Engagement Photo

[danny]

I'm still struggling with lighting. This is with 2 Vivitar 283's with umbrella's, left & right, and one Sunpack at the camera directed up onto a medium size silver reflector. Left flash was one stop below right. Any advice/comments would be appreciated. Thanks for looking.

 

[Alison]

I think you've got a good start here. I'm still learning lighting myself, but it almost seems like the light is too even. You might try getting a higher light ratio by turning down the flash even more. In most cases you want a main light and a fill light, this helps create some darker areas that make the picture have greater depth. For me, the eyes make the portrait and her's look great! His seem a little dark and could use some more light there to help them pop.

Lighting aside for a moment, they both look very comfortable and relaxed and that credit goes to you and the photographer :thumbsup:

 

[danny]

Here's a portrait using the same setup as above. I forgot to edit the double catch lights in the photo above. As always, my photo's are OTE. Thanks again.

 

[Sharkbait]

It seems extraordinarily flat to me. I would light almost directly from the side and a bit above, just enough forward to get light into both eyes. I'd also only use one front-light, or if you must use two, crank the fill waaaaaaaaaaaay down to almost nothing.

With a bigger guy like in the first photo, I wouldn't have him facing perfectly to the side--it emphasizes his thickness, and his fiancee seems to disappear into him. You did a good job of getting him looking down a little bit to avoid glass-glare (cripes is it a pain in the arse to re-build an eye in photoshop!), but his frames almost cut through his eye--a very fine line to tread.

In the 2nd photo, she's a very cute subject, but here she's slouched down and facing directly at the camera...makes it look like a mug-shot.

 

[Tally Ho]

Good exposure and good expressions. Had the gent obtained glasses without lenses his eyes wouldn't look overly large like they do here, plus there is absolutely no way you can get eyeglass glare with lensless frames! He has his shoulder turned straight toward the camera and she appears to be just sitting there slumped over a bit with her hands folded in her lap. Lastly the lighting is flat. Nice start. Keep it up.

Tally Ho

 

[danny]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I see what you mean about the flat lighting. The glasses were a problem but he couldn't get them out of the way. I'll try all your suggestions next time around.

 

[Christie Photo]

...and one Sunpack at the camera directed up onto a medium size silver reflector

THAT'S the culprit! The Sunpack is is providing virtually ALL the light.

Try this... move the left umbrella close to the camera and use the reflector (without the light) on a stand in front of your subject(s), down out of view. Once you get a lighting ratio that's working, you can try using your Sunpack (at different power levels) behind your subject and on the background.

I hope this helps.

-Pete

 

[danny]

Thanks Pete, I think you nailed it, as usual. Next time I'll try just two flashes and see if that helps.