First Portrait, and lighting set up!

[AJ153]

picture taken off flicker, [needs to be revised/edit] thank you for your inputs

This is my first attempt into Self-Portrait, Shot with a 60D, and a 50mm 1.4 of myself with timer. I first used a mini statue of Jesus to focus in, and then set it to manual to lock the focus. I used a self timer of ten seconds to take the shot. It was around 2:55 P.M in northern Illinois so the light coming out of the window was a indirect soft light which made a fantastic rim light.


This also my first attempt with lighting


haha I just learned the lighting terms (or technical names) so I made a picture to save explaining time, I just kinda did what I thought looked nice on the screen

After taking the picture, and importing at first I was worried that the sparkle in the eye (I guess its called the Catchlight) should have been on the right side (left side of my face), but after doing research, I learned that in my picture; that light on the right side (left side of my face) is actually the rim light caused by lighting #4, and lighting #3 I placed overhead because I thought my hair was not highlighted enough ( I guess that was the hair light). I placed lighting #2 there because there was a really harsh shadow that needed to go ( I guess that was the fill light) and finally I placed lighting #1 there because I saw a picture of a lighting studio which had a lighting lamp in that position on eye level. It also took the shadow away from the rim/hair light, and gave the face that balanced natural light on the face (which is I learned is key light?). In the research I found out that Catchlight is in terms in the correct spot of 10-11ish'Oclock in corresponds to the key light (light #1) of my picture.

Is this correct?

Well basically in short is the catch-light in the correct spot? is the lighting, and position correct?

 

[GrahamPhisher]

real professional man, i like it.

 

[Granddad]

It looks pretty good to me. Your left cheek is almost burned out but not quite, you can get away with that IMHO. You might want to go over the jacket with the clone tool to get rid of the little spots and stray bits of fluff: the image suggests sartorial elegance and that is at odds with the bits. Good job overall and I think your image shows good creative potential.

N.B. It's best if you can post the image rather than just linking; lots of people here won't open a link from a Noob on the forum as they don't know what they might find on the other end; you'll get more responses that way. I opened it because Graham had, otherwise I might not have taken the chance.

 

[tirediron]

Good job. Agree with the above comments.

 

[Granddad]

I'm afraid your questions make me feel a bit like John Cleese did in this old Monty Python sketch.
I'll leave the responses to those who know the answers.

 

[AJ153]

I was talkingnonsense I was doubting myself the whole time, I was just about to delete that post, since I got all my answers here. I removed this picture, may need revising later with recommended inputs

Foundations of Lighting Placement

Tutorial: Basic Light Patterns



Tutorial: Portrait Lights

 

[Granddad]

AJ153: Some people thrive on the technical details of lighting and use it it get excellent photos; I'm more of a bodger. Some of my lighting set ups work but if you asked me to explain why I'd be lost. MANY more here can and will excitedly discuss micro-angles and ratios and therms per gigasecond (that's all Greek to me). However you do it if you get good results consistently then what you are doing works for you.

There was nothing wrong with your questions. Don't doubt yourself, I for one look forward to seeing more of your work. :thumbup:

P.S. That's a good, simple explanation in the video. So simple that even I was able to learn something! :lmao:

 

[K8-90]

I can't see the portrait...?

 

[Granddad]

I can't see the portrait...?

He took it down for editing, it was good so keep an eye out for when he reposts it.