My First Photo with a Speedlight

[PeK77]

Hey guys and gals,
I wanted to share my first shot that was taken with my SB-700. I did not get the photo straight out of the camera. I was using a web tutorial on setting up a shot where the background would be all dark. Unfortunately, I could not achieve what the post described. So i took the photo and created the black background in Photoshop. I'm hoping once I become more proficient, I can do more straight out of the camera.

Photo was shot at ISO 100, F5.6, speed at 200. The SB-700 was around a 45 degree angle and zoomed to 35mm. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. (The touch ups are a little heavy for my taste but my sig other loved it that way). Thanks in advance! With 2 kids and a full time job its tough to find free time to study photography. Normally its me in a basement, after hours, shooting pics of a teddy bear. I hope to have more family subjects as I become more proficient.

 

[Propsguy]

Babies and black backgrounds are an odd mix. I think it better to show what did come straight out of camera so that our CCs reflect better the image that you couldn't quite achieve. Beyond that, the light looks rather too harsh for the subject.... softer shadows and warmer skin tone would be my immediate recommendations for this image.

 

[PeK77]

Babies and black backgrounds are an odd mix. I think it better to show what did come straight out of camera so that our CCs reflect better the image that you couldn't quite achieve. Beyond that, the light looks rather too harsh for the subject.... softer shadows and warmer skin tone would be my immediate recommendations for this image.

Thanks, Propsguy. So I'm guessing I should be using an umbrella (instead of direct flash) and move it closer (vs 6-8ft away).

 

[tirediron]

Yes, you should indeed be moving it closer and adding a diffuser of some sort; umbrella, soft-box, large Tupperware container (No, I'm not joking they work well in a pinch!). The lighting isn't bad at all for bare-tube flash, but it could definitely be improved on.

 

[Propsguy]

I would add a modifier.... probably a softbox, (a pure white sheet on a curtain rod might do just fine though) and I would move the light closer.... I would also add a bounce on the left and probably one up and behind to bounce a little light back as a soft hair light. The good thing about babies is they are quite round... so wrapping soft light around them and getting nice gradients from left to right (or vice versa) is easily achieved.