Chrsitmas Stocking Surprise: CC please

[kanuski]

Another cold stormy day in Saskatchewan.
I want to shoot this again but would love your comments first. I got the expression I wanted but the lighting needs work. and I need to remove the tag from the stocking.
Flickr
The flash behind her head has a small 4x6 diffuser. What is the best way to get consistent rim light? Hard? soft? move it back?
I had a shoot through umbrella below the camera to add a little detail to the hands and stocking. Should it be brighter?
I used a Canon 430EX in the stocking. I was shooting in RAW but the glow in the fur came out a strong yellow color. I tried to desaturate it in post but it still looks yellow. As I am typing this I am wondering if the flash was too deep in the stocking. Much of the red and blue light was being absorbed by the red material leaving only yellow.
I would love to get some Christmas light bokeh in the background but I was using f22 and 1/200 to remove the background. Any suggestions?

 

[tirediron]

Great concept here, but I agree the lighting doesn't quite work. At the moment, it's more Halloween than Christmas. For rimlighting, I would try snooting the strobe (round head, round light...) I think you're right about the strobe being too far down in the stocking. I think what I would probably do is cut away all the back of the stocking. If the colours still don't work out, then gel the speedlight to match. As for the background, you need more separation. Maybe try shooting this after sunset and turing out the houselights?

 

[ManualMode]

I like the concept.. you're on to something.
But I would brush the hair meticulously..

 

[mrpink]

I would love to get some Christmas light bokeh in the background but I was using f22 and 1/200 to remove the background. Any suggestions?

Black seamless and some christmas lights. Multi color would work well here.






p!nK

 

[kanuski]

Here is a revamped version. There is more separation and I think it now looks more Christmas than Halloween.

 

[ManualMode]

I've got an idea - go to a hardware store and buy a round light cover. Basically, think hollowed out crystal ball. Stick your flash in there and then tuck it into the stocking. It will make the entire thing glow real nice.. I think if you're still shooting at 1/200, you are killing the ambient light, so the tree only looks lit up because the flash hit it. Try the slowest shutter speed you can afford without sharpness.. keep shooting.. these are cool

 

[jowensphoto]

I am kind of in love with the concept. The second has the "oomph" that the first is missing. Try out the suggestions from everyone else, this idea is something worth perfecting!

 

[12sndsgood]

This is actually something I was planning on working on this last weekend but had a cancellation. we intend to use a present instead of the stocking though. I think it needs a bit more light on the stocking itself. still seems a bit dark for me personally. I defanatly think your revamped version is a lot closer to what i'm thinking it should be.

 

[John27]

How married are you to the stocking?

What if, instead, you wrapped a box, and created a wrapped lid as well with a bow on top. Have the model open the box using the lid, with a strobe inside a globe as suggested above. I think this same concept, but transferred onto the model opening a package instead of a stocking (with the tree as the background again) would be totally cool.

 

[kanuski]

go to a hardware store and buy a round light cover

How about a large pop bottle? I might give that a try.

I think it needs a bit more light on the stocking itself.

I had an umbrella providing light for the stocking but the batteries died. My model was getting restless so I snapped a few without.

What if, instead, you wrapped a box, and created a wrapped lid as well with a bow on top.

I am not married to the stocking at all but I am allergic to wrapping.
I will give it another shot tonight if I can get the model to cooperate, and wrap a box!
Thanks for all the ideas everyone!