I shot my wife in the dining room...

Granddad · Jan 12, 2013

I shot my wife yesterday in the dining room...

ISO 200, 58mm, f8, 1/160 Rembrant lighting (Edited to add - as pointed out this is NOT Rembrandt lighting, my mistake, Single strobe, high camera right)(strobe with smallish softbox) camera right. Nikon D700, Nikor 24-70 1:2.8

This one was probably the best of the batch with regards to expression but the focus was on the coat lapel (mea culpa) and not her face. I decided that given our age soft focus was not such a bad thing :lol:

. I played with it in lightroom 3 and decided that the best way to separate the black hat from the black background was a sepia (?) conversion with lighter post crop vignetting (I know vignetting is often frowned upon here but I like it in this case ... so frown all you wish). I liked the effect and added some grain. I then took it into Portrait Professional for some minimal skin smoothing, lip plumping and eye widening (all just a fraction) and then into Photoshop to correct a discolouration on the lower lip, straighten the hat brim and remove a few specs of lint from the hat. I'm probably looking at it through sepia coloured spectacles but I like the result.

C&C and suggestions are always welcome.

jaomul · Jan 12, 2013

Very nice. I like the lighting and the old fashioned look. I can't fault it being(not that I am an expert) and I will try something similar

GrahamPhisher · Jan 12, 2013

ur dining room is a studio?

n yea I think the sepia tone works well here n is well executed, I like this

Granddad · Jan 12, 2013

GrahamPhisher said:
ur dining room is a studio?

It's also (occasionally) a dining room, a play room, and a school room... Which is a pain in the rear because it means I have to pack my kit away!

I'd like a house with a dedicated space to set up as a studio but we've been here 18 years, it's a really great location with good neighbours and we have too much accumulated junk. :LOL:

Designer · Jan 12, 2013

Granddad said:
..and we have too much accumulated junk. :LOL:

You and I, bro. Couldn't move if I wanted to.

Oh, right; the photo...

I'm not seeing the Rembrandt lighting as I think of it, although the lighting is very good. Pose good, frame good, sepia tone good.

Granddad · Jan 12, 2013

You're right Designer, I checked and see I misunderstood Rembrandt lighting :spank:

- not sure where I picked up that bad info from now. It was a single strobe high and to camera right, some reflection from pale walls but no secondary lighting. I'll have to try proper Rembrandt lighting soon.

Thanks

and I pity my son if we kick the bucket before we get round to The Big Clear Out!

gsgary · Jan 12, 2013

This is not Rembrant lighting no triangle of light

Derrel · Jan 12, 2013

Overall, I think the "look" you went for is a good one. I thought that the bright parts of the leather jacket at the bottom edge of the frame were drawing too much attention away from her lovely face and good expression, so I applied a #2 post capture vignette in Lightroom 3.6. I then burned down some of the brighter areas on the jacket. That made her face appear a bit too bright by comparison with the newly-darkened areas, so I reduced exposure 0.85 EV, then added a bit of Fill Light. I came up with this very subtle re-work:

Looking at it on-line with a white surround, I suppose her face could be lightened up a tad more, for a more "airy" look, if desired. Or perhaps a wee bit more "snap" added through a contrast boost or a curves adjustment.

tirediron · Jan 12, 2013

Nicely captured.

Granddad · Jan 12, 2013

gsgary said:
This is not Rembrant lighting no triangle of light

You are entirely right. My ignorance was showing. I've edited the original text to indicate that.

Granddad · Jan 12, 2013

Derrel said:
Overall, I think the "look" you went for is a good one. I thought that the bright parts of the leather jacket at the bottom edge of the frame were drawing too much attention away from her lovely face and good expression, so I applied a #2 post capture vignette in Lightroom 3.6. I then burned down some of the brighter areas on the jacket. That made her face appear a bit too bright by comparison with the newly-darkened areas, so I reduced exposure 0.85 EV, then added a bit of Fill Light. I came up with this very subtle re-work:View attachment 32260
Looking at it on-line with a white surround, I suppose her face could be lightened up a tad more, for a more "airy" look, if desired. Or perhaps a wee bit more "snap" added through a contrast boost or a curves adjustment.

Thanks Derrel, I've downloaded your version so I can look at them side by side and I'll try to replicate your very nicely done enhancement.

I'm not sure about lightening the face, I printed a copy for SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED and on my home printer it mostly came out a little darker (as they tend to do) but the facial highlights look a wee bit blown.

terri · Jan 12, 2013

I like both versions, but as Granddad so wisely pointed out, this must please SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED. We must not get so caught up with crisp focus and perfect lighting that we forget that perfectly acceptable, lovely results can be achieved without them - as the original version of this proves.

I like the toning, as well - I think it's a beautiful portrait of your lovely wife. :thumbup:

Remember all, he's the one who has been married all these years, so that's part of what he brings as a photographer!

Granddad · Jan 12, 2013

terri said:
I like both versions, but as Granddad so wisely pointed out, this must please SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED. We must not get so caught up with crisp focus and perfect lighting that we forget that perfectly acceptable, lovely results can be achieved without them - as the original version of this proves.

I like the toning, as well - I think it's a beautiful portrait of your lovely wife. :thumbup:

Remember all, he's the one who has been married all these years, so that's part of what he brings as a photographer!

Thanks Terri, I see you still have your memory, let me know if you see mine laying around anywhere. Married for .... quite a few years now.

These days I get the soft focus effect every time I take my specs off.

ldman: Believe it or not the Lady is retired and officially an Old Age Pensioner. Shhhh!

terri · Jan 12, 2013

Granddad said:
terri said:

I like both versions, but as Granddad so wisely pointed out, this must please SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED. We must not get so caught up with crisp focus and perfect lighting that we forget that perfectly acceptable, lovely results can be achieved without them - as the original version of this proves.

I like the toning, as well - I think it's a beautiful portrait of your lovely wife. :thumbup:

Remember all, he's the one who has been married all these years, so that's part of what he brings as a photographer!

Click to expand...

Thanks Terri, I see you still have your memory, let me know if you see mine laying around anywhere. Married for .... quite a few years now.
These days I get the soft focus effect every time I take my specs off. ldman: Believe it or not the Lady is retired and officially an Old Age Pensioner. Shhhh!