Portraits

[almaswimmer2010]

Im trying to take those super serious portraits that you see in black and white and i cant seem to get the shadows dark enough and keep the detail while keeping the rest bright but not too bright. LOL hopefully that makes sense

 

[Alpha]

Well you're either lighting wrong, shooting wrong, or processing wrong.

That answer your question?

Let's be a little more specific.

 

[tkaat]

Well you're either lighting wrong, shooting wrong, or processing wrong.

That answer your question?

Let's be a little more specific.

I am sorry but that was hilarious to me

My guess it that your D.O.F isn't right and also your lighting to get the look you want

 

[Bifurcator]

To check:

Monitor calibration.
Color Profile (aka Color Space) assignment.

To look into or read:

http://www.thepluginsite.com/products/photowiz/bwstyler/index.htm
http://weblog.slower.net/archives/3
http://www.adobe.com/digitalimag/pdfs/phs8bwconversion.pdf
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/color-black-white.htm
http://jp.youtube.com/results?search_query=B/W+conversion&search_type=&aq=f

 

[Alpha]

DOF in all likelihood has nothing to do with it.

 

[Alpha]

To check:

Monitor calibration.
Color Profile (aka Color Space) assignment.

To look into or read:

http://www.thepluginsite.com/products/photowiz/bwstyler/index.htm
http://weblog.slower.net/archives/3
http://www.adobe.com/digitalimag/pdfs/phs8bwconversion.pdf
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/color-black-white.htm
http://jp.youtube.com/results?search_query=B/W+conversion&search_type=&aq=f

Monitor calibration will not shrink or expand the tone gamut. How could that have anything to do with their problem?

 

[toofpaste]

I'm leaning more towards lighting.

 

[Meysha]

I think it may be a lighting problem too.

Experiment with harsher lighting, and softer lighting and the angles it's coming in from.

Well you're either lighting wrong, shooting wrong, or processing wrong.

That has got to be the funniest thing I've ever read on this forum!

 

[Meysha]

OP, can you post us an example of what you're not happy with, and maybe a link to what you'd like it to look like and we can help you out more.

 

[toofpaste]

I think it may be a lighting problem too.

Experiment with harsher lighting, and softer lighting and the angles it's coming in from.


That has got to be the funniest thing I've ever read on this forum!

Appreciate your sense of humor, most people on this forum would think that's rude, innapropriate and immature.

Good thing there's some of us left.

 

[Bifurcator]

Monitor calibration will not shrink or expand the tone gamut. How could that have anything to do with their problem?

Calibration:
Calibrate your monitor so that black is actually grey (too bright) and view the image.


Color Space (read):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en-us&q=color+space+and+B&W&btnG=Search
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en-us&q=color+profile+and+B&W&btnG=Search


No one specified any specific or non-specific relation.

 

[reg]

I vote for a different exposure (maybe a bit brighter, maybe a bit darker), and a solid curves adjustment afterward.

 

[Alpha]

You shouldn't need to do much in post (particularly w/ curves) if you shoot it correctly.

 

[reg]

You shouldn't need to do much in post (particularly w/ curves) if you shoot it correctly.

Problem being, I don't think OP is getting it correctly. The lighting doesn't sound harsh enough for the effect... If they check their histogram, and report back with what it says, it could probably be pinned down easier.

 

[Meysha]

Well hypothetically speaking, i think this hypothetical discussion is hypothetically pointless.