Looking for a critique

[Nsp1red]

I am slowly due to my full time job working on my photography skills. I really enjoy it but I have huge times between my shoots. I was taking some pictures of my wife yesterday and would appreciate any and all assistance in helping me improve. I have a Nikon D200, both shots were taken with a 70-200 Nikon lens. I have 3 continuous lights (2 with square soft boxes, one without). I had the lighting setup where one soft box was at a 45 degree to her left putting light directly at her. A second soft box was at the opposite 45 to her but pointed directly behind her to just pick up a little light since both soft boxes have 500W bulbs. The last light is just an accent light on the back drop.

Are there any other details that you need to help me?

I think one place I need help is the posing...I am not very good at that part.

These pictures were edited in post but not really that far off from the originals.

Thank you so much for taking the time to look at the pictures and giving me feedback.

-Brandon

 

[tirediron]

Not bad at all. In the first, I think you could have refined it just a tad by pulling your key light a little further camera right, and reducing the exposure slightly, maybe 1/3 - 1/2 stop as the highlights on her forehead are just a tad hot. Nothing major however. #2 on the other hand seems ever so slightly under-exposed to me. When posing, especially ladies, don't forget the all important "Chin out, chin down" direction. While it's not an issue here in terms of double-chins, it does add a (IMO) more pleasing angle to the face.
Overall I think these are quite nice, especially for continuous lights. Don't forget to have the model comb her fair just before shooting; while it's generally not an issue with continuous lighting, you'd be amazed at just how much light a single hair at the wrong angle can reflect.

 

[Nsp1red]

Thank you so much for your feedback. I have not taken an portrait shots in about 6 months and my wife was kind enough to sit for me . I am really trying to learn the lighting side of things. I really appreciate the time you took to look over my images and critique them!

 

[The_Traveler]

I think camera position is a bit low, particularly on the second.

And the lighting is pretty harsh, emphasizing any imperfection in her skin.

 

[The_Traveler]

BTW, tell your wife that she is gorgeous.

 

[Nsp1red]

View attachment 90395 I think camera position is a bit low, particularly on the second.

And the lighting is pretty harsh, emphasizing any imperfection in her skin.

Thank you. I will work on my camera positioning. With regards to the harshness of the light. Since I am using continuous light in a light box how do I get a less harsh light. I had diffuser material on the soft box. I know such a rookie question but it is all good if I improve

Thanks again!

-Brandon

 

[Nsp1red]

BTW, tell your wife that she is gorgeous.

Thank you from both of us. She is not only a great model(although not always willingly - lol), but a fantastic wife, awesome mother (of three) and my best friend on top of it all!

 

[Derrel]

The light is a bit too harsh if one's goal is to render her skin as flawless and perfectly smooth, straight out of camera. That CAN be done by positioning a fill light that almost directly counteracts the main light, using for example two identical modifiers, like an over/under umbrella set-up where the camera shoots through the space between an umbrella mounted higher up, and one lower, right on the same, exact light stand, or by using two modifiers side-by-side, pretty close to one another.

If the key light creates a shadow, the shadow is recorded by the lens; a fill light, or a reflector fill, that literally "fill in" the very smallest of shadows on the skin, is the way to make the skin smoother. Something like a 3x4 foot, white or silver reflector positioned JUST out of camera view, under the subject's chin, can lighten up the smallest shadows to such a degree that there's no need for skin smoothing done in software, and it preserves the look of "realness" that software retouching strips away.

If you want to make the light you have softer, you need to make the source of it significantly LARGER, so, I would use a frame with a thin diffusion fabric stretched over it, a scrim, to make the softbox into a much bigger light. Bigger light = softer light. Literally shine the softbox through the bigger scrim, to make the light softer.

 

[Nsp1red]

Thank you Derrel. This gives me some things to try and some new items to google (scrim) This is great detail and will work on this next time I can get her to sit for another shoot (hopefully this week/weekend). I will repost when I get new shots.

Thanks again to all!