Husband and Wife

[texkam]

 

[Rick58]

I'm not a portrait guy, but the lighting looks a little harsh.
I know you didn't ask for C&C, but that's my untrained opinion

 

[tirediron]

Have to agree with Rick's comment. I think though a little selective adjustment would take care of that.

 

[texkam]

Limited resourses. Limited knowlege. Thanks a bunch for the help. That's why I posted.

 

[ghache]

some blown highlights a little bit but can easily be fixed.

 

[oldhippy]

You captured a lot of good emotion. The back ground suffers. Maybe try a DOF that blurs the back ground. But would lighten the BG some. Soften the subject lighting.

 

[ronlane]

Texkam, to me the lighting looks like it could be pulled back to the camera left and brought closer to the subjects to soften the light.

 

[skieur]

I would also warm up the colour a little.

skieur

 

[Designer]

I like it.

 

[texkam]

Wanted to just throw this up there and see what I got back from the community. It's interesting and helpful to see how others view this shot and their suggestions. Thanks

This was my set up: Fairly straight forward, quick, down and dirty, living room shot. A single speedlight through a shoot-through umbrella camera right with a white card camera left to try to bounce in a little fill and get some light on her hair. Because I was afraid of the black hair on a black background, I chose to illuminate the tapestry-like curtain with a quartz halogen shop light that was available. The gentleman is a lawyer who absolutely hates getting his picture made, but I think the expressions fit their personalities very well (my call).

85mm, iso100 1/100@f/2.8, minimally processed in ACR, Portrait Professional and PS. I explored b/w, but wasn't thrilled. May explore warming it up a bit. I also think it needs to be rotated a wee bit counter clockwise. Anything else?

I think though a little selective adjustment would take care of that.

Can you be more specific about the term "selective adjustment".

some blown highlights a little bit but can easily be fixed.

I don't see anything actually blown. Perhaps you are trying to say it's a little hot.

the lighting looks a little harsh.

Lighting was right up on them. A nice large softbox or at least a larger umbrella would have helped here, ...yes? Suggestions?

 

[texkam]

Better?

View attachment 36626

 

[kundalini]

If you get another chance to shoot this couple, consider the positioning of the heads. Much like the totem pole shot, having a horizontal line can be just as dull. By having the lips level of one with the eyes of the other, you'll have a more dynamic pose. It gives the viewer more reason to look around the frame. Here's an example. And here's another. Just my 2 cents.

 

[texkam]

Great examples! You just made me and hopefully a few others that see this, better. Thank you so much.

 

[Designer]

Lighting was right up on them. A nice large softbox or at least a larger umbrella would have helped here, ...yes?

Not for me. I like the fall-off.

 

[DiskoJoe]

harsh lighting, hot spot on the forehead, hair is bleeding into dark back drop, i could keep going but blah................