Portrait Session

Sheepdisease · Jan 29, 2013

Hello all, I was asked to do a series of portraits for people for the first time as a side-line whilst photographing an event for someone.

This is the second time I have had to take approx. 50 separate images of couples and groups. I didn't have time to adjust lights between the shots.

I was using a white backdrop, two daylight coloured bulbs either side of the backdrop, a flash on the floor to fill the middle of the backdrop and two flash guns. A larger white shoot-through umbrella used on the left outputting more power (1/8-16) and a smaller white shoot-through umbrella slightly further back and lower down used on the right outputting less power (1/32-64).

I am processing the photos at the moment and wondered if you could please tell me what you think of the vibrance/contrast? I have adjusted the exposure slightly, increased the whites to get rid of the background, changed point curve to medium, increased sharpness and slightly darkened the blacks. The first still needs some refinement on the edges to get rid of the greys around the Mother etc.

Any other lightroom post-processing feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Tony S · Jan 29, 2013

In the first one there is an odd looking shadow behind the lady on the left. I'm not too hot on the amount of contrast that is going with the lighting. I think the mixed lighting and shadows make that one a hard thing to deal with the huge light differences from blown on faces/foreheads on the left for the first two adults, the one on the right is exposed ok, but the two youngsters in front are underexposed. Now that you've thrown in some groups, next time you should be ready to be able to quickly adjust your lighting to cover things better.

And a little off topic, is that Bennie Hill's younger brother?

flightless_beaker · Jan 29, 2013

For a second time ever photographing groups, it looks like you have an idea on basic posing. Better than I did my second time, lol. What the poster above me said, watch the lighting because it doesn't seem evenly lit for each subject. The heads seem kinda awkward for me. On the first photo, I'd tilt the left hand woman's head towards the mans. The two boys seem a bit low in the frame in my opinion. Maybe zoom out just a bit. In my style, I'm a pain when it comes to hand placement. I would put hands on shoulders or arms or cross them or somethign . Just not arms down but that's me. (ex: in the second photo, they seem to be standing there. Maybe a hand on a shoulder or arm. I'd also turn the redheaded girls head closer to the camera. Seems like she's turning away.) Other than that, I say it is a good job and keep it up

Sheepdisease · Jan 29, 2013

Thank you all for your fabulous feedback on techniques to work on for future reference. What about post-processing (particularly lightroom) as I mentioned originally?

I just wanted to add that the set-up I had was intended to groups of three maximum!

TCampbell · Jan 29, 2013

The contrast is too high.

In photo #2, look at the forehead of the person in the center of the image. It's much too white. Meanwhile.... all those black blazers are lost in black with no detail on them whatsoever. You can photograph subjects in black, but it's more challenging to light because you're trying to bring out detail on a fabric that doesn't want to reflect much light -- which risks you using too much light and blowing out other areas.

You can see it happening in #1... but not as strong. The boys in the front are a bit underexposed. The adults in the back have over-exposed skin highlights -- especially on the left.

Grab your highlights and shadows adjustment (or you can do it with curves) to bring up the shadows a bit and tame down the highlights.

The light needs to be brought forward (not so much to the side... a bit more front-facing) to reduce the size of the shadows in the nasolabial folds (the "laugh line" separating the puffy cheek area from the upper side of the mouth below the nose.) The young boys in the front are in a bit of a shadow. It's mostly a problem on the adults in the first shot. The 2nd shot has weaker shadows in that area. Really this is just a reminder to inspect your shadows. Some shadows make a subject look better... some make them look worse.