Playing with light...

[e.rose]

The other week I was messing around with my flash and umbrella... It was the most frustrating session I've ever had. My husband is worse than an unwilling 5 year old.

"Can I be an iPad model?"

"No."

"But WHY?!"

"Because you'll be looking down at the screen the whole time and I need you looking at me, so I can tell what the hell it is I'm doing."

5 Minutes Later...

"Are you SURE I can't be an iPad model?"

"Babe, can you NOT play Monopoly for like... 30 minutes? Seriously?"

"No. I'm winning."

"You can pause the game."

"But I'm winning."

"Shut up and look here, dammit."



It was like that for an hour.

So anyway... don't critique his pose, the distraction of his tea mug, which is as attached to him as his freakin iPad is... or the bored look on his face, because that wasn't the purpose of the photos. I was simply using him as a "dummy" for my lighting experiments.

THAT being said... I was going through my images and had a question about this one in particular...

(This was shot with a shoot-through umbrella)

I like the shadow that comes across his check (camera right), although maybe that's "wrong", and maybe you all hate it (feel free to say so), but I don't like how his left eye (camera right) is dark. It wasn't something I noticed at the time of shooting, although, admittedly I should have, but that's why I'm going through these photos and studying what I don't like about them.

My questions are these: Would dropping the light down a little have kept that shadow while bringing more light to his left eye? What would be the *best* way to bring light to his right eye?

Feel free to offer any other constructive lighting critiques/suggestions.

Thanks! :sillysmi:

 

[bazooka]

I imagine if you moved the light just a few inches, you'd get it. It's just the shadow from the bridge of the nose. I think you could get the light over the nose without losing the cheek ridge.

 

[Trever1t]

the shadow you mention is good to me, gives a mood to the portrait.

 

[Big Mike]

Yes, I think so.

I would have brought the light down a bit and maybe moved it a bit closer to the camera, just until it could light his other eye. It may be tricky as his hair may be in the way. By the way, you almost always want to light someone from the side of the part in their hair...this is so their hair won't block light from the eyes (as much).
Another way to get light into the eyes is with fill light (another light or reflector etc), but that would require you to abandon the deep lighting ratio you have here...so it's a judgment call.

The think that I watch carefully is the nose shadow. In this case, it's getting really close to his mouth, which tells me the light is too high. You do have Rembrandt lighting here, in case you didn't know. The telltale sign is that you have a closed triangle of light on his cheek.

 

[kundalini]

Two words..............

Fill Flash

 

[e.rose]

I imagine if you moved the light just a few inches, you'd get it. It's just the shadow from the bridge of the nose. I think you could get the light over the nose without losing the cheek ridge.

the shadow you mention is good to me, gives a mood to the portrait.

Thanks for both of your feedback :sillysmi: :thumbup:

Yes, I think so.

I would have brought the light down a bit and maybe moved it a bit closer to the camera, just until it could light his other eye. It may be tricky as his hair may be in the way. By the way, you almost always want to light someone from the side of the part in their hair...this is so their hair won't block light from the eyes (as much).
Another way to get light into the eyes is with fill light (another light or reflector etc), but that would require you to abandon the deep lighting ratio you have here...so it's a judgment call.

Gotchya :thumbup:

The think that I watch carefully is the nose shadow. In this case, it's getting really close to his mouth, which tells me the light is too high. You do have Rembrandt lighting here, in case you didn't know. The telltale sign is that you have a closed triangle of light on his cheek.

Cool, thanks for your feedback! :sillysmi:

I have a question though... I wanted to look up... either in a book... or google... the different "types" of lighting (ie. "Rembrandt Lighting") Is there a specific term for that... other than... "Different types of lighting?" :lmao: I'd love to do a search, I just don't know *what* I need to search *for*.

Two words..............

Fill Flash

Haha, well the only two issues with that is 1. I don't *have* a second flash and 2. I don't want to get rid of the shadow on his cheek... which a fill flash would do, wouldn't it?

I attempted the use of a reflector, but my homemade reflector failed me miserably (long story), so that didn't happen.

 

[kundalini]

I have a question though... I wanted to look up... either in a book... or google... the different "types" of lighting (ie. "Rembrandt Lighting") Is there a specific term for that... other than... "Different types of lighting?" :lmao: I'd love to do a search, I just don't know *what* I need to search *for*.

