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[bellavita64]

Okay, I learned how to use my flash meter, and am working hard to figure out the studio lighting. This is from my most recent shoot. I'm trying to figure out why images look fine in Photoshop, but are noticeably darker after I save them to disk? That may be a question for the graphics gallery, but I would like general c&c on this portrait. Thanks!

 

[bjrouse]

Excellent

 

[Flash Harry]

Its too dark for me, around 1,1/2 stops, if its straight out of the camera then you have underexposed the shot, take the flash reading from the position your subject will be in for a correct reading, get your monitor calibrated too, if its a flat screen they are too bright usually which makes the images darker on other monitors, calibration is needed. H

 

[bellavita64]

Flash Harry: I just recalibrated my monitor before I loaded these off my camera. I recalibrate once/month with GretagMacBeth's Eye One Display 2. The colors are good, but how do you calibrate for brightness? I have an LCD screen (not enough bucks to upgrade to a good CRT yet) and the brightness of the image can vary greatly, depending on the angle I view from. Why is the raw image brighter than the jpeg I save? How do I correct this? I do prefer most things a tad underexposed, and it looks great as a raw image. But I agree that the jpeg is a little too dark. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, bjrouse!

 

[subimatt]

Its a nice shot, I think its a little to dark tho.

 

[EJBPhoto]

I think it is VERY underexposed, but it is a cute shot.

 

[heip]

Nice pose, good comp, very cute, even your lighting ratios seem balanced but everything is underexposed, as you've heard.

 

[wildmaven]

If he had adjusted the exposure upwards, would it have burned out her dress and the dog's nose? Maybe a reflector towards her face would've been in order?

I adjusted the file in "Curves" and then burned the background back to black:

Hahhaha...looks like I missed the bottom corners! Oopsy...

Marian

 

[Flash Harry]

Well if you are calibrating your monitor correctly your colors and gamma, (brightness) should receive calibration along the way and be correct, I suspect it could be something to do with your graphics card or if its just a cheap lcd screen that came as a bundled package its probably not being adjusted properly and possibly cant be. H

 

[Flash Harry]

levels saturation sharpen:

as your background isn't black and your trying to make it so I'd suggest moving the subject a lot further from the backdrop, expose correctly for her/him and the light fall off should give you a dark background anyway, but if you really want black I'D suggest getting a black backdrop. H

 

[bellavita64]

Funny thing about the background...It is actually a dark mottled gray. I did not intend for it to be black. Actually, the whole shot was sort of a fluke. This little girl came with her mother, grandma and grandpa in tow and they were all "directing" her. She was on her third clothing change, and had really had enough. I suggested we go to the park, so she could blow off some steam. I had already started shutting down the lights, and all I had on was a softbox. For some reason, as I turned around, I just instinctively brought up the camera and took one shot. I have no idea why the background turned out that odd russet/burgundy color. It blends with her dress, and I like it, but never wanted to make it look black. I just love the look on her face. I know how much she wanted this shoot to be over. I went back to the original raw file and increased the exposure and saturation, then brought it into photoshop and did a little more adjusting. I think I got it right now. Yeah my monitor is an LCD. I think a CRT is going to be my next major purchase, because it is too hard to see what I am doing when I edit!