Most common PP for portraits?

[goodoneian]

viridari, one think I noticed about your portraits is how close you are, but you can't be in the subjects' faces with your camera, so do you take portraits with a zoom lens? I was using my 50 for detail, but maybe I should try with the 70-300 at about 100mm... Is that a good idea, or not?

Also, how did you avoid reflections on the glasses of that male subject? CPL?

it's all about light positioning

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/04/lighting-101-lighting-for-glasses.html

 

[MelodySoul]

You're right, but one of the things that I'm really interested in is portraits... My wife had this goal of taking our own milestone pictures of our girls (1 year picture, etc.), instead of paying a professional.. And every time I've had professional pictures taken they've used umbrellas, so, naturally, I thought I needed umbrellas... Unfortunately, I bought cheap flashes for them that don't have any control-just on and off, and I'm having trouble with the timing. It doesn't seem like that's too terribly advance an issue to overcome, so I have begun asking these types of questions. It's the first situation I've encountered where Auto mode won't even take a decent picture. I was forced into Manual mode in order to control when the flashes fire more accurately, and so I'm in unfamiliar territory.

Ah ok I see. I know you're just trying to get the settings right and that's why most of the shots are taken on the sofa but why not go outside or somewhere with a nice background and then play around? That way if you get a good exposure you might end up with a really great shot! It will be great practice and you'll get some good candids.

 

[viridari]

but why not go outside or somewhere with a nice background and then play around?

:lmao:

You don't have small children around, do you?

He's very lucky to get the images he's gotten.

 

[stsinner]

That's a great idea, but it is 18 degrees F here right now, and snow is on the ground.. It takes a lot to get me to bundle the girls up and take them outside for pics in this weather.. Plus my shivering might cause some camera shake..LOL

 

[Chewbecca]

Are you shooting into a pitch black room with these?
Because even with just a lamp on, you should be able to put your ISO to 400, your shutter speed to 1/200-1/250, aperture @f4/f5.6 and still get PLENTY of light in your pictures without the funky orange/red/magenta coloring.
Are you shooting in RAW?
Sorry, I haven't had time to read this whole thread.

Your couch looks yellow (I can tell it's green, but it has a yellowness to it), and your daughter tends to have a magenta tone to her skin mixed with an orangey tint most likely due to the light bouncing off that gorgeous red hair of hers.

 

[stsinner]

Actually, my couch is tan. And, no, it was relatively well let when I took these shots. I just have no damn idea what I'm doing. I'm basically doing everything that is recommended like a robot in order to get better, because I don't know enough to question anyone's advice..

I have no idea why I was at ISO 800 with 1/15 shutter speed in those shots... I'm going to have to pay closer attention.

 

[viridari]

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y-Resolution |300.00
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Compression |JPEG compression
x-Resolution |300.00
y-Resolution |300.00
Resolution Unit |Inch
Exposure Time |1/15 sec.
FNumber |f/4.2
ExposureProgram |Manual
Exif Version |Exif Version 2.2
Date and Time (origi|2008:12:05 15:38:13
Date and Time (digit|2008:12:05 15:38:13
ComponentsConfigurat|Y Cb Cr -
Exposure Bias |0.00 EV
MaxApertureValue |4.00 EV (f/4.0)
Metering Mode |Pattern
Light Source |4
Flash |Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected.
Focal Length |110.0 mm
Maker Note |5865 bytes unknown data
User Comment |
SubsecTime |80
SubSecTimeOriginal |80
SubSecTimeDigitized |80
FlashPixVersion |FlashPix Version 1.0
Color Space |sRGB
PixelXDimension |1024
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File Source |DSC
Scene Type |1
CFA Pattern |
Custom Rendered |Normal process
Exposure Mode |Manual exposure
White Balance |Manual white balance
Digital Zoom Ratio |1.00
Focal Length In 35mm|165
Scene Capture Type |Standard
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EXIF data contains a thumbnail (1339 bytes).

Something is really really wrong with your lighting. Your flash fired, but your at 1/15 f/4.2. I don't see ISO in your EXIF tags but you're saying ISO 800. Your camera is starving for light here. I just tried those settings in my really dim home office here and it seemed to be useful settings for a subject sitting next to a bright desk lamp but even a small amount of flash would blow it out.

Also you're using a manual white balance setup but as others noted that's off. I'm color blind so I can't comment specifically on why it's off but even to me it looks off.

 

[stsinner]

Yeah, I went into Nikon ViewNX, and it said I was at 800. I also checked what white balance setting I had selected, and it was Flash, as I was using my SB600..

Think something's wrong with my camera?

 

[viridari]

No, I'm not suggesting there is something wrong with your camera.

Just for giggles, if you want to try something, I'm interested in a little experiment. Put your camera in the dreaded "P mode" and try another picture of someone on the same couch. Even put your flash in dummy mode. And auto white balance. I'm interested in seeing the EXIF tags. And if the white balance comes out OK.

 

[stsinner]

No, I'm not suggesting there is something wrong with your camera.

Just for giggles, if you want to try something, I'm interested in a little experiment. Put your camera in the dreaded "P mode" and try another picture of someone on the same couch. Even put your flash in dummy mode. And auto white balance. I'm interested in seeing the EXIF tags. And if the white balance comes out OK.

Will a doll suffice? And you mean the SB600, or on-camera flash, or does it matter?

 

[viridari]

Will a doll suffice? And you mean the SB600, or on-camera flash, or does it matter?

A doll will do fine.

Use whatever flash you used for the photo that I quoted a little earlier tonight. Same hardware as the other photo but auto settings, including on the flash and white balance.

 

[stsinner]

Okay, so I did what you asked-SB600 bounced in the first and not in the second. Hope my dog works for a subject for what you're trying to determine

 

[viridari]

Interesting. Do you know what ISO was used? It's not in the EXIF tags.

 

[stsinner]

Oh, dang it! I was using my 70-300 lens, and that may explain why I was starving for light! Those pics I just took were with my 18-55. Would that be the reason?

In the dog pics, I had the WB in auto.

 

[viridari]

Oh, dang it! I was using my 70-300 lens, and that may explain why I was starving for light! Those pics I just took were with my 18-55. What that be the reason?

No. Actually remember I said you had f/4.2 @ 1/15 on the other pic? You're at 1/60 f/5.6 now so the camera is getting more light here. Either from the flash or from using a higher ISO (higher than 800??) The difference in lens shouldn't matter here unless you were much closer to your subject so the flash reached more easily.