Here you go..... CLICKY

.............. I don't want to get rid of the shadow on his cheek... which a fill flash would do, wouldn't it?

Your key light creates the modeling (darker shadows here) and the fill smooths the gradient between lit and shadowed. You have a defined line, which looks ....odd or misplaced. Positioned properly, you will still achieve the modeling you desire.

 

[e.rose]

Your key light creates the modeling (darker shadows here) and the fill smooths the gradient between lit and shadowed. You have a defined line, which looks ....odd or misplaced. Positioned properly, you will still achieve the modeling you desire.

Gotchya. Thanks! :sillysmi: And thanks for the link!

 

[Stradawhovious]

Here you go..... CLICKY

(WARNING.... NOOB GIVING ADVICE..... WARNING....... please skip to next post if you wish to avoid the inevitable eye-roll)

The link Kundalini gave you is an incredible resource for the beginnier. I have played around with it a lot, and it is chok full of useful advice. Do you have a reflector or two? They can be very very helpful for fill light in lieu of a second light or the dreaded *gasp* on-camera flash.

ETA - I see you did try to use a home made reflector. I got a 42" 5-in-1 Reflector off of eBay for $18 delivered, and it's fantastic. I will try to dig up a link if you're interested.

If your husband continues to be an unwilling model, have him buy you a large stuffed animal. They make for fantastic practice, and have no interest in iPad Monopoly.



And it looks like your model could benefit from a sandwich or two.

(sorry, couldn't resist. )

 

[e.rose]

Here you go..... CLICKY

(WARNING.... NOOB GIVING ADVICE..... WARNING....... please skip to next post if you wish to avoid the inevitable eye-roll)

I would never. I read everything.

The link Kundalini gave you is an incredible resource for the beginnier. I have played around with it a lot, and it is chok full of useful advice. Do you have a reflector or two? They can be very very helpful for fill light in lieu of a second light or the dreaded *gasp* on-camera flash.

I have homemade reflectors. I have the standard white foam board... and one that I constructed (or attempted to) that would allow me to switch between white and silver, except the way I constructed it FAILED miserably and the material isn't tight enough across the frame and therefore does *nothing* noticeable. I made it because I wanted to be able to collapse it, rather than always walking around with a board, but... I might have to just go back to that, because apparently I fail at making things.

And it looks like your model could benefit from a sandwich or two.

(sorry, couldn't resist. )

Jerkface. :hug:: :lmao:
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.
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(I laughed. I did. )

 

[bazooka]

After reading Mike's post, I did notice how high the light is... so yeah, bring it down a bit and over a bit. What he said.

 

[e.rose]

After reading Mike's post, I did notice how high the light is... so yeah, bring it down a bit and over a bit. What he said.

Haha, thanks :sillysmi:

 

[KmH]

You don't want the shadow from the nose to intersect the lip line. In the sample you posted your light was a bit higher than it should go.You want to be sure and maintain that triangle of light under Keith's left eye. The size of the triangle will be variable.

I would say the umbrella was to far away (sharp edged shadows) because you probably had it set up to bounce the flash rather than using it in shoot-through mode so you could put it just out of the frame, which makes it appear as a large as possible light source.

 

[Big Mike]

Here you go..... CLICKYhttp://tips.romanzolin.com/articles/article011.php

Pretty good link.

For more info, look up 'portrait' lighting.

 

[e.rose]

You don't want the shadow from the nose to intersect the lip line. In the sample you posted your light was a bit higher than it should go.You want to be sure and maintain that triangle of light under Keith's left eye. The size of the triangle will be variable.

Thanks for your feedback. :sillysmi:

you probably had it set up to bounce the flash rather than using it in shoot-through mode

I don't think I quite understand what you mean? I had the shaft of the umbrella (the underside) pointing away from him... isn't that the only way to set up a shoot-through umbrella? I don't disagree that it might have been too far away, but I'm confused with the above part of your statement.

I will, however, have to try placing the light closer next time.

Thanks again. :sillysmi:

Here you go..... CLICKYhttp://tips.romanzolin.com/articles/article011.php

Pretty good link.

For more info, look up 'portrait' lighting.

Sweet, thanks! I'll try that.