Chris

Christie Photo · Mar 2, 2005

I advised a different color for clothing, but this was a favorite shirt.

Alison · Mar 2, 2005

Great classic senior pose. Your lighting is excellent, what are you using there? A background light and two strobes?

Christie Photo · Mar 2, 2005

Thanks, Alison. Yup... softbox on the main, umbrella for fill and diffused reflector on the background. I do use a hair light/skim light, but turned it away on this shot... was getting some speculars I didn't like.

MostlyDigital · Mar 2, 2005

Nice shot

ShutteredEye · Mar 3, 2005

Christie Photo said:
Thanks, Alison. Yup... softbox on the main, umbrella for fill and diffused reflector on the background. I do use a hair light/skim light, but turned it away on this shot... was getting some speculars I didn't like.

My turn to learn. What is a hair light/skim light? What purpose does it serve? And what is a specular?

Thanks!

Christie Photo · Mar 3, 2005

A hair light is used to add highlights to hair, showing texture and affording additional seperation from the background. It is usually mounted on an adustable boom or fixed to the ceiling. Greater contol is achieved using a snoot or barn doors.

A skim light is essentially the same, but is used more on clothing... for the same results.

Specular highlights occur when the angle of the lighting is so that it relfects off the sufrace directly into the lens causing a complete loss of detail.... nothing but white.

This guy was getting a bit shiney and I was at the end of the shoot, so I got lazy and just turned the darn thing toward the wall and finished.

(I feel a bit like I've just been to confession.)

craig · Mar 3, 2005

Classic! Good job on the lighting. He looks really comfortable and as we all know; that is half the battle.

ShutteredEye · Mar 3, 2005

Christie Photo said:
A hair light is used to add highlights to hair, showing texture and affording additional seperation from the background. It is usually mounted on an adustable boom or fixed to the ceiling. Greater contol is achieved using a snoot or barn doors.

A skim light is essentially the same, but is used more on clothing... for the same results.

Specular highlights occur when the angle of the lighting is so that it relfects off the sufrace directly into the lens causing a complete loss of detail.... nothing but white.

This guy was getting a bit shiney and I was at the end of the shoot, so I got lazy and just turned the darn thing toward the wall and finished.

(I feel a bit like I've just been to confession.)

Thank you very much.

Sergiozal · Mar 16, 2005

When you get speculars from the back, can't yu use a polarizer to control it?
I have used it to get rid of these reflexes under sunlight, and it works pretty well.

sillyphaunt · Mar 16, 2005

I really like this. I think the yellow actually looks really good. Great shot!

railman44 · Mar 16, 2005

Everything works for me. He should be very proud of that pic!

Christie Photo · Mar 16, 2005

Sergiozal said:
When you get speculars from the back, can't yu use a polarizer to control it?

You can "control" this with a polarizer, but I've never thought to try it with portraits. I usually adjust my lighting. I was just a bit lazy the day I shot this.

Thanks to all for your input!!!!

elsaspet · Mar 16, 2005

Wow, that is exellent. I love it. Question for you. What kind of area do you have for your studio?

Christie Photo · Mar 16, 2005

elsaspet said:
What kind of area do you have for your studio?

Ummm... do you mean the size of my camera room? Actually, it's quite small... about 17x 22, but I have SOOO much stuff in there, I can barely shoot a full length portait.

OR... do you mean...? It's "downtown." But it's not a paricularlly large town. About 30K or so. And it's one of those towns that went downhill quick once the mall went up by the interstate. No much retail left, but several lawyers and service type vendors. It's the county seat.

Thanks, Elsa for your kind words!

elsaspet · Mar 16, 2005

Christie Photo said:
Ummm... do you mean the size of my camera room? Actually, it's quite small... about 17x 22, but I have SOOO much stuff in there, I can barely shoot a full length portait.

OR... do you mean...? It's "downtown." But it's not a paricularlly large town. About 30K or so. And it's one of those towns that went downhill quick once the mall went up by the interstate. No much retail left, but several lawyers and service type vendors. It's the county seat.

Thanks, Elsa for your kind words!

Thank you Christie Photo. The reason I asked is that I am converting a room in my house which is 12 x 14 to a studio. It's a very cool room with 10 foot windows on 2 sides. I just have no idea how to set it up to it's best advantage.
I have a few different lenses but the one I prefer for portraits is 70-200 L and I just got a new studio lighing setup. (Same as yours without the softbox).
I just loved your portrait and wondered if I could even come close in my new setup.
Love it!
Cindy