Lady in black

sean4223 · Jul 28, 2009

My first post on this forum. I took this photo with a off camera flash through a 20 inch umberella(hand held). would appreciate CC on the exposure, framing, and anything else that comes to your notice. (I chose not to smoothen out the skin)

Sunith

Portrait and Art - Photography - Home

Josh220 · Jul 28, 2009

Shouldn't the background be a different color than the clothing the subject is wearing? Or vice-versa, you shouldn't have let her pose in black against a black background.

sean4223 · Jul 28, 2009

Josh, the blackground wasnt black.. I underexposed the background. I wanted a gridspot kind of effect to focus the light just on the face and hair. I wanted her dress to have only a slight bit of detail while the rest blended into the background. It isn't a conventional portrait I admit. But do you like it? or is it too distracting?

sunnynayak · Jul 28, 2009

i like it.. i like the composition and according to your description you have achieved what u were looking for. Great portrait.. has that artistic feel to it.

Josh220 · Jul 28, 2009

sean4223 said:
Josh, the blackground wasnt black.. I underexposed the background. I wanted a gridspot kind of effect to focus the light just on the face and hair. I wanted her dress to have only a slight bit of detail while the rest blended into the background. It isn't a conventional portrait I admit. But do you like it? or is it too distracting?

If it was intentional, it looks better. :thumbup:

SpeedTrap · Jul 28, 2009

I think this could have more impact with a tighter crop.
There is alot of "Dead Space" abover her head that does not add to the image.
I like your lighting and styling of this image other than the crop.

wiredhernandez · Jul 28, 2009

Looks great. My eye is drawn to her left eye (in shadow) so I would maybe mute that a bit. Nice.

Lyncca · Jul 28, 2009

You can have dark clothes on a dark background, but you normally try to light them to show seperation.
In this case, your blending in the background looks deliberate and I like it. I would probably fade out her eye that is shadowed though. I also agree on cropping in more.

I'm no expert on lighting, but I have been practicing on some studio stuff recently though, and I wanted to work on black on black:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/photos/data/500/medium/p511366625-5.jpg
http://www.thephotoforum.com/photos/data/500/medium/p309757803-5.jpg

sean4223 · Jul 29, 2009

Thank you all for the comments.. I agree on the eye bit.. I had tried darking it out but it kinda made her look like a pirate

... I think I would have to lightly fade it to get the glint in the eye off... Regarding the crop, her skin isnt perfect, so cropping it would make it more closer to the viewer. How about adding horizontal black space on the left of the picture... give it more of a compt wallpaper look?
Lyncca, I like the separation on the black outfit in the first photo.. You could do a series of "biker babes" black on black, using models wearing black sitting on black cruisers against a black background. That would be a great shoot..

SrBiscuit · Jul 29, 2009

i was going to mention the skin...any intention to soften it a bit?
to me that;s the only thing that stands out as something i might PP.

gopal · Jul 29, 2009

beautiful photo....needed some softness on the face, light looks a little bit harsh...particular on a lady's face....wud like to frame it cropping half inch from right, because her diagonal face wud need a vertical framing....rest blacks as it is.

sean4223 · Jul 29, 2009

@Srbiscuit: nope, I chose not to smoothen her skin out, personal preference. The light and the shadow help cover most of the flaws on the skin..
@ gopal: great advice!

Big · Jul 29, 2009

It's called low key photography... opposite of high key. Look it up

sean4223 · Jul 29, 2009

@ Big: I know, I do a lot of low key stuff.. However, I am currently looking to do some high key images, white seamless kinds.. The only ones I did till now is with inanimate objects.

SrBiscuit · Jul 30, 2009

sean4223 said:
@Srbiscuit: nope, I chose not to smoothen her skin out, personal preference. The light and the shadow help cover most of the flaws on the skin..

fair enough...i know some people do prefer keeping people au naturale, however, the skin flaws were one of the first things i noticed.
but i understand keeping it as shot. :thumbup: