Black and White Portrait

[vipgraphx]

Took this with my 35mm 1.8g
Used photoshop to covert to grey tones and used the levels layer to further adjust the blacks and midtones. I also used my sb-700 flash and did a bounce flash off the ceiling with the soft filter box over the flash.

What do you folks think about the composition and processing?


randy by VIPGraphX, on Flickr

 

[DaveJ1983]

I like the composition and the expression on his face, but I'm not a huge fan of the lighting. It kind of looks like his face just blends into the background (and it kind of looks like you might have burned in around his head?) I think if the background was lit just slightly or if there was a light aimed at the back of his head to separate it from the background, I think I would like it a little more.

 

[rgregory1965]

Sharp as a tac.......

 

[cgipson1]

basically coon-eyed.. you can barely see the whites of his eyes...

 

[jake337]

I like it. I agree more light on the eyes would help and I think if you bounced your sb700 from the left it would have given short lighting instead of broad lighting.

What I like to do with eyes is create a duplicate layer, adjust curves till the eye looks how you want it. Next I hold ALT and click the add layer mask, next I pick my paintbrush and opacity and paint the eyes.

 

[vipgraphx]

Sure go for it

 

[Bend The Light]

I like it...it reminds me of the picture my 6 year old daughter did:


Whooooose in the Shadows by Tiny Togger, on Flickr


EDIT: Hmmm, just realised that didn't sound so good, comparing your shot to a 6 year old's shot. :blushing:

 

[mommy-medic]

Reminds me of "breaking bad". I like it.

 

[Frequency]

excellent

 

[o hey tyler]

basically coon-eyed.. you can barely see the whites of his eyes...

This ^

Some people also angle the flash head behind them and at an angle (not straight up) to reduce 'Coon eyes. I also wish there were a bit of BG separation, but that's tough to do with one light w/ your current setup. It's sharp and the processing is nice though. Glad you did something other than HDR.

 

[vipgraphx]

Thanks for the feed back.....

As a result I took the time to do some retouch and here is the result.


randy by VIPGraphX, on Flickr

Eyes look any better???

 

[Frequency]

Has he any resemblence to "Godfather"?... from a feeble memory i feel so