First Model Shoot - Please Give C+C

[rodnunley]

Hey guys and Gals,

I had my first phot shoot with a model this last weekend and I was wanting to get some feedback on a sampling of the images. All told I have a little over 400 images form the day.

I knew before hand that I had a lot to learn. But just going out and working with someone really showed me how much more I have to learn than I thought. I had with me a DIY beauty dish and 5000k light (with soft box like sock over it) and a remote triggered flash that I was using. We did both day and night photographs. And at the end of the night my remote trigger died on me for some reason (not batteries ... still need to look at it) so we had to do some creative lighting.

All in all I was happy with how I did for my first time out. Can't wait to do some research and try going at it again.

Anyway ... I would love some feedback on these images. They are not cropped in any way and I have not used photoshop on them at all at this point. I want to see how you guys think I'm doing before I start messing with the images.

I want to post a few more than normal because some images are the same location with different lighting issues and I want to hear how you guys would have handled the situation. Ask any questions about the images that you have and I can answer them.

Photos 1, 2 and 3 were daytime on an overcast day.

Photos 4, 5 and 6 were late in the evening.

And thanks in advance for the feedback. I am eager to learn.

1:

This is one of my favorite images form the day. Just a little fill flash and the sun on an overcast day.

2:

Same location and lighting as photo number one.

3:

Had to put the flash in a different location and the sun was hiding a little. Not sure how I could have used the flash to light this better. Anyone?

4:

She wanted an image like this and this was the only location where the lighting was worth a damn even a little bit. I tried to boken out the carts in the background (that I couldn't move) and back lit her to try giving her a edge light effect.

5:

My flash isn't adjustable. I knew that this was too much flash (on my right) and the bulb on the left was too close as well.

6:

My attempt at adjusting the lighting form photo number five. Not entirely happy with this either.

Like I said. I have a bunch more to learn and could for sure used someone to act as an assistant. So please give any tips you can.

 

[Robin Usagani]

1. Bad pose, bad background
2. Bad background. If you want to use natural light, find background that is not as bright. Your background is blown. If you use flash, then I would have exposed the background and let the flash light up your subject.
3. It is ok but you need to brighten the subject more using PP. Your subject is underexposed
4. Underexposed, need some skin processing
5. Best one of the bunch. Would have been good with landscape orientation with the subject about 1/3 from the left.
6. Soft and the shadow hurts your image.

 

[rodnunley]

1 & 2: Is the background bad because it's not consistant? I have a couple of shots where its her in front of the girder (the red thing in the image) that I'll post later to see if you think that's a better composed image. I hadn't thought of lighting the background. Where would I set the flash to do that? And personally I love her profile in the first picture. But I think you are right about her body positioning (if that's what you meant).

3: PP? I agree 100% on the lighting issue. I honestly didn;t know how to fix it while there. At that location I only had my flash with umbrella (and another thing I learned was bring sandbags to keep the stupid light stand upright).

4: Thanks. I may have to have a friend help me with skin processing. I am a total photoshop beginner and know that I have to learn that soon as well.

5: That's a rule of thirds thing ... right? I thought the same thing after the fact. Hopefully as I practice more I will think the same thing while I'm still there to do something about it. Is that the amount of light I should be shooting for at night? I thought that it was a little too bright and I had gotten it wrong. I'm so confused ...

6: Let me ask ... would having a light behind her pointing at the wall have helped get rid of the shadows? Is there a better solution to the issue that I'm not seeing?

Thanks for your input. It is really valuable for me.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Here is a little edit

#5 is actually the flash still too bright. You dont see detail on left arm and forehead

#6 you could have put the light with more angle (key light) so the shadow is not on the frame, then you could use another flash (on camera or off) with much less power (fill light). You wont see the fill light shadow because the key light will lit the shadow.

 

[willis_927]

For me the issue with the background in 1 is a couple of things.. The writing on the wall, and where the bridge meets the concrete on the far side. My eyes keep getting drawn to that area. The light and dark (from the bridge shadow) color differences also add to the distraction imo.
The background in 2 is much less distracting (as compared to #1)

 

[rodnunley]

Wow. That edit does wonders with the picture. Maybe for now I should just hire someone to correct the photos that we select as the best.

It's so daunting to see how much I have to learn with the camera and then to see this whole other venue of learning how to use photo shop as well.

 

[rodnunley]

For me the issue with the background in 1 is a couple of things.. The writing on the wall, and where the bridge meets the concrete on the far side. My eyes keep getting drawn to that area. The light and dark (from the bridge shadow) color differences also add to the distraction imo.
The background in 2 is much less distracting (as compared to #1)

Thanks for the feedback. This is all very informative. I told the model that maybe 6 months down the line we could try again after I had more experience under my belt. Clearly I can hope to learn from each mistake.

These are the pictures that I was talking about with just the bridge as a background:

Is that better? Now that I look at it after your feedback I would think about placing a light at the steel behind her to negate the shadow my first flash is casting. Is that right?

 

[Robin Usagani]

Don't think too hard with your lighting. Focus on what is available when you shoot outdoor. I usually use flash just as fill light so it doest look too flashy. Focus on the sun. I like putting the sun directly behind the subject.

 

[ghache]

Just a side note. White balance might bit a litle to cold. i see her that her hair is turning blue'ish.

 

[GrantH]

I really liked #1, reminds me of a pin-up style photo a bit.

 

[rodnunley]

Don't think too hard with your lighting. Focus on what is available when you shoot outdoor. I usually use flash just as fill light so it doest look too flashy. Focus on the sun. I like putting the sun directly behind the subject.

This is good advice. Thanks. When you say put the sun behind the model I assume you mean have her block the sun with her body. Is that right?

 

[rodnunley]

Just a side note. White balance might bit a litle to cold. i see her that her hair is turning blue'ish.

Thanks. I will look at that. I have a friend who's going to assist me on photo shop.

 

[ghache]

Just a side note. White balance might bit a litle to cold. i see her that her hair is turning blue'ish.

Thanks. I will look at that. I have a friend who's going to assist me on photo shop.

Actually, the first ones you posted were allright, its the last 3. put them side by side and youll see the difference.

 

[GeneralBenson]

Wow. That edit does wonders with the picture. Maybe for now I should just hire someone to correct the photos that we select as the best.

No. Learn how to take images that look how you want. PP is not for turning bad photos into good ones. It's finishing or completing images that were good to start out.

Most of these images have a lot of trouble with overexposed backgrounds, underexposed subject, or just generally unpleasing lighting. Also, the first two have some unfortunate subject interaction with strong lines in the image. Strong lines will always act as leading lines, and you want to make them work for you, not against you. The human eye will almost always seek out faces/eyes first. But in the first two images, the eyes find the face, and then is immediately drawn to the strong upward left line which draws the eye right out of the image. Be careful of the way strong lines in you images interact with you subject and the way the control the flow of the image.

 

[GeneralBenson]

Like I said. I have a bunch more to learn and could for sure used someone to act as an assistant. So please give any tips you can.

What you need is someone that you can assist, not someone to assist you. I'm not trying to be harsh, but the problem with the majority of these images is clearly a lack of understanding about basic concepts like posing, lighting, exposure, composition, and subject interaction. And you're a beginner, so that's all fine. But neither an assistant nor photoshop will help any of those problems. What you need is more education and understanding. Assisting someone, preferably a pro, is one of the best ways to learn a lot of the things you're weak on.

Keep working on it!