Little Sister - C&C please

Granddad · Jan 1, 2012

My little sister visited for Christmas an found herself pressed into service as a model to test my studio lighting - this was about my second shoot with my home studio equipment. Nikon D700, Nikon 24-70 F2.8
F13 1/160th ISO100 70mm. Strobe in soft box at about 1.5m left @ 30 degrees and 7ft high. Backlight strobe + shaded window light to right of frame.

1

2 F13 1/160th ISO100 70mm. Strobe in soft box at about 1.5m left @ 30 degrees and 7ft high. Backlight strobe and hairlight + shaded window light to right of frame.

3. F13 1/160th ISO100 70mm. Strobe in soft box at about 1.5m left @ 30 degrees and 7ft high + shaded window light to right of frame. (No back or hairlights)

All have been adjusted in lightroom and gently treated with digital botox (healing brush) in photoshop 8.

Comments and criticism welcome. I need feedback to figure out what I can do better.

TenaciousTins · Jan 1, 2012

I'm no expert, but on 1 and 2 I feel like the background is a little too bright and her hair (is it blonde or grey or somewhere in between??) blends into the background. My eye is not focused on her because of how bright the white is. 3 is my favorite and looks a little more realistic to me. I am thinking WB or something is a little off as the pictures seem a bit washed out colorwise.

bazooka · Jan 1, 2012

I think #1 is the best of the bunch... the pose is natural and the light is controlled. #2 is really "hot".... you're losing a lot of her hair which is being blown out with the background. For background lighting on white, I recommend setting the lights so they are just short of clipping the background. That way you use as little power as possible and you don't have to worry as much about spill (unless you want the spill). Even though your background can only go to 255 255 255, that light will bounce off that white and affect other areas of the image.... it could even cause contrast issues because it's like shining a light right into the lens.

I think #3 has the best quality light. Good catchlights in the eyes. I don't like the strong form of the chair and her shoulders are awkard... at first I thought her right shoulder was dropping below the frame because her hair is actually covering it up. Now I can see it actually goes back behind her and not down like a hunchback.

tirediron · Jan 1, 2012

C&C per req:

1. What is she looking at? I want to see it too! I like the expression here, but there are two things that I think could stand improving. One is that she's not looking at us, and we can't see what she's looking at, and two, the exposure is just a bit (1/3 - 1/2 stop) hot. dial this down a little and you'll have it nailed. As well when people stare off to the side like that, it forces the eyes all the way to one side of the socket and you lose that bit of sclera (the 'white' of the eye) on the far side that provides definition. Try having the subject face the camera with body/shoulders 30-40 degrees offset.

2. Great expression, but way too hot on your right (key?) light. You've lost a good part of her hair. Also, try and stay at eye-level with the subject.

3. Best exposure of the three, but I'm not a fan of the wicker chair. as well, she looks rather 'slumped'.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

Granddad · Jan 1, 2012

I'm no expert, but on 1 and 2 I feel like the background is a little too bright and her hair (is it blonde or grey or somewhere in between??) blends into the background. My eye is not focused on her because of how bright the white is. 3 is my favorite and looks a little more realistic to me. I am thinking WB or something is a little off as the pictures seem a bit washed out colorwise.

Backlight was a little too much, yes, agreed. Hair is blonde/grey. WB is actually fairly accurate, she's naturally very fair and wears little make-up. Thanks.

I think #1 is the best of the bunch... the pose is natural and the light is controlled. #2 is really "hot".... you're losing a lot of her hair which is being blown out with the background. For background lighting on white, I recommend setting the lights so they are just short of clipping the background. That way you use as little power as possible and you don't have to worry as much about spill (unless you want the spill). Even though your background can only go to 255 255 255, that light will bounce off that white and affect other areas of the image.... it could even cause contrast issues because it's like shining a light right into the lens.

I think #3 has the best quality light. Good catchlights in the eyes. I don't like the strong form of the chair and her shoulders are awkard... at first I thought her right shoulder was dropping below the frame because her hair is actually covering it up. Now I can see it actually goes back behind her and not down like a hunchback.

2 had backlight and hairlight, I think that with her colouring the hairlight was a mistake. Good tip on using the backlight and the danger of it reflecting - as the room has light ceiling and walls this is something I need to be aware of.

3 I just used the main soft box on this one, I brightened the catchlights in photoshop. I can see what you mean about the shoulder angle, I hadn't spotted that but now you've pointed it out it does look bad. As for the chair, I like it in general but in this case it might have looked better if I'd cropped the left a little more.

1. What is she looking at? I want to see it too! I like the expression here, but there are two things that I think could stand improving. One is that she's not looking at us, and we can't see what she's looking at, and two, the exposure is just a bit (1/3 - 1/2 stop) hot. dial this down a little and you'll have it nailed. As well when people stare off to the side like that, it forces the eyes all the way to one side of the socket and you lose that bit of sclera (the 'white' of the eye) on the far side that provides definition. Try having the subject face the camera with body/shoulders 30-40 degrees offset.

2. Great expression, but way too hot on your right (key?) light. You've lost a good part of her hair. Also, try and stay at eye-level with the subject.

3. Best exposure of the three, but I'm not a fan of the wicker chair. as well, she looks rather 'slumped'.

1. I had the devil of a job getting her to look at the camera, I think she was terrified of it.
You're right on the exposure, too, probably more reflected light than I was counting on.
That's a great tip about the sclera, it makes sense!

2. Agreed, too hot.
Eye level? OK ... not easy - she got the looks and I got the height in the family ... but yes, I was sitting - maybe I need an adjustable stool.
I guess that wicker chair isn't popular, at least in this shot, and yes, I see the slumped look now.

Thanks guys, I need the critical feedback.:thumbup: