First Attempt At Self Portrait

[Stolarczyk]

Here is my first attempt at a self portrait that I took with the assistance of my wife. I wanted to achieve a very dark and moody image, and I'm very happy with the results.

 

[tirediron]

Interesting; definitely something a little different in the self-portrait line. I like it.

 

[Stolarczyk]

Thank you. I wanted something different.

 

[kundalini]

Not too bad, but I think you have some room for improvement with the lighting placement. Most noticably is the strong straight-lined shadow cutting across your neck coming from a strong and fairly low (vertically speaking) Side light. This light is also cross-shadowing the nice, dramatic position of you Key light, which is creating a nice, dramatic nose and chin shadow. What the Side light is not providing (or the absence of a Hair light) is definition and separation about the crown of your head from the background. What the Side light is providing is a ratio on par of your mask with your Key light to the side of your neck. I would think this area to be at least a 1/2 stop less luminous. A portrait is the likeness of the mask and should be the brightest element of the frame.

Which brings up my second nit, or is it the third? The brightness of you medallion. I can appreciate that flagging such a small element in a self portrait to be a damn near impossible feat, but post work could easily bring down the specularity.

Lastly, it would be nice to be able to see some amount of detail of your posing stool and the outline of the back of your left leg. A deftly placed reflector could bounce some of the light from your Key to subtly accentuate those elements.



All that being said...... Damn Good Self Portrait! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Stolarczyk]

Thank you very much for the constructive input on the photo. I do completely agree with what you've said and will watch for those things in the future. Definitely going to try to put some of these things in place on my next shoot. Thanks again

 

[cynicaster]

Nice photo, but IMO if you’re going to include a “personal prop” like this, it deserves a bit more light such that it is instantly indentifiable. I mean, I can see what it is, but no joke, when I first glanced at this photo, for the first second or two before it “clicked” I thought you were in a wheelchair.

 

[nycphotography]

The moody light worked for you... for the props, not so much.

you could crop it to focus on you, and then it will work.

Or you can add more light JUST to the props (maybe a flagged / barn doored side fill for the drums?).