Portrait Help

[Ballistics]

Self Portrait by The Photo Major, on Flickr


This is a self portrait I took to illustrate what I am going for in terms of the shot, but I don't think its working so well. Also, the artifacts are not in the original picture, so I don't know what the deal is with that.
I want to photograph my instructors for their website and was curious what I need to improve. I don't want to make excuses, but self portraiture with out a remote
is not easy. Next time I will try and light the background more to eliminate the shadow on the bottom right side. I used my wall as a backdrop and I'm about 4 or 5 ft away from it.

I used 2 speedlights with umbrellas.

 

[The_Traveler]

Bearing in mind that I nothing about actual lighting, these are my impressions.
The only shadow is the left side of the face and its darkness looks a bit odd considering.

(I am assuming that you want to include the sash to show the color.)
The chosen pose means that you have a face at the top (one center of interest), way above the power points and the only other colors are the hands and they are down at the bottom of his arms but do draw the eye and all this is separated by a large white uninteresting center (the robe). I would look for other poses that make the composition tighter - the classic arms folded, leaning against something, sitting down - things that make it clear what should be pulling the viewer's eye.

(oh, and it looks tilted to me.)

 

[jake337]

I think you could pull your strobe on the left a lil bit closer to your camera and that would pull the catchlights off the iris and would bring the shadow that is creeping into the corner of your left eye back towards your nose. Well at least someone told me the nose shadow breaching your eye is a no, no. Your head seems to be slightly tipping towards your high shoulder as well.



The Rules Of Good Portraiture

Facial Analysis in Fine Portraiture- Corrective TechniquesThe fabulous fill light...an article

Benji's Studio Lighting and Posing Tutorial

Portrait Lighting Cheat Sheet Card | DIYPhotography.net

 

[Derrel]

Rotate the frame counter-clockwise as The_Traveler did and it improves the image! He needs a bit more "space" around him, in which to "exist", so I would suggest cloning in some background by creating a larger canvas, selecting the image, then pasting it in, and cloning in the corners that create the needed extra space around his hands and head. The artifacts could be re-sizing artifacts, due to the way your web host re-sampled the image.

 

[Ballistics]

Awesome replies guys! I found my remote, so I will reshoot tonight.

 

[Ballistics]

Here is another shot with more space. Uncropped pretty much SOOC.

 

[Ballistics]

I think you could pull your strobe on the left a lil bit closer to your camera and that would pull the catchlights off the iris and would bring the shadow that is creeping into the corner of your left eye back towards your nose. Well at least someone told me the nose shadow breaching your eye is a no, no. Your head seems to be slightly tipping towards your high shoulder as well.



The Rules Of Good Portraiture

Facial Analysis in Fine Portraiture- Corrective TechniquesThe fabulous fill light...an article

Benji's Studio Lighting and Posing Tutorial

Portrait Lighting Cheat Sheet Card | DIYPhotography.net

Thanks for the awesome post, but what if you do side lighting?

 

[gopal]

I feel, for self portraits, it will be better looking into the camera, having a direct contact with viewer rather looking out?

 

[The_Traveler]

I took another look and, a slight nit, I would be certain to raise your face a bit to eliminate this bulge (see below) caused by the head turn into the neck.

On a different topic, I feel confident that one-to-one, I could take you, assuming that, because of our age difference, I could use both a shotgun and a chain saw (that is already running).

 

[Ballistics]

I feel, for self portraits, it will be better looking into the camera, having a direct contact with viewer rather looking out?

I am looking into the camera.

 

[Ballistics]

I took another look and, a slight nit, I would be certain to raise your face a bit to eliminate this bulge (see below) caused by the head turn into the neck.

On a different topic, I feel confident that one-to-one, I could take you, assuming that, because of our age difference, I could use both a shotgun and a chain saw (that is already running).

View attachment 8953

I'm pretty fast. You better hope that shotgun is loaded. I'd be 2 blocks away before you get a shell in

 

[rlemert]

I feel, for self portraits, it will be better looking into the camera, having a direct contact with viewer rather looking out?

I am looking into the camera.

That you may be doing, but it doesn't look like it. The shadows around the eyes make it look distinctly like you're looking off to your left.

 

[Ballistics]

I feel, for self portraits, it will be better looking into the camera, having a direct contact with viewer rather looking out?

I am looking into the camera.

That you may be doing, but it doesn't look like it. The shadows around the eyes make it look distinctly like you're looking off to your left.

It's the distance and positioning of the camera. My right eye is not centered because the camera is off to my left.

 

[kundalini]

I used 2 speedlights with umbrellas.

Can you give us a diagram and/or a detailed description? The reason I ask is because the purpose of a protrait is to show the likeness of your subject. This translates to the face (mask) is paramount and be the first thing someone look at when viewing your image. Also, in traditional protraiture, there are three head positions..... full face (straight on with both ears showing equally), 2/3s (one ear showing and the nose not breaking the edge of the far cheek) and profile (exactly 1/2 of the mask). You have none of these going on yet. Okay, back to the point I wanted to make..... with the massive amount of white in your uniform, you will need to do some flagging, feathering and repositioning of your lights to create some depth.

On a personal note, I think a full body shot with the subject in an offensive/defensive stance (depends on your style) would be better suited for an instructor and his website. No offense, but a lame, just standing there pose would not evoke much of an emotional response for wannabe students. Just my 2¢.


EDIT:
A head shot on the website would be fine, but that's a different kettle of fish.

 

[jake337]

I think you could pull your strobe on the left a lil bit closer to your camera and that would pull the catchlights off the iris and would bring the shadow that is creeping into the corner of your left eye back towards your nose. Well at least someone told me the nose shadow breaching your eye is a no, no. Your head seems to be slightly tipping towards your high shoulder as well.



The Rules Of Good Portraiture

Facial Analysis in Fine Portraiture- Corrective TechniquesThe fabulous fill light...an article

Benji's Studio Lighting and Posing Tutorial

Portrait Lighting Cheat Sheet Card | DIYPhotography.net

Thanks for the awesome post, but what if you do side lighting?

maybe someone more experienced could chime in. Maybe it is just a no, no when doing Rembrandt lighting.

I believe they talk about it more on this site.

http://www.professionalphotography101.com/portrait_lighting/lighting_names.html


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