/6 of the mainlight's power would be required to make a beautiful,soft "outline" of light around the left hand side of the little girl. That would make her totally look 3-Dimensional. If the main light is at 200 watt-seconds, the separation light when using a reflector/grid/diffuser setup could be as low as 25 watt seconds and it'd be about right with a main light of 200 watt-seconds fired through a softbox or umbrella.

Lacking the barndoors/grid/diffuser trifecta, you can also use a black-backed reflecting umbrella, closed way down, with the light shot up into the mostly-closed umbrella...that works surprisingly well as a low-powered rim light.

On the cowgirl post with the foot up on the hay bale...just don't crop off the feet...

Still, pretty cute pictures....good posing ideas, nice set design.

okiecowboy · Aug 20, 2010

Derrel

When you say "steep angle" would that be from Above or Below? sorry but just double checking

okiecowboy · Aug 20, 2010

and one more just to prove my model can smile

Actually a test to see if I can get pics to show up

Derrel · Aug 20, 2010

By steep angle I meant from behind the subject, with the light aiming back toward the camera at about a 20 degree angle--so, the light would be positioned very close to the left edge of the background, above the subject's head height,and aimed slightly downward. So, the light would come from behind, and above, and not say from off to the left.

The barn doors in this kind of set-up really,really allow you to control the spread of the light AND they keep stray light from hitting a black background. I was talking off-list with somebody about this, and he mentioned he'd tried a reflector + honeycomb grid but the light was still "too hot" for his taste--and I told him that's what I had found, until I tried the snap-on mylar diffusers from Speedotron....the addition of the diffuser really softens the light up!

Using the mostly-closed down black-backed umbrella has the same effect....the closed-down shape of the umbrella means that no light will hit the black backdrop. A small speedlihgt fired into an umbrella closed down about 85% will make a good separation light on a single-person shot like the girl on the black backdrop.

I grew up around cattle...the cowskin rug is a great backdrop for these types of shots!