Light-N-Sunny for C&C

[pharmakon]

Hello!

Happy Spring everyone. These images were originally taken for a BESP project, but it seems as though the group is more or less calling it quits. I still wanted to submit my images to the forum for your C&C though. The details of the assignment were as follows:

2 images, portrait crop.
One flower of your choice, for both images.
The 2 images need to have some relation to each other.
NO MACRO SHOTS
Image should be taken indoors, not in the wild
No abstract shots

I chose a sunflower, and in my usual fashon for the projects I decided to try out a new lighting method along the way... in this case a clean "blown out" white to go with the bright yellow flower.

Image 1: Exposure:0.005 sec (1/200)Aperture:f/11.0Focal Length:135 mmISO Speed:320

Lit via 2 off camera flashes, 1 camera right, bounced off the ceiling and wall behind me, the other was just out of the frame on the left, pointing back at the cheapo backdrop ($4 white bedsheet) behind the subject.

Image 2:
Exposure:0.004 sec (1/250)Aperture:f/5.6Focal Length:135 mmISO Speed:100
Same lighting setup as #1, just moved the lights slightly.

Overall I think I did a decent job, but I think another strobe or 2, plus some nice large softboxes/umbrellas would have gotten better results and made things easier on me than the hit or miss bouncing method I ended up using.

I also wish I had waited an extra day for the flowers to open up more, they look much better now so I might have to go at it again tonight.

I would love to know what you think of the images overall, the lighting, composition/angles, and any tips you have that might help me master this lighting method.

Your comments and criticisms are always appreciated. Thanks for looking!

 

[pharmakon]

Shameless Bump
+ updated image #2 with a little PP to fix a darkened spot in the background

 

[gpardo64]

pharmakon, it is funny how we went completely opposite in our backgrounds for this assignment. The mood in yours is happier and fresh but I think a full white background makes the pics simpler. Some how you're loosing another element which could be used to help you in the story you wanted to communicate.

In my opinion in the first shot the flower is almost in the middle, loosing the opportunity to fill some other sweet spots in the composition which I think you achieved in the second shot.

I like how sharp the shots came out and you got no reflections in the glass of the first shot.

 

[pbelarge]

The lighting for the second shot is better, not that the first shot is bad.
I also like the composition of the second shot. The flower is definitely well spaced in the frame. Nice job.
Considering the white backround this shot came out very nice. I like the colors of the flower as well.