Butterfly/Clamshell Headshot - Learning Lighting

[smoke665]

You can also get very selective with a hue/saturation layer as opposed to the global red change, open hue/saturation layer > red channel. At the bottom of the panel are three eye droppers, click the left minus eye dropper, then click on the brightest red spot in a blemish. Now click the right minus eyedropper and click on a good area of skin. Now push the hue slider all the way to the left your selection will be cyan blue. Move the right triangle on the gradient scale at the bottom to the left to trim and refine the cyan blue splotches. Once you're satisfied with the selection, slide the hue slider to the right past 0 stop when the red curse disappears.

 

[Braineack]

You can also get very selective with a hue/saturation layer as opposed to the global red change, open hue/saturation layer > red channel. At the bottom of the panel are three eye droppers, click the left minus eye dropper, then click on the brightest red spot in a blemish. Now click the right minus eyedropper and click on a good area of skin. Now push the hue slider all the way to the left your selection will be cyan blue. Move the right triangle on the gradient scale at the bottom to the left to trim and refine the cyan blue splotches. Once you're satisfied with the selection, slide the hue slider to the right past 0 stop when the red curse disappears.

yeah this is what i do.

 

[adamhiram]

Nice solid image. For future at least for me it would be helpful if you posted your exposure information also.

Oops, I forgot to include settings (although it is available if you click through to Flickr). Lately I've been shooting at ISO 400 to keep my flash power down. The noise is pretty negligible, and at ISO 100 I was burning through batteries too fast, not to mention the longer cycle times at 1/2 or full power.

Nikon D500 with 85mm f/1.8 lens
1/200s, 85mm, f/8, ISO 400

 

[Christie Photo]

I really dislike clamshell lighting on men. and i don't always find it to be that flattering on women either.

It sounds to me like you have a good handle on this. I just wanted to add a bit of advice I got LONG ago at some workshop... sorry I can't remember who. Anyway... it stuck with me:

Butterfly lighting works with beautiful people... professional models and the like. Not so much for typical folks off the street.

I think it has pan out to be true for the work I've done over the years.

-Pete

 

[ronlane]

Adding another technique is always a good thing. I have found this set up very easy to do and replicate for me. I've not really had any trouble using it in multiple situations.

Although, last night when I was practicing, I had on a day glow orange shirt on and the reflector helped to give my neck a color cast of orange from the shirt.

 

[Braineack]

oh I agree, I was just sayin.

 

[texxter]

This is a solid execution of low-drama clamshell lighting - well done for a learning exercise.

You mentioned a reflector used for "pseudo-clamshell" - actually it is as much clamshell as if you had used a direct light instead of a reflected light, in my humble opinion.

Aside from the technical strength of using this style of lighting, I agree with the sentiment that butterfly light may not be an ideal choice for male portraits in some cases. But the purpose of this exercise was not to choose a good lighting approach for this self-portrait, but to learn and you got that right. Thanks for sharing!