be harsh, i can take it

blooper

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ive been a member of this forum for about 2 months now and i havent posted any of my work yet.

these are pictures from my first shoot. i had 2 of my models come over and experimented with some of my lighting. these were just casual shoots. i didnt wnat them to get too prepared to expect anything high fashion. so wield your stones!

268084223_0197b43c6c.jpg


this is a 2nd one to show you what my lighting abilities are.
http://static.flickr.com/121/268084222_424a6b42fa.jpg

hope i posted these ok. the pictures are at 20% scale.

i use a cannon rebel 350d w/kit lens. i dont remember the settings i used.
my lights are cheap smith victor lamps with 500watt/120volt incandecent bulbs. the back drop is just a velvet(ish) curtain i picked up from ikea that are draped over some pvc. the pictures were taken in my tv room thats about... 10ft x 15ft sq ft.

im still trying to figure out white balancing and metering. could you comment on my lighting? i was worried that my lights would be too bright so i tampered with the settings a little to tone it down. my main request is, how do i get a nice hair light without getting harsh shadows?
 
i like a little softer skin appearance. and a casual shoot for a client or model doesn't mean its a casual shoot for you, you cant be casual in how you take the pictures, and these come across that way, like you didn't really try. i don't find them interesting in anyway.

sorry but i'm not a fan of these
 
thanks, i wanted to have more tone so that her features are a little more clear. i was trying to stay away from the over exposed look. i tried to get a stronger hair light but it produced some sharp shadows. didnt know how else to fix it besides use a filler to light the shadows up. but that just took away the shadows almost completely.. what else could i have done?
 
Hair's a mess. If you're going after pro-type glamour shots, pay attention to details. You do your model no favors by publishing a shot which shows him/her less than as perfect as you can make it.
 
I actually like the shots. You are correct tho - don't try to take the shadow completely away. It's the shadows that give deapth and feel to a shot. You can also use heavier shadows to cover "bits" that need covering.

I'd simply apply a softening filter in Photoshop or similar to make the images a little more gentle. If you are feeling technical, decrease your appature to as low as it will take at say 400 ISO. That will also help with softness (always focus on the eyes in this case).

I still think they are more than competent shots. And mate, to be honest, your first posted set of portraits are better than mine were. I feel sorry for you (now I am just joking here) because you've jumped on the runaway learning train. May the Lord have mercy on your soul, because you are going to work your butt off in the next few months. And you will love and hate every second of it.
 
Number one looks like an also shot. When I did a portrait shoot I shot a couple of dozen shots. In the proofs I delivered I gave her the best and ALSO some that were good but not quite there for some reason.

Number two I would have considered a very good shot, if it were cropped different. There is something not quite right about that crop.
Just another opinion to add to the others.
 
thanks a bundle. appreciate the honesty. yea, i try not to do any post editing because i wanted more adive on technique with my camera than my ps skill. but i should probably consider doing some sometime and showing you guys what i can do with that.
 
Agree mostly with the other posters. Your lighting shows that you know how to set it up technically. But at the same time the virtual absence of shadows make 'm look like 'passport photos': flat, uninspiring, and no drama at all.
Sorry.

Try one main, soft, light from one side and fill in/open the shadows on the opposite side with a reflector just outside the FoV.

i wanted to have more tone so that her features are a little more clear

You could direct the main light via a gold reflector, or through a softbox with a gold-coloured gel, or from an umbrella with a gold reflective inside.
 

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