Highly Detailed Portraits

[fonsolo]

Yes, I should have added that I'm not a complete beginner. I do understand certain concepts, like ISO, f-stops, aperture, as well as camera models and there features.

Pardon me if I have a difficult time believing that. Shooting at 1/25, and missing the flash doesn't add up. Perhaps you should have another look at your remote trigger to make sure it is working.

Furthermore, I did go to the link you provided and looked at the photo for which you said you used a strobe. I don't see an evidence of any light being used in that photo.

You got me, I lied about using a strobe in that particular photo 'cause I wanted you complete strangers to think I was cool. The photo was actually shot in the shade but the flash allowed me to get the ISO I desired. Look, I came here for help, not to deceive people into thinking I am more knowledgeable then I actually am. If you have something useful to say I would be glad to hear it. If not, why don't you go troll someone else.

 

[Vautrin]

fonsolo - chill. its actually possible to shoot and have the flash not go off. dont bite the head off of people trying to be helpful. and dont flame the trolls because it just increases noise for others

are you shooting in manual mode? usually i go to manual mode and dial in 1/250 sec and f16 ( or whatever im looking for). then i adjust the flash brightness by trial and error

its necessary to do that because in camera metering wont work. you can by a meter with flash trigger but these are expensive and you still need to shoot manually

 

[fonsolo]

Sorry, please forgive my outburst but I have grown weary of condescending "experts" on internet forums. I do shoot in manual mode. I don't have my lights with me right now, but I will try this at a shoot I have scheduled tomorrow. The models are friends of mine, so they will have to bear with me while I figure it out I do really appreciate your advice!

 

[fonsolo]

1/25 is waaaay to slow

it depends on the camera and if there is image stabilisation (vr in nikon terms)

but i find anything under 1/60 too slow and 1/120 is the slowest i like to go

you need to be doing 1/125 at f8 and the images will look a whole lot better

also detail is lost in jpeg. what settings do you use?

better is raw theres no compression artefacts

but you know , it may sound silly, but line up some beer cans or soda cans and take pictures. vary aperture and shutterspeed

try with and without a tripod

youll start to understand what is blurry because shutter is too slow and what is depth of field


oh yeah if you STILL cant get a sharp picture, can you get it at all with that camera? lenses do break sometimes... ive also heard of non nikon lenses that dont autofocuscorrectly

I tried without the strobes outdoors using your suggested settings and the results were quite an improvement. I think I used 1/600 and f8 if I remember correctly. This is sans post processing.

http://i.imgur.com/MNfcH.jpg

 

[Dao]

With the lights, 1/25 do seems slow for me. Also double check on flash sync speed of your camera and do not exceed that .

 

[Designer]

Yes, I should have added that I'm not a complete beginner. I do understand certain concepts, like ISO, f-stops, aperture, as well as camera models and there features.

Pardon me if I have a difficult time believing that. Shooting at 1/25, and missing the flash doesn't add up. Perhaps you should have another look at your remote trigger to make sure it is working.

Furthermore, I did go to the link you provided and looked at the photo for which you said you used a strobe. I don't see an evidence of any light being used in that photo.

You got me, I lied about using a strobe in that particular photo 'cause I wanted you complete strangers to think I was cool. The photo was actually shot in the shade but the flash allowed me to get the ISO I desired. Look, I came here for help, not to deceive people into thinking I am more knowledgeable then I actually am. If you have something useful to say I would be glad to hear it. If not, why don't you go troll someone else.

It doesn't help to lie, it just confuses the issue, making some answers you get irrelevant to the actual problem.

Until we learn otherwise, we consider your initial statements about a "problem" to be true.

 

[Tee]

If I was gonna shoot nudes, I'd actually hire as expensive a model as I could afford, and lay it all out for her (or him). I'd want an experienced model who was willing to work with me, with the clear understanding that for the most part money will pass from me to the model, and learning will pass in the other direction. A good model is worth every penny. The cheaper you go, the less of a bargain, generally. The right significant other can be fine, but they don't tend to know anything and, not being paid, can become bored and/or exasperated with the process fairly quickly.

Mark this date. I actually agree with everything amolitor said in this post. Top shelf models are more than a pretty face. They understand the relationship of the camera, lights, and you. It's not all about sitting there looking pretty. She'll know that when you move she'll adjust her body to keep things in proper relationship to each other. Paying a top model is an investment towards a solid portfolio.

And here are some links to a few examples of something I would like to achieve, or at least attempt

NSFW - imgur: the simple image sharer
NSFW - imgur: the simple image sharer

Those examples are NOT images you should aspire to re-create. Go here: Fine Art Nude Photography Network - art of nude photography (Warning: NSFW!!!) and study fine at nudes. Your examples above fall under the GWC (Guy With Camera) category. Don't be a GWC. There is nothing wrong with learning by shooting nudes. Heck, I shot nudes pretty consistently for 2 years before changing mediums. However, I strongly suggest taking a few lighting classes and gaining an elementary understanding of studio lighting before doing so. There are tons of local shops, MeetUp groups and individual photographers that teach these days.

 

[Vautrin]

1/600 or 1/60?

Most strobes have some minimum shutter speed. I am for instance unable to shoot my strobe faster than 1/250 sec exposure

So there is some trick getting the images on camera

Your flash can fire (or seem to) and you can not get anything


Just remember if youre using your flash right if the flash isnt on camera itll be dark


Also if your shutter speed is too fast youll see a bright side and dark side of the photo (from where the shutter went up to fast)

also, a rough estimate is shutter speed should never be less than 1/focal length

So on a zoom lens like 300 youd need to shoot really fast (1/300 sec) because even a small vibration will cause a large shift in whatthe image views

Thats just a rough guide though... what you really need to do is shoot shoot shoot and
see what happens. a lot of photography is about knowing your equiptment

Then if a shot is blurry its because you wanted it that way (maybe slow shutter speed on purpose with front or rear sink)

but youll fimd out all about that later

 

[fonsolo]

@Designer Lol, that was what is commonly referred to as sarcasm. Thanks for all your helpful advice though!(<-- also, sarcasm)
@Tee, I understand what you're saying, but I'm honestly not shooting artistic nudes, so much as erotic nudes for an adult website(I probably should have divulged this earlier as well). I would have to say that erotica is far more focused on visibility and detail than composure, but that's just my personal opinion as a frequent user .
@Vautrin The most recent example didn't utilize a strobe, it was all natural lighting which allowed me to shoot at 1/600. That's good advice about the focal length and shutter speed correlation, I will remember that!

 

[Designer]

@Designer Lol, that was what is commonly referred to as sarcasm. Thanks for all your helpful advice though!(<-- also, sarcasm)

FYI for all Noobs: Sarcasm doesn't work on the internet.

Another tip for Noobs: State your question, don't lie, and don't try to inflate your own level of experience. You'll get the help you asked for.

 

[fonsolo]

Haha, thanks for the tip!

 

[Tee]

Well, if an adult website is going to allow you to photograph porn for them, then I'd say you should brush up on 2257 forms and model releases first.

 

[fonsolo]

Well, if an adult website is going to allow you to photograph porn for them, then I'd say you should brush up on 2257 forms and model releases first.

It's actually my own site, and It has been operational for several months. I am educated on the legalities and because I had a few questions regarding photography doesn't mean you should assume that I am completely oblivious So let's just stick to the question at hand. If you are curious, feel free to check the site out at < moderateded >. There is no nudity so far as I am using PayPal as a payment portal and CCBill requires a large deposit and a long waiting period for Visa credit card usage, but I'm working on changing that soon.

 

[Tee]

You could go on Model Mayhem and contact photographers for dirt cheap or free (for exchange for a membership) and have quality images in no time. Seriously, pro images just don't happen in a few days.

 

[fonsolo]

I do use MM to find models, but I'm honestly not disappointed with the product I've been delivering so far in comparison to the competition. Eventually, I may have to hire another photographer, or programer (which ever I decide I like doing the least), but not any time soon